The Strict Oneness of God

The movement's central theological commitment is an uncompromising numerical oneness of God — one person, undivided. This is understood as the plain meaning of the Shema, the foundational declaration of Israel:

The Hebrew word echad ("one") is understood in its straightforward numerical sense, consistent with all other uses in the Torah — one day, one nation, one law. Some later theologies argue the word implies a "compound unity," pointing to Genesis 2:24 ("the two shall become one flesh"). The movement does not accept this reading, holding that word meaning is determined by grammatical and immediate context rather than by importing an external doctrinal framework.

Further passages cited as foundational:

On the Doctrine of the Trinity

The Trinity — the teaching that God is one being in three persons — was not formally defined until the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE and further elaborated at the Council of Constantinople in 381 CE, roughly three centuries after the texts shared with Christianity were written. Adherents hold that a doctrine requiring three centuries of councils, debate, and political resolution cannot represent the plain reading of texts which, read on their own terms, repeatedly affirm that God is singular, alone, and without equal or partner.

The movement is therefore called "unitarian" in the strict, lowercase sense — belief in a numerically single God — not in reference to the Unitarian Universalist Association or any other named denomination, though the theological overlap with earlier unitarian movements is acknowledged (see: History).

On the Person of Yeshua (Jesus)

Adherents do not affirm that Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth is God, part of God, or a pre-existent divine being. The Torah's distinction between the human and the divine is understood as categorical; it is not suspended for any individual, however significant. This position distinguishes the movement from:

• Trinitarian Christianity — which holds Jesus as fully God and fully man
• Messianic Judaism — which generally affirms some form of Jesus's divinity while also keeping Torah
• Hebrew Roots groups — most of which retain a high Christology alongside renewed Torah practice

House of Miriam confesses Yeshua as the Messiah and the human Son of God — our Master and example, sent by the Father, yet not divine (see: Yeshua the Messiah). Across the wider, decentralized movement, views on Yeshua vary — from those who regard him as a significant Jewish teacher to those who hold no strong view and focus solely on the Torah and God's oneness. That range remains one of the movement's areas of internal diversity (see: Differences of Opinion); this site sets out what House of Miriam itself holds.

The Torah as Enduring Instruction

The word "Torah" means "instruction" or "teaching," not "law" in the narrow legal sense. The movement holds that this instruction was given for all generations and has not been abolished, suspended, or superseded.

A distinction is drawn between the written Torah (the five books of Moses, held as authoritative) and later rabbinic literature — the Mishnah, Talmud, and legal codes such as the Shulchan Aruch — which is consulted for practical wisdom and scholarly insight, but not treated as binding scripture in the same way.

Names and Titles of God

YHWH — the four-letter divine name, treated with particular reverence. Many adherents avoid pronouncing it directly, substituting "HaShem" (the Name) or "Adonai" (Lord) in speech and reading.

Elohim — a title for God, grammatically plural in form but consistently paired with singular verbs when referring to the God of Israel. The movement understands this as a "plural of majesty" (a known Hebrew grammatical pattern) rather than as evidence of literal plurality within God.

El Shaddai, El Elyon, El Olam — descriptive titles meaning "God Almighty," "God Most High," and "God Everlasting," treated as attributes of the single being rather than separate names for separate persons.