Can God Become Man? A Study on Corporealism in Biblical and Rabbinic Literature

Overview: The question of corporeality, Maimonides’ principle and the diverging school of thought. Biblical and rabbinic texts depicting a corporeal God, and how to square that with the omnipresent God, and His ability to manifest Himself.

 

The question

The corporealism question concerns God’s character in biblical literature. Corporealism is the embodiment of God, or gods, in the physical form or body. Incorporeality is the theological antithesis of corporeity, in which God is strictly omnipresent at all times.

Anthropomorphism is different from corporealism. Anthropomorphism is figurative human-like speech, such as “saying” and “going” – actions that represent an idea rather than a physical entity. Therefore, when the Torah uses such words in reference to God, it is much less theologically problematic since it can be explained as an idea/action rather than a physical being actually executing these actions. Similarly, the “mighty hand” of God mentioned in Ex. 6:1 conveys a mighty act of God rather than a physical hand. Language in general was created to describe the world and human-like phenomena making it difficult to describe God without using anthropomorphic terminology.

In this article we will do the following. First we will quote Maimonides principle of incorporeality. We will then show diverging opinions that were more open to corporealism. Then we will bring sample biblical verses that describe God with human-like features. Following that is a list of highly corporealist texts in rabbinic literature. Then we will discuss how this can all work out philosophically and whether or not God is actually corporeal or omnipresent – or, perhaps, both!

 

 

Maimonides’ 3rd principle of faith

Maimonides lists 13 principles of faith required for an Orthodox Jew. These 13 principles are disputed by other rabbis but Maimonides prominence has risen in recent times (see here for a discussion about Maimonides’ 13 principles). The third principle is quoted here:^[1]

היסוד השלישי

שלילת הגשמות ממנו וזה שנאמין כי האחד הזה שזכרנו אינו גוף ולא כח בגוף ולא ישיגוהו מאורעות הגופים כמו התנועה והמנוחה והמשכן לא מצד עצמות ולא במקרה ולכן שללו ממנו החכמים ז”ל החבור והפירוד ואמרו (חגיגה טו.) אין למעלה לא ישיבה ולא עמידה לא עורף ולא עפוי כלומר לא פירוד ולא עורף והוא חבור והוא עפוי מלשון ועפו בכתף פלשתים כלומר ידחפו אותם בכתף להתחברם בהם ואמר הנביא ואל מי תדמיוני ואשוה יאמר קדוש אילו היה גוף [היה] דומה לגופים וכל מה שבא בכתבי הקדש שמתארים אותו בתארי הגופות כמו ההליכה והעמידה והישיבה והדבור וכיוצא בזה הכל דרך השאלה וכן אמרו ז”ל (ברכות לא:) דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם וכבר דברו החכמים בזה הענין הרבה והיסוד השלישי הזה הוא מורה עליו מה שנאמר כי לא ראיתם כל תמונה כלומר לא השגתם אותו בעל תמונה לפי שהוא כמו שזכרנו אינו גוף ולא כח בגוף:

The third principle Denial of His physicality and that is that we believe that this Unity that we mentioned is not a body and not the power of a body and that actions of a body do not relate to Him, not in His essence and not in His doings. And hence the sages, may their memory be blessed, denied [the possibility of] His composition and dissolution and said (Chagigah 15a), “Above there is no sitting or standing, no backside (aoref) and no weariness (aipui),” which is to say no dissolution, and that is aoref, and no composition, and that is aipui, as per the usage (Isaiah 11:14), “And they aifu on the shoulder of the Philistines,” which is to say they pushed themselves onto [their] shoulder to connect to them. And the prophet said (Isaiah 40:25), “‘And to whom do you compare Me and I be equated,’ says the Holy.”[But] were He a body, He would be comparable to [other] bodies. And everything that comes in the holy Scriptures that describes Him in physical ways, such as walking or standing or sitting or speaking, or similar to it, it is all by way of metaphor. And so did the rabbis say (Berakhot 31b), “The Torah speaks in the language of people.” And the sages already spoke much about this matter. And this third principle is indicated by that which is stated (Deuteronomy 4:15), “for you did not see any image” – which is to say, you did not perceive Him as something with an image, because He is – as we mentioned – not a body and not the power of a body.

 

There are two things worth noting regarding this principle. First, the Maimonides’ conception of incorporeality is much more radical than merely the notion that God is not physical. According to him, God should also not be conceived of as “a force within a body,” which I think in modern terms could be conceived of as energy, in distinction from matter. So God is not only not made out of matter, He is not made out of energy either. Maimonides goes on to emphasize that claiming that God has no body is not merely to conceive of Him as insubstantial. God is not made up of spiritual substance either; He does not occupy space of any sort, and that is why continuity and division, which are attributes of spatial objects, are irrelevant to Him.

 

 

Is it really heresy

After agreeing with Maimonides in principle of his belief in incorporeality, Ra’avad continues to comment:

א”א ולמה קרא לזה מין וכמה גדולים וטובים ממנו הלכו בזו המחשבה לפי מה שראו במקראות ויותר ממה שראו בדברי האגדות המשבשות את הדעות:

Why does he [the Rambam] call such a one a heretic [min], while several greater and better than he subscribed to this thought [i.e., believed that God has a body] in accordance with what they found in Scriptures, and even more so because of what they saw in the Aggadot (Rabbinic narrative) that distorts thinking?

(Ra’avad on on Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuva, 3:7)

 

Reb Moshe ben Hasdai Taku, a renowned 13th-century Tosafist, in his work Ketav Tamim, clearly expresses his views on a corporeal God. While other rabbis’ words can be explained as metaphor or angelic representations of God, Reb Moshe Taku’s words are clear on the subject. He believed in God’s ability to manifest in a physical body, and taking a literal understanding of the biblical narratives, God has indeed done that. See footnote here for the translation of his thoughts on corporeality.^[2]

Shi’ur Qomah is a Midrashic work, part of the hekhalot literature, that goes at length to describe the exact measurements of God’s limbs and body parts. Like many other Midrashic and Kabbalistic works, it claims to be the teachings of an angel to the renowned Talmudic-sage Rabbi Yishmael. Due to its corporeal descriptions of God, Rabbi Saadiah Gaon questioned its authenticity and Maimonides declared it a forgery. Be as it may, this is a case of an ancient rabbinic work that understood God in corporeal terms.

Attested to in some non-Jewish sources is the fact that many Jews have believed in corporealism in the past. Justin Martyr (2nd-century) describes the Jewish teachers as teaching that God “has hands and feet, and fingers, and a soul like a composite creature.”^[3] While others throughout history attribute incorporeal beliefs to the Jews, this does show us, along with all the other evidence, that many Jews did believe in a corporeal God.^[4]

Some have argued that Rashi was perhaps a corporealist, but others disagree.^[5] Nachmonides records about some of the French Rabbis in medieval times believing in corporealism:

רבותינו הצרפתים תלמידיכם אנו ומימכם אנו שותים… כל ארץ צרפת רבניה ושריה פנת שבטיה, כולם הסכימו לנדות ולהחרים על כל איש אשר ידו ירים להגות בספר מורה הנבוכים ובספר המדע… ואחרים שמעתי אומרים שאתם תופשים על ספר המדע באמרו שאין למעלה צורה ותבנית.

Our French Rabbis – we are their students and we drink from their waters … in all the land of France, its Rabbis and ministers, agreed to excommunicate someone who reads the Guide for the Perplexed and Sefer haMada… I also heard that you objected to Sefer haMada because he says that there is no form or shape [to the One] Above.

(Kitvei HaRamban Iggeret 2:345)

 

 

Against Maimonides

Maimonides cited several prooftexts from both biblical verses and rabbinic statements to support his vigorous attack on corporealism. We will now demonstrate how these prooftexts do not prove incorporeality.

אַחֵר קִיצֵּץ בִּנְטִיעוֹת עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ מַאי הִיא חֲזָא מֶיטַטְרוֹן דְּאִתְיְהִבָא לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵיתַב לְמִיכְתַּב זַכְווֹתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמַר גְּמִירִי דִּלְמַעְלָה לָא הָוֵי לֹא יְשִׁיבָה וְלֹא תַּחֲרוּת וְלֹא עוֹרֶף וְלֹא עִיפּוּי שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שְׁתֵּי רְשׁוּיוֹת הֵן

The Gemara stated earlier that Aḥer chopped down the saplings, becoming a heretic. With regard to him, the verse states: “Do not let your mouth bring your flesh into guilt” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Gemara poses a question: What was it that led him to heresy? He saw the angel Mitatron, who was granted permission to sit and write the merits of Israel. He said: There is a tradition that in the world above there is no sitting; no competition; no turning one’s back before Him, i.e., all face the Divine Presence; and no lethargy. Seeing that someone other than God was seated above, he said: Perhaps, the Gemara here interjects, Heaven forbid, there are two authorities, and there is another source of power in control of the world in addition to God. Such thoughts led Aḥer to heresy.

(Chagigah 15a)

This Talmudic text can be explained as referring to the angels – and not God Himself. God is often described in biblical prophecies as sitting on a throne, as we shall soon explore. Maimonides, however, was strongly-inspired by Aristotelian philosophy in general, and in this case the Greek philosopher’s argument for incorporeality.

Another prooftext cited by Maimonides is from Deuteronomy:

וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹ֤א רְאִיתֶם֙ כׇּל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה בְּי֗וֹם דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם בְּחֹרֵ֖ב מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃

For your own sake, therefore, be most careful—since you saw no shape when the LORD your God spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire—

פֶּ֨ן־תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם פֶּ֖סֶל תְּמוּנַ֣ת כׇּל־סָ֑מֶל תַּבְנִ֥ית זָכָ֖ר א֥וֹ נְקֵבָֽה׃

not to act wickedly and make for yourselves a sculptured image in any likeness whatever: the form of a man or a woman,

תַּבְנִ֕ית כׇּל־בְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּאָ֑רֶץ תַּבְנִית֙ כׇּל־צִפּ֣וֹר כָּנָ֔ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּע֖וּף בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

the form of any beast on earth, the form of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

תַּבְנִ֕ית כׇּל־רֹמֵ֖שׂ בָּאֲדָמָ֑ה תַּבְנִ֛ית כׇּל־דָּגָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּמַּ֖יִם מִתַּ֥חַת לָאָֽרֶץ׃

the form of anything that creeps on the ground, the form of any fish that is in the waters below the earth.

(Deut. 4:15-18)

He understands this to mean that no image can be made of Him since no image exists of God. Yet that’s not what the verse is saying. It vividly talks of the Elders of Israel seeing God with their own eyes atop the mountain sitting on His throne (Ex. 24:9-11). Rather the verse is saying that God intentionally hasn’t revealed Himself to the Israelites lest they decide to make a sculpture of Him. The theological reason against idol-worshiping is speculative, since no reason is given in the verses; but perhaps we can explain it. As Isaiah (40:18) points out, God’s image is unimaginable and its perfect form cannot be depicted by any image. Therefore, the idols depicting humans, bulls, and celestial bodies, cannot possibly depict the perfect Image of God that only very few prophets were able to see in its perfectness. Another possible reason is the concern that by worshipping God via sculpture, over time people may split off into two religious groups each serving a different image and in effect a different God.

 

 

Anthropomorphic verses

The attribution of human characteristics, emotions, and situations to God. Israel’s faith in God found concrete expression in anthropomorphic language. Anthropomorphisms occur in all parts of the bible. God is described as having eyes (Am. 9:3), ears (Dan. 9:18), hands (Isa. 5:25), and feet (Gen. 3:8; Isa. 63:3). He molds man out of the dust, plants a garden, takes His rest

(Gen. 2:3, 7–8). He speaks (Gen. 1:3; Lev. 4:1), listens (Ex. 16:12), and closes the door of Noah’s ark (Gen. 7:16); He even whistles (Isa. 7:18). Other expressions credit God with human emotions: He laughs (Ps. 2:4), rejoices (Zep. 3:17), becomes angry (I Chr. 13:10), disgusted (Lev. 20:23), regretful (Jer. 42:10), and revengeful (Isa. 1:24). Very frequently He is declared to be a jealous God (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 5:9). He also changes His mind after being convinced by Moses not to wipe out the Israelites (Ex. 32).

But as explained earlier, anthropomorphism is different from corporealism. Anthropomorphism is figurative human-like speech, such as “saying” and “going” – actions that represent an idea rather than a physical entity. Therefore, when the Torah uses such words in reference to God, it is much less theologically problematic since it can be explained as an idea/action rather than a physical being actually executing these actions. Similarly, the “mighty hand” of God mentioned in Ex. 6:1 conveys a mighty act of God rather than a physical hand. Language in general was created to describe the world and human-like phenomena making it difficult to describe God without using anthropomorphic terminology. Therefore, with few exceptions, the following list of biblical prooftexts will be limited to corporeal descriptions rather than purely anthropomorphic descriptions.

 

 

Sacrifices for God

From the many ancient texts from the Near East, we know of the rituals and sacrifices performed by the ancients for their gods. In order to feed God, they would sacrifice animals to the gods. In order to quench the gods’ thirst, they would pour liquids at their temples. In order to entertain and appease the gods, they would blow instruments and sing songs to the gods. The Israelites were of course commanded to do the same for their worship of YHWH. These rituals certainly portray a corporeal God (or gods), who although not necessarily human in the way that humans are, contain these very human-like characteristics.

But Maimonides explains the biblical-mandated sacrifices in a different way.^[6] Ideally, worship of YHWH should focus on refining the human quest for divinity with acts like prayer and good deeds. But after seeing the religious immaturity of the Israelites at the Golden Calf sin, God realized that they cannot back away from the culturally-integrated sacrifices of that time. God therefore decreed that a sanctuary be built for Him and that sacrifices be offered to Him – so that the Israelites don’t turn away to worshipping the foreign gods with sacrifice. Thus, the sacrificial institution in Israel was a method of diverting this sensible ritual away from paganism towards the worship of YHWH alone.

 

 

Corporeal verses

 

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכׇל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכׇל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.”

(Gen. 1:26)

 

הָ֚בָה נֵֽרְדָ֔ה וְנָבְלָ֥ה שָׁ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפַ֥ת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

[YHWH said] Let us, then, go down and confound their speech there, so that they shall not understand one another’s speech.”

(Gen. 11:7)

 

מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת־אֵל בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט׃

A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the divine assembly; among the divine beings He pronounces judgment.

(Ps. 82:1)

 

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃

He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with Elohim and human, and have prevailed.”

וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃

Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there.

וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃

So Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning, “I have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

(Gen. 32:29-31)

 

וַיֵּ֤רֶד יְהֹוָה֙ בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָנָ֔ן וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וַיִּקְרָא֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וּמִרְיָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

The LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stopped at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, “Aaron and Miriam!” The two of them came forward;

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א דְבָרָ֑י אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֙ נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם יְהֹוָ֗ה בַּמַּרְאָה֙ אֵלָ֣יו אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע בַּחֲל֖וֹם אֲדַבֶּר־בּֽוֹ׃

and He said, “Hear these My words: aWhen a prophet of the LORD arises among you, I-a make Myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream.

לֹא־כֵ֖ן עַבְדִּ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה בְּכׇל־בֵּיתִ֖י נֶאֱמָ֥ן הֽוּא׃

Not so with My servant Moses; he is trusted throughout My household.

פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט וּמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א יְרֵאתֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֖ר בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְמֹשֶֽׁה׃

With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds the likeness of the LORD. How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!”

(Num. 6:8)

 

וַיַּ֥עַל מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן נָדָב֙ וַאֲבִיה֔וּא וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים מִזִּקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel ascended;

וַיִּרְא֕וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְתַ֣חַת רַגְלָ֗יו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה֙ לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר וּכְעֶ֥צֶם הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָטֹֽהַר׃

and they saw the God of Israel: under His feet there was the likeness of a pavement of sapphire, like the very sky for purity.

וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֖ח יָד֑וֹ וַֽיֶּחֱזוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃

Yet He did not raise His hand against the leaders of the Israelites; they beheld God, and they ate and drank.

(Ex. 24:9-11)

 

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

They heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of day; and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

וַיִּקְרָ֛א יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ אַיֶּֽכָּה׃

The LORD God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵחָבֵֽא׃

He replied, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֚י הִגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ כִּ֥י עֵירֹ֖ם אָ֑תָּה הֲמִן־הָעֵ֗ץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוִּיתִ֛יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י אֲכׇל־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אָכָֽלְתָּ׃

Then He asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the tree from which I had forbidden you to eat?”

(Gen. 3:7-11)

 

אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃

I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.”

(Gen. 18:21)

 

וַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכׇל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

The LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time.

וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃

And the LORD regretted that He had made man on earth, and His heart was saddened.

(Gen. 6:5-6)

 

וַיָּ֣רַח יְהֹוָה֮ אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹ֒חַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִ֠ף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־חַ֖י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִֽׂיתִי׃

The LORD smelled the pleasing odor, and the LORD said to Himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the devisings of man’s mind are evil from his youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done.

(Gen. 8:21)

 

וּמִמַּ֗עַל לָרָקִ֙יעַ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔ם כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אֶבֶן־סַפִּ֖יר דְּמ֣וּת כִּסֵּ֑א וְעַל֙ דְּמ֣וּת הַכִּסֵּ֔א דְּמ֞וּת כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אָדָ֛ם עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃

Above the expanse over their heads was the semblance of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and on top, upon this semblance of a throne, there was the semblance of a human form.

(Ez. 1:26)

 

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־פָּנָ֑י כִּ֛י לֹֽא־יִרְאַ֥נִי הָאָדָ֖ם וָחָֽי׃

But,” He said, “you cannot see My face, for man may not see Me and live.”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנֵּ֥ה מָק֖וֹם אִתִּ֑י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֖ עַל־הַצּֽוּר׃

And the LORD said, “See, there is a place near Me. Station yourself on the rock

וְהָיָה֙ בַּעֲבֹ֣ר כְּבֹדִ֔י וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ בְּנִקְרַ֣ת הַצּ֑וּר וְשַׂכֹּתִ֥י כַפִּ֛י עָלֶ֖יךָ עַד־עׇבְרִֽי׃

and, as My Presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with My hand until I have passed by.

וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ אֶת־כַּפִּ֔י וְרָאִ֖יתָ אֶת־אֲחֹרָ֑י וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֥א יֵרָאֽוּ׃

Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”

(Ex. 33:20-23)

 

וַֽיהֹוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃

The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, to guide them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, that they might travel day and night.

(Ex. 13:21)

 

וַֽיְהִי֙ בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּשְׁקֵ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ וְעָנָ֑ן וַיָּ֕הׇם אֵ֖ת מַחֲנֵ֥ה מִצְרָֽיִם׃

At the morning watch, the LORD looked down upon the Egyptian army from a pillar of fire and cloud, and threw the Egyptian army into panic.

(Ex. 14:24)

 

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה רֵ֖ד הָעֵ֣ד בָּעָ֑ם פֶּן־יֶהֶרְס֤וּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְנָפַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ רָֽב׃

The LORD said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people not to break through to the LORD to gaze, lest many of them perish.

(Ex. 19:24)

 

וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֶת־שְׁנֵי֙ לוּחֹ֣ת הָֽאֲבָנִ֔ים כְּתֻבִ֖ים בְּאֶצְבַּ֣ע אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַעֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כְּֽכׇל־הַדְּבָרִ֡ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה עִמָּכֶ֥ם בָּהָ֛ר מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵ֖שׁ בְּי֥וֹם הַקָּהָֽל׃

And the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God, with the exact words that the LORD had addressed to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the Assembly.

(Deut. 9:10)

 

וְלֹא־קָ֨ם נָבִ֥יא ע֛וֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּמֹשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְדָע֣וֹ יְהֹוָ֔ה פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים׃

Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom the LORD singled out, face to face.

(Deut. 34:10)

 

וְדִבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֹֽהֶל׃

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a youth, would not stir out of the Tent.

(Ex. 33:11)

 

יְהֹוָ֣ה מָ֭לָךְ יִרְגְּז֣וּ עַמִּ֑ים יֹשֵׁ֥ב כְּ֝רוּבִ֗ים תָּנ֥וּט הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The LORD, enthroned on cherubim, is king,

peoples tremble, the earth quakes.

(Ps. 99:1)

 

רוֹמְמ֡וּ יְ֘הֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְֽ֭הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָ֗יו קָד֥וֹשׁ הֽוּא׃

Exalt the LORD our God

and bow down to His footstool;

He is holy!

(Ps. 99:5)

 

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח הָעָם֙ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֗ם אֵ֣ת אֲר֧וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֞ם שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵלִ֗י עִם־אֲרוֹן֙ בְּרִ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים חׇפְנִ֖י וּפִֽינְחָֽס׃

So the troops sent men to Shiloh; there Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were in charge of the Ark of the Covenant of God, and they brought down from there the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of Hosts Enthroned on the Cherubim.

(I Samuel 4:4)

 

בַּצַּר־לִי֙ אֶקְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י אֶקְרָ֑א וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע מֵהֵֽיכָלוֹ֙ קוֹלִ֔י וְשַׁוְעָתִ֖י בְּאׇזְנָֽיו׃

In my anguish I called on the LORD,

Cried out to my God;

In His Abode He heard my voice,

My cry entered His ears.

(ותגעש) [וַיִּתְגָּעַ֤שׁ] וַתִּרְעַשׁ֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מוֹסְד֥וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַיִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃

Then the earth rocked and quaked,

The foundations of heaven shook—

Rocked by His indignation.

עָלָ֤ה עָשָׁן֙ בְּאַפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥שׁ מִפִּ֖יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּחָלִ֖ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Smoke went up from His nostrils,

From His mouth came devouring fire;

Live coals blazed forth from Him.

וַיֵּ֥ט שָׁמַ֖יִם וַיֵּרַ֑ד וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל תַּ֥חַת רַגְלָֽיו׃

He bent the sky and came down,

Thick cloud beneath His feet.

וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב עַל־כְּר֖וּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַיֵּרָ֖א עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃

He mounted a cherub and flew;

He was seen on the wings of the wind.

וַיָּ֥שֶׁת חֹ֛שֶׁךְ סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו סֻכּ֑וֹת חַֽשְׁרַת־מַ֖יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים׃

He made pavilions of darkness about Him,

Dripping clouds, huge thunderheads;

מִנֹּ֖גַהּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ בָּעֲר֖וּ גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ׃

In the brilliance before Him

Blazed fiery coals.

יַרְעֵ֥ם מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֶלְי֖וֹן יִתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֽוֹ

The LORD thundered forth from heaven,

The Most High sent forth His voice;

וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח חִצִּ֖ים וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם בָּרָ֖ק (ויהמם) [וַיָּהֹֽם]׃

He let loose bolts, and scattered them;

Lightning, and put them to rout.

וַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙ אֲפִ֣קֵי יָ֔ם יִגָּל֖וּ מֹסְד֣וֹת תֵּבֵ֑ל בְּגַעֲרַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת ר֥וּחַ אַפּֽוֹ׃

The bed of the sea was exposed,

The foundations of the world were laid bare

By the mighty roaring of the LORD,

At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

יִשְׁלַ֥ח מִמָּר֖וֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃

He reached down from on high, He took me,

Drew me out of the mighty waters;

(II Samuel 22:7-17)

 

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָכֵ֖ן שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֑ה רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ וְכׇל־צְבָ֤א הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו מִֽימִינ֖וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃

But [Micaiah] said, “I call upon you to hear the word of the LORD! I saw the LORD seated upon His throne, with all the host of heaven standing in attendance to the right and to the left of Him.

(I Kings 22:19)

 

בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ וָאֶרְאֶ֧ה אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֛י יֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֖א רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֑א וְשׁוּלָ֖יו מְלֵאִ֥ים אֶת־הַהֵיכָֽל׃

In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld my Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple.

שְׂרָפִ֨ים עֹמְדִ֤ים ׀ מִמַּ֙עַל֙ ל֔וֹ שֵׁ֧שׁ כְּנָפַ֛יִם שֵׁ֥שׁ כְּנָפַ֖יִם לְאֶחָ֑ד בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם ׀ יְכַסֶּ֣ה פָנָ֗יו וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם יְכַסֶּ֥ה רַגְלָ֖יו וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם יְעוֹפֵֽף׃

Seraphs stood in attendance on Him. Each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly.

וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙ וְאָמַ֔ר קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מְלֹ֥א כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃

And one would call to the other, “Holy, holy, holy!

The LORD of Hosts! His presence fills all the earth!”

וַיָּנֻ֙עוּ֙ אַמּ֣וֹת הַסִּפִּ֔ים מִקּ֖וֹל הַקּוֹרֵ֑א וְהַבַּ֖יִת יִמָּלֵ֥א עָשָֽׁן׃

The doorposts would shake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke.

וָאֹמַ֞ר אֽוֹי־לִ֣י כִֽי־נִדְמֵ֗יתִי כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ טְמֵֽא־שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבְתוֹךְ֙ עַם־טְמֵ֣א שְׂפָתַ֔יִם אָנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֑ב כִּ֗י אֶת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת רָא֥וּ עֵינָֽי׃

I cried, “Woe is me; I am lost!

For I am a man of unclean lips

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

Yet my own eyes have beheld

The King LORD of Hosts.”

וַיָּ֣עׇף אֵלַ֗י אֶחָד֙ מִן־הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וּבְיָד֖וֹ רִצְפָּ֑ה בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם לָקַ֖ח מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

Then one of the seraphs flew over to me with a live coal, which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.

וַיַּגַּ֣ע עַל־פִּ֔י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה נָגַ֥ע זֶ֖ה עַל־שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ וְסָ֣ר עֲוֺנֶ֔ךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ֖ תְּכֻפָּֽר׃

He touched it to my lips and declared,

“Now that this has touched your lips,

Your guilt shall depart

And your sin be purged away.”

וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע אֶת־ק֤וֹל אֲדֹנָי֙ אֹמֵ֔ר אֶת־מִ֥י אֶשְׁלַ֖ח וּמִ֣י יֵֽלֶךְ־לָ֑נוּ וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנְנִ֥י שְׁלָחֵֽנִי׃

Then I heard the voice of my Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me.”

(Isaiah 6:1-8)

 

וְאֶל־מִ֖י תְּדַמְּי֣וּן אֵ֑ל וּמַה־דְּמ֖וּת תַּ֥עַרְכוּ לֽוֹ׃

To whom, then, can you liken God,

What form compares to Him?

(Isa. 40:18)

The previous verse seems to recognize a form for God yet declares that no physical form can compare to the perfect form of God.

 

כֹּ֣ה הִרְאַ֔נִי וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲדֹנָ֛י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־חוֹמַ֣ת אֲנָ֑ךְ וּבְיָד֖וֹ אֲנָֽךְ׃

This is what He showed me: He was standing on a wall checked with a plumb line- and He was holding a plumb line.

(Amos 7:7)

 

רָאִ֨יתִי אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֜י נִצָּ֣ב עַֽל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ הַ֨ךְ הַכַּפְתּ֜וֹר וְיִרְעֲשׁ֣וּ הַסִּפִּ֗ים וּבְצַ֙עַם֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ כֻּלָּ֔ם וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖ם בַּחֶ֣רֶב אֶהֱרֹ֑ג לֹֽא־יָנ֤וּס לָהֶם֙ נָ֔ס וְלֹֽא־יִמָּלֵ֥ט לָהֶ֖ם פָּלִֽיט׃

I saw my LORD standing by the altar, and He said: Strike the capitals so that the thresholds quake, and make an end of the first of them all.-a And I will slay the last of them with the sword; not one of them shall escape, and not one of them shall survive.

(Amos 9:1)

 

חָזֵ֣ה הֲוֵ֗ית עַ֣ד דִּ֤י כׇרְסָוָן֙ רְמִ֔יו וְעַתִּ֥יק יוֹמִ֖ין יְתִ֑ב לְבוּשֵׁ֣הּ ׀ כִּתְלַ֣ג חִוָּ֗ר וּשְׂעַ֤ר רֵאשֵׁהּ֙ כַּעֲמַ֣ר נְקֵ֔א כׇּרְסְיֵהּ֙ שְׁבִיבִ֣ין דִּי־נ֔וּר גַּלְגִּלּ֖וֹהִי נ֥וּר דָּלִֽק׃

As I looked on,

Thrones were set in place,

And the Ancient of Days took His seat.

His garment was like white snow,

And the hair of His head was like lamb’s wool.

His throne was tongues of flame;

Its wheels were blazing fire.

נְהַ֣ר דִּי־נ֗וּר נָגֵ֤ד וְנָפֵק֙ מִן־קֳדָמ֔וֹהִי אֶ֤לֶף (אלפים) [אַלְפִין֙] יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּ֔הּ וְרִבּ֥וֹ (רבון) [רִבְבָ֖ן] קָֽדָמ֣וֹהִי יְקוּמ֑וּן דִּינָ֥א יְתִ֖ב וְסִפְרִ֥ין פְּתִֽיחוּ׃

A river of fire streamed forth before Him;

Thousands upon thousands served Him;

Myriads upon myriads attended Him;

The court sat and the books were opened.

(Dan. 7:9-10)

 

יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ בְּֽהֵ֘יכַ֤ל קׇדְשׁ֗וֹ יְהֹוָה֮ בַּשָּׁמַ֢יִם כִּ֫סְא֥וֹ עֵינָ֥יו יֶחֱז֑וּ עַפְעַפָּ֥יו יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

The LORD is in His holy palace;

the LORD—His throne is in heaven;

His eyes behold, His gaze searches mankind.

(Ps. 11:4)

Many similar such verses throughout Tanakh, all describing the Heavens above the dome (rakia in Hebrew) in which the divine beings inhabit.

 

 

Abraham’s tent visitors

Perhaps the most corporeal description of God in all of biblical literature is in Genesis Ch. 18: the narrative of Abraham and his three guests.

וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃

The LORD appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.

וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃

Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground,

וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר מֵעַ֥ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

He said, “My LORD if it pleases you, do not go on past your servant.”

(Gen. 18:1-3)

 

A keen eye will notice in this narrative that of the three men, one is YHWH and the two others are messengers of His. It’s clear that YHWH is one of these men from the following:

1.18:1 speaks of God meeting Abraham and the natural reading of verse 2 is that this is the form of God talking to Abraham. Otherwise, verse 2 is a sudden abruption from verse 1 and the expected conversation between God and Abraham. It would seem that Abraham ditches the Lord in order to invite these guests into his tent!

2. The men eating at Abraham express supernatural powers, including granting Sarah a son that year and later shooting beams of light at the intruders at Lot (19:11).
3. Abraham calls these guests Adonai, a term that means my master, but is usually referring to God. In this case it seems obvious to be referring to God which was just mentioned in the previous verse rather than three random passers. Similarly, he calls himself a servant of his/theirs. The term Adonai as well as avdecha (your servant) are terms almost exclusively used for God. Additionally, the singular use of the word Adonai suggests that he was speaking primarily to one of them, apparently the obvious leader of them, in this case YHWH.
4. The narrative speaks of the men about to leave when suddenly YHWH decides to inform Abraham about what He plans to do to Sodom. The people only leave after YHWH is done telling Abraham His plans. Seemingly, one of them is YHWH who was verbalizing with Abraham His plans.
5. Once YHWH departs (verse 33), magically there are only two of the men left (the very next verse, 19:1). They are suddenly called messengers, or angels, (malachim in Heb.). Similarly, 18:22 speaks of the men leaving towards Sodom while Abraham remains with YHWH. As is evident from later (19:1) only two men went to Sodom, so the third seems to be YHWH who remained with Abraham.
6. Rashi on 18:22, quoting from an earlier Midrash, says that the sages changed the text of the verse. Originally, it said “The (two) men went on from there to Sodom, while the LORD remained standing before Abraham.” The sages switched the text to “and Abraham remained standing before the LORD.” Perhaps they switched it for theological reasons or perhaps for other reasons; either way, they switched the original text that spoke of the two men leaving and YHWH still staying standing in front of Abraham. This suggests that He was the third man standing in front of Abraham, who remained standing while the other two went out to Sodom.
7. Verse 10 describes one of the men telling Abraham that he (He) will return to him next year after Sarah gives birth. This person is later described as God Himself – verses 13 and 14. Indeed, it is God who appears to Abraham after the birth of Isaac (Gen. 21:12). As for why God is sometimes called a person and at other times YHWH, this may be the simple literary device of alternating between name and pronoun.

On a similar note, this episode also describes YHWH as being unaware of the events at Sodom and is merely informed of their evildoings by (apparently) rumors from other gods/angels. God tells Abraham that he heard rumors of evildoing in Sodom and will go there to check it out (18:21). Apparently, he sends his angels to do the spying for him (19:1). In any event, we see an interesting perspective of God that said by any other person today would be regarded as heresy.

Interestingly, the Tale of Aqhat, a Canaanite myth from around the 14th-century BCE, speaks of a man feeding the deities, just as in the narrative here with Abraham.

Maimonides interprets this narrative to be a dream, the imagination of Abraham, since God and angels cannot, by definition, be subject to space as He/they do(es) in the story.^[7] Nachmonides criticizes Maimonides’ view over here, arguing for a literal representation of angels to Abraham.^[8] Indeed, by pulling out a “dream” card, one can reinterpret anything they don’t like in the Torah as being a “dream” without needing any indication in the verse for it being such. Moreover, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah directly stems from this narrative, so that if we interpret this narrative as a dream then also the destruction of Sodom was merely a dream. Archaeological evidence confirms the historical destruction of Sodom at that time by a meteorite from heaven, negating the view that it could have all been a dream.^[9]

 

 

Rabbinic corporealism

In addition to the biblical verses depicting a corporeal God, countless rabbinic texts speak of a corporeal God, with several examples brought here.

אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין בַּר רַב אַדָּא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: מִנַּיִן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַנִּיחַ תְּפִילִּין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ״.

Rabbi Avin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wears phylacteries? As it is stated: “The Lord has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength” (Isaiah 62:8). Since it is customary to swear upon holy objects, it is understood that His right hand and the arm of His strength are the holy objects upon which God swore.

(Berachot 6a)

 

ר’ ישמעאל אומר, חמשה אצבעות של יד ימינו של הקב”ה כלם יסוד גאולות אצבע קטנה הראה לנח מה לעשות בתיבה שנ’ וזה אשר תעשה אותה אצבע שנייה לקטנה בה הכה את מצרים שנ’ ויאמרו החרטומים אל פרעה אצבע אלהים היא וכמה לקו באצבע עשר אצבע שלישית לקטנה בה כתב את הלוחות שנ’ לוחות אבן כתובים באצבע אלהים אצבע רביעית שהיא שנייה לבוהן בה הראה למשה מה יתנו בני ישראל פדיון נפשם שנ’ זה יתנו הבוהן וכל היד כלה עתיד הב”ה להכות בהם את בני עשו שהם צריו ואת בני ישמעאל שהם אויביו שנ’ תרום ידך על צריך וכל אויביך יכרתו.

Rabbi Ishmael said: The five fingers of the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, all of them appertain to the mystery of the Redemption. He showed the little finger of the hand to Noah, (pointing out) how to make the ark, as it is said, “And this is how thou shalt make it” (Gen. 6:15). With the second finger, which is next to the little one, He smote the firstborn of the Egyptians, as it is said, “The magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God” (Ex. 8:19). With how many (plagues) were they smitten with the finger? With ten plagues. With the third finger, which is the third (starting from) the little finger, He wrote the tables (of the Law), as it is said, “And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him… tables of stone, written with the finger of God” (Ex. 31:18). With the fourth finger, which is next to the thumb, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed to Moses what the children of Israel should give for the redemption of their souls, as it is said, “This they shall give… half a shekel for an offering to the Lord” (Ex. 30:18). With the thumb and all the hand the Holy One, blessed be He, will smite in the future all the children of Esau, for they are His foes, and likewise (will He smite) the children of Ishmael, for they are His enemies, as it is said, “Let thine hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off” (Mic. 5:9).

(Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer Ch. 48)

 

הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ. יְשַׁעְיָה אָמַר, דִּרְשׁוּ ה’ בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ (ישעיה נה, ו). וְדָוִד אָמַר, דִּרְשׁוּ ה’ וְעֻזּוֹ וְגוֹ’ (דה״‎א טז, יא). לָמָּה אָמַר, בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָיו תָּמִיד (שם). לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, פְּעָמִים נִרְאֶה וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה, פְּעָמִים שׁוֹמֵעַ וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לִשְׁמֹעַ, פְּעָמִים עוֹנֶה וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ עוֹנֶה. פְּעָמִים נִדְרָשׁ וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ נִדְרָשׁ, פְּעָמִים מָצוּי וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ מָצוּי, פְּעָמִים קָרוֹב וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ קָרוֹב. כֵּיצַד, נִרְאָה לְמֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְדִבֶּר ה’ אֶל מֹשֶׁה (שמות לג, יא). חָזַר וְנֶעְלָם מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ: הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבוֹדֶךָ (שם פסוק יח). וְכֵן נִרְאָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסִינַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שם כד, י). וְאוֹמֵר: וּמַרְאֶה כְּבוֹד ה’ (שם פסוק יז). חָזַר וְנֶעְלָם מֵהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה (דברים ד, טו). וְאוֹמֵר: קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים (שם).

The Rock, His action is perfect: Yishaiyahu said, “Pursue the Lord in His being found” (Isaiah 55:6), and David said, “Pursue the Lord and His might, etc.” (I Chronicles 16:11). Why did he [continue to] say, “seek His face always?” To teach you [that] the Holy One, blessed be He – may His name be blessed – sometimes appears and sometimes does not appear; sometimes hears and sometimes does not want to hear; sometimes answers and sometimes does not answer; sometimes is pursued and sometimes is not pursued; sometimes is found and sometimes is not found; sometimes is close and sometimes is not close. How is this? He appeared to Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 33:11), “And the Lord spoke to Moshe.” He went back and disappeared from him, when he said to Him, “Please show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18). And so [too,] He appeared to Israel at Sinai, as it is stated (Exodus 24:10), “And they saw the God of Israel,” and it states (Exodus 24:17), “And the appearance of the glory of the Lord.” [But] He went back and disappeared from them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:15), “since you did not see any picture,” and it states (Deuteronomy 4:15), “the voice of words do you hear.”

(Midrash Tanhumah, Haazinu 4)

 

אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן טָעוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וּבִקְּשׁוּ לוֹמַר לְפָנָיו קָדוֹשׁ. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ וְאִפַּרְכוֹס שֶׁהָיוּ בְּקָרוּכִין, וְהָיוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה מְבַקְּשִׁין לוֹמַר לַמֶּלֶךְ דּוֹמִינוֹ, וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין אֵיזֶהוּ, מֶה עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ דְּחָפוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ חוּץ לַקָּרוּכִין, וְיָדְעוּ הַכֹּל שֶׁהוּא אִפַּרְכוֹס. כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, טָעוּ בּוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וּבִקְּשׁוּ לוֹמַר לְפָנָיו קָדוֹשׁ. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הִפִּיל עָלָיו תַּרְדֵּמָה וְיָדְעוּ הַכֹּל שֶׁהוּא אָדָם. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה ב, כב): חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ כִּי בַּמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב הוּא.

Rabbi Hoshaya said: When the Holy One of Blessing created the first ADAM, the Ministering Angels erred and wanted to say the kedusha before him. A parable: A king and his governor were in a chariot and the people of the realm wanted to say “Domine” to the king, but didn’t know which [was the king]. So what did the king do? He shoved [the governor] and ejected him from the chariot and everyone knew [that one] was the governor. So too, when the Holy One of Blessing created the first ADAM, the Ministering Angels erred and wanted to say the kedusha before him. What did the Holy One of Blessing do? He caused slumber to fall upon him so everyone knew [that one] was the ADAM, as it is written: “Withdraw from the ADAM who has breath in his nostrils, for how little is he to be esteemed” (Isaiah 2:22)

(Bereshit Rabbah 8)

 

כשעלה משה למרום מצאו להקב”ה שיושב וכותב ארך אפים אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם ארך אפים לצדיקים אמר לו אף לרשעים א”ל רשעים יאבדו א”ל השתא חזית מאי דמבעי לך

When Moses ascended on high, he discovered the Holy One, Blessed be He, sitting and writing: Slow to anger. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, is Your attribute of slow to anger only to be used for the righteous? God said to him: It is an attribute even for the wicked. Moses said to Him: Let the wicked be doomed. God said to him: Now, you will see that you will need this, as ultimately you will reconsider that statement.

(Sanhedrin 111a)

 

מה עשה הקב”ה נטל רגל ימינו וטבע אותה עד עומק תהומות ועשה אותה סניף לארץ כאדם שהוא נותן סניף לכיפה. לפיכך נקראת אבן שתיה ששם טבור הארץ ומשם נפתחה כל הארץ ועליה היכל ה’ שנאמר (שם כב) והאבן הזאת אשר שמתי מצבה יהיה בית אלקים. נפל יעקב ארצה לפני אבן שתיה והיה מתפלל לפני השם ואומר רבונו של עולם אם תשיבני במקום הזה בשלום אז אזבחה לפניך זבחי תודה ועולה שנאמר (שם כ) וידר יעקב נדר לאמר.

What did the Holy One do? He took its right foot, sank it to the deepest depths and made it a keystone for the earth, like a man who places a keystone in an arch. Therefore it is called foundation stone, because there is the navel of the world and from there the world was opened out. And upon it is the palace of God, as it says “And this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God…” (Bereshit 28:22) And Yaakov fell to the ground before the foundation stone, praying before the Holy One, and said ‘Master of the World! If you bring me back to this place in peace, then I will sacrifice before you whole offerings and thanksgiving offerings!’ as it says, “And Jacob uttered a vow, saying…” (Bereshit 28:20) He vowed and he fulfilled his vow.

(Midrash Tehillim 91)

 

והוא נגלה במעשיו ובחסדיו, ונכר יותר מכל (יצור), אולם תמונתו וגדלו (מדעתו) נעלמו מעינינו‏. וכל חומר, ואם יקר הוא, נבזה כדי לעשות ממנו את צלמו, וכל מלאכת מחשבת לא תצלח למצוא את דמות מראהו, כי אין אנו רואים את דמותו ואין הוא עולה במחשבתנו,

He is manifest in his works and benefits, and more conspicuous than any other being whatsoever; but as to his form and magnitude, he is most obscure. All materials, let them be ever so costly, are unworthy to compose an image for him, and all arts are unartful to express the notion we ought to have of him. We can neither see nor think of anything like him, nor is it agreeable to piety to form a resemblance of him.

(Josephus, a first-century rabbinic philosopher, in his book Against Apion 2:22)

 

בצלמנו. בִּדְפוּס שֶׁלָּנוּ: כדמותנו. לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל:

IN OUR IMAGE — in our type. AFTER OUR LIKENESS — with the power to comprehend and to discern.

(Rashi on Gen. 1:26)

 

ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו. בִּדְפוּס הֶעָשׂוּי לוֹ, שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בְּמַאֲמָר וְהוּא נִבְרָא בַּיָּדַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה (תהילים קל”ט); נַעֲשָׂה בְחוֹתָם כְּמַטְבֵּעַ הָעֲשׂוּיָה עַל יְדֵי רֹשֶׁם שֶׁקּוֹרִין קוי”ן בלע”ז וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם (איוב ל”ח):

SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS IMAGE – in the type that was specially made for him, for everything else was created by a creative fiat, whilst he was brought into existence by a creative act (literally, by hand), as it is said (Psalms 139:5) “And Thou hast laid thy hand upon me.” He was made by a seal as a coin that is made by a die that is called in old French coin. It is similarly said, (Job 28:14) “it is changed as clay under the seal” (Sanhedrin 38a).

(Rashi on Gen. 1:27)

 

וירד ה’ על הר סיני. יָכוֹל יָרַד עָלָיו מַמָּשׁ, תַּ”לֹ כִּי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי עִמָּכֶם (שמות כ’), מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִרְכִּין שָׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְהִצִּיעָן עַל גַּבֵּי הָהָר כְּמַצָּע עַל הַמִּטָּה וְיָרַד כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד עֲלֵיהֶם (מכילתא):

AND THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI — One might think, then, that He actually came down upon it! Therefore it states, (Exodus 20:19) “Ye have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven”. These two texts together teach us that He bent down the upper and lower heavens and spread them out over the top of the mountain like a bed-spread over a bed and the throne of Glory descended upon it (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 19:20).

(Rashi on Ex. 19:20)

 

לשני תאומים כו’ – אף אדם עשוי בדיוקנו של מקום:

TO TWO TWINS – even man was created in the likeness of God.

(Rashi on Sanhedrin 46b)

 

עשרים באמה – אמה של הקדוש ברוך הוא:

TWENTY CUBITS – these are cubits measured on God’s Amah measurement [arm].

(Rashi on Erubin 21a)

 

יראה יראה – יראה כתיב וקרינא יראה כדרך שהקדוש ב”ה בא לראות אותך והוא שלם בשתי עיניו כך בא ליראות שיהא הוא נראה לך בשתי עיניך:

SHALL SEE AND BE SEEN – it says “shall see” but is read “shall be seen”; just as the Holy One Blessed be He comes to see you, and He has complete two eyes, so too He comes to be seen with your two eyes.

(Rashi on Erokhin 2b)

 

 

Arguments for incorporeality

Despite all the above evidence, there are other arguments for God’s incorporeality and omnipresence.

1. Philosophical argument: If God is the Creator of the world by logical necessitation, then it follows that He Himself cannot have a limited figure or image, since then He too must be a Creation of somebody else (for more on this argument, see here).^[10]

 

2. Several passages describe an omnipresent God found all throughout Earth and Heavens. This would contradict a corporeal God limited by time and space.

 

אִם־יִסָּתֵ֨ר אִ֧ישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֛ים וַאֲנִ֥י לֹֽא־אֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה הֲל֨וֹא אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֧יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲנִ֥י מָלֵ֖א נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

If a man enters a hiding place, do I not see him? —says the LORD. For I fill both heaven and earth —declares the LORD.

(Jeremiah 23:24)

 

אָ֭נָ֥ה אֵלֵ֣ךְ מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ וְ֝אָ֗נָה מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ אֶבְרָֽח׃

Where can I escape from Your spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

אִם־אֶסַּ֣ק שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑תָּה וְאַצִּ֖יעָה שְּׁא֣וֹל הִנֶּֽךָּ׃

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

if I descend to Sheol, You are there too.

(Ps. 139:7-8)

 

כִּ֚י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם יֵשֵׁ֥ב אֱלֹהִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ הִ֠נֵּ֠ה הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּשְׁמֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּל֔וּךָ אַ֕ף כִּֽי־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנִֽיתִי׃

“But will God really dwell on earth? Even the heavens to their uttermost reaches cannot contain You, how much less this House that I have built!

(I Kings 8:27)

 

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כִּסְאִ֔י וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י אֵי־זֶ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּבְנוּ־לִ֔י וְאֵי־זֶ֥ה מָק֖וֹם מְנוּחָתִֽי׃

Thus said the LORD:

The heaven is My throne

And the earth is My footstool:

Where could you build a house for Me,

What place could serve as My abode?

(Isa. 66:1)

 

Similarly, according to several Talmudic sages the shechinah (Hebrew for divine presence) is found everywhere:

וְאַף רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל סָבַר שְׁכִינָה בְּכׇל מָקוֹם דְּתָנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִנַּיִן שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה בְּכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִנֵּה הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי יֹצֵא וּמַלְאָךְ אַחֵר יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתוֹ אַחֲרָיו לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא לִקְרָאתוֹ מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה בְּכׇל מָקוֹם

And Rabbi Yishmael, too, holds that the Divine Presence is in every place, as one of the Sages of the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: From where is it derived that the Divine Presence is in every place? As it is stated: “And behold the angel who spoke with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him” (Zechariah 2:7). Although both angels were coming from the Divine Presence, the verse does not state: After him, but: “To meet him,” which teaches that the Divine Presence is in every place, and therefore the angels depart for their missions from every place.

(Baba Bathra 25a)

 

 

The explanation

How can we reconcile the verses and rabbinic texts describing a corporeal God with the philosophical argument against it and the verses that depict a omnipresent God?

Overall, three approaches can be taken:

1. God is bound by characteristics and form (absolute corporealism).
2. God is not body nor energy but is rather a pure existence without limitation (Maimonides’ approach).
3. God is not bound by form but can manifest himself at will into different forms. This is part of his omnipotence that He has the ability to at times manifest Himself into time and space – without losing His essential unlimitedness. An analogy would be of a father whose greatness as a father is best depicted when he can lower himself to play the toys with the child. So too, God lowers Himself at times to communicate with man and his finite senses.

Based on all the above evidence, it would seem that approach number 3 is the best way to reconcile the different descriptions given for God in the previously cited verses. As demonstrated with a multitude of both biblical and rabbinic sources, Judaism does not believe in a specifically incorporeal God. Corporeal understandings of God were always present in Judaism of antiquity until sages like Rav Saadiah Gaon and Maimonides came out against it with tooth and nail. No source prior to Rav Saadiah Gaon (10th-century AD) advocated for incorporeality yet alone spoke out against corporealism.

Therefore, to insist that God cannot manifest Himself into physical form is unjudaic. This notion mostly developed as a counter to Christianity which claims that Jesus is the physical manifestation of God. But in antiquity, many Israelites believed in a corporeal God and many verses seem to depict a God who has the ability to communicate with man in a quasi-physical form.

Of course this is not an embracement of Christianity. Just because God can manifest Himself in human form – does not mean that a man named Jesus was God Himself. Instead, Jesus was a lunatic who either actually thought he was God or was a psychopath who wanted to fool the masses into believing he is God.

Philosophically speaking, God is the epitome of existence. Anything that exists is therefore a part of Him. We call it His creations, but essentially they are bits and pieces of His existential existence put into finite form. We don’t consider a created rock to be God, since it does not represent His infinite, singular, all-encompassing, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient Self. Therefore, despite every existence being a part of God, it is not referred to as God.

With this in mind, approach #3 becomes much more fathomable. Despite being omnipresent, God has the ability to manifest Himself just as He has the ability to create finite things. This is not a limitation for Him since He retains His overall existential infinite all-capable Self and is not limited by the form He goes down into, in the way that humans would be limited by the limitations of the form they are in (i.e. body). For God, the form is merely a way to reveal Himself to the limited senses of the human who would otherwise have no comprehension of God whatsoever.

So is God that form He manifests Himself into at that given time?

This is more of a linguistic question. Some people would hesitate to call it such since it does not portray God’s real essence. But others would argue that since it’s the closest to God that the prophet will see, and since it’s God’s way of communicating with the prophet, it therefore can be called God. Be as it may, we actually see this back and forth in the language of many corporeal descriptions of God in the verses. It jumps between calling Him the Lord and an angel since in a sense it is merely an extension of God – a way for Him to communicate with man – and thus an “angel”; yet on the other hand for the recipient of that vision, it is God Himself that He is talking to. Here are some examples:

וַֽיהֹוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃

“The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, to guide them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, that they might travel day and night.”

(Ex. 13:21)

 

Contrast that to a verse just a little after:

וַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃

“The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them; and the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them.”

(Ex. 14:19)

 

וַ֠יֵּרָ֠א מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל׃

An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed.

(Ex. 3:2)

 

Just two verses later:

וַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃

When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.”

(Ex. 3:4)

 

הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י שֹׁלֵ֤חַ מַלְאָךְ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמָרְךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְלַהֲבִ֣יאֲךָ֔ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲכִנֹֽתִי׃

“I am sending an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have made ready.”

הִשָּׁ֧מֶר מִפָּנָ֛יו וּשְׁמַ֥ע בְּקֹל֖וֹ אַל־תַּמֵּ֣ר בּ֑וֹ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִשָּׂא֙ לְפִשְׁעֲכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שְׁמִ֖י בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃

“Pay heed to him and obey him. Do not defy him, for he will not pardon your offenses, since My Name is in him;”

(Ex. 23:20-21)

It seems that angels can represent God’s presence at times. Maybe the key factor is if God’s “name is in him.”

 

וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃

Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.

וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃

When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃

Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃

Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.”

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃

Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with Elohim and human, and have prevailed.”

וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃

Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there.

וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃

So Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning, “I have seen Elohim face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

(Gen. 32:25-31)

 

While in this episode, Jacob calls Him Elohim, in Hosea He is called an angel:

בַּבֶּ֖טֶן עָקַ֣ב אֶת־אָחִ֑יו וּבְאוֹנ֖וֹ שָׂרָ֥ה אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

In the womb he tried to supplant his brother;

Grown to manhood, he strove with Elohim,

וַיָּ֤שַׂר אֶל־מַלְאָךְ֙ וַיֻּכָ֔ל בָּכָ֖ה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן־ל֑וֹ בֵּֽית־אֵל֙ יִמְצָאֶ֔נּוּ וְשָׁ֖ם יְדַבֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ׃

He strove with an angel and prevailed—

The other had to weep and implore him.

At Bethel [Jacob] would meet him,

There to commune with him.

(Hosea 12:4-5)

 

The same phenomenon is found in the Hagar narrative:

וַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה עַל־עֵ֥ין הַמַּ֖יִם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַל־הָעַ֖יִן בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ שֽׁוּר׃

An angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur.

וַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי׃

And she called the LORD who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” Apparently “God of Seeing.” by which she meant, ^dMeaning of Heb. uncertain.“Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!”

(Gen. 16:7,13)

 

Rashbam, a prominent rabbinic commentator who focuses on the plain meaning of the text, on Genesis 18:1:

וירא אליו ה’ – האיך? שבאו אליו שלשה אנשים שהיו מלאכים, שבהרבה מקומות כשנראה המלאך קוראו בלשון שכינה, כדכתיב: כי שמי בקרבו שלוחו כמותו. וכן: וירא מלאך ה’ אליו בלבת אש מתוך הסנה. וכתוב שם: וירא ה’ כי סר לראות.

AND GOD APPEARED TO HIM: How did He appear? In the form of the three visitors who came, them being angels. For in many places when an angel is seen, it is called in the verse “shechinah” (a term to describe God’s manifestation in this world) as it says (Ex, 23:21) “for My name is in Him” (Ex. 3:3). Similarly it says “and he saw the angel of God in the flames of the burning bush”; and there it continues “and YHWH saw that he turned away.

 

While it is impossible to know the ancient conception of God in Israel and in biblical literature, I think we made the best case possible in squaring a corporeal God together with an omnipresent One.