Wednesday 20 July 2016

hashkafah philosophy - Can G-d ever take on a physical form?


There are 3 religions that says so. The obvious one is Christianity with that being it's central term. The second one is Hindu. Khrisna is said to be a God incarnate.


But in torah I often see stories about Abraham meeting some guys and recognize that the guy is G_d himself.


Genesis 18 for example says And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day; 2 and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth, 3 And he saith, 'My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant.


So here Jehovah (=God?) appear unto him among the oaks and sit. So who is this Jehovah that sit at the opening of the tent? I thought God never incarnate? How can he sit at the opening of the tent?


Also we have Jacob wrestle with G_d with G_d's performance not being very impressive. G_d can't escape Jacob's hold.


So do jews believe that G_d, once in a while, take humans' form?


I was writing an answer on main differences between christians and jewish torah. I thought jewish translation would definitely translate el/elohym as angels or divine beings in case of Jacob wrestling. I was surprised to find out that jewish translation is actually the same with christian translation. - Genesis Chapter 32 בְּרֵאשִׁית


28 And he said unto him: 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' כט וַיֹּאמֶר, לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ--כִּי, אִם-יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי-שָׂרִיתָ עִם-אֱלֹהִים וְעִם-אֲנָשִׁים, וַתּוּכָל. 29 And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.' ל וַיִּשְׁאַל יַעֲקֹב, וַיֹּאמֶר הַגִּידָה-נָּא שְׁמֶךָ, וַיֹּאמֶר, לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי; וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ, שָׁם. 30 And Jacob asked him, and said: 'Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.' And he said: 'Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?' And he blessed him there. לא וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, פְּנִיאֵל: כִּי-רָאִיתִי אֱלֹהִים פָּנִים אֶל-פָּנִים, וַתִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי. 31 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.'


Hei, it's actual jewish translation. Genesis Chapter 32 בְּרֵאשִׁית. Compare to Genesis 32:28.



Many people argued that the word elohim does not necessarily means God. However, the jewish translation clearly translate that as God in this particular verse



And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.' - Genesis Chapter 32 בְּרֵאשִׁית.




Answer



No, no, no. Judaism makes clear that G-d has no physical form, nor does (nor can) He ever take one on.


You're confusing several stories about angels, which are heavenly beings that can take human form, with their Boss.


Abraham invites three guests who turn out to be angels; similarly, Jacob wrestles with a mysterious man, who is likely to have been an angel. He is told "you wrestled with both Elohim and man successfully"; see this question for more; if you track the detailed uses of the word Elohim in the Bible, it doesn't always mean G-d. Here it's translated "Heavenly forces."


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