Difference between revisions of "Philosophy:Anthropomorphism/2"
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<point><b>Hashem is limited</b></point> | <point><b>Hashem is limited</b></point> | ||
<point><b>"וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי"</b></point> | <point><b>"וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי"</b></point> | ||
| − | <point><b> | + | <point><b>Prophets seeing Hashem</b></point> |
| − | <point><b> | + | <point><b>"בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ"</b> – R. Moshe Taku cites these verses a proof that Hashem has a body.</point> |
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Hashem Is Not Corporeal | <category>Hashem Is Not Corporeal | ||
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonHaEmunotVeHaDeiot2" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonHaEmunotVeHaDeiot2" data-aht="source">HaEmunot VeHaDeiot 2</a><a href="RSaadiaGaoninOtzarHaGeonimBerakhot6b" data-aht="source">in Otzar HaGeonim Berakhot 6b</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RSheriraGaoninOtzarHaGeonimChagigah11b" data-aht="source">R. Sherira Gaon</a><a href="RSheriraGaoninOtzarHaGeonimChagigah11b" data-aht="source">Otzar HaGeonim Chagigah 11b</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RHaiGaoninOtzarHaGeonimBerakhot59a" data-aht="source">R. Hai Gaon</a><a href="RHaiGaoninOtzarHaGeonimBerakhot59a" data-aht="source">Otzar HaGeonim Berakhot 59a</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYehudaHaLeviKuzari1-88-89" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda HaLevi</a><a href="RYehudaHaLeviKuzari1-88-89" data-aht="source">Kuzari 1:88-89</a><a href="R. Yehuda HaLevi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda HaLevi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraShemotFirstCommentary33-18" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotFirstCommentary33-18" data-aht="source">Shemot First Commentary 33:18</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary33-21" data-aht="source">Shemot Second Commentary 33:21</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit1-26" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit1-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 1:26</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambamHilkhotYesodeiHaTorah1-7-12" data-aht="source">Rambam | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonHaEmunotVeHaDeiot2" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonHaEmunotVeHaDeiot2" data-aht="source">HaEmunot VeHaDeiot 2</a><a href="RSaadiaGaoninOtzarHaGeonimBerakhot6b" data-aht="source">in Otzar HaGeonim Berakhot 6b</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RSheriraGaoninOtzarHaGeonimChagigah11b" data-aht="source">R. Sherira Gaon</a><a href="RSheriraGaoninOtzarHaGeonimChagigah11b" data-aht="source">Otzar HaGeonim Chagigah 11b</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RHaiGaoninOtzarHaGeonimBerakhot59a" data-aht="source">R. Hai Gaon</a><a href="RHaiGaoninOtzarHaGeonimBerakhot59a" data-aht="source">Otzar HaGeonim Berakhot 59a</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYehudaHaLeviKuzari1-88-89" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda HaLevi</a><a href="RYehudaHaLeviKuzari1-88-89" data-aht="source">Kuzari 1:88-89</a><a href="R. Yehuda HaLevi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda HaLevi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraShemotFirstCommentary33-18" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotFirstCommentary33-18" data-aht="source">Shemot First Commentary 33:18</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary33-21" data-aht="source">Shemot Second Commentary 33:21</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit1-26" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit1-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 1:26</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambamHilkhotYesodeiHaTorah1-7-12" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamHilkhotYesodeiHaTorah1-7-12" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah 1:7-12</a><a href="RambamHilkhotYesodeiHaTorah2-4" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah 2:4</a><a href="RambamHilkhotTeshuvah3-7" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Teshuvah 3:7</a><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim1-1" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 1:1</a><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim1-27" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 1:27</a><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim1-36" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 1:36</a><a href="RambamIggeretTechiyatHaMetim" data-aht="source">Iggeret Techiyat HaMetim</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Maimon</a></multilink></mekorot> |
<point><b>Anthropomorphic verses</b> – Rasag, Rambam and R. Yosef Albo all explain these verses as a figure of speech.  They render the purpose of using such language, as to simplify for the nation so they will be able to relate more easily to Hashem.</point> | <point><b>Anthropomorphic verses</b> – Rasag, Rambam and R. Yosef Albo all explain these verses as a figure of speech.  They render the purpose of using such language, as to simplify for the nation so they will be able to relate more easily to Hashem.</point> | ||
| − | <point><b> | + | <point><b>Prophets seeing Hashem</b><ul> |
| − | <li>Hashem's glory – R. Saadia. All the prophets who saw Hashem just saw a bright light from where they heard Hashem. Moshe, who was on a different level, saw a larger light.</li> | + | <li>Saw Hashem's glory – R. Saadia. All the prophets who saw Hashem just saw a bright light from where they heard Hashem. Moshe, who was on a different level, saw a larger light.</li> |
| − | <li> | + | <li>Prophetic visions – R. Chananel, Ibn Ezra, Rambam.  The prophets<fn>R. Chananel notes that the verse by Moshe (Bemidbar 12:6) "בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע", should be read as a rhetorical question, since Moshe did not see Hashem just like the rest of the prophets.</fn> saw a figure in their imagination or dream, and thought they were seeing Hashem.  They did not actually see any physical vision.<fn>R. Chananel brings proof for such use of seeing from other verses, such as Kohelet 1:16.</fn></li> |
| + | <li>Intellectual understanding – Ralbag.  The prophets got hold of and achieved partially an understanding of Hashem and his actions.</li> | ||
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
| − | <point><b> | + | <point><b>"בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ"</b> – The commentators suggest multiple ways of rereading these verses as not to imply that Hashem has an equivalent to a human body:<br/> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li> –</li> | + | <li>In Hashem's image</li> |
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>Humans have a partial similarity to Hashem – </li> | ||
| + | <li>The image Hashem chose for humans –</li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | <li>In the angels' / Moshe's image –</li> | ||
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
Version as of 04:24, 12 April 2017
Anthropomorphism
Exegetical Approaches
Hashem Can Be Corporeal1
Sources:Merkavah Shelemah Shiur Komah,2 Rashi,3 R. Moshe Taku, scholars cited by Raavad, scholars cited by R. Avraham b. HaRambam
Anthropomorphic verses – According to this approach it is expected that Tanakh should talk about Hashem as if he has a body.
Hashem is limited
"וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי"
Prophets seeing Hashem
"בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ" – R. Moshe Taku cites these verses a proof that Hashem has a body.
Hashem Is Not Corporeal
Sources:R. Saadia Gaon, R. Sherira Gaon, R. Hai Gaon, R. Yehuda HaLevi, Ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Rambam
Anthropomorphic verses – Rasag, Rambam and R. Yosef Albo all explain these verses as a figure of speech. They render the purpose of using such language, as to simplify for the nation so they will be able to relate more easily to Hashem.
Prophets seeing Hashem
- Saw Hashem's glory – R. Saadia. All the prophets who saw Hashem just saw a bright light from where they heard Hashem. Moshe, who was on a different level, saw a larger light.
- Prophetic visions – R. Chananel, Ibn Ezra, Rambam. The prophets4 saw a figure in their imagination or dream, and thought they were seeing Hashem. They did not actually see any physical vision.5
- Intellectual understanding – Ralbag. The prophets got hold of and achieved partially an understanding of Hashem and his actions.
"בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ" – The commentators suggest multiple ways of rereading these verses as not to imply that Hashem has an equivalent to a human body:
- In Hashem's image
- Humans have a partial similarity to Hashem –
- The image Hashem chose for humans –
- In the angels' / Moshe's image –
