The Bearded Man in the Clouds

[muman613]

Twice in the last 2 weeks I have heard this dumb idea repeated:

G-d is a man with a long white beard who sits on a cloud....

I don't know where this idea comes from. Maybe it is a Christian idea, but it runs completely against the Jewish concept of Hashem.

Just 30 minutes ago in an online videogame I play one of the players, when we started to talk about religion, and I told everyone I was a religious Jew, someone said that they think its silly to believe in an old man with a white beard who sits on a cloud.... I instantly explained that we don't believe anything like that, and tried to explain simply what Hashem is, everything everytime everywhere, not a man, not a beard, not a cloud...

I just wish that silly idea would perish and Hashem would be recognized for his awesomeness..

[Alex37]

Some people cannot accept the idea of a G-D with no body and no shape, so they need to imagine some human instead. With G-D's will, one day people will wake up and will know that G-D doesn't need a body to be limited to, and that He is spiritual and not a human-like being.

[MassuhDGoodName]

muman613,

A question for you:

How is it that we are constantly reminded that "man is made in the image of G-d" (or in G-d's image"), as well as reminded that "If you kill yourself it is not only murder but destroying the image of G-d!", "Each and every person on the planet, no matter which race, and no matter how hideously ugly -- ALL are made in the very likeness of G-d!"

And then suddenly we are reminded that "G-d has no shape or body!"..."He is non-corporeal!" ... "And not only that; but we just say "He" even though G-d has no sexual characteristics!"?

Sound to me like someone's trying to "have their cake and eat it too!"

And...if G-d created all men "in His image", why in the world would G-d make something so ugly, smelly, and disgusting as some jive-A-s-s schwartze?...or as hideous and beastly as Arafat?"

I have met and known thousands of Jews who insisted that "Schwartzes are made by G-d, too!" "When you look into the face of some cannibal rapist, you're looking at the very image of G-d!".......... BUT! ..........

In actual practice, speech, and behavior, these same Jews betray the FACT that they consider all schwartzes to be sub-human trash, dangerous, dirty, violent, and good only for being beasts of burden or chasing coconuts.

p.s. -- and if G-d doesn't have a long white beard, then why does He command Jews to never shave their beards using a razor?

[muman613]

Massah,

When the Torah says that we are created in his 'image' it is not to be taken literally. We have two souls, an animal soul which is corporeal and has physical needs and wants, and a spiritual soul which is made in Hashems 'image'. Maybe this is difficult to comprehend but it is what we must learn from this passage from Beresheit/Genesis...

Here is some explanation of 'the image of G-d':

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/human.htm

Human Nature

Level:  Advanced

On the question of human nature, as in most areas of abstract belief in Judaism, there is a lot of room for personal opinion.  There is no dogma on the subject, no required belief about the nature of humanity.  There are a variety of contrary opinions expressed on the subject, and one is no less a Jew (and no less a good Jew) for disagreeing with any or all of these opinions.  Nevertheless, there are certain ideas that seem to reflect the majority opinion in Jewish thought that are worth discussing.
In the Image of G-d

The Bible states that humanity was created in the image of G-d, but what does it mean to be created in the image of G-d?

Clearly, we are not created in the physical image of G-d, because Judaism steadfastly maintains that G-d is incorporeal and has no physical appearance.  Maimonides points out that the Hebrew words translated as "image" and "likeness" in Genesis 1,27 do not refer to the physical form of a thing.  The word for "image" in Genesis 1,27 is "tzelem", which refers to the nature or essence of a thing, as in Psalms 73,20, "you will despise their image (tzel'mam)".  You despise a person's nature and not a person's physical appearance.  The word for physical form, Maimonides explains, is "to'ar", as in Genesis 39,6, "and Joseph was beautiful of form (to'ar) and fair to look upon".  Similarly, the word used for "likeness" is "demut", which is used to indicate a simile, not identity of form.  For example, "He is like (dimyono) a lion" in Psalms 17,12 refers not to similar appearance, but to similar nature.

What is it in our nature that is G-d-like?  Rashi explains that we are like G-d in that we have the ability to understand and discern.  Maimonides elaborates that by using our intellect, we are able to perceive things without the use of our physical senses, an ability that makes us like G-d, who perceives without having physical senses.

The Dual Nature

In Genesis 2,7, the Bible states that G-d formed (vayyitzer) man.  The spelling of this word is unusual:  it uses two consecutive Yods instead of the one you would expect.  The rabbis inferred that these Yods stand for the word "yetzer", which means impulse, and the existence of two Yods here indicates that humanity was formed with two impulses:  a good impulse (the yetzer tov) and an evil impulse (the yetzer ra).

The yetzer tov is the moral conscience, the inner voice that reminds you of G-d's law when you consider doing something that is forbidden.  According to some views, it does not enter a person until his 13th birthday, when he becomes responsible for following the commandments.  See Bar Mitzvah.

The yetzer ra is more difficult to define, because there are many different ideas about it.  It is not a desire to do evil in the way we normally think of it in Western society:  a desire to cause senseless harm.  Rather, it is usually conceived as the selfish nature, the desire to satisfy personal needs (food, shelter, sex, etc.) without regard for the moral consequences of fulfilling those desires.

The yetzer ra is not a bad thing.  It was created by G-d, and all things created by G-d are good.  The Talmud notes that without the yetzer ra (the desire to satisfy personal needs), man would not build a house, marry a wife, beget children, or conduct business affairs.  But the yetzer ra can lead to wrongdoing when it is not controlled by the yetzer tov.  There is nothing inherently wrong with hunger, but it can lead you to steal food.  There is nothing inherently wrong with sexual desire, but it can lead you to commit rape, adultery, incest, or other sexual perversion.

The yetzer ra is generally seen as something internal to a person, not as an external force acting on a person.  The idea that "the devil made me do it" is not in line with the majority of thought in Judaism.  Although it has been said that Satan and the yetzer ra are one and the same, this is more often understood as meaning that Satan is merely a personification of our own selfish desires, rather than that our selfish desires are caused by some external force.

People have the ability to choose which impulse to follow:  the yetzer tov or the yetzer ra.  That is the heart of the Jewish understanding of free will.  The Talmud notes that all people are descended from Adam, so no one can blame his own wickedness on his ancestry.  On the contrary, we all have the ability to make our own choices, and we will all be held responsible for the choices we make.

Here is a 'deep' Chassidic/Kabbalistic explanation which I will not reproduce here...
http://www.613.org/hasidism/09.htm

http://www.torah.org/features/genesis/topic2.html

Creation of Man

"In G-d's Image"
by Rabbi Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer

"And the Lord said: Let us make Mankind in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So the Lord created Mankind in His own image, int the image of the Lord He created Him, male and female." (Genesis 1, 25-26).

"This is the book of the generations of Adam [Mankind], on the day the Lord created Mankind, in the likeness of the Lord He made him." (Genesis 5, 1).

"Whoso sheds man's blood by a man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of the Lord made he man." (Genesis 9, 6).

Remarkably difficult verses!

If Judaism professes that G-d at Mt. Sinai admonished His people not to make any idol or depiction of Him - indeed, to not even form images of the sun and the moon (Exodus [Shemos] 20, 3), how then does this religion understand the statement that the human race bears resemblance to the Almighty?

We would do well to pose another question: The Torah makes use of several names to identify the Creator, the loftiest of which is the Tetragammaton (the four letter name consisting of the Hebrew letters Yud, Heh, Vav, Heh, known also as the "Shem Havayah," "The Name of Existence"). The narrative in the first chapter of Genesis, instead of using the more direct form of the Tetragammaton, uses the term Elokim. This term, in its connotation of "lordship," is often used to identify humans who possess authority, such as judges (as in Exodus 21, 6). It is frequently used to identify other, pagan gods. The Shem Havayah, on the other hand, is exclusively associated with the G-d of Judaism, Creator of Heavens and Earth. Why would the Torah choose to use the less specific Elokim over the more specific, more obvious choice, of Shem Havayah?

The answer lies in the meaning of the term Elokim. It is derived from the word "el," that means "strength," or "force." An Elokim is a "Master of Forces." Any individual or deity that possesses authority is a "Master (or Mistress) of Forces." When G-d is identified as Elokim, we are really describing Him as the ultimate "Master of Forces."

The identification of G-d as the ultimate Master of Forces is one of the most fundamental realizations stressed by Jewish thought. On the holiest day of the year (Yom Kippur), in the final and holiest prayer of the day (Ne'ila), the statement: "G-d is the Elokim" is repeated seven times. Judaism stresses this point in order to counteract human nature. It is a natural human tendency to ascribe mastery to immediate causes: financial security to one's employer; health to one's fitness or medical care; safety to one's protective resources, etc. We are taught, by repeating "G-d is the Elokim" seven times, corresponding to the days of the week, symbolic of the cumulative forces of the world, that all these causes are ultimately in the hands of G-d.

G-d endowed humans with certain natural drives, among them the aspiration towards mastery: "They shall rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, the whole earth, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth" (Genesis 1, 26). The serpent was not in error when he encouraged Eve [Chava] to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in order to: "be like the Lord" (Genesis 2, 5). It was the path which he proposed that Eve and Adam follow, in order to achieve that goal, that was wrong.

G-d did not intend humans to master only the material world. He endowed humans with the capacity to master the Heavens, to manipulate the angels and the spiritual forces that angels represent. (It is for that reason that G-d turned to the angels and said "Let us make Man." He was really requesting them to contribute of their essence to Man, so as to "hard-wire" humanity with compatibility with the angels, ultimately affording us the capability to master and sway these spiritual forces.) The good deeds of Man enhances the positive forces of the spiritual realm, and these forces, in turn, exert a beneficial influence on the material world. Man's evil deeds diminish the spiritual realm, and, in turn, the material world is afflicted.

G-d's mastery of forces is thus reflected in the mastery He granted humanity. The term "image" expresses that thought. The Hebrew word for "image" in all these verses is "tzelem." The word tzelem is derived from the word "tzel," that means "shadow" or "reflection." Man is intended to be a lord, an Elokim, over the forces of Creation, a reflection of G-d's Lordship. The other word that the Torah utilizes here, "likeness," reflects this idea as well. The Hebrew word for "likeness" in all these verses is "demus." The word demus is derived from the word "domeh," that means "similar." Human beings are certainly not duplicates of a G-d that has no body nor form. They are similar in their mastery - of the spiritual and physical dimensions of Creation.

Thus, when the Ten Commandments express the prohibition against idols and depictions, they do not utilize the words tzelem and demus. These words connote reflection and similarity, concepts completely irrelevant to the prohibition. Rather, the words used are "pesel," "idol,"from the Hebrew for sculpture; and, "temunah," "depiction," from the Hebrew for counting,or precise assessment. These terms accurately convey the prohibition to physically and materially define and represent G-d.

We may now understand why the first chapter of Genesis does not make use of the Shem Havayah. That name describes the One whose existence is transcendent and eternal, and He who is the source and sustainer of all other forms of existence. These are traits that are beyond the capacity of Man to fully comprehend, much less emulate and manifest! In describing the creation of humanity and its role of a mastery that reflects G-d, there is only one name that is appropriate: Elokim.

Rabbi Bechhofer is the Rabbi of Cong. Bais Tefila in Chicago, IL, and Rosh Kollel (Director) of the Frumi Noble Night Kollel (Institute for Adult Education) at Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Il (Skokie Yeshiva).

Regarding Jews who are racists, I cannot comment because for the most part I have not met these Jews... I believe all mankind is made in the image of Hashem even the Arabs and the Blacks... But the fact that many of those have set themselves as enemies of the Jews it is understandable that we have an aversion to them. I do not judge anyone based on the color of their skin or their ancestery, only based on their actions righteous or unrighteous.

Regarding the beard: It is not because G-d is supposed to have a beard that we let our beards grow. Here are some links and articles on the Jewish custom of growing our beards...


http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/160973/jewish/The-Beard.htm

The Beard

By Aron Moss

Question:

I have often wondered why many religious Jews have long hairy beards. Is this, like the kipah, a means of identifying oneself as a Jew or do the beards serve some other purpose?

Answer:

There is more to the beard than just identifying as a Jew. According to Kabbalah the beard should not even be trimmed, but should be allowed to grow freely. Why?

Kabbalistically, our outer physical appearance is a reflection of our inner spiritual reality. The hands represent our ability to give and receive. The feet symbolize the power to progress. What does the beard represent?

One of the greatest struggles in life is to live up to our ideals. Many of us know what is right in our minds, but find it difficult to apply that knowledge in our daily lives. Often we do things that we know are wrong, but feel we "couldn't help ourselves". For example, we know that it is wrong to lose our temper, but when we get annoyed at someone we find it impossible to control our anger. Or we may know that it is good to give charity, but never get around to actually giving.

Between theory and practice there is a huge gulf. It is one thing to have good intentions, but that is far from actually doing good. It is like realizing a dream; without diligence, determination and hard work, it will always remain just a dream.

The greatest step we can take in our personal growth is learning to bridge this gap and implement our good intentions.

This is what the beard represents. The beard is hair that grows down from the head to the rest of the body. It is the bridge between mind and heart, thoughts and actions, theory and practice, good intentions and good deeds.

So we don't cut the beard, but rather let it flow freely, to open a direct flow from the ideals and philosophies of our minds into our everyday lifestyle.

The 44th Negative Commandment according to Mishneh Torah is:

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/p0002.htm
44  Not to remove the whole beard like the idolaters, as it is written "neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard" (Leviticus 19,27).

[muman613]

Sometimes I think this image by Michelangelo is what people think of when they think of G-d:

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

muman613,

A question for you:

How is it that we are constantly reminded that "man is made in the image of G-d" (or in G-d's image"), as well as reminded that "If you kill yourself it is not only murder but destroying the image of G-d!", "Each and every person on the planet, no matter which race, and no matter how hideously ugly -- ALL are made in the very likeness of G-d!"

And then suddenly we are reminded that "G-d has no shape or body!"..."He is non-corporeal!" ... "And not only that; but we just say "He" even though G-d has no sexual characteristics!"?

Sound to me like someone's trying to "have their cake and eat it too!"

And...if G-d created all men "in His image", why in the world would G-d make something so ugly, smelly, and disgusting as some jive-A-s-s schwartze?...or as hideous and beastly as Arafat?"

I have met and known thousands of Jews who insisted that "Schwartzes are made by G-d, too!" "When you look into the face of some cannibal rapist, you're looking at the very image of G-d!".......... BUT! ..........

In actual practice, speech, and behavior, these same Jews betray the FACT that they consider all schwartzes to be sub-human trash, dangerous, dirty, violent, and good only for being beasts of burden or chasing coconuts.

p.s. -- and if G-d doesn't have a long white beard, then why does He command Jews to never shave their beards using a razor?

In his "image" does not mean physical image or physicality.  According to many rishonim btzelem Elokim means that G-d gave man rational thought.

So a given person's ugly or beautiful physical appearance has no relevance.  Shaving of the beard also has no relevance.   God commands many things including eating certain foods etc.  God does not eat and we don't ascribe the human characteristics to God.    I really don't follow what you're saying.   Not to mention that shaving the beard only refers to the corners of the beard, so I guess you'll have to adjust your "picture" of God that you made and give him a 'corners-only beard...'   

[muman613]

Another interesting aspect of your question is why do we usually refer to Hashem as Him and not Her... We do consider the 'Shechina' to be a feminine aspect of Hashem...

Simply put, as I have heard it explained, we refer to Hashem as a He because according to Jewish belief there are two parts of man, the masculine side and the feminine side... Every man has these two characteristics... Also remember that Adam was originally made with both male and female aspects which then were separated when Hashem realized he was lonely.

The Masculine aspect is considered the Giver... A man gives his seed to the woman. The man is supposed to be the strong one who supports his wife and family, he is the provider, the protector. The feminine side is the nurturer, the one who builds this seed into a human being, and she educates and raises this new human.

This is my simple explanation, now I will provide some links and excerpts from Rabbis:


http://www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/G-d.htm

G-d is Neither Male nor Female

This followed directly from the idea that G-d has no physical form.  G-d has, of course, no body; therefore, the very idea that G-d is male or female is patently absurd.  We refer to G-d using masculine terms simply for convenience's sake, because Hebrew has no neutral gender; G-d is no more male than a table is.

Although we usually speak of G-d in masculine terms, there are times when we refer to G-d using feminine terms.  The Shechinah, the manifestation of G-d's presence that fills the universe, is conceived of in feminine terms, and the word Shechinah is a feminine word.

http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-2586/g-d-in-masculine-or-feminine-terms/

G-d is always referred to as “He”. I realize this is people’s way of referring to the masculine such as in the saying “mankind”. However, is there any discussion of G-d’s female properties in any text? Or some indication of G-d as “Mother” instead of “Father”?

Indeed, the Torah does always use the masculine form to describe G-d but it is also true that this might not be an absolute statement of His gender as much as a stylistic device – or perhaps more likely – a more subtle indication of some aspect of our experience with Him. The closest thing I can think of to a feminine-like aspect would be the word “Shechina” – Divine Presence (which takes the feminine gender in Hebrew). This word doesn’t in any way describe G-d himself, but the effect of His manifest proximity.

With my best regards,
Rabbi Boruch Clinton

http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/tzedaka/gender-terms.htm

...

Although our tradition refers to various attributes of Hashem – including attributes which we understand as “masculine” or “feminine” – we are to recognize the Oneness and Unity of Hashem. This concept is expressed in the following verse from Anim Zemiros – a kabbalistic hymn which many congregations sing on Shabbos and the Festivals:

“They symbolized You in many varied visions; yet You are a Unity containing all the allegories.”

In this spirit, Maimonides writes in his “Book of Mitzvos” (Mitzvah 2): “The Creator of all things in existence and their First Cause is One.” Maimonides then cites the following proclamation: “Hear O Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One” (Deut. 6:4).

The One Creator is the “First Cause” – the Unifying Source of all life. Our discussion on gender terms for Hashem must therefore be based on this sacred premise.

Within the Siddur, we find mention of the Shechinah – the Divine Presence. According to our tradition, the Shechinah expresses the “feminine” attributes of Hashem. The term Shechinah is related to the verb shochen – dwelling, for the Shechinah seeks to dwell with us on this earth. We are to therefore experience the intimate Divine Presence within this physical world, and according to “halacha” – the requirements of the Torah path – we are to become aware of the Shechinah when we pray. As Maimonides states in his halachic work, the Mishneh Torah:

“One should see one’s self as if one is standing before the Shechinah.” (The Book of Love, the Halachos of Prayer 4:16)

As we mentioned, the Shechinah expresses those attributes of Hashem that we understand as “feminine”; thus, this leads to the following question: If we are to be aware of the Shechinah when we pray, then why do our classical Hebrew prayers use the masculine form of Hebrew pronouns when addressing Hashem or referring to Hashem, rather than the feminine form? For example, the Hebrew word “ata” – you – is the masculine form, while the Hebrew word “att” – you – is the feminine form. In our prayers, we address Hashem as “Ata” – the masculine form.

The Kabbalah – the hidden wisdom of the Torah – discusses in great depth the “masculine” and “feminine” terms for Hashem; however, I am not a student of Kabbalah, and I am therefore not able to discuss with you the kabbalistic answers to the question we raised. What I will share with you is a possible answer that I first discussed with my rebbes. This answer is meant to serve as “food for thought”; moreover, I share it with the awareness that the explanations of finite human beings cannot adequately describe the Infinite One.

Within the physical world, the female receives the seed from the male, who acts as the source of the seed – the first cause; thus, feminine energy is associated with receiving the seed of life in order to nurture and protect it. The process of receiving also implies that there is another being who is giving. Hashem, however, is the First Cause and One; thus, when we mention Hashem in our prayers, we use pronouns which refer to the “masculine” aspect of Hashem, in order to stress that Hashem is the First Cause and One Source of all creation. Through strengthening our awareness that all creation comes from the One Source, we can strengthen our awareness that all creation, with all its diversity, is ultimately one.

...

Regarding Adams 'female' side:

http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380616/jewish/The-Female-Aspect-of-Adam.htm

The Female Aspect of Adam

from the Oheiv Yisrael by Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heshel

And the Lord G-d caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept, and He took one of his sides, and closed the flesh in its place…[And He made it into a woman] and brought her to the man. (Gen. 2:21)

It is known that Adam was the epitome of all creation, the handiwork of G-d Himself. He included all holiness and all the souls of Israel. The entire side of holiness was attached to him and included in him.

Also, Adam originally included both male and female, since he was created with the two [connected] bodies.

Everything in the world must contain the concept of both male and female. This is especially true in serving G-d, where the male and female elements correspond respectively to "remember" and "keep" [referring to Shabbat].

The essence of the male and female elements respectively is the concept of giving and receiving. Thus, for example, a person can attain great attachment, holiness, and purity of thought. Such a person then gives spiritual delight to the supernal Lights, universes, and attributes. This is the concept of the male element.

At the same time, however, this person receives spiritual sustenance from the supernal universes. This is the concept of his female element. All Israel also partake of this female element when this sustenance is transmitted to them, providing them with everything they need. From it they receive "children, life and food", and the like.

...

[IsraeliGovtAreKapos]

The Masculine aspect is considered the Giver...

Or Gever 

[Rubystars]

I don't know where this idea comes from. Maybe it is a Christian idea, but it runs completely against the Jewish concept of Hashem.

It's not a Christian concept. I think it's related to depictions of pagan deities like Zeus who is often depicted as a man with a beard in the clouds. This made its way into pop culture and people not familiar with Judaism or with the actual teachings of Christianity use that as their stock image of God.