God walks and seems to be an expert in sewing as well.
God also talks.
Body parts: legs, voice, hands and fingers (for sewing)
(כב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם׃ (כג) וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֻקַּ֖ח מִשָּֽׁם׃ (כד) וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ {ס}
“Because you did this,
More cursed shall you be
Than all cattle
And all the wild beasts:
On your belly shall you crawl
And dirt shall you eat
All the days of your life.
(15) I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your offspring and hers;
They shall strike at your head,
And you shall strike at their heel.” (16) And to the woman [God] said,
“I will greatly expand
Your hard labor—and your pregnancies;
In hardship shall you bear children.
Yet your urge shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.” (17) To Adam [God] said, “Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’
Cursed be the ground because of you;
By hard labor shall you eat of it
All the days of your life:
(18) Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you.
But your food shall be the grasses of the field;
(19) By the sweat of your brow
Shall you get bread to eat,
Until you return to the ground—
For from it you were taken.
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.” (20) The Human named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. (21) And God יהוה made garments of skins for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. (22) And God יהוה said, “Now that humankind has become like any of us, knowing good and bad, what if one should stretch out a hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever!” (23) So God יהוה banished humankind from the garden of Eden, to till the humus from which it was taken: (24) it was driven out; and east of the garden of Eden were stationed the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.
Who are the Divine beings? And who are the Nephilim? Does God have "sons"?
Is God a sexual being?
Body part: Penis?
(ה) וַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכׇל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ו) וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃ (ח) וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
Here, God seems to be standing over the Ladder. Does God have feet?
Note: The Hebrew verb "nitzav" means to stand. Based on its usage in the Torah, it seems to have the implication of standing in holiness. There is another verb, "omeid", which also means to stand but that verb is a generic standing w/o implied holiness.
In this passage, God is warrior, literally casting the Egyptians into the Sea of Reeds.
(כ) וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כׇֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃ (כא) וַתַּ֥עַן לָהֶ֖ם מִרְיָ֑ם שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם׃ {ס}
I will sing to יהוה, for He has triumphed gloriously;
Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.
(2) יהוה is my strength and might;
He is become my deliverance.
This is my God and I will enshrine Him;
The God of my father’s [house], and I will exalt Him.
(3) יהוה, the Warrior—
יהוה is His name!
(4) Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
He has cast into the sea;
And the pick of his officers
Are drowned in the Sea of Reeds.
(5) The deeps covered them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.
(6) Your right hand, יהוה, glorious in power,
Your right hand, יהוה, shatters the foe!
(7) In Your great triumph You break Your opponents;
You send forth Your fury, it consumes them like straw.
(8) At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up,
The floods stood straight like a wall;
The deeps froze in the heart of the sea.
(9) The foe said,
“I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall have its fill of them.
I will bare my sword—
My hand shall subdue them.”
(10) You made Your wind blow, the sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the majestic waters.
(11) Who is like You, יהוה, among the celestials;
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in splendor, working wonders!
(12) You put out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
(13) In Your love You lead the people You redeemed;
In Your strength You guide them to Your holy abode.
(14) The peoples hear, they tremble;
Agony grips the dwellers in Philistia.
(15) Now are the clans of Edom dismayed;
The tribes of Moab—trembling grips them;
All the dwellers in Canaan are aghast.
(16) Terror and dread descend upon them;
Through the might of Your arm they are still as stone—
Till Your people cross over, יהוה,
Till Your people cross whom You have ransomed.
(17) You will bring them and plant them in Your own mountain,
The place You made to dwell in, יהוה,
The sanctuary, O my lord, which Your hands established.
(18) יהוה will reign for ever and ever! (19) For the horses of Pharaoh, with his chariots and riders, went into the sea; and יהוה turned back on them the waters of the sea; but the Israelites marched on dry ground in the midst of the sea. (20) Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, picked up a hand-drum, and all the women went out after her in dance with hand-drums. (21) And Miriam chanted for them:
Sing to יהוה, for He has triumphed gloriously;
Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.
Here, we have a picture of God's Temple in Heaven, complete with God's Throne and a full picture of God's physicality, from head to toe.
After the Golden Calf incident, Moses is allowed to see God's back but not God's face. Yet, Moses did see God's face in the previous passage. What gives?
(יז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה כִּֽי־מָצָ֤אתָ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וָאֵדָעֲךָ֖ בְּשֵֽׁם׃ (יח) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַרְאֵ֥נִי נָ֖א אֶת־כְּבֹדֶֽךָ׃ (יט) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִ֨י אַעֲבִ֤יר כׇּל־טוּבִי֙ עַל־פָּנֶ֔יךָ וְקָרָ֧אתִֽי בְשֵׁ֛ם יְהֹוָ֖ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְחַנֹּתִי֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָחֹ֔ן וְרִחַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲרַחֵֽם׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־פָּנָ֑י כִּ֛י לֹֽא־יִרְאַ֥נִי הָאָדָ֖ם וָחָֽי׃ (כא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנֵּ֥ה מָק֖וֹם אִתִּ֑י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֖ עַל־הַצּֽוּר׃ (כב) וְהָיָה֙ בַּעֲבֹ֣ר כְּבֹדִ֔י וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ בְּנִקְרַ֣ת הַצּ֑וּר וְשַׂכֹּתִ֥י כַפִּ֛י עָלֶ֖יךָ עַד־עׇבְרִֽי׃ (כג) וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ אֶת־כַּפִּ֔י וְרָאִ֖יתָ אֶת־אֲחֹרָ֑י וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֥א יֵרָאֽוּ׃ {פ}
This is but one example of God's insatiable desire for meat. Not only does God smell the offering, God also symbolically (if not literally) eats meat.
(יד) וְאִ֧ם מִן־הָע֛וֹף עֹלָ֥ה קׇרְבָּנ֖וֹ לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְהִקְרִ֣יב מִן־הַתֹּרִ֗ים א֛וֹ מִן־בְּנֵ֥י הַיּוֹנָ֖ה אֶת־קׇרְבָּנֽוֹ׃ (טו) וְהִקְרִיב֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וּמָלַק֙ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְנִמְצָ֣ה דָמ֔וֹ עַ֖ל קִ֥יר הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (טז) וְהֵסִ֥יר אֶת־מֻרְאָת֖וֹ בְּנֹצָתָ֑הּ וְהִשְׁלִ֨יךְ אֹתָ֜הּ אֵ֤צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ קֵ֔דְמָה אֶל־מְק֖וֹם הַדָּֽשֶׁן׃ (יז) וְשִׁסַּ֨ע אֹת֣וֹ בִכְנָפָיו֮ לֹ֣א יַבְדִּיל֒ וְהִקְטִ֨יר אֹת֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עַל־הָעֵצִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֑שׁ עֹלָ֣ה ה֗וּא אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}
This is the famous passage that gives us the Kedusha (Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh ...). This is another image of God's Throne, surrounded by the archangels and also the Divine Fireplace.
Body parts: head to toe
(3) And one would call to the other,
“Holy, holy, holy!
The LORD of Hosts!
His presence fills all the earth!”
(4) The doorposts would shake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke. (5) I cried,
“Woe is me; I am lost!
For I am a man of unclean lips-b
And I live among a people
Of unclean lips;
Yet my own eyes have beheld
The King LORD of Hosts.”
(6) 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. (7) 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.”
(8) 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.” (9) And He said, “Go, say to that people:
‘Hear, indeed, but do not understand;
See, indeed, but do not grasp.’ (10) Dull that people’s mind,
Stop its ears,
And seal its eyes—
Lest, seeing with its eyes
And hearing with its ears,
It also grasp with its mind,
And repent and save itself.”
(11) I asked, “How long, my Lord?” And He replied:
“Till towns lie waste without inhabitants
And houses without people,
And the ground lies waste and desolate— (12) For the LORD will banish the population—
And deserted sites are many
In the midst of the land. (13) “But while a tenth part yet remains in it, it shall repent. It shall be ravaged like the terebinth and the oak, of which stumps are left even when they are felled: its stump shall be a holy seed.”
This passage is one of the foundational texts for Kabbalah. But here, we have an inexplicable image of God's Chariot, leaving Jerusalem and flying towards Babylonia.
They had the figures of human beings. (6) However, each had four faces, and each of them had four wings; (7) the legs of each were [fused into] a single rigid leg, and the feet of each were like a single calf’s hoof; and their sparkle was like the luster of burnished bronze. (8) They had human hands below their wings. The four of them had their faces and their wings on their four sides. (9) Each one’s wings touched those of the other. They did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces. (10) Each of them had a human face [at the front]; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right; each of the four had the face of an ox on the left; and each of the four had the face of an eagle [at the back]. (11) Such were their faces. As for their wings, they were separated: above, each had two touching those of the others, while the other two covered its body. (12) And each could move in the direction of any of its faces; they went wherever the spirit impelled them to go, without turning when they moved. (13) Such then was the appearance of the creatures. With them was something that looked like burning coals of fire. This fire, suggestive of torches, kept moving about among the creatures; the fire had a radiance, and lightning issued from the fire. (14) Dashing to and fro [among] the creatures was something that looked like flares.-d (15) As I gazed on the creatures, I saw one wheel on the ground next to each of the four-faced creatures. (16) As for the appearance and structure of the wheels, they gleamed like beryl. All four had the same form; the appearance and structure of each was as of two wheels cutting through each other. (17) And when they moved, each could move in the direction of any of its four quarters; they did not veer when they moved. (18) Their rims were tall and frightening, for the rims of all four were covered all over with eyes. (19) And when the creatures moved forward, the wheels moved at their sides; and when the creatures were borne above the earth, the wheels were borne too. (20) Wherever the spirit impelled them to go, they went—wherever the spirit impelled them—and the wheels were borne alongside them; for the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels. (21) When those moved, these moved; and when those stood still, these stood still; and when those were borne above the earth, the wheels were borne alongside them—for the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels. (22) Above the heads of the creatures was a form: an expanse, with an awe-inspiring gleam as of crystal, was spread out above their heads. (23) Under the expanse, each had one pair of wings extended toward those of the others; and each had another pair covering its body. (24) When they moved, I could hear the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the sound of Shaddai, a tumult like the din of an army. When they stood still, they would let their wings droop. (25) From above the expanse over their heads came a sound.-d When they stood still, they would let their wings droop. (26) 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. (27) From what appeared as his loins up, I saw a gleam as of amber—what looked like a fire encased in a frame;-d and from what appeared as his loins down, I saw what looked like fire. There was a radiance all about him. (28) Like the appearance of the bow which shines in the clouds on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. That was the appearance of the semblance of the Presence of the LORD. When I beheld it, I flung myself down on my face. And I heard the voice of someone speaking.
The famous "Writing on the Wall" episode. Is this an image of God's hands?
(יג) בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל הֻעַ֖ל קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֑א עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָנִיֵּ֗אל (אנתה) [אַנְתְּ־]ה֤וּא דָנִיֵּאל֙ דִּֽי־מִן־בְּנֵ֤י גָלוּתָא֙ דִּ֣י יְה֔וּד דִּ֥י הַיְתִ֛י מַלְכָּ֥א אַ֖בִי מִן־יְהֽוּד׃ (יד) וְשִׁמְעֵ֣ת (עליך) [עֲלָ֔ךְ] דִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ אֱלָהִ֖ין בָּ֑ךְ וְנַהִיר֧וּ וְשׇׂכְלְתָנ֛וּ וְחׇכְמָ֥ה יַתִּירָ֖ה הִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַת בָּֽךְ׃ (טו) וּכְעַ֞ן הֻעַ֣לּוּ קׇֽדָמַ֗י חַכִּֽימַיָּא֙ אָֽשְׁפַיָּ֔א דִּֽי־כְתָבָ֤ה דְנָה֙ יִקְר֔וֹן וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ לְהוֹדָעֻתַ֑נִי וְלָֽא־כָהֲלִ֥ין פְּשַֽׁר־מִלְּתָ֖א לְהַחֲוָיָֽה׃ (טז) וַאֲנָה֙ שִׁמְעֵ֣ת (עליך) [עֲלָ֔ךְ] דִּֽי־[תִכּ֥וּל] (תוכל) פִּשְׁרִ֛ין לְמִפְשַׁ֖ר וְקִטְרִ֣ין לְמִשְׁרֵ֑א כְּעַ֡ן הֵן֩ (תוכל) [תִּכּ֨וּל] כְּתָבָ֜א לְמִקְרֵ֗א וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ לְהוֹדָ֣עוּתַ֔נִי אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א תִלְבַּ֗שׁ (והמונכא) [וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֤א] דִֽי־דַהֲבָא֙ עַֽל־צַוְּארָ֔ךְ וְתַלְתָּ֥א בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א תִּשְׁלַֽט׃ {פ}
(יז) בֵּאדַ֜יִן עָנֵ֣ה דָנִיֵּ֗אל וְאָמַר֙ קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֔א מַתְּנָתָךְ֙ לָ֣ךְ לֶֽהֶוְיָ֔ן וּנְבָ֥זְבְּיָתָ֖ךְ לְאׇחֳרָ֣ן הַ֑ב בְּרַ֗ם כְּתָבָא֙ אֶקְרֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א וּפִשְׁרָ֖א אֲהוֹדְעִנֵּֽהּ׃ (יח) (אנתה) [אַ֖נְתְּ] מַלְכָּ֑א אֱלָהָא֙ (עליא) [עִלָּאָ֔ה] מַלְכוּתָ֤א וּרְבוּתָא֙ וִיקָרָ֣א וְהַדְרָ֔א יְהַ֖ב לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר אֲבֽוּךְ׃ (יט) וּמִן־רְבוּתָא֙ דִּ֣י יְהַב־לֵ֔הּ כֹּ֣ל עַֽמְמַיָּ֗א אֻמַּיָּא֙ וְלִשָּׁ֣נַיָּ֔א הֲו֛וֹ (זאעין) [זָיְעִ֥ין] וְדָחֲלִ֖ין מִן־קֳדָמ֑וֹהִי דִּֽי־הֲוָ֨א צָבֵ֜א הֲוָ֣ה קָטֵ֗ל וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֤ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מַחֵ֔א וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֤ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מָרִ֔ים וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֥א צָבֵ֖א הֲוָ֥א מַשְׁפִּֽל׃ (כ) וּכְדִי֙ רִ֣ם לִבְבֵ֔הּ וְרוּחֵ֖הּ תִּֽקְפַ֣ת לַהֲזָדָ֑ה הׇנְחַת֙ מִן־כׇּרְסֵ֣א מַלְכוּתֵ֔הּ וִֽיקָרָ֖ה הֶעְדִּ֥יוּ מִנֵּֽהּ׃ (כא) וּמִן־בְּנֵי֩ אֲנָשָׁ֨א טְרִ֜יד וְלִבְבֵ֣הּ ׀ עִם־חֵיוְתָ֣א (שוי) [שַׁוִּ֗יו] וְעִם־עֲרָֽדַיָּא֙ מְדֹרֵ֔הּ עִשְׂבָּ֤א כְתוֹרִין֙ יְטַ֣עֲמוּנֵּ֔הּ וּמִטַּ֥ל שְׁמַיָּ֖א גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּ יִצְטַבַּ֑ע עַ֣ד דִּֽי־יְדַ֗ע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֞יט אֱלָהָ֤א (עליא) [עִלָּאָה֙] בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א יְהָקֵ֥ים (עליה) [עֲלַֽהּ]׃ (כב) (ואנתה) [וְאַ֤נְתְּ] בְּרֵהּ֙ בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֔ר לָ֥א הַשְׁפֵּ֖לְתְּ לִבְבָ֑ךְ כׇּל־קֳבֵ֕ל דִּ֥י כׇל־דְּנָ֖ה יְדַֽעְתָּ׃ (כג) וְעַ֣ל מָרֵֽא־שְׁמַיָּ֣א ׀ הִתְרוֹמַ֡מְתָּ וּלְמָֽאנַיָּ֨א דִֽי־בַיְתֵ֜הּ הַיְתִ֣יו (קדמיך) [קׇֽדָמָ֗ךְ] (ואנתה) [וְאַ֨נְתְּ] (ורברבניך) [וְרַבְרְבָנָ֜ךְ] שֵֽׁגְלָתָ֣ךְ וּלְחֵנָתָךְ֮ חַמְרָא֮ שָׁתַ֣יִן בְּהוֹן֒ וְלֵֽאלָהֵ֣י כַסְפָּֽא־וְ֠דַהֲבָ֠א נְחָשָׁ֨א פַרְזְלָ֜א אָעָ֣א וְאַבְנָ֗א דִּ֠י לָֽא־חָזַ֧יִן וְלָא־שָׁמְעִ֛ין וְלָ֥א יָדְעִ֖ין שַׁבַּ֑חְתָּ וְלֵֽאלָהָ֞א דִּֽי־נִשְׁמְתָ֥ךְ בִּידֵ֛הּ וְכׇל־אֹרְחָתָ֥ךְ לֵ֖הּ לָ֥א הַדַּֽרְתָּ׃ (כד) בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ מִן־קֳדָמ֔וֹהִי שְׁלִ֖יחַ פַּסָּ֣א דִֽי־יְדָ֑א וּכְתָבָ֥א דְנָ֖ה רְשִֽׁים׃ (כה) וּדְנָ֥ה כְתָבָ֖א דִּ֣י רְשִׁ֑ים מְנֵ֥א מְנֵ֖א תְּקֵ֥ל וּפַרְסִֽין׃ (כו) דְּנָ֖ה פְּשַֽׁר־מִלְּתָ֑א מְנֵ֕א מְנָֽה־אֱלָהָ֥א מַלְכוּתָ֖ךְ וְהַשְׁלְמַֽהּ׃ (כז) תְּקֵ֑ל תְּקִ֥ילְתָּ בְמֹֽאזַנְיָ֖א וְהִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַתְּ חַסִּֽיר׃ (כח) פְּרֵ֑ס פְּרִיסַת֙ מַלְכוּתָ֔ךְ וִיהִיבַ֖ת לְמָדַ֥י וּפָרָֽס׃ (כט) בֵּאדַ֣יִן ׀ אֲמַ֣ר בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֗ר וְהַלְבִּ֤שׁוּ לְדָֽנִיֵּאל֙ אַרְגְּוָנָ֔א (והמנוכא) [וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֥א] דִֽי־דַהֲבָ֖א עַֽל־צַוְּארֵ֑הּ וְהַכְרִ֣זֽוּ עֲל֔וֹהִי דִּֽי־לֶהֱוֵ֥א שַׁלִּ֛יט תַּלְתָּ֖א בְּמַלְכוּתָֽא׃ (ל) בֵּ֚הּ בְּלֵ֣ילְיָ֔א קְטִ֕יל בֵּלְאשַׁצַּ֖ר מַלְכָּ֥א (כשדיא) [כַשְׂדָּאָֽה]׃ {פ}
(א) וְדָרְיָ֙וֶשׁ֙ (מדיא) [מָֽדָאָ֔ה] קַבֵּ֖ל מַלְכוּתָ֑א כְּבַ֥ר שְׁנִ֖ין שִׁתִּ֥ין וְתַרְתֵּֽין׃
We all know this Psalm well. But does God literally lead David by the hand?
The LORD is my shepherd;
I lack nothing. (2) He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me to water in places of repose;-a (3) He renews my life;
He guides me in right paths
as befits His name. (4) Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness,-b
I fear no harm, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.
(5) You spread a table for me in full view of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my drink is abundant. (6) Only goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for many long years.
This Psalm tells us of God's Voice as well as celebrates God's power. In many congregations, we sing this Psalm as we return the Sefer Torah to the Ark.
Ascribe to the LORD, O divine beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (2) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness. (3) The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over the mighty waters. (4) The voice of the LORD is power;
the voice of the LORD is majesty; (5) the voice of the LORD breaks cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. (6) He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,-a
Sirion, like a young wild ox. (7) The voice of the LORD kindles flames of fire; (8) the voice of the LORD convulses the wilderness;
the LORD convulses the wilderness of Kadesh; (9) the voice of the LORD causes hinds to calve,
and strips forests bare;-b
while in His temple all say “Glory!” (10) The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, king forever.
(11) May the LORD grant strength to His people;
may the LORD bestow on His people wellbeing.
This Psalm sings of God's literal power.
on alamoth.-a A song.
(2) God is our refuge and stronghold,
a help in trouble, very near. (3) Therefore we are not afraid
though the earth reels,
though mountains topple into the sea— (4) its waters rage and foam;
in its swell mountains quake. Selah.
(5) There is a river whose streams gladden God’s city,
the holy dwelling-place of the Most High. (6) God is in its midst, it will not be toppled;
by daybreak God will come to its aid. (7) Nations rage, kingdoms topple;
at the sound of His thunder the earth dissolves. (8) The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our haven. Selah.
(9) Come and see what the LORD has done,
how He has wrought desolation on the earth. (10) He puts a stop to wars throughout the earth,
breaking the bow, snapping the spear,
consigning wagons to the flames. (11) “Desist! Realize that I am God!
I dominate the nations;
I dominate the earth.” (12) The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our haven. Selah.
Here, we see how humans revere and yes, fear God.
O Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation. (2) Before the mountains came into being,
before You brought forth the earth and the world,
from eternity to eternity You are God.
(3) You return man to dust;
You decreed, “Return you mortals!” (4) For in Your sight a thousand years
are like yesterday that has passed,
like a watch of the night. (5) You engulf men in sleep;-b
at daybreak they are like grass that renews itself; (6) at daybreak it flourishes anew;
by dusk it withers and dries up. (7) So we are consumed by Your anger,
terror-struck by Your fury. (8) You have set our iniquities before You,
our hidden sins in the light of Your face. (9) All our days pass away in Your wrath;
we spend our years like a sigh. (10) The span of our life is seventy years,
or, given the strength, eighty years;
but the best of them-b are trouble and sorrow.
They pass by speedily, and we are in darkness.-c (11) Who can know Your furious anger?
Your wrath matches the fear of You. (12) Teach us to count our days rightly,
that we may obtain a wise heart.
This is one of the Psalms sung on Kabbalat Shabbat. It speaks of God's physical power.
He is robed in grandeur;
the LORD is robed,
He is girded with strength.
The world stands firm;
it cannot be shaken. (2) Your throne stands firm from of old;
from eternity You have existed. (3) The ocean sounds, O LORD,
the ocean sounds its thunder,
the ocean sounds its pounding. (4) Above the thunder of the mighty waters,
more majestic than the breakers of the sea
is the LORD, majestic on high. (5) Your decrees are indeed enduring;
holiness befits Your house,
O LORD, for all times.
God has a right arm?!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for He has worked wonders;
His right hand, His holy arm,
has won Him victory. (2) The LORD has manifested His victory,
has displayed His triumph in the sight of the nations. (3) He was mindful of His steadfast love and faithfulness toward the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth beheld the victory of our God. (4) Raise a shout to the LORD, all the earth,
break into joyous songs of praise! (5) Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song. (6) With trumpets and the blast of the horn
raise a shout before the LORD, the King. (7) Let the sea and all within it thunder,
the world and its inhabitants; (8) let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains sing joyously together (9) at the presence of the LORD,
for He is coming to rule the earth;
He will rule the world justly,
and its peoples with equity.
In this Hallel Psalm, God has the power to reverse nature.
the house of Jacob from a people of strange speech, (2) Judah became His holy one,-a
Israel, His dominion. (3) The sea saw them and fled,
Jordan ran backward, (4) mountains skipped like rams,
hills like sheep. (5) What alarmed you, O sea, that you fled,
Jordan, that you ran backward, (6) mountains, that you skipped like rams,
hills, like sheep? (7) Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob, (8) who turned the rock into a pool of water,
the flinty rock into a fountain.
God controls nature.
Praise the name of the LORD;
give praise, you servants of the LORD (2) who stand in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God. (3) Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing hymns to His name, for it is pleasant. (4) For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel, as His treasured possession.
(5) For I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods. (6) Whatever the LORD desires He does
in heaven and earth,
in the seas and all the depths. (7) He makes clouds rise from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain;
He releases the wind from His vaults. (8) He struck down the first-born of Egypt,
man and beast alike; (9) He sent signs and portents against Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants; (10) He struck down many nations
and slew numerous kings— (11) Sihon, king of the Amorites,
Og, king of Bashan,
and all the royalty of Canaan— (12) and gave their lands as a heritage,
as a heritage to His people Israel.
(13) O LORD, Your name endures forever,
Your fame, O LORD, through all generations; (14) for the LORD will champion His people,
and obtain satisfaction for His servants.
(15) The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of men’s hands. (16) They have mouths, but cannot speak;
they have eyes, but cannot see; (17) they have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there breath in their mouths. (18) Those who fashion them,
all who trust in them,
shall become like them.
(19) O house of Israel, bless the LORD;
O house of Aaron, bless the LORD; (20) O house of Levi, bless the LORD;
you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD. (21) Blessed is the LORD from Zion,
He who dwells in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah.
Read the following quote from Moses Maimonides, a 12th Century Spanish-Jewish philosopher and the greatest intellect the Jewish world has ever produced. Then discuss: Does God have a body?
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-thirteen-principles-of-faith/