Hora’ah – הוראה – Teaching
The erroneous idea that somehow “Jesus is G-d,” comes from ignorance of established spiritual principles that are ‘reflected’ in the pages of the Tenach and New Testament. Those reading certain passages outside of this framework have come up with all sorts of wrong ideas as there is no basis for their interpretation. Simply stated, the intimate ‘relationship’ between G-d and any ‘tzaddik’ is described in the Bible and Torah literature, with very ‘G-dlike’ terms applied to the latter. This would certainly apply to any ‘messianic’ figure, as they are generally considered of the greatest tzaddikim.
“One who leads the community for the sake of heaven must direct the people both in worldy and in spiritual matters, not with words and deeds alone, but also in thought, joining himself to the L-rd with the people of his generation and raising them so that they might cleave to the L-rd, under the condition that they too will join themselves to the leaders of the generation. Then the leaders of the generation can seize their hands and raise them… This is the meaning of the passage, “When one believes in a shepherd of Israel, it is as if he believes in the L-rd Himself,’ (Melkhita) for the one is the means to the other… By a shepherd is meant one who shepherds and watches over the flock so that they are well fed… acting for the sake of heaven, for the welfare of Israel. It is good to believe in such a man” (Toldot Yaakov Yosef 56c).”
The Zaddik, Samuel Dresner, pp. 129-130
“The stature of tzaddikim is thus seen to be extraordinarily sublime. They are on the highest level of perfection attainable to created entities, superior even to that of ministering angels … they sanctify themselves in the Divine Holiness and in turn Divine holiness attaches itself to them. They are altogether holy. Their body is holy. Their neshama is holy of holies and ruach hakodesh rests upon them in this world and in the next.”
Chassidic Dimensions Volume 3, Jacob Immanuel Schochet, pp.100
“Whatever is attached to something can be referred to by that which it is attached to. A messenger is this referred to by the name of the one who sent him. This applies to the tzaddikim.”
Chassidic Dimensions Volume 3, Jacob Immanuel Schochet, pp.101
“They believed in G-d and Moses (Exodus 14:31). If they believed Moses, surely they must have believed in G-d? But this teaches you that whoever believes in the shepherd of Israel is the same as having faith in Him who spoke and the world came into being … In like manner … speaking against the shepherd of Israel is like speaking against Him who spoke and the world came into being.”
Chassidic Dimensions Volume 3, Jacob Immanuel Schochet, p.113
“The bond which we seek to create with the Tzaddik is a spiritual one. In this sense, it is like the bond each Jew wants to create between himself and G-d.”
Crossing the Narrow Bridge, Chaim Kramer, p. 328
“Since G-d is the source of life, the closer you are to G-d, the closer you are to life, while the farther you are from G-d, the farther you are from life. Therefore, since a tzaddik contains G-d’s presence within him and generates this to the rest of the world, that which is closer to the tzaddik is chai — full of life and blessing. What is farther away is more distant from chai. Therefore connecting and focusing on one’s connection to the tzaddik does not detract from his G-dly service, but increases his ability to serve G-d and receive blessing in all areas of his existence.”
A Tzaddik and His Students: The Rebbe-Chassid Relationship, Rabbi Shloma Majeski, p. 49
“This also explains why the Jew accused by Moses as striking a fellow Jew, and reprimanded by him, shouts at him, “Do you plan to kill by something you are going to say?” Even that man already saw in Moses someone who represented G-d on earth.”
Tzror Hamor, Shemot. R. Avraham Saba
COMPARISONS TO JACOB
Below is a collection of citations regarding Jacob, as found in the book, “Along the Path – Studies in Kabbalistic Myth, Symbolism and Hermeneutics,” by Elliot R. Wolfson, State University of New York Press, 1995. These closely resemble ideas attributed to Yeshua in the New Testament:
In Genesis Rabbah 78:3, Jacob is consider a Divine partner of G-d:
“For thou (Jacob) art a prince (“saritha” from sar, a prince) together with G-d, thy features being engraven on high.”
Citing Rabbi Pinehas ha-Kohen bar Hamma, we have this specific reference to Jacob related to Creation:
“See what is written, Not like these is the portion of Jacob, For it is he who formed all things.”
We see a similar idea in a citation from Midrash Tanhuma:
“Jacob was a partner with his Creator in everything.”
Genesis Rabbah 79:8 has Jacob asserting himself to being “god” (El) on earth:
“AND HE ERECTED THERE AN ALTAR, AND CALLED IT EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL (Genesis 33:20). He [Jacob] declared to Him: ‘Thou art G-d in the celestial spheres and I am a god in the terrestrial sphere.”
From Sifre on Deuteronomy:
“There is none like G-d O’ Jeshurun (a name for Jacob): Israel says, There is none like G-d, and the Holy Spirit responds, except Jeshurun.”
From Numbers Rabbah 4:1:
“There is a Scriptural text bearing on this: Since thou art precious in My sight, and honourable, etc. (Isaiah 43:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: ‘Jacob, thou art exceedingly precious in my sight. For I have, as it were, set thine image on My throne, and by thy name the angels praise Me and say: Blessed be the Lord, the G-d of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting’ (Psalm 41:14).”
From Midrash Yelammedenu:
“The angels descended and saw his (Jacob’s) image. They said, “Certainly this is the form (surah) and this is the image (demut) engraved upon the throne of glory.” All of them responded and said, “Bless the Lord, G-d of Israel.”
From a liturgical poem of Moses ben Eleazar ha-Darshan:
“… the Biblical expression “majesty of Israel” (from Lamentations 2:1) is transformed into a symbol for the icon of Jacob engraved on the throne.”
New Testament
“No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.”
John 1:18
“That all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
John 5:23
“Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father? Yeshua answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
John 8:19
“Yeshua heard that they had put him out; and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Yeshua said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he bowed down to him.”
John 9:35-38
“I and the Father are one.” The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Yeshua answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be G-d.”
John 10:30-33
“The Father and I are one.”
John 10:30
“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
John 17:21
“Yet for us there is one G-d, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.”
1Corinthians 8:6
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
Colossians 1:16
“For in Him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.”
Colossians 2:9
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Messiah Yeshua, who, although He existed in the form of G-d, did not regard equality with G-d a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8