[Avodah] G-d's corporeality

[Eli Turkel]

<<There is an Article online by R. David Sedley, bringing sources from
Talmud through Rishonim on their views of Aggada.  Some Rishonim [pg. 116 of
link] held to the Literal interpretations of Aggada, including R. Yosef ben
Todros, and possibly R. Yonah; to not believe this they held, is to degrade
the Torah.One of the Tosafists, R. Taku, holds all Aggada are to be held
LITERAL, and even the ones that say God has a body. >>

R. Slifkin has an article in the latest issue of Hakirah (www.hakirah.org)
where he claims that Rashi believed in the corporeality of G-d. In
particular his introduction brings many such opinions including R. Taku. In
particular he brings the Riaz on Sanhedron who argues against this but says
that one who believed in coproreality is noy an apikorus since some of
Chazal believed it !!
R. Shmuel of ben Mordechai of Marseilles claims that the majority of the
rabbis in northern France believed in corporeality. Ramban has to defend
Rambam against the charge of these rabbis precisely because Rambam was so
anti corporeality. In summary the issue was hotly debated by rishonim and
only due to the success of Rambam do we find it difficult to understand the
argument.
BTW those who believed in corporeality did not believe that G-d looked like
man with flesh and bones but rather that there was a etheral substance in
gigantic human form.

BTW one argument in favor of corporeality wa sthat if G-d can do anything
than in particular he can take on a corporeal form at will.

-- 
Eli Turkel
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