God in the Torah

[Jesus John]

Dear Brother RabbiBarry,

I have some questions about God from the Torah. I am asking this questions to you because you have a great substructure on the Torah and the blick of Judaism.

Dear Brother,

I saw some verses about God in the Torah which conflicts my belief. How do we have to get the meaning; literally or figuratively?


Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made

*How can God rest?

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden

*How can God walk? How can a created hid themselve from God?

Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

*How can God dont know where his created is?

Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

*How can God repent from his deeds? Dont he think right, does he do his job incomplete?

Gen 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Gen 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Gen 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Gen 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob
Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Gen 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
Gen 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peni'el:for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

*How can God wrestle? How can he be beaten from his created?


Psa 78:65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

*How can God awake? Is he sleeping? How can he shout as a mighty man by reason of wine?

Hos 12:2 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
Hos 12:3 yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth–el, and there he spake with us

*How can a created have a power like God and have a over power of an angel? How can a created prevailed God and an angel?

2 Sa 22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it
2 Sa 22:11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
2 Sa 22:16 And the channels of the sea appeared the foundations of the world were discovered at the rebuking of the LORD at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

*How can God have nostrils or a mouth and breath from them? How can he rode upon a cherub and fly?


Exo 32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

*How can God give explanations about his deed?

Exo 32:12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people

*How can God listen to his creatured as a child who listens his parents?

Exo 32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

*How can God forget his promise? Does God forget or need he to be reminded?

Exo 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

*How can God abandon from his thought? Does God do his job daily?


Thank you very much for your help and explanations.

With my full Respect,

Oguzhan