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Early rabbinic Jewish statements in the Mishnah and Talmud show that Satan played little or no role in Jewish theology. In the course of time, however, Judaism absorbed the popular concepts of Satan, most likely inherited from Zoroastrianism. The later a rabbinic work can be dated the more frequent is the mention therein of Satan and his hosts.
An example is found in Genesis: The serpent who had Eve eat the forbidden fruit. The consensus of the Biblical commentators in classical Judaism is that the serpent of the narrative in Genesis was literally a serpent. They differ regarding what it represented: The evil inclination (Yetzer HaRa), Satan, or the Angel of Death. Others have suggested that the serpent was a phallic symbol. According to the Midrash, before this cunning beast was cursed, it stood erect and was endowed with some faculty of communication. It is interesting to note, in this connection, that sperm “communicates” genetic information via DNA. The creative message is also known as the Logos (Gr. meaning Word).
The Jerusalem Talmud, completed about 450 CE, is more reticent in this regard; and this is the more noteworthy since its provenance is the same as that of the New Testament.
The Jewish concept, however, was that Satan cannot be viewed as an independent agent. In the Babylonian Talmud,[7] Rabbi Levi asserts that “everything Satan does is for the sake of heaven.” When another rabbi preached a similar idea in his town, it is said that Satan himself came and “kissed his knees.”
The Babylonian Talmud[8] also states that the Evil Inclination (Yetzer ha-Ra), the Angel of Death and Satan are identical.
In a midrash,[9] Samael, the chief of the satans (a specific order of angel, not a reference to demons), was a mighty prince of angels in heaven. Samael came into the world with woman, that is, with Eve,[10] so that he was created and is not eternal. Like all celestial beings, he flies through the air,[11] and can assume any form, as of a bird,[12] a stag,[13] a woman,[14] a beggar, or a young man;[15] he is said to skip,[16] an allusion to his appearance in the form of a goat.
In some works some rabbis hold that Satan is the incarnation of all evil, and his thoughts are devoted to the destruction of man. In this view, Satan, the impulse to evil and the angel of death are one and the same personality. Satan seizes upon even a single word which may be prejudicial to man; so that “one should not open his mouth unto evil,” i.e., “unto Satan.”[17] Likewise, in times of danger, he brings his accusations.[18] While he has power over all the works of man,[19] he can not prevail at the same time against two individuals of different nationality; so that Samuel, a noted astronomer, physician and teacher of the Law (died at Nehardea, 247), would start on a journey only when a Gentile traveled with him.[20]
Satan’s knowledge is circumscribed; for when the shofar is blown on New-Year’s Day he is “confounded.”[21] On the Day of Atonement his power vanishes; for the numerical value of the letters of his name (gematria and Hebrew numerals) is only 364, one day being thus exempt from his influence.[22]
One rabbi notes that Satan was an active agent in the fall of man,[23] and was the father of Cain,[24] while he was also instrumental in the offering of Isaac,[25] in the release of the animal destined by Esau for his father,[26] in the theophany at Sinai, in the death of Moses,[27] in David’s sin with Bath-sheba,[28] and in the death of Queen Vashti.[29] The decree to destroy all the Jews, which Haman obtained, was written on parchment brought by Satan.[30] When Alexander the Great reproached the Jewish sages with their rebellion, they made the plea that Satan had been too mighty for them.[31]
Not all Rabbinic commentators agreed on Satan’s spiritual nature. Rabbi Saadia Gaon, an 11th century philosopher and scholar, wrote in his commentary to the Book of Job that Satan was simply a human being who resented Job’s righteousness and called upon God to test him.
This interpretation rests on a literal reading of the Hebrew word שטן or “adversary”, which Saadia claims refers only to the intentions of the individual in question and not to any spiritual or supernatural status.
William Raymond Finck -- Murderous jew pig & wannabe CI infiltrator
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Originally Posted by LiarBill DeClue(less)
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