In December of 2014, "Exodus: Gods and Kings" was released for viewing in movie theaters all over the United States. This theatrical interpretation of the events recorded in Exodus has received reviews of every kind from every source. I was unable to see it until many years later and I can say it was entertaining, to say the least. While this isn't meant to be a movie review, I bring up this movie because something caught my attention. There was a statement made in the dialogue that I'd never considered. In one scene, the young Rameses is commenting on the name "Israel" and how abhorrent he thought it was. In complete disgust and disapproval, he says something along the lines of "it literally means to fight with G-d!"
It's true. It means "to wrestle with G-d." I knew this before watching the movie but hearing it out loud this time hit a lot harder and inspired many thoughts about the implications of this and all while sitting in my living room watching this movie with my wife, I learned something incredible.
If you ask my wife she would probably tell you how I wouldn't stop talking about it during the movie and maybe I sounded crazy to her at the time. But I was amazed by what I learned at that moment and it all had to do with a TikTok series I had done on a verse from the Torah that has numerous translations which seem to contradict one another.
Depending on the translation you read, the statement G-d makes in Genesis 6:3 will either say, "G-d would not abide in/with or dwell in/with man forever" or "G-d would not strive in/with or contend in/with man forever."
But which translation is correct, and why do translations differ on this? Is it "abide and dwell" or "strive and contend"? Why do some translations use "in" and others use "with"? Surely, the implications of G-d cohabitating with man are not the same as G-d cohabitating in man. And the implications of G-d struggling with man are not the same as G-d struggling in man. And the implications of G-d cohabitating with man are not the same as G-d struggling in man. Changing any single one of these words would seem to ultimately change the implications of what is being said and each combination can be found among the numerous English translations that exist.
So which one is true? The answer is a resounding, yes!
But this is where it gets beautiful to me personally. Truly think about each combination and its possible implications and then consider the possibility that all of them could be true at the same time. How can this be? G-d says in this verse that His spirit would not always reside/struggle in/with man forever because "He also, is flesh." Curious reason, no?
Did it escape G-d's mind that he had created humanity as flesh and blood beings up until this point when it suddenly dawned on Him? I think most would sincerely doubt that because it is a ridiculous notion. But why does it matter? What difference does it make that man is flesh? Before we dive too deep into the meaning and implications of man being characterized as "also flesh" let's focus on the creation of man for a bit.
"Then Adonai Elohim formed the man out of the dust from the ground and He breathed into his nostrils a breath of life--so the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7, TLV
The words in bold are my adding emphasis to certain words from the text I will explain presently.
I've mentioned more than once in numerous videos and articles that the text of the Torah is not absolutely grammatically perfect. There are what could be considered "errors" but to the Orthodox Jewish community, these are not errors. Rather they are placed in the Torah by G-ds very will as an attention grabber. Just like a flair in the night sky or billowing smoke on the horizon of the open sea, it is a gigantic flag to alert you to something deeper in the text that might not be obvious at face value or at first glance. Since the message isn't obvious the hint to its presence is front and center for you to see and observe. This is the case with the first word in bold.
The word formed in this passage is the Hebrew word יָצָֽר (Yatzar) and it connotes-to fashion, to form, to mold, to make with materials available- and indeed this is what G-d did. He took earth moistened by the dew of the earth and molded it into mankind. But in our verse here it's misspelled. The text literally reads יִּ֩יצֶר֩. Note the additional second Yud. This in English would look something like "YYatzar". This is not a correct way of spelling this word and so far as I can tell, it is the only time in scripture that this word is spelled this way.
Rashi notes in his commentary that this second Yud in the word is indicative of a second formation within the creation of man. That in the creation, part of man's being was created for this world and a second part was created for the world to come. We see further evidence of this in the rest of the verse.
G-d formed man and breathed into him the breath of life or in Hebrew "נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים" (Nishmat Chayim) and the root of this first word-נִשְׁמַ֣ת is the Hebrew word נְשָׁמָֽה (Neshamah) which can be rendered as "breath" but can also just as easily be rendered as "Soul" or "spirit". Similar to another Hebrew word many are familiar with (ר֣וּחַ Ruach). But how can this be? Surely Hebrew isn't that redundant. Correct, the context and implications of the words in question make all the difference. The Neshamah isn't a Soul in the way you are thinking. The Neshamah is the "Divine soul". This is the divine spark from G-d that dwells in the upright man.
This brings us directly to the next word in bold.
So G-d formed man and breathed into him a breath of life and man became a living being, in Hebrew it is נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה (Nefesh Chayah). Interestingly, the word "Nefesh" also means soul. It can also be translated as "life", but just as easily it can be "soul". However, this soul is much different from a Neshamah. The Nefesh is called "the animal soul". Because even animals have this soul in them, though not quite as highly developed as the Nefesh of mankind as Rashi notes. We do however see later in this passage that animals have a Nefesh.
"Adonai Elohim had formed (יִּ֩צֶר֩ spelled correctly this time) from the ground every animal of the field and every flying creature of the sky, so he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man would call them -- each living creature -- that was its name." Genesis 2:19,TLV
These words "living creature" are identical to the characterization of man as a "living being"-נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה. Furthermore, even later in Genesis when G-d forbids Noah and his family from eating blood he states:
"Only flesh with its life--that is, its blood--you must not eat!" Genesis 9:4,TLV
Again, the word in bold is still "Nefesh". Flesh with its soul still in it. Tanya also points this out:
The abode of the animal soul (Nefesh habahamit) derived from the kelipat nogah in every Jew, is in the heart, in the left ventricle that is filled with blood. It is written, "For the blood is the nefesh" Hence all lusts and boasting and anger and similar passions are in the heart, and from the heart they spread throughout the whole body, rising also to the brain in the head, so as to think and meditate about them and become cunning in them, just as the blood has its source in the heart and .from the heart it circulates into every limb, rising also to the brain in the head. Lekutei Amarim(Tanya) Chapter 9
My point in bringing all of this up is to build a scriptural case for and demonstrate the dual-natured soul man was created with. Those two things G-d formed in the creation of man which Rashi is indicating are the Neshamah and the Nefesh. The divine soul and the animal soul. Tanya explains immediately after the portion cited above that both of these "souls" reside in man and are at constant odds with one another. The animal soul tending man towards self-indulgence and wickedness and the divine soul which tends man towards Godliness. Tanya explains that these 2 are in a constant struggle for dominion over the body.
It is written, however, "One nation shall prevail over the other nation." The body is called a "small city." Just as two kings wage war over a town, which each wishes to capture and rule, that is to say, to dominate its inhabitants according to his will, so that they obey him in all that he decrees for them, so do the two souls— the Divine and the vitalizing animal soul that comes from the kelipah— wage war against each other over the body and all its limbs. Lekutei Amarim (Tanya) Chapter 9
Now remembering that the Neshamah as the divine soul is that spark from G-d that can dwell within man and keeping in mind that it (while residing in man) struggles against the inner nature and soul of man the Nefesh. Once again, let's revisit the numerous variations and combinations of our verse in Genesis 6.
"My Spirit will not dwell/strive with/in man forever because he also is flesh"
Understanding the function of the Neshamah and its struggle against the Nefesh, it should be easy to reconcile how each variation and its implications are true all at once.
G-d appears to be saying in this passage that because man is living only according to his Nefesh like an animal does, and paying no mind to the Neshamah within him, G-d would remove the Neshamah from man. This presents to us a time when mankind's relationship and closeness with the almighty was damaged and torn even further than at the time of Adam's disobedience. Mankind was even farther and more separated from G-d than Adam was after being cast from the Garden.
But how does the name "Israel" factor into any of this? Let's take a look at the renaming of Jacob.
So Jacob remained all by himself. Then a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When He saw that He had not overcome him, He struck the socket of his hip, so He dislocated the socket of Jacob’s hip when He wrestled with him. Then He said, “Let Me go, for the dawn has broken.” But he said, “I won’t let You go unless You bless me.” Then He said to him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he said. Then He said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but rather Israel, for you have struggled with G-d and with men, and you have overcome.” Genesis 32:25-29 TLV
Jacob was given a new name, a new nature, and a new reputation. He was called Israel. remember what that means? One who fights with G-d. This idea was so absurd and offensive to the theatrical Pharaoh projected in Exodus: Gods and Kings. Yet, it seems to be what G-d not only desires from us most. It's what He created man for. Jacob did this literally but also showed his metal. He demonstrated his willingness to do this internally as was always intended and he was so named for this effort. The relationship that had been severed, way back in Genesis 6, between G-d and all of mankind was now rekindled in the man who would give rise to an entire nation that would share his name, nature, and reputation.
This same "spirit" from G-d that had been removed from man, found a home in the people of the book. It is through these people that the wisdom and love of G-d, which inspires all men to strive against their animal nature and live better, have been preserved and shared.
This is one of the most beautiful lessons I have learned from the Torah and we didn't even need to leave the book of Genesis to learn it.
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