Is Satan Real?

February 3, 2013

שמע ישראל ה 'הוא האלוהים שלנו הוא אחד
Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad
Hear, Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One.The Jewish Teachings of Rebbe Y'shua:

Is Satan Real?
By John of AllFaith © 02.03.13
Also posted on my Website.

We are convinced that the God of love, mercy and justice does not torture people as some maintain. But what about Satan? Is he real?

There are innumerable creatures (beings created by God) both terrestrial and celestial. In the Tanakh (Isaiah chapter 14) we find a being mentioned who is generally considered to be Satan by the Christians. This being is called Lucifer in the text (in Hebrew: Heylel). Here is the question: Is this speaking of an individual being (as with the fallen angel Lucifer/Lucius) or something else. The rabbis typically view this section more contextually specific than Christians.

The great Jewish teacher Rashi explains in his commentary that the day star, referenced here, is the planet Venus and that the one who dared to lift himself up is King Nebuchadnezzar, who practiced astrology and lashed out against the Elect. This passage certainly fits him as well as Lucius.

While I would not wish to disagree with Rashi and our other rabbinim, I think there is more to it than this (not that this is incorrect, I agree with them as well). In the Book of Job we see a being named (or called) Satan coming before the throne of HaShem to challenge Job's emunah (faith). In Hebrew the word satan means opponent or adversary and so the rabbis often teach that this challenger was in a sense "a satan" opposing the righteous Job, but not necessarily HaSatan (THE Satan) as in a specific being. Some (not all by any means) say Job was challenged by his own inner struggle between good and bad and not by any literal adversary (I disagree). Others take this a bit more literally (as do I). Likewise some maintain that Rebbe Y'shua was challenged not by a being but by his own inner struggle. Again I disagree.

Our understanding of Genesis is that God gave humanity an eternal choice to do good (yetzer tov) or evil (yetzer ra). Whatever temptation urges us towards evil is "a satan" and whatever urge draws us towards the good is "an angel" (malak). However we also know from Scripture that there are individual beings who are angels (Michael, Gabriel etc). This being the case, we believe there are also beings that are evil, demons. If so, it stands to reason (and agrees with Scripture) that they have hierarchies as do the angels. In my opinion then, Lucifer/Lucius is doubtless among these creatures and quite real.

There remains a critical difference in our teachings however: While we acknowledge that Lucifer exists, he is in no way the equal of nor opposite to God. ALL beings serve the Will of the One God. God allows rebellion because it provides the opportunity for people to choose yetzer tov and thus draw ever closer to Him. Without challenges our service to HaShem would be meaningless. We need not fear Lucifer therefore. We have only to cling to Torah and we are safe.

Shalom,
~ Yochanan (John of AllFaith)