What the Jewish Interpretation about the Serpent of Genesis?

Question

What do the jews says about the Serpent of Genesis? Did the snakes talk that time? That is just a symbol? Or what?

Answer 1

In ancient Jewish tradition Satan is simply an angel doing the work that God assigned to Satan to do.

The word Satan means challenger. With the idea of Satan challenging us, or tempting if you will. This description sees Satan as the angel who is the embodiment of man's challenges. This idea of Satan works closely with God as an integral part of Gods plan for us. His job is to make choosing good over evil enough of a challenge so that it becomes clear to us that there can be only one meaningful or logical choice.

Contrast this to Christianity, which sees Satan as God's opponent. In Jewish thought, the idea that there exists anything capable of setting itself up as God's opponent would be considered polytheistic or setting up the devil to be an equally powerful polarity to god or a demigod.

Oddly, proof for The Christian satan/devil mythology is supposedly found in the ancient Jewish texts that were borrowed to create the bible. One can’t help but wonder how Christians came up with such a fantastically different interpretation of Gods assistant Satan in their theology.

Other hints about Satan’s role in human relations can be seen if you look at the name Lucifer. It’s meaning in the original tongue translates as Light bearer or light bringer. Essentially the bringer of enlightenment. The temptations of the Satan idea bring all of us eventually into Gods light. Hardly the Evil entity of Christian mythology.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 2

The Serpent is supposed to symbolize Satan. He does talk. Most of those animals in Eden apparently were able to converse. Somehow, Lord Knows how, they all forgot how to speak when adam bit into the forbidden fruit.

Answer 3

The snake was used much like a ventroloquist uses a dummy, Satan made it appear as though the snake was speaking. In order to deceive Eve

Answer 4

That is a real story as far as believers are concerned. Satan is the snake in that image and character. When God punished Satan to move on his stomach and eat mud. That was exactly should happen. Otherwise, every other day you will encounter Satan by your side. What those by you side are his henchmen or spirits who followed Satan to rebel against God. Now I figure, while he moves that slowly and anyone coming his way will become as evil as Hitler, Idi Amin, Pol pot and many other tyrants.

Answer 5

some of the Jewish commentators said it was nothing more than a simple snake. other said it was the inclination or the sex drive. according to this attitude the hole story should be explain from a philosophic point of view. if you need more specific sources just mail me.

Answer 6

I'm not sure about Jewish people, but I believe that it was an actual snake who said things to Eve.