Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh . It is the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or an anthropomorphic form of a god. It is used to mean a god , deity , or Divine Being in human or animal form on Earth. The proper noun, Incarnation, refers to the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ .
42-559: Encarnación means incarnation in Spanish. Encarnación may also refer to: Incarnation The incarnation of Christ (or Incarnation) is the central Christian doctrine that God became flesh, assumed of human nature, and became a man in the form of Jesus , the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity . This foundational Christian position holds that the divine nature of
84-535: A posek . The short form reb is an honorific for Orthodox Jewish men, who are most likely to have profound knowledge of the Talmud and Torah, as opposed to Reconstructionist , Reform or Conservative Judaism . Originally, this title was added to the names of Jews at the time of the schism with the Karaite sect , as a sign of loyalty to the original rabbinic tradition , known today as Orthodox Judaism . As
126-404: A close family member, if not more so. However, the degree and nature of this belief vary depending on the movement. There are some functions that are exclusively the domain of Hasidic rebbes: A rebbe conducts a tish ( Yiddish : פֿירט טיש : feert tish , literally, "to run [a] table") or a farbrengen —a communal festive meal with highly mystical overtones—on Shabbat and other occasions. At
168-507: A conduit between Jews and God. based on traditional Kabbalistic concepts and terminology, Hasidic philosophy bridged deveikut , a Jewish concept referring to closeness to God, to the Hasidic rebbe, embodying and channeling the Divine flow of blessing to the world, because Creation is dependent on the continuous flow of Divine lifeforce, without which it would revert to nothingness. Given
210-533: A family connection, or a belief that a specific tzaddik or Nasi HaDor (although others might have greater spiritual stature) connects best with one's soul. For example, the Kosover Rebbe makes yearly pilgrimages to the Tosher Rebbe. Nonetheless, his followers remain very loyal to him. Unlike rabbis or non-Hasidic rebbes in other Jewish movements, Hasidic Judaism considers a "Hasidic rebbe" to be
252-529: A great leader of a Hasidic dynasty , also referred to as "Grand Rabbi" in English or an ADMOR , a Hebrew acronym for Ad oneinu -Mo reinu-ve R abbeinu ("our lord/master, teacher, and rabbi"). Outside of Hasidic circles, the term "Grand Rabbi" has been used to refer to a rabbi with a higher spiritual status. The practice became widespread in America in the early 1900s when Hasidic rebbes began to emigrate to
294-479: A rebbe's physical awareness of God and the rebbe's transcendent perception of Godliness, many Hasidim take special care to observe their rebbe's specific and sometimes minute practices. Even things that seem mundane may nonetheless be seen by Hasidim as incredibly significant. For example, Lubavitcher Hasidim frequently shape their fedoras to match the way that the Lubavitcher Rebbe shaped his hat-which
336-553: A rule, among hasidim, rebbe ( / ˈ r ɛ b ə / ) is referred to in Hebrew as admor (pl. admorim ), an abbreviation for Hebrew adoneinu moreinu v'rabeinu ( Hebrew : אדמו"ר acronym for אד וננו מ ורנו ור בנו), meaning 'our master, our teacher, and our rabbi', which is now the modern Hebrew word in Israel for rebbe . Hasidim use the term rebbe also in a more elevated manner, to denote someone that they perceive not only as
378-606: A somewhat similar concept. Menachem Mendel Schneerson , a prominent Hasidic leader, said that the Rebbe is God's essence itself put into the body of a tzadik . Rastas refer to God as Jah, a shortened name for God used in English translations of the Bible. Rastafari emphasises the immanence of Jah, who partially resides within every person, in a manner similar to the Hindu concept of Brahman . The unity of divinity and humanity
420-490: A tish, the rebbe distributes shirayim (lit. remnants) to the Hasidim seated at or gathered around the table. When a gathering similar to a tish is led by a rabbi who is not a rebbe (i.e. a Mashpia ), it can be referred to as a botte (esp. amongst groups from Romania) or sheves Achim . A rebbe has times when Hasidim (and other petitioners) may come for a private audience. A kvitel (Yiddish for "note", plural kvitlach )
462-580: Is a saguna (with form, attributes) embodiment of the nirguna Brahman or Atman (soul). Neither the Vedas nor the Principal Upanishads ever mentions the word avatar as a noun. The verb roots and form, such as avatarana , do appear in ancient post-Vedic Hindu texts, but as "action of descending", but not as an incarnated person (avatara). The related verb avatarana is, states Paul Hacker , used with double meaning, one as action of
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#1732776765712504-417: Is a human who embodies the teachings of Christ, or a distinct human prophet who symbolises the divinity within humankind. Leonard Barrett has argued that many Rastas believe in a form of reincarnation, where Moses, Elijah, Jesus and then Haile Selassie are avatars of Jah. R. Matthew Charet has argued that Christ is a title for Rastas much as Buddha is for Buddhists, and that Christ's divine connection
546-434: Is a note with the name of the petitioner and a short request for which the rebbe is asked to pray. The formula in which a person's name is written is one's own Hebrew name, the son/daughter of one's mother's Hebrew name, such as Shimon ben Rivkah (Simeon the son of Rebecca). Hasidim believes that rebbes read supernaturally "between the lines" of a kvitel , and in every Hasidic movement there are numerous anecdotes relating how
588-587: Is believed to reincarnate, and is called a tulku . According to Tulku Thond, there are three main types of tulkus. They are the emanations of buddhas, the manifestations of highly accomplished adepts, and rebirths of highly virtuous teachers or spiritual friends. There are also authentic secondary types, which include unrecognized tulkus, blessed tulkus, and tulkus fallen from the path. In Hinduism , incarnation refers to its rebirth doctrine, and in its theistic traditions to avatar . Avatar literally means "descent, alight, to make one's appearance", and refers to
630-609: Is considered the founder of the Druze faith and the primary author of the Druze manuscripts, he proclaimed that God had become human and taken the form of man, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah . al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah is an important figure in the Druze faith whose eponymous founder ad-Darazi proclaimed him as the incarnation of God in 1018. Historian David R. W. Bryer defines the Druzes as ghulat of Isma'ilism, since they exaggerated
672-534: Is evident in the Druze creed, which deifies al-Hākim bi Amrillāh. The initiation text, "Mīthāq Walī al-Zamān" (Pact of Time Custodian), which begins with, “I rely on our Moula Al-Hakim the lonely God, the individual, the eternal,... Obedience of almighty Moulana Al-Hākim, exalted be him and that obedience is worship and that he does not have any partners ever, present or coming”, closely resembles Christian beliefs about Jesus' divinity . The Druze also view figures like Jesus , al-Hākim bi Amrillāh, and Hamza ibn Ali as
714-469: Is in medieval era texts, those composed after the sixth century CE, that the noun version of avatar appears, where it means embodiment of a deity. The incarnation idea proliferates thereafter, in the Puranic stories for many deities, and with ideas such as ansha-avatar or partial embodiments. While avatars of other deities such as Ganesha and Shiva are also mentioned in medieval Hindu texts, this
756-404: Is minor and occasional. The incarnation doctrine is one of the important differences between Vaishnavism and Shaivism traditions of Hinduism. The translation of avatar as "incarnation" has been questioned by Christian theologians, who state that an incarnation is in flesh and imperfect, while avatar is mythical and perfect. The theological concept of Christ as an incarnation into the womb of
798-573: Is not unique to Jesus but may be attained by all humans through a "discovery of the Christ-consciousness in us all". In the Baháʼí Faith , God is not seen to be incarnated into this world and is not seen to be part of creation as he cannot be divided and does not descend to the condition of his creatures. The Manifestations of God are also not seen as incarnations of God but are instead understood to be like perfect mirrors reflecting
840-544: Is often reflected in the saying "I and I", and the aphorism "God is man and man is God". Rastafari practices known as livity , influenced by the Nazirite vow, are seen as a way to embrace this inner divinity. Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974, is traditionally seen by Rastas as the Second Coming of Jesus or Jah incarnate, and is sometimes referred to as "the living God". To others, he
882-528: Is one and "neither begets nor is begotten". According to many modern scholars, the Biblical and Talmudic view of God was anthropomorphic. God could sometimes appear in bodily form. The Babylonian Talmud contains stories of earthly appearances of God, Elijah , Satan , and demons . Since the time of Maimonides , mainstream Judaism has mostly rejected any possibility of an incarnation of God in any form. However, some modern-day Hasidim believe in
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#1732776765712924-469: Is used in the following ways: An ordinary communal rabbi, or rebbe in Yiddish, is sometimes distinct from a rav ( / ˈ r æ v / , also pronounced rov / ˈ r ɒ v / by Jews of Eastern European or Russian origin), who is a more authoritative halakhic decider. A significant function of a rav is to answer questions of halakha (the corpus of Jewish law), but he is not as authoritative as
966-539: The Messiah or Mahdi . They believe al-Hākim will return at the end of times to judge the world and establish his kingdom, while Hamza ibn Ali is considered a reincarnation of Jesus, the Universal Mind 'Aql , closely associated with al-Hākim. Islam completely rejects the doctrine of the incarnation (Mu'jassimā / (Tajseem) Tajsīm) of God in any form, as the concept is defined as shirk . In Islam, God
1008-559: The "Ludmirer Moyd", was the only female rebbe in the history of the Hasidic movement; she lived in the 19th century in Ukraine and Israel. According to Maimonides , a tzadik is "one whose merit surpasses [his/her] iniquity", and every person can reach the level of a Tzadik. According to the Tanya , a tzadik has no evil inclination, and only a select few predestined to attain this level can attain it. According to Kabbalah (and particularly
1050-558: The Hasidic understanding of Kabbalah), the world is sustained on the "shoulders" of Tzadikim Nistarim , divinely predestined exceptionally righteous people in a generation. Nobody knows who was such a tzaddik, even one of these exceptionally righteous people would not know that they are such a tzadik. These people are understood to have perfected their service of God to such an extent that they become literally and physically aware of God. These righteous people's perception (of both spiritual and physical, not to mention temporal matters) transcends
1092-722: The Son of God was perfectly united with human nature in one divine Person, Jesus , making him both truly God and truly human. The theological term for this is hypostatic union : the second person of the Trinity, God the Son , became flesh when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary . Biblical passages traditionally referenced in connection with the doctrine of the Incarnation include John 3:1–21 , Colossians 2:9 , and Philippians 2:7–8 . Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad
1134-599: The United States and was derived from the German Grossrabbiner . Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov , the founder of Hasidism, is regarded by Hasidim as the first Hasidic rebbe. During his lifetime he was referred to mainly as "The holy" rather than as "Rebbe", and his disciples were " magidim " or "preachers", such as the Magid of Chernobyl or the Magid of Mezritch . The first "rebbe" to be known as such
1176-931: The Virgin Mary and by work of the Holy Spirit, as found in Christology , presents the Christian concept of incarnation. Mercy Amba Oduyoye and H. M. Vroom state that this is different from the Hindu concept of avatar because avatars in Hinduism are unreal and the Christian concept is similar to Docetism . Sheth disagrees and states that this claim is an incorrect understanding of the Hindu concept of avatar. Avatars are true embodiments of spiritual perfection, one driven by noble goals, in Hindu traditions such as Vaishnavism . The Serer religion of West Africa rejects any notions of incarnation or manifestation of
1218-500: The apparent boundaries of existence. However, a Hasidic rebbe is generally said to be a righteous person, called a " tzaddik ". Furthermore, a rebbe is said to be able to affect divine providence, and a rebbe is said to be able to "see the future", or at least have strong insight into the life and trials of another. As a result, Hasidim in some Hasidic circles seek their rebbe's advice for a variety of concerns: spiritual, physical, and even business concerns. Furthermore, many people seek
1260-536: The attributes of God onto the material world . Buddhism is a nontheistic religion : it denies the concept of a creator deity or any incarnation of a creator deity. However, Buddhism does teach the rebirth doctrine and asserts that living beings are reborn, endlessly, reincarnating as devas (gods), demi-gods, human beings, animals, hungry ghosts or hellish beings, in a cycle of samsara that stops only for those who reach nirvana ( nibbana ). In Tibetan Buddhism , an enlightened spiritual teacher ( lama )
1302-692: The blessing ( bracha ) of a rebbe (and a Hasid will specifically seek the blessing of his rebbe) for anything, from minor (and all the more so major) physical troubles, to grand spiritual concerns. In some movements the Hasidim believe that their rebbe is the " tzadik hador " ( tzaddik of the generation ) and would regard any thought that detracts from his perfection and holiness as heresy. Other sects lessen this idealization to some degree or another. Since many rebbes are sons-in-law or students of other rebbes, it makes sense that they would view themselves as subordinate to those other rebbes. Nonetheless, their Hasidim remain loyal to them because of their special loyalty,
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1344-600: The blessing is given, and a redemption for the soul of the petitioner. ("A gift makes its receiver glad" is given as an explanation: a blessing only comes from a joyous heart.) It is also customary to tip the gabbai, although this too is not obligatory. Other tasks are not exclusive to Hasidic rebbes but are important roles they play in their community similar to other rabbis . These include the leading of prayer on Shabbat and Holy Days , performing mitzvot with their Hasidim, and participating in or officiating at weddings, brit milahs , and other events. Hasidic rebbes also play
1386-517: The concept of a (non-Hasidic) rebbe in the simple sense of rabbi , as the Yiddish-German equivalent to the Hebrew word רַבִּי rabi [ˈʁäbi] . For example: "I will ask my rebbe ( / ˈ r ɛ b ə / ), Rabbi ( / ˈ r æ b aɪ / ) Ploni (so-and-so), for advice about this personal matter." A Hasidic rebbe ( / ˈ r ɛ b ɛ / ) is generally taken to mean
1428-433: The cult of the caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah and considered him divine; he also defines the Druzes as a religion that deviated from Islam. He also added that as a result of this deviation, the Druze faith "seems as different from Islam as Islam is from Christianity or Christianity is from Judaism". Some scholars believe Christian elements are deeply embedded in Druze beliefs, introduced through Isma’ili traditions . This
1470-528: The divine descending, another as "laying down the burden of man" suffering from the forces of evil. The term is most commonly found in the context of the Hindu god Vishnu . The earliest mention of Vishnu manifested in a human form to empower the good and fight against evil, uses other terms such as the word sambhavāmi in verse 4.6 and the word tanu in verse 9.11 of the Bhagavad Gita , as well as other words such as akriti and rupa elsewhere. It
1512-472: The divine. Rebbe A Rebbe ( Yiddish : רבי , romanized : rebe ) or Admor ( Hebrew : אדמו״ר ) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement , and the personalities of its dynasties . The titles of Rebbe and Admor, which used to be a general honorific even before the beginning of the movement, became, over time, almost exclusively identified with its Tzadikim . Today, rebbe
1554-488: The embodiment of the essence of a superhuman being or a deity in another form. The word also implies "to overcome, to remove, to bring down, to cross something". In Hindu traditions, the "crossing or coming down" is symbolism, states Daniel Bassuk, of the divine descent from "eternity into the temporal realm, from unconditioned to the conditioned, from infinitude to finitude". An avatar, states Justin Edwards Abbott,
1596-407: The rebbe saw things that were not written in the kvitel . In most Hasidic groups, the kvitel is written by the rebbe's gabbai (secretary), however, sometimes the petitioner writes it on his own. Usually, but with some exceptions, a pidyon (redemption) of cash is customarily handed to the rebbe under the kvitel , but this is not obligatory. This is considered to be the conduit through which
1638-444: The religious leader or nasi of their congregation, but as their spiritual adviser and mentor. The Rebbe or my Rebbe in this sense is a rav or rabbi whose views and advice are accepted not only on issues of religious law and practice, but in all arenas of life, including political and social issues. Sometimes a Hasid has a rebbe as his spiritual guide and an additional rav for rulings on issues of halakha . Hasidim use
1680-619: The supreme deity Roog (also called Koox in the Cangin language). However, the reincarnation ( ciiɗ ) of the ancient Serer saints and ancestral spirits , called Pangool , is a well-held principle in Serer religion. These Pangool (singular: Fangool ) act as intermediaries between the living world and the divine. When the Serers speak of incarnation, it is these Pangool they refer to, who are themselves holy by virtue of their intercession with
1722-702: Was more flat than many others. Many Skverer Hasidim (of the Skverer Rebbe in New Square ) wear their peyos identical to those of the Skverer Rebbe. While Hasidim do not always follow the specific practices of their rebbe, the rebbe can create practices that may be specific and unique to his Hasidim. For example, Rabbi Aaron Roth ( Reb Areleh , as he was called) the first rebbe of Shomer Emunim , told his Hasidim to pause frequently while eating their meals to keep them from overindulging. A Hasid will usually display love and admiration for their rebbe as they would
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1764-528: Was the Baal Shem Tov's grandson, Rabbi Boruch of Mezhibozh , who was referred to as "The Rebbe" during his lifetime. After him, those who rose to positions of leadership and their successors began to be called rebbe . The title gradually came to suggest a higher spiritual status. Each Hasidic group refers to its leader as "the rebbe". Hannah Rachel Verbermacher , also known as the Maiden of Ludmir or
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