How Do I Respond When Someone Says “Yeshua is God”?

B"H

“Hello, I just had a question for you regarding the concept of shituf. I understand any partnership with HaShem is considered avodah zarah (foreign worship) for a Jew, but it doesn't seem like there's a clear ruling in regards to gentiles. My question is on a practical level—in conversations with others, how do I approach this? When someone mentions Yeshua is God, do I just keep in mind the concept of shituf and stay quiet? Or do I gently clarify my belief in monotheism? I don’t want to alter their view if it’s permitted—but I also don’t want to give the impression that I agree.”

This question doesn’t come from the head—it comes from the heart. It’s not just about theology. It’s about how to live honestly in a complicated world, how to walk in truth without being combative, and how to represent God’s oneness without stepping on someone else’s journey.

If you've ever wrestled with this question—you're not alone. And you're not off track. You're standing at the intersection of halacha, emunah, and real life.

Here at Shtiebel on the Hill, we believe in walking gently, but standing firm.

Let’s go step by step.

1. What’s the Jewish Belief?

For Jews, the belief is clear and unshakable:

God is one. God has no body, no form, no partner, no incarnation.

God is not a man. Not the Rebbe. Not Yeshua. Not anyone.

This isn’t just philosophy—it’s commandment.

It’s the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

It’s the Shema: “Hashem is one.”

Even the Messiah—when he comes—is just a man. A great man, yes. A redeemer, yes. But still flesh and blood. Still human. Never divine.

2. What About Non-Jews Who Say “Yeshua is God”?

Now here’s where it gets tricky.

Some rabbis—like the Rema—ruled that it’s not idol worship for a non-Jew to believe in a “partnership” with God (shituf), as long as they believe in one Creator overall.

So practically speaking, we don’t confront every gentile who says “Jesus is God,” especially if they’re sincere and peaceful. We aren’t here to fight. We are here to represent truth.

That said, we don’t accept it. We don’t nod in agreement. And we never let it cross into our own emunah.

3. How Do You Respond in Conversation?

When someone says something like,

“I believe Jesus is God,”

You don’t have to debate. You can stay silent or not.

If You decide to speak you can calmly and kindly say:

“I respect your belief, but as a Jew or someone in the process of converting, I believe God is one and not shared.

We don’t believe God becomes a man.”

That’s it. Clear and respectful.

And if they press you for more, you can say:

“According to the Pshat of the Torah, even the Messiah is still just a man. No matter how great he is, we never give divinity to people.”

You’re not here to change their mind. You’re here to be honest and faithful.

4. What About Jews Who Believe in a Divine Rebbe?

Now we get to the part that hurts a little deeper.

You might say:

“Wait a minute… if a gentile says a man is God, we call it a mistake. But if a Jew says it about the Rebbe—he still gets an aliyah? Still counted in a minyan? What’s going on?”

You’re not wrong.

Some in Chabad believe the Rebbe is the Messiah (Meshichists). A smaller, more extreme group (Elokists) go even further, saying the Rebbe is somehow divine.

And yes—it is 100% against the Torah.

God is not a man.

Not the Rebbe.

Not anyone.

No matter how righteous, no human being shares God’s essence. That’s not Judaism. That’s something else.

Still, in practice, these Jews are often included in the community.

Why?

• Because they’re Jewish by birth or halachic conversion.

• Because many rabbis assume they’re confused, not rebellious.

• Because some try to reinterpret their words as metaphor, not literal.

• And because many fear even greater division if they push them out.

But the truth remains: Judaism does not allow for a divine messiah figure—not the Rebbe, not Yeshua, not anyone.

And here’s the kicker:

So yes, technically, someone who believes Yeshua is the Messiah and holds a view very similar to what some Lubavitchers believe about the Rebbe—should be treated just as fairly.

If we’re being honest and consistent, we can’t play favorites.

If someone says Yeshua is divine and lives a sincere Jewish life, believes in Torah, prays to the God of Israel, and keeps mitzvot—they are, in principle, no worse off than someone who says similar things about the Rebbe.

That doesn’t mean either view is correct. They’re both wrong according to good, solid Torah philosophy. But if we extend compassion and inclusion to one group, we should not immediately condemn the other out of hand—especially when both are trying, however imperfectly, to cling to the God of Israel.

Judaism must be rooted in truth. But truth without fairness is not Torah.

So we say clearly:

Both beliefs are mistaken.

Both are off the path.

But if we give one a seat at the table, we must be honest enough to see the other with the same eyes—without compromising our own emunah.

5. So What Should You Do?

You keep your faith clear.

You don’t need to argue. But you shouldn’t pretend to agree, either. If your silence feels like consent, say gently:

“I can’t accept that. In my faith, God is never a man.”

If it’s in a minyan, and someone is openly saying divine things about a human—yes, you’re allowed to step away.

You can say:

“I’m not judging your soul.

But I can’t pray next to something that goes against the oneness of God.”

You’re not being harsh. You’re being faithful.

6. Bottom Line

Let’s keep it plain:

• God is one.

• God is not a man.

• No person—no matter how holy—is divine.

• Saying otherwise is not Torah.

And yes—some beliefs that sound like “divine messiah” might technically fall under the category of shituf (association), which is only prohibited for Jews.

That’s why some rabbis don’t treat it as outright idolatry when non-Jews or even confused Jews talk that way. It’s tolerated in some legal frameworks, but tolerated doesn’t mean correct.

Because here’s the deeper truth:

It’s not good Torah philosophy.

Whether it’s Christian theology, extreme Messianic views, or certain strands of Kabbalistic thinking that people misunderstand, they often make the same mistake:

they split HaShem into parts, or assign His essence to created beings.

They divide Him.

They localize Him.

They give Him a body.

They give Him a partner.

They box Him in.

And that is the opposite of true Jewish faith.

So yes, a person might technically still be included in a minyan or a community because of halachic leniencies—but we must be clear: this is not the way of our ancestors. It’s not what Moshe taught. It’s not the voice at Sinai.

7. Is a Divine Messiah Allowed in Kabbalah?

Now, let’s go deeper.

Some people point to the Zohar and ask:

“Doesn’t Kabbalah teach that the Messiah is divine?”

And the honest answer is:

It’s complicated.

Kabbalah Uses Dangerous Language—On Purpose

The Zohar, along with later Kabbalistic and Chassidic works, uses powerful language when describing the soul of Mashiach:

• He is the “extension of Atik Yomin” (the most hidden level of the Divine).

• He is “united with the Name.”

• He “carries the light of the Infinite.”

• He is a “mirror that reflects the face of the King.”

These aren’t casual metaphors.

They are intentionally intense. Kabbalah is trying to describe someone whose soul is so empty of self, so pure, so aligned with the will of God, that HaShem’s light shines through him without obstruction.

But here’s the key:

That doesn’t mean he is God. It means he becomes a pure vessel for God's presence.

This Is Where People Go Off the Rails

When people read these texts without grounding in Torah, without halachic discipline, or without a teacher—they misunderstand it. They read the Zohar literally and come to the same error as those who made Yeshua into God:

• They confuse divine light with divine essence.

• They confuse unification with God’s will with being God.

• They forget that even Moshe Rabbeinu—whose face shone—was still a man.

Why Kabbalah Seems to Allow It

Kabbalah uses mystical language to stretch your soul. It wants you to feel the closeness between God and His messengers. It wants you to know that Mashiach isn’t just a political figure—he’s spiritual, radiant, full of divine compassion.

But this language is a code.

It assumes you already know the rule: “God is not a man.” (Bamidbar 23:19)

It assumes you’re already grounded in Shema Yisrael.

It trusts you to read with awe, not fantasy.

So Is It Allowed to Believe the Messiah Is Divine?

It depends what you mean.

• If you mean the Messiah is so filled with divine light that he reflects HaShem’s will perfectly—yes, Kabbalah supports that.

• If you mean the Messiah is God, or shares in God’s essence, or can be worshiped—no, that’s not allowed, and it never was.

Kabbalah teaches emanation, not incarnation.

It teaches unity with God's will, not equality with God's being.

Shtiebel’s Final Word

Here at Shtiebel on the Hill, we love the Zohar. We drink from its light. But we also know that light can burn if misused.