יחזקאל, פרק א׳, פסוק כ״ו

The prophetic vision ascends to its ultimate peak, moving past the angels and the firmament to reveal the very source of leadership for the entire universe. Through a veil of careful imagery, the prophet attempts to capture the incomprehensible presence of God, using earthly concepts of royalty and human form to convey profound spiritual secrets.

Above the firmament, which serves either as a dividing screen or as a representation of the Divine abundance flowing down to the world [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל], the shape of a throne appears. The primary approach among commentators is that this is not a physical object. Instead, it serves as a symbol of His leadership, judgment, and kingship, much like a human king who rules and directs his subjects from a royal seat [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

This throne bears the appearance of sapphire, a precious, transparent stone that is blue or perhaps tinged with red [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This striking visual is understood in different ways. It may represent a pure, radiant brilliance that acts as a mirror reflecting the Divine light [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, it can be seen as a colorless display, signaling that the human eye is entirely incapable of grasping this highest spiritual essence [אברבנאל].

Resting upon this throne is a likeness resembling a human form. The commentators are unanimous and absolute in clarifying that God has no physical body or shape; the human figure is strictly a metaphor pointing to God Himself. This specific image is chosen because humanity represents the most dignified form in the physical world, effectively symbolizing His ultimate superiority over all angels and spiritual beings [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the human form illustrates the very nature of Divine leadership. Just as a human soul guides its physical body using wisdom, judgment, and mercy, God functions as the soul of the entire universe, guiding and directing all of creation [מלבי״ם].

To prevent anyone from mistakenly believing that God has a physical body, the prophet deliberately uses qualifying words of similarity, emphasizing that the entire experience is a symbolic vision [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. The danger of misunderstanding this concept was taken so seriously that the ancient Aramaic translation of Yonatan completely omitted the phrase describing the human form, ensuring that no one could accidentally attribute a physical body to Him [רד״ק, אברבנאל].