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G--d does not appear as "men"

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Rabbi Jonathan Blass

22 Cheshvan 5763
Question
I am curious where you get that Abraham’s three visitors were angels (malachim). My Hebrew Bible never uses that word in this passage. In fact it literally says: "The Lord appeared to Abraham....."; Then it says Abraham looked and saw three MEN, (anashim), not angels. Then Abraham went and bowed down and worshipped before them and called them Lord (Adonai). Abraham knew better than to worship angels. One of them later spoke of the cry of Sodom which has reached ME, meaning God Himself. Excuse me, I believe in Angels but it doesn’t seem logical to me here in this passage. Why is it impossible for God (who said, "Let us create man in OUR image, after OUR likeness") to appear as three beings looking like men?
Answer
The following chapter tells us that two of the angels who spoke with Abraham continued on to Sodom. G-d does not appear as a man. Even contemplating this as a possibility is idolatrous and is part of the infamous and idolatrous legacy inherited by Christianity.
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