Kabbala predates the Zohar Hakadosh, as we are all aware, and it is Rashi who told us how to find the Shem Ayin Beis. We see that many Rishonim express Kabbalistic ideas here and there. The Raavad even figured that the Rambam knew Kabbala. There is no reason why he shouldn’t have, if he learned from a Rebbi.
I say we don’t give it a second thought, because we know how to take it, whether we actually learn it or not. Every elementary kid, at least in my upbringing, knew that there is no Guf and we still translate those Pesukim and Mamarei Chazal exactly as Rashi did.
Yes, there is a form that is being discussed. This form belongs to Hashem. Hashem cannot be defined, and He therefore is not in a certain form. Sounds confusing? Fine. We don’t understand everything. Or, we can delve into the topic and learn the ins and outs.
The Rambam was fighting a crusade and had to turn Hagshama into a taboo. In doing so he discarded Medrashim as Daas Yachid and the such. Those Mamarim are nicely explained by others, but for the Rambam’s purpose he chose to discard them.
We are, Baruch Hashem, way past that point. My second graders never thought of Hashem as physical, and yet they still had no problem understanding that certain terms are used that sound physical.
Actually, most of the first Chelek of the Moreh Nevuchim sounds extra and not particularly enlightening. Yes, I’m aware that Pi Haaretz doesn’t mean that the earth can talk, and Ein Haaretz doesn’t mean that it can see. I’m equally aware that Ha’aniya Chashva Lehishaver doesn’t mean that the boat had a meeting with its captain.
Rashi, on the Gemara of Ein Ben David Baa Ad Sheyichlu Kol Neshamos Shebaguf, says that there’s a place called Guf where the Neshamos are from. In Shabbos, when the Gemara says that the Ruach stays in the body until the Stimas Hagolel, Rashi explains that Yesh Bo Tzad Chayos. Does that sound physical? I think you should look out for these types of Rashi’s as well.
Just realize, all the Mefarshey Rashi deal with these Rashi’s without batting an eyelash. Whatever it means it means. It’s not the first funny sounding Medrash. The fact is that Yecheskiel Hanavi saw KiDmus Mar’eh (which is three stages of comparison). There is a form to speak of, and it doesn’t mean that you are defining Hashem with that.
I mentioned researchers because I’ve heard of this before, together with some other very shallow proofs.
I quoted the Zohar Hakadosh not to say that Rashi won’t say that in the face of the Zohar Hakadosh, but to show how far it is and therefore Chas Veshalom to pin something like that on Rashi Hakadosh.
If Rashi and Rabbanei Tzarfas would actually hold a certain way Hashkafically, we would probably hold the same.