Adam in the Image

(27) God created the Man in an image of His, in a form of God He created him; male and female He created them.

(7) Hashem God then formed the Man, dust of the earth. He blew into his countenance the breath of life, and thus Man became a living personality.

(31) God saw the entirety of what He had made, and behold: very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Rabbanan say it in the name of Rabbi Chanina bar Idi, Rabbi Pinchas and Rabbi Chilkiah: "Me'od" (very) is 'Adam'. These letters of this [word] are [the same] letters of this [word]. This is the meaning of what is says (Beraishit 1:31): "And God saw all that He had made and behold is very good" that is Adam.

(1) Rabbi [Yehuda Ha'Nasi] Said: which is the straight path that The Adam should choose for himself? One which is Tiferet to the person doing it, and Tiferet to him from [other] Adam. And be careful with a light commandment as with a grave one, for you do not know the reward for the fulfillment of the commandments. Also, reckon the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [accruing] thereby, and the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [entailed] thereby. Look [with your your mind] to three things and you will not come into sin: Know what is above of you: an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book.

(2) "Which is the right path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] praiseworthy for the person adopting [it]": that it should be pleasant (easy) for him and pleasant (easy)to people from him.

(14) He used to say: Precious is Adam for he was created in the image [of God]. Special belovedness was made known to him that he had been created in the image [of God], as it is said: “for in the image of God He made Adam” (Genesis 9:6).

(1) According to this model, He (blessed be He), as it were,¹⁰²Heb.: ki’v’ya-khol. This word is used when we attempt to explain God’s actions in a human context, and realize our descriptive limitations. created man and appointed him to rule over the multitude of powers and numberless worlds, and assigned them to him so that he should be their spokesman and govern them via all the minute details of his actions, speech, thoughts,¹⁰³Rav Chayyim here describes three ways that man affects the worlds. From lower to higher they are: actions, speech and thoughts. He addresses each of them in some detail in chapters 12 through 14. As Rav Chayyim discusses in chapter 15, they correspond to the inner aspects of soul-Neffesh, soul-Ruakh and soul-Neshama. and the larger scale aspects of his behavior,¹⁰⁴Heb.: v’khol sidrei hanha-go-tahv whether for good, or (heaven forefend) for the opposite.

(2) For via his positive actions, speech and thoughts he fulfills and invests strength in a number of supernal and holy powers and worlds, and adds holiness and light to them, as is written (Yeshayahu 51:16): “and I will place my words in your mouth... to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth.” And in the words of the sages: (Berakhot 64a): “Call them ‘your builders’¹⁰⁵Heb.: bo-nie-yikh rather than ‘your sons’”¹⁰⁶Heb.: ba-nie-yikh for they arrange the lofty worlds as a builder arranges his structure and invests it with great strength.

(3) And the opposite (heaven forefend) [is also true, that] via his negative actions, speech or thoughts he destroys (may the Merciful save us) a number of powers, and the supernal, holy worlds without number and measure, as is written (Yeshayahu 49:17): “your destroyers and those who lay waste to you shall go forth from you,” or darken or lessen their light and holiness, and add power to their opposites in the realms of impurity (may the Merciful save us).

(4) This is what is meant by (Bereshit 1:27): “And God-Elohi”m created man with His image. In the image of God-Elohi”m...”, and (Bereshit 9:6) “for God-Elohi”m made man...”—for just as He (blessed be His name) is the Elohi”m, Master of the powers found in the totality of all the worlds, and organizes and governs them each instant per His will, so too did His (blessed be He) will rule that man should be the enabler and disabler¹⁰⁷Heb.: ha-po-tei-ahkh v’ha-so-geir—literally the “opener and closer” of many multitudes of powers and worlds via all of the detailed patterns of his large scale behavior, in every situation, literally in every instant and moment, according to his supernal root,¹⁰⁸Rav Chayyim here mentions in passing that we are not only our physical bodies: we have a root in the upper worlds. He elaborates on this theme in the following chapters. which includes his actions, speech and thought, as if he too is the master of their power, as it were.

(5) And the sages said in Ei-kha Rabba¹⁰⁹Sources with the term “Rabba” in their title are Midrashic. (1:33, on verse 1:6): “Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rabbee Seemon: ‘When Israel performs God’s will, the Almighty’s power increases, as is written (Tehillim 60:14): “through God-Elohi”m we will make valor. ”¹¹⁰Heb.: ba-Elohi”m na-ah-seh cha-yeel And when Israel doesn’t perform God’s will, it is as if they weaken the great power of heaven, as is written (D’varim 32:18): “Rock, your children weaken You” ’.”

(6) And in a few citations in the holy Zohar we find that the sins of man cause blemishes above, and similarly the opposite occurs too, as we mentioned. And this is what the Torah says (Tehillim 68:35): “Give strength to God-Elohi”m.¹¹¹Heb.: t’noo ohz leh-eh-lo-hi”m” And in the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshat Bo (32b) it says: “(Iyyov 1:6) ‘...And it was the day and they came... to stand before God’—When they want to denounce Israel’s actions, it is God they certainly denounce, because when Israel performs improper actions it is as if they weaken God’s power, and when they perform proper actions they add force and power to the Holy One (blessed be He). And regarding this it is written ‘Give strength to God-Elohi”m’. In what way? Via proper actions.”

(7) This is why it says: ‘to God-Elohi”m’, and similarly: ‘through God-Elohi”m we will make valor’, because its definition is ‘Master of all powers’.

(1) Let me sing for my beloved A song of my lover about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard On a fruitful hill. (2) He broke the ground, cleared it of stones, And planted it with choice vines. He built a watchtower inside it, He even hewed a wine press in it; For he hoped it would yield grapes. Instead, it yielded wild grapes. (3) “Now, then, Dwellers of Jerusalem And men of Judah, You be the judges Between Me and My vineyard: (4) What more could have been done for My vineyard That I failed to do in it? Why, when I hoped it would yield grapes, Did it yield wild grapes? (5) “Now I am going to tell you What I will do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge, That it may be ravaged; I will break down its wall, That it may be trampled. (6) And I will make it a desolation; It shall not be pruned or hoed, And it shall be overgrown with briers and thistles. And I will command the clouds To drop no rain on it.” (7) For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts Is the House of Israel, And the seedlings he lovingly tended Are the men of Judah. And He hoped for justice, But behold, injustice; For equity, But behold, iniquity! (8) Ah, Those who add house to house And join field to field, Till there is room for none but you To dwell in the land! (9) In my hearing [said] the LORD of Hosts: Surely, great houses Shall lie forlorn, Spacious and splendid ones Without occupants. (10) For ten acres of vineyard Shall yield just one bath, And a field sown with a homer of seed Shall yield a mere ephah. (11) Ah, Those who chase liquor From early in the morning, And till late in the evening Are inflamed by wine! (12) Who, at their banquets, Have lyre and lute, Timbrel, flute, and wine; But who never give a thought To the plan of the LORD, And take no note Of what He is designing. (13) Assuredly, My people will suffer exile For not giving heed, Its multitude victims of hunger And its masses parched with thirst. (14) Assuredly, Sheol has opened wide its gullet And parted its jaws in a measureless gape; And down into it shall go, That splendor and tumult, That din and revelry. (15) Yea, man is bowed, And mortal brought low; Brought low is the pride of the haughty. (16) And the LORD of Hosts is exalted by judgment, The Holy God proved holy by retribution.

(3) The children of Yisrael said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death.”

(10) When Hashem your God brings you into the land that He swore to your fathers, Avraham, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, to assign to you—great and flourishing cities that you did not build, (11) houses full of all good things that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and you eat your fill, (12) take heed that you do not forget Hashem who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage.

(17) Be sure to keep the commandments, decrees, and laws that Hashem your God has enjoined upon you. (18) Do what is right and good in the eyes of Hashem, that it may go well with you and that you may be able to possess the good land that Hashem your God promised to your fathers,