(כו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃ (כח) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹקִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹקִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב ׀ זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאָכְלָֽה׃
(26) And God said, “Let us make an Adam in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.” (27) And God created the Adam in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.” (29) God said, “See, I give y'all every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.
~ What is happening here?
~ How is Adam created? What is Adam's basic characteristics?
~ How many humans are there?
~ How do you explain the verbs being used?
~ Adam can be translated in many ways: Man, Human, Earthling, Person, Humankind. Which one would you use in this piece, and why?
(6) Whomever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall his blood be shed; for in the Divine image God made the human.
(יד) הוא היה אומר, חביב אדם שנברא בצלם .חבה יתרה נודעת לו שנברא בצלם, שנאמר (בראשית ט), כי בצלם אלהים עשה את האדם.
(14) [Rabbi Akiva] would say: Beloved is [the] human, created in the image of God. A deeper love is revealed to those created in God's image, as it says (Genesis 9:6) "for in God's own image God made humankind."
~ Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef (c. 50-137 CE, Roman Judea)
(א) נעשה אדם. עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן, לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם הוּא בִּדְמוּת הַמַּלְאָכִים וְיִתְקַנְּאוּ בוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְלַךְ בָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָן אֶת הַמְּלָכִים הוּא נִמְלָךְ בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְאַחְאָב, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מִיכָה רָאִיתִי אֶת ה' יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ (מלכים א כ"ב), וְכִי יֵש יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל לְפָנָיו? אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ מַיְמִינִים לִזְכוּת וְאֵלוּ מַשְׂמְאִילִים לְחוֹבָה, וְכֵן בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא (דניאל ד'), אַף כָּאן בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלוֹ נָטַל רְשׁוּת, אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים כִּדְמוּתִי; אִם אֵין כִּדְמוּתִי בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הֲרֵי יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:... (ג) בצלמנו. בִּדְפוּס שֶׁלָּנוּ: (ד) כדמותנו. לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל: (ה) וירדו בדגת הים. יֵשׁ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּלְשׁוֹן יְרִידָה; זָכָה, רוֹדֶה בַחַיּוֹת וּבַבְּהֵמוֹת, לֹא זָכָה, נַעֲשֶׂה יָרוּד לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהַחַיָּה מוֹשֶׁלֶת בּוֹ:
(1) נעשה אדם LET US MAKE ADAM— The Rabbis learned from here the modesty of the Holy One of Blessing: because the human is in the likeness of the angels and they might envy him, therefore God took counsel with them (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 18 and see Genesis Rabbah 8). And when God judges the kings God likewise consults the heavenly council, for thus we find in the case of Ahab to whom Micha said, (1 Kings 22:19) “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left.” Has God, then, a right hand and a left hand? But it means that some stood on the right side to plead in favor of the accused and others stood on the left side to accuse; and similarly we read (Daniel 4:14), “the matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones”, — here, also, God consulted God's heavenly council and asked permission of them, saying to them: “There are in the heavens beings after My likeness; if there will not be on earth also beings after My likeness, there will be envy among the beings that I have created” (Sanhedrin 38b).
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(3) בצלמנו IN OUR IMAGE — in our type.
(4) כדמתנו AFTER OUR LIKENESS — with the power to comprehend and to discern.
(5) וירדו בדגת הים AND THEY SHALL HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH … [AND OVER THE BEASTS] — The expression וירדו may imply dominion as well as descending — if he is worthy he dominates over the beasts and cattle, if he is not worthy he will sink lower than them, and the beast will rule over him (Genesis Rabbah 8:12).
~ How do those three sources expand or change the idea of "God's image"?
"Adam:" [This is] the name of the species, as in sheep or cattle, and therefore, He said, "and let them have dominion," in the plural. It appears that the name adam (man) is derived from adom (red), not from adama (ground), since the animals were also formed from the ground. But man is differentiated in his body from animals in that his body is not full of hair and his skin (in moderate climates) is reddish.
Samuel David Luzzatto (known by the acronym, Shadal), (Italy 1800 – 1865).
~ How would Luzzatto translate "Adam"?
~ How does Luzzatto understand the idea of "image"? What is not "image"?
~ In what way do people resemble God, if only vaguely?
(א) שהאדם נברא בצלם אלהים זה הוא יסוד התורה. עיקר הצלם הוא החופש הגמור שאנו מוצאים באדם שעל כן הוא בעל בחירה. ולולא הבחירה לא היה מקום לתורה, כדברי הרמב״ם בה׳ תשובה. אם כן הבחירה היא יסוד התורה במעשה. והידיעה שהאדם הוא עשוי בצלם אלהים, אם כן הרי זה בא ללמד ששלימות החופש הגמור מוכרחה להמצא בעצם השלם האמיתי יתברך שמו, הוא היסוד העיוני של כל התורה כולה שכל המעשים נסמכים עליו.
(1) The foundation of the Torah is that man was created “in the image of God”. The essential meaning of “the image" is the complete freedom we find in man, [which means] that man must have free will. If there was no free will, there would be no context for the Torah, as Maimonides writes in The Laws of Repentance. If that's so, free will is the basis of the Torah, practically speaking. The knowledge that man is made “in the image of God” comes to teach that the perfection of total free will must exist [as well] in the essence of true perfection, His name should be blessed. This is the intellectual foundation of the entire Torah that all deed relies upon.
Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Hakohen Kook (1865-1835 CE, Latvia-British Palestine)
~ What is Rav Kook's idea about "image"?
(טו) וַיִּקַּ֛ח ה' אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעָבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשָׁמְרָֽהּ׃ (טז) וַיְצַו֙ ה' אֱלֹקִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃ (יז) וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃ (יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ה' אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ (יט) וַיִּצֶר֩ ה' אֱלֹקִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ׃ (כ) וַיִּקְרָ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם שֵׁמ֗וֹת לְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּלְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּלְאָדָ֕ם לֹֽא־מָצָ֥א עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ (כא) וַיַּפֵּל֩ ה' אֱלֹקִ֧ים ׀ תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה׃ (כב) וַיִּבֶן֩ ה' אֱלֹקִ֧ים ׀ אֶֽת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם׃ (כג) וַיֹּאמֶר֮ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־זֹּֽאת׃ (כד) עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד׃ (כה) וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֖א יִתְבֹּשָֽׁשׁוּ׃
(15) The LORD God took the Adam and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it. (16) And the LORD God commanded the Adam, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; (17) but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die.” (18) The LORD God said, “It is not good for the Adam to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him.” (19) And the LORD God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name. (20) And the man gave names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to all the wild beasts; but for Adam no fitting helper was found. (21) So the LORD God cast a deep sleep upon the man; and, while he slept, He took one of his tzela'ot and closed up the flesh at that spot. (22) And the LORD God fashioned the tzela that He had taken from the man into a woman; and He brought her to the man. (23) Then the man said, “This one at last Is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called Woman, For from man was she taken.” (24) Hence a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh. (25) The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, yet they felt no shame.
~ What is the position of Adam in relation to the other that is going to be created?
~ Why does naming all creatures have to do with finding a companion for Adam?
~ Why is it not good for the human to be alone?
"It is not good for man to be alone." God did not speak about the need for there to be female human beings. For that is obvious as people are no less than any other creatures wherein the females are the same species as the male. Rather, it was "not good" that the female should be like in other species where they do not partner in all walks of life and male and female only associate with one another while mating. And it was "not good" for humans to be this way.
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ (בראשית א, כו), רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן פָּתַח (תהלים קלט, ה): אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אִם זָכָה אָדָם, אוֹכֵל שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי, וְאִם לָאו הוּא בָּא לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס בְּרָאוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ה, ב): זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דְּיוּ פַּרְצוּפִים בְּרָאוֹ, וְנִסְּרוֹ וַעֲשָׂאוֹ גַּבִּים, גַּב לְכָאן וְגַב לְכָאן. אֲתִיבוּן לֵיהּ וְהָכְתִיב (בראשית ב, כא): וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו, אֲמַר לְהוֹן מִתְּרֵין סִטְרוֹהִי, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כו, כ): וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן, דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן וְלִסְטַר מַשְׁכְּנָא וגו'. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בְּנָיָה וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן גֹּלֶם בְּרָאוֹ, וְהָיָה מוּטָל מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, הֲדָא הוא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קלט, טז): גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וגו'. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר מְלֹא כָל הָעוֹלָם בְּרָאוֹ, מִן הַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי וגו'. מִצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, לב): וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם. וּמִנַּיִן אַף בַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, טז): וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (איוב יג, כא): כַּפְּךָ מֵעָלַי הַרְחַק. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָחוֹר לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וָקֶדֶם לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן. הוּא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר (בראשית א, כד): תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ, זֶה רוּחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, אָחוֹר לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, וָקֶדֶם לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הוּא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ (בראשית א, ב): וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם, זֶה רוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, הֵיךְ מָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר (ישעיה יא, ב): וְנָחָה עָלָיו רוּחַ ה', אִם זָכָה אָדָם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ אַתָּה קָדַמְתָּ לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְאִם לָאו אוֹמְרִים לוֹ זְבוּב קְדָמְךָ, יַתּוּשׁ קְדָמְךָ, שִׁלְשׁוּל זֶה קְדָמְךָ. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָחוֹר לְכָל הַמַּעֲשִׂים, וָקֶדֶם לְכָל עֳנָשִׁין. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אַף בְּקִלּוּס אֵינוֹ בָּא אֶלָּא בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קמח, א): הַלְּלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו', וְאוֹמֵר כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (תהלים קמח, ז): הַלְּלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הָאָרֶץ וגו' וְאוֹמֵר כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אוֹמֵר (תהלים קמח, יא): מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְכָל לְאֻמִּים (תהלים קמח, יב): בַּחוּרִים וְגַם בְּתוּלוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׂמְלָאי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁקִּלּוּסוֹ אֵינָהּ אֶלָא אַחַר בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וְעוֹף, כָּךְ בְּרִיָּתוֹ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא אַחַר בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף, מַה טַּעְמֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית א, כד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ וגו', וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית א, כו): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם וגו'.
(1) 'And E-lohim said 'let's make Adam in our image, as our likeness' (Gen. 1:26) - Rabbi Yochanan opened with 'You hedge me before and behind; You lay Your hand upon me' (Ps. 139:5) and rabbi Yochanan said: 'if Adam had merits, he eats two worlds, as it's written 'You formed me before/achor and behind/kedem', and if not, he comes to receive judgment and accounting, as its written 'You lay Your hand upon me'. Said R. Yirmiyah ben Elazar: In the hour when the Holy One created the first human, He created him [as] an androgyne [androginos], as it is said, “male and female He created them”. Said Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman: In the hour when the Holy One created the first human, He created him double-faced [du-par’tsufin], and sawed him and made him backs, a back here and a back [t]here, as it is said, “Before/achor and behind/kedem You formed me” [Ps. 139:5]. They objected to him: But it says, “He took one of his ribs [tsale'otav]” [Gen. 2:21]! He said to them: [It means, one of] his sides [sit’rohi], just as you would say, “And for the side [tsela] of the Tabernacle [mishkan]” [Ex 26:20], which they translate [in Aramaic] “for the side [setar] of the mishkan”. Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Banayah, and Rabbi Berachyah in the name of R. Elazar said: 'In the time that the Holy One of Blessing created the First Human [Adam HaRishon], [as] a golem He created him and he was extended from [one] end of the world and unto its [other] end – that’s what is written: “Your eyes did see my unformed substance [golmi], [and in Your book they were all written, even the days that were yet to be fashioned, when there was none of them.]” [Ps 139:16]. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Nechemiah and Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon said in Rabbi Elazar’s name said: He created him [Adam] filling the whole world. From where [do we know he extended] from the East to West? That it’s said: “Back [achor / after, the place of sunset] and before [kedem/East] You formed me [tsartani / enclosed me]” [Ps 139:5]. From where [do we know that he extended] from North to South? As it’s said: “and from the edge of the heavens and until the edge of the heavens” [Deut. 4:32]. And from where [that he filled] even the world’s hollow-space? That it’s said: “You laid Your palm upon me” [Ps 139:5] and as you say "Your palm is far away from me" [Job 13:21]. Said Rabbi Eleazar: Achor means before the deeds of the first day, Kedem means after the deeds of the last day. This is [also] the opinion of Rabbi Eleazar, as Rabbi Eleazar said: "'Let the earth bring forth nefesh chayah [living soul] after its kind [cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.' And it was so.]" (Gen. 1:24) - this is the spirit of First Human [Adam HaRishon]. Said Rabbi Shime'on Ben Lakish: Achor means for the last [acharon] day, and Kedem means for the first day. This is the opinion of Rabbi Shime'on Ben Lakish, since Resh Lakish said: "And the spirit of God hovered above the surface" (Gen 1:2) - this is the spirit of King Mashiach, like you say: "And the spirit of Ad-nai shall rest upon him [the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Ad-nai]." (Isaiah 11:2) - if a human being merits, we say to him: 'you were created before the angels of service'; and if not we say to him: 'a fly was before you, a mosquito was before you, a worm was before you.' Said Rabbi Nachman: Achor means [after] all deeds, Kedem means [before] all punishments. Rabbi Shmuel said: even for praise the Human only came at the end, since it says "Praise y'all Ad-nai from the heavens" (Psalms 148:1) it says all the portion, then it says "Praise y'all Ad-nai from the earth" (Psalms 148:7) and says all the portion, and after that it says (Psalms 148:11) "Kings of the earth and all peoples" and "Young men and also maidens" (Psalms 148:12). Said Rabbi Simlai: just as his praise comes only after the animals, the wild animals and the birds; so too his covenant [brit] comes only after the animals, the wild animals and the birds. What is his [Simlai's] reasoning? It is written "And God said: 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures" (Genesis 1:20) and then "And God said: 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind" (Genesis 1:24) and then "And God created the Human in His own image" (Genesis 1:27).
~ How can the word tzela be translated?
~ What is the difference in terms of the position of the woman when it is translated as "side" or "rib"?
"I will make for him a fitting helpmate" Since human nature is not in only one form since all of the character traits of all creation are included within him. And one person tends towards one way and another person in the opposite way. Therefore a helpmate had to created - a woman - who could be appropriate for every variety of man. And this is what is meant by "fitting," to always be helpful according to his specific character.
Here are a few other translations to help us in our understanding:
JPS 1917:
And the LORD God said: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.’
Modernized Tanakh 2013, by Adam Cohn:
And the LORD God said: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper opposite him.’
Koren Jerusalem:
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help to match him.
Shraga Silverstein:
And the L-rd G-d said: It is not good that the man be alone [and "one" (i.e., unique in having no mate) among the terrestrial creatures, as the L-rd is One among the celestial creatures — two deities, as it were]; I shall make him a help [(If he merits it, she is a help)], against him [(If he does not merit it, she is against him, contending with him)]. [(see 2:20)]
Metsudah Chumash, 2009:
Adonoy Elohim said, It is not good [fitting] for the man to be alone. I will make a helper for him.
Torah Yesharah:
The Eternal Almighty said: “The man will not be happy when alone. I will make him a mate, who will be a help for him if he is worthy, and be against him if he is unworthy.