Bereshiet: A new Torah-reading cycle begins this week, with the story of Creation. And as we get a blow-by-blow description of how God creates the world and everything in it, some very curious language is used, when the Torah describes the creation of humankind.
“Naaseh Adam b’Tzalmeinu k’Dmuteinu” — “Let Us create humankind in Our Image, and in Our Likeness.” [Genesis 1:26]
Let Us create humankind? Who is God talking to? In Our Image? And in Our Likeness? Who is God referring to?
Some of the commentators explain that God is asking permission from the angels. [Rashi on Genesis 1:26]
Others suggest that it’s a “royal We,” na’aseh, God is speaking to Himself in the majestic plural, a majestic plural giving honor to God and this final act of creation, the piece de resistance of all of creation. [Ibn Ezra on Genesis 1:26]
However, I’d like to share with you a third interpretation, found in the writings of the Zohar. “Let us,” in the plural, means that creation of humankind includes both male and female. “In our image” refers to the wealthy amongst us. And “after our likeness” refers to the poor in our midst.
The Zohar continues and states the following: When the rich and the poor are united as one, when they show compassion to each other, share with each other, and are benefactors to each other, that is how humankind should behave. Zohar 1:13b
The rich and the poor, states the Zohar, must be united together as one. Support and benefit from each other.
In other words, when creating humankind, God creates a social contract with us. When God says Na’aseh Adam, that We will create humankind, He is referring to us, men and women, as His partners.
Because we are only truly, completely fashioned once we live up to our side of the social contract, and fulfill our potential.
Our image and likeness only become divine when we do our part. It is when people of opposite views, men and women of different social, economic statuses, work together.
When we are united and show compassion towards each other. Only then is our creation complete.
What a powerful message to begin this new year, with a reminder that each one of us has the capacity to be in the image of God.
e are full partners with God in our own creation when we live up to this responsibility.
Each of us has the opportunity and capacity to complete the process that God has begun.
Shabbat Shalom.