- We are the Image of God
-
- Rivka Olenick
-
- "And God created man in His own image; in the image of God
He created him; male and female He created them." Bereshis
1:27
-
- This is a very confusing statement, and what is the purpose of
reading the above idea twice, or is it two separate ideas? I want to
focus on the concept of tzelem, "image." How is it possible
for male and female to be created in the "image of God?" God
has no image; no image has God. In fact, if we were to conjure up in
our mind a defined image, form or picture of God, this is considered
avoda zara, idol worship. It is considered avoda zara because to
create our own "picture" of what we think God is, we create
a distorted or incorrect picture or image because there is NO picture
of God. Children always ask: "What does God look like?" The
brain needs to create an image automatically in order to identify it.
However, God should have no form that is perceived by our brain, which
becomes visible to our mind. If we read the pusuk as it is, and let
our imagination wander we would create this one image of God that is
male and female. "in the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them," is not a simple visual perception. Image
does not become images in creating "them." God and His
created being/s are two completely different entities.
-
- So what does tzelem, "image" mean? We read later in the
Bereshis 2:7, it states that God formed man from the ground and
breathed into his being, making man a living human being with a
character and personality. Even further into the chapter we read that
God formed woman from man, but their tzelem, their "image"
had already created. What is the difference between form and image?
Are we saying that "them" meaning male and female were
created, in an image only, but without form or existence? In the
dictionary it says: Image: To represent or form an image of; to
figure, to portray, to deliniate. For form it says: "To shape,
figure or form. The particular way of being that gives something its
nature or character; the combination of qualities making something
what it is." Here we have an insight into the difference between
form and image. It seems that an image is something that is not yet
active. Although God formed Adom, he was still basically lifeless,
only when God "breathed" into Adom, did He give him his
character, the natural way Adom would be. His tzelem would make him, a
"living soul," speaking, perceiving and doing according to
the Ramban.
-
- But, how does the Torah define image or "tzelem"? The
tzelem or image does not refer to the physical aspect of man. Tzelem
or image is defined as the intellectual aspect of man. As the Ramban
said: "Perceiving, perception of knowledge by way of the
intellect." God gave us the capacity to perceive Divine
intellect, His wisdom as this is what "in his image" means.
At the same we are to understand clearly that God has no physical form
and we don't imagine that He does. We do not apply image in the
physical sense, to God. The Torah defines image as the divine
intellect given to us by God; that only man has and which animals do
not have. Man was given the ability to distinguish good from evil,
true from false and in doing so that becomes man's intellectual
pursuit. Animals have no such pursuit. At the same time we were
endowed with a body, our physical self, made out of flesh and blood
that we need. However, God's essence and existence is perfect with no
need for any physical form. Yet the part of us that is our "Godly
self" is the part, the "tzelem" that God gave us to
perceive His wisdom, His knowledge.
-
- Further God created the human form, the body for a specific purpose,
which is to be holy. Our "moral self" meaning our holy self
is activated by our body. Without our body and its urges and forces we
cannot possibly sin. With our body God commands us to dedicate ourself
to the removal of sin. "Sanctify yourself and be holy." God
gave us the opportunity to live an elevated existence through our
body, and our tzelem, the Divine aspect of our intellect. Male and
female He created them. Male and female individually are to live their
life in pursuit of knowledge and truth. Male and female together as
one live in harmony in the pursuit of knowledge and truth. Samson
Raphael Hirsch explains so beautifully: "Keeping the body holy is
the foundation of all ennoblement of the spirit, and the preparatory
condition for all spiritual greatness; and the higher spiritual and
mental greatness is reached, the more serious are the demands made for
the control and dedication of the body. The bond of God with Israel to
rebuild a purer mankind begins with mila, circumcision dedicating the
body to God. A whole list of God's commands have the definitely
expressed purpose of begetting, feeding and keeping the body pure and
fit for the spiritual, mental and moral likeness of God in Man, that
he remains a "tzelem elokim."
|