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Torah; Mankind’s Path Back to God

All of creation waited in anticipation for Man to arrive. When Man makes proper use of the world, all of the world has meaning.

When in the course of time Man misused the world and didn’t live up to his calling, the unfulfilled earth waited in anticipation for Israel to receive the Torah and begin the process of bringing all of Mankind back to its mission and calling as אדם.

Therefore, the Midrash teaches us, God made a condition with the earth that if Israel accepts the Torah, all is good, but if not, the earth should revert to confusion. It is through Israel that the world receives the Torah. It is through the Torah’s message that Mankind and the earth find their true purpose.  (The sixth refers to the 6th day of Sivan when the Torah was given)

Beraishis, 1:31, Pages 39-40

 

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Beraishis 1L בצלמנו Man Created in God’s Image

צלם means an covering or a bodily form. If God wished to appear cased in exterior visible form, representing His compassion, love and justice, He would appear in the figure he gave Man.

No man can be like God, but as אדם he must strive to be similar to God. Man should not allow anything within himself or about himself that is contradictory to God.

Man’s mission is to become holy – to work oneself up toward God’s holiness.

Beraishis 1:26, Pages 30-31

The Torah emphasizes the godlike dignity of the human body. This is a central theme of the Torah.
Man is capable of his godly mission on earth, even with his physicality and all his urges. In fact, Man was specifically designed to grow upward and become holy with his body.

It is a grave error to only see godliness in Man’s mind and spirit, thereby giving the body free reign to be involved in all sorts of depravity.

A holy body is the foundation for all growth of the spirit. The higher the spiritual and mental greatness, the more demands on keeping the body holy. As such, the first commandment the Jewish people are given is ברית מילה. Israel’s missin is to rebuild a purer Mankind, therefore their very first commandment is to dedicate the body to God.

Many of the mitzvos have this theme, such as laws of sexual relations, eating, ritual purity and cleansing oneself of ritual impurity.

Beraishis 1:27, Pages 32-33

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Beraishis 1J Structure of Days of Creation

The first three days of creation correspond to the second three days. What was created in the first three days is given its completion  and position relative to the development of life on earth in the second three days, as follows:

Day 1 Light – Day 4 Light Bearers

Day 2 Water and Air Space – Day 5 A World of Life

Day 3 Dry Land with its Vegetation – Day 6 Living Inhabitants

With the seventh day, a new world started; the world of the education of Man to God. This seventh day is another first day but on higher, spiritual level. Light is again created, but this time it is the light of recognition of God. Who was given the mission to promote this recognition? This is the mission of Israel. Israel is God’s eight work of creation. The seventh day at first had no בן זוג until God told it ישראל יהיה בן זוגך.

Beraishis 1:20, Page 25

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Beraishis 1B God’s Plan for the World

1. Ultimately, Man will come to achieve the highest level of goodness, and through Man, so will the world. Man and the world were created for this very purpose.

Man achieves this by acknowledging and returning the gifts of the world to its Giver (making proper use of the world in service to Hashem and thereby uplifting and sanctifying Man and the world. GS)

2. The Torah, Israel, and various Tithes are referred to as ראשית- Beginning, for each of these represent a beginning of this process of recognition and dedication.

3. When the world lost awareness of God’s presence and involvement, miracles became necessary to reawaken that awareness. (The Hebrew word for miracle is נס which means “banner” – that which brings awareness)

Beraishis 1:1, Pages 2-3

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