There are many ways that the Torah could have begun. It could have begun with the first commandment. It could have begun with a description of the unique role of the children of Israel.
It begins instead with creation. Heaven and earth, light and dark, plants and animals. And then ha’adam. The human.
ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו בצלם דמות תבניתו זכר ונקבה ברא אתם
“God created the human in God’s image, male and female.”
Rashi gives the following interpretation:
בדפוס העשוי לו, שהכל נברא במאמר והוא נברא בידים
“God created humanity in a special fashion. Everything else was created through speech, while humanity was fashioned by God’s hands.”
The human being, according to Rashi’s understanding, was fashioned directly by God.
What does it mean for human beings to be created in God’s image, with direct attention and care? Here is what I believe it means:
If each of us is created directly by God, in God’s image, it means that we have infinite value that is non-negotiable and cannot be measured.
If each of us is created directly by God, in God’s image, it means that all the genders that we represent, all sexual orientations, all races, all ethnicities, all religions and no religion, all abilities, are part of the divine creative force.
And therefore no gender, no sexuality, no race, no ethnicity, no religion, no ability, is to be preferred over any other.
If each of us is created directly by God, in God’s image, it means that we each have sovereignty over our own bodies and our own souls because they are direct gifts from our creator to us. And therefore if and when we enter into relationship with one another, whatever the duration and nature of the relationship, we must respect one another’s bodies and souls the way that we would ideally respect our creator.
Suppose we’re not sure what we think about our creator? Then we must respect one another’s bodies and souls the way that we would want others to respect our bodies and our souls.
If you are not sure what you believe about God, if you are not sure if or how you believe in God as creator, I ask you to consider how extraordinary it is that our ancestors told a story, one that we continue to tell, that raises up the dignity of each human being in equal measure. Each human being bears a cosmic spark that gives each one of us equal and unlimited value.
I pray that we will each commit ourselves to raising up this spark in ourselves and in one another. I call upon us to hold one another fully accountable for any behavior that seeks to demean and diminish this spark.
Every human being is created with unlimited value. That is where the Torah begins and where we must begin. We must begin by recognizing everyone's unlimited value and this must remain our guiding principle.
It begins instead with creation. Heaven and earth, light and dark, plants and animals. And then ha’adam. The human.
ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו בצלם דמות תבניתו זכר ונקבה ברא אתם
“God created the human in God’s image, male and female.”
Rashi gives the following interpretation:
בדפוס העשוי לו, שהכל נברא במאמר והוא נברא בידים
“God created humanity in a special fashion. Everything else was created through speech, while humanity was fashioned by God’s hands.”
The human being, according to Rashi’s understanding, was fashioned directly by God.
What does it mean for human beings to be created in God’s image, with direct attention and care? Here is what I believe it means:
If each of us is created directly by God, in God’s image, it means that we have infinite value that is non-negotiable and cannot be measured.
If each of us is created directly by God, in God’s image, it means that all the genders that we represent, all sexual orientations, all races, all ethnicities, all religions and no religion, all abilities, are part of the divine creative force.
And therefore no gender, no sexuality, no race, no ethnicity, no religion, no ability, is to be preferred over any other.
If each of us is created directly by God, in God’s image, it means that we each have sovereignty over our own bodies and our own souls because they are direct gifts from our creator to us. And therefore if and when we enter into relationship with one another, whatever the duration and nature of the relationship, we must respect one another’s bodies and souls the way that we would ideally respect our creator.
Suppose we’re not sure what we think about our creator? Then we must respect one another’s bodies and souls the way that we would want others to respect our bodies and our souls.
If you are not sure what you believe about God, if you are not sure if or how you believe in God as creator, I ask you to consider how extraordinary it is that our ancestors told a story, one that we continue to tell, that raises up the dignity of each human being in equal measure. Each human being bears a cosmic spark that gives each one of us equal and unlimited value.
I pray that we will each commit ourselves to raising up this spark in ourselves and in one another. I call upon us to hold one another fully accountable for any behavior that seeks to demean and diminish this spark.
Every human being is created with unlimited value. That is where the Torah begins and where we must begin. We must begin by recognizing everyone's unlimited value and this must remain our guiding principle.
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