The heretics once asked Rabbi Samlai: ‘How many deities created the world?’ He said to them: ‘Let you and I inquire into the early days.’ That is what is written: “For inquire now into the early days that were before you, from the day that God created [bara] man” (Deuteronomy 4:32) – “that [God] baru” is not written here,27Plural. but rather, “that [God] bara.”28Singular. They said to him: ‘What is this that is written: “In the beginning God [Elohim]29Elohim appears to be a plural term. created”?’
He said to them: “Baru Elohim” is not written here, but rather, “bara Elohim.” Rabbi Samlai said [moreover]: Everywhere you find a basis for a claim of the heretics, you find a refutation alongside it. They asked him further, saying to him: ‘What is this that is written: “Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness”?’30“Our” implying that there is more than one deity. He said to them: ‘Read what is written thereafter: God created [vayivre’u] man in their image31With plural verb and pronoun. is not stated, but rather, “God created [vayivra] man in His image,”’32With singular verb and pronoun. (Genesis 1:27).
After they left, his students said to him: ‘Rabbi, those men you pushed off with a reed.33You gave them a facile response. What would you respond to us?’ He said to them: ‘In the past, Adam was created from earth and Eve was created from Adam. From now on, “In our image, in our likeness” – a man will not [produce offspring] without a woman, nor will a woman without a man, nor both of them without the Divine Presence.’34“Our” in the phrase “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” refers to a child’s father and mother and God, who all create new life together.
They then asked him, they said to him: ‘What is this that is written: “God [El], God [Elohim], the Lord [Hashem], [He knows]…”’ (Joshua 22:22).35It would appear as if three different deities are being referred to. He said to them: ‘“They know” is not written here, but rather, “He knows.”’36So all these names refer to a single Deity. His students said to him: ‘Those men you pushed off with a reed. What do you respond to us?’
He said to them: ‘All three of them are names of God, as when a person says: Basilias Augustus Caesar.’37These are all titles that are used in reference to a single king. They [the heretics] asked him: ‘What is this that is written: “For He is a holy [kedoshim] God”?’ (Joshua 24:19).38Kedoshim is a plural adjective, implying more than one deity. He said to them: ‘“They are holy” is not written, but rather, “he is holy.”’