Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 8:1 View source
Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team ·

The passage opens with that foundational verse, (Genesis 1:26): "And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness, and let them dominate…” But what does it mean?

Rabbi Yoḥanan starts us off with a verse from Psalms (139:5): "Back and front [ahor vakedem], You shaped me…" Ahor vakedem—it's a phrase that hints at so much. Rabbi Yoḥanan suggests it means that if we're worthy, we partake of two worlds—this one, and the World to Come. But if not? Then we'll have to give an accounting for our actions. A sobering thought.

Then Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar drops a bombshell: When God created Adam, the first human, He created him androgynous! As it says, "He created them male and female" (Genesis 5:2). Talk about challenging traditional views!

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman takes it even further. He suggests that Adam was created with two faces, two conjoined bodies, male and female. Then, God "sawed him in two," separating the female part and giving him "two backs." Now, some might object: What about the verse that says God took one of Adam's ribs [tzalotav] to create Eve? Rabbi Shmuel counters that tzela doesn't necessarily mean "rib." It can also mean "side," like the side of the Tabernacle, as we see in (Exodus 26:20). It's a powerful reminder that even seemingly straightforward words can hold layers of meaning.

And the interpretations just keep getting wilder. Rabbi Tanḥuma, in the name of Rabbi Benaya and Rabbi Berekhya, cites Rabbi Elazar in saying that Adam was initially created as an unformed being stretching from one end of the world to the other! As it says in (Psalms 139:16), "Your eyes saw my unformed parts…"

Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya and Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon, again citing Rabbi Elazar, add that Adam filled the entire world, east to west, north to south, even filling the empty spaces! The prooftext? Again, that verse, "Back [ahor] and front [kedem], You shaped me…" (Psalms 139:5). It's a truly cosmic vision of humanity's origins.

Rabbi Elazar offers another perspective: Adam was created last among the acts of creation on the last day – that is, his body was the last thing made on Friday – but his spirit was the first thing made on that day. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish tweaks this, saying Adam was last on the sixth day, but first on the first day—connecting Adam's spirit to the spirit of the messianic king, based on (Isaiah 11:2).

These rabbis are really playing with the concepts of first and last, ahor vakedem, to teach us something profound about humanity's place in the universe.

Rav Naḥman offers a slightly different take: Adam was last in creation, but first in punishment. As it says regarding the Flood, "He obliterated all existence…from man, to animal…" (Genesis 7:23). Rabbi Shmuel adds that Adam also comes last in praising God, only after the heavens, the sea creatures, and the depths have had their turn.

Rabbi Samlai explains this by saying that just as Adam's praise comes after the animals, so too did his creation. First the water swarms (Genesis 1:20), then the earth produces (Genesis 1:24), and only then does God say, "Let us make Man in our image."

So, what are we to make of all this? These seemingly contradictory interpretations paint a complex picture of humanity's role in creation. We are both the culmination of God's work and a late arrival on the scene. We are both physical beings bound to the earth and spiritual beings connected to the divine. We are both capable of great praise and subject to harsh judgment.

Perhaps the key takeaway is this: being created "in God's image" is not a static concept. It's a dynamic, ever-evolving process. It's something we strive for, something we embody to varying degrees, and something that ultimately connects us to something far greater than ourselves. It's a responsibility, a privilege, and a profound mystery all rolled into one. And as we continue to grapple with this ancient question, we find ourselves drawn deeper into the heart of what it means to be human.

Themes

Creation Hell/Gehenna Angels Adam & Eve Noah & Flood Moses King David Job Temple Messiah Prophecy Soul Prayer Egypt Shabbat

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