Our tradition grapples with this very duality, especially when it comes to understanding the creation of humanity.
In Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, we find a fascinating exploration of what it means to be human. Specifically, Bereshit Rabbah 14 dives deep into the verse where it says God "formed" (Vayitzer) humanity. The rabbis see that word, Vayitzer, as significant. It implies not one, but two acts of formation.
Why two? Because, according to Rabbi Yehoshua bar Nehemya in the name of Rabbi Hanina bar Yitzchak, and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Eliezer, we are a blend of the earthly and the heavenly. We are, in essence, a microcosm of the entire cosmos. : We eat, drink, procreate, and eventually… well, we die. Just like animals. These, the text tells us, are characteristics "associated with creatures of the lower realm (earth)." We are tied to the physical world, to our bodies, to the cycle of life and death.
But that’s not the whole story. We also stand upright, we speak, we understand, and we see. These are qualities that link us to the "upper realms," to the angels themselves.
Now, you might be thinking, "Wait a minute, animals can see too!" And you'd be right. But the text anticipates this! The difference, it says, is that humans have peripheral vision. It's a small detail, perhaps, but it hints at a larger point: our capacity for a broader perspective, for seeing beyond the immediate.
Rabbi Tafduyei, in the name of Rabbi Aḥa, takes this idea even further. He points out that the supernal beings, the angels, were created in the divine image but do not procreate. Earthly beings procreate, but were not created in God’s image. So what does God do? God combines the two! He creates humanity in the divine image, a trait from the supernal realm, but also gives us the ability to procreate, a trait from the earthly realm.
It’s a delicate balance, isn't it? We are both divine and earthly, spiritual and physical. And this duality comes with a profound responsibility.
Rabbi Tafduyei continues, saying that God considered the consequences. If humans were created solely from the supernal realm, we would live forever. If solely from the earthly realm, we would die and never truly "live." So God created us from both. And here's the kicker: if we sin, we die. If we don't, we live.
What does it mean to "live" in this context? Is it simply biological existence, or is it something more? Perhaps it's about living a life aligned with our divine potential, a life of meaning, purpose, and connection.
The Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah, also explores this idea of humanity as a bridge between worlds. It describes the human soul as having different levels, some rooted in the earthly realm and others reaching towards the divine.
Ginzberg, in his Legends of the Jews, expands on this, painting vivid pictures of Adam's creation as a process that involved gathering dust from all corners of the earth, infusing it with divine breath, and creating a being capable of both great good and great evil.
So, here we are. A blend of the earthly and the divine. Capable of great love and terrible destruction. Doomed to die, yet with the potential to live eternally. The choice, it seems, is ours. What will we choose? How will we navigate this delicate balance between our earthly and heavenly natures? How will we live?