But, like with so much in Jewish tradition, there are layers upon layers of interpretation. , shall we?
Specifically, let's look at that phrase "dominate over the fish of the sea." What does that really mean? Bereshit Rabbah, an early and influential collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, grapples with this very question in its eighth section.
Rabbi Ḥanina offers a fascinating take. He says that our ability to "dominate" (redu in Hebrew) is conditional. If we merit it, we dominate. But if we don't, we "fall" (yeredu) – becoming victims ourselves, even to the animals! It’s a potent reminder that power isn't a given; it's something we have to earn through righteous behavior.
Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanin takes this idea even further. He connects our dominion to the phrase "in our image, in our likeness." Those who fulfill this divine image get to dominate. Those who don't? Well, they "fall." It's a stark warning: our actions have consequences, not just for ourselves, but for our relationship with the entire created world. He then clarifies, the one who is in God's image, Man, should dominate over that which does not resemble the image of God: the animals.
Then, the text veers in a slightly unexpected direction. "God blessed them," the verse says. Bereshit Rabbah links this blessing to marriage customs! "There we learned: A virgin should marry on a Wednesday and a widow on a Thursday." This comes from the tractate Ketubot (2a) in the Talmud. Why these days? Because, seemingly, a blessing for fertility is connected to them. But wait! Isn't the blessing for fertility actually connected to Thursday and Friday in Genesis 1:22 and 1:28?
Bar Kapara clarifies: Wednesday means the eve of Thursday, and Thursday means the eve of Friday. The marriage ceremony takes place during the day, but it's consummated at night. It's all about timing and aligning ourselves with the flow of divine blessing.
And then, we're back to the idea of "subduing" the earth (vekhivshuha). Rabbi Elazar, citing Rabbi Yosei Ben Zimra, makes a surprising claim: maybe the verse is actually written vekhovshah, in the singular, implying that only the man is commanded regarding procreation, not the woman!
But Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka disagrees, and passionately so. He insists that both the man and the woman are commanded, pointing back to the verse that says "God blessed them…and said: Be fruitful, and multiply…"
And then, another twist. Vekhivshuha, what if it's read as vekhovshah meaning "and subdue her"? Does this mean the man should restrain his wife, prevent her from going out in public? The text suggests that a woman who goes out in public in an inappropriate manner will ultimately falter. The proof text? Dina, whose story in Genesis 34 begins with her "going out" and ends with her being violated by Shekhem.
Rabbi Yirmeya, Rabbi Abahu, and Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon, all citing Rabbi Ḥanina, declare that the halakha – the accepted law – follows Rabbi Yoḥanan's opinion. Both men and women are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, and a woman should not be restrained from going out in public.
So, what do we take away from all this? It's a reminder that the Torah, and the interpretations of it, are living, breathing things. It’s not just about dry rules and regulations. It's about wrestling with complex ideas, about questioning assumptions, and about striving to live up to our potential as beings created "in the image" of God. And perhaps most importantly, it's about recognizing that our power, our ability to "dominate," comes with responsibility. We have to earn it, and we have to use it wisely.