But sometimes, the smallest details hold the biggest secrets.

The Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, picked up on something fascinating in the very first chapter of Bereshit, Genesis. When God finishes creating everything, the Torah tells us, "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was me’od tov" (Genesis 1:31) – "very good."

Now, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Idi, Rabbi Pinḥas, and Rabbi Ḥilkiya – a powerful trio of sages – noticed something truly remarkable. The Hebrew word for "very," me’od, מְאֹד, shares the exact same letters as the word for "man," adam, אָדָם. Same letters, different order, completely different meaning... or is it?

They suggested that when the Torah says "very good," it's actually referring to man! That God saw everything He created, and declared that humanity itself was the ultimate expression of goodness. What an incredible thought! (Bereshit Rabbah 9).

But the interpretations don't stop there. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish takes us in another direction. He sees the phrase "very good" as a cosmic equation, a reflection of two realms. "Behold it was very good – this is the kingdom of Heaven," he says. And then, "and behold it was very good – this is the kingdom on earth." (Bereshit Rabbah 9).

Wait a second… the kingdom on earth is "very good"? Really? You might be thinking, "Rabbi Shimon, have you seen what goes on down here?!"

That’s exactly the point. It’s a rhetorical question!

Rabbi Shimon isn't blind to the imperfections of our world. But he understands that even earthly kingdoms, with all their flaws, serve a vital purpose. They address people's grievances, they establish order. As Isaiah 45:12 reminds us, “I made the earth and created man upon it.” Or, as some understand it, God placed human rulers on the earth to govern it.

In other words, the earthly realm, with its structures of governance, reflects a spark of that original "very good" precisely because it strives to create justice and address the needs of humankind.

So, what are we left with? The Torah, in its elegant simplicity, offers layers of meaning, connections that stretch across the cosmos. It reminds us that humanity, despite our imperfections, holds a unique place in creation. And that even in the imperfect realities of our world, there’s a spark of the Divine striving for goodness. Maybe, just maybe, that's something to consider the next time we look around and wonder where the "very good" has gone.