And God created the human in God’s image, in the image of God, God created him, male and female, God created them (Genesis 1:28).
What does it mean that humanity was created in God’s
image?
Genesis 1 tantalizingly tells us that humanity was
created in God’s image, but the Torah never tells us what that means. In
chapter 9, which we will read next week, creation in God’s image is the reason
for the prohibition against killing humans, and that is the last mention of the
idea in the Bible. This silence created a broad canvas for commentators and
philosophers to express their opinions and define the “the image of God,” the
human traits that reflect the Divine. Since time is short, I will focus on one
view: that giving is the essence of God and humanity, as explained by Rabbi
Eliyahu Dessler, one of the greatest Mussar teachers of the twentieth century:
When the Almighty created human beings He made them capable of both נתינה giving and נטילה– taking. The faculty of giving is a sublime power; it is one of the attributes of the blessed Creator of all things who created humanity accordingly as it is written: “God created humans in God’s own image (Gen. 9).”[*]
According to Maimonides in the Guide to the
Perplexed (3:53), the faculty of giving, also known as חסד – ḥesed or loving kindness,
is the foundation of the entire world. He explains that creation was an act of
giving beyond any need or obligation, because God owes nothing either to the
world or to us. The very fact of our existence is, therefore, the result of
Divine giving, ḥesed. This is how Maimonides understands the words of
Psalm 89: עולם חסד יבנה – the world is built on ḥesed.
Ḥesed might be the foundation of the world, but
it is not made entirely of giving. Dessler continues:
On the other side stands the faculty of taking, by which a person aspires to draw to himself all that comes within his reach. This is what people call egotism or selfishness. It is the root of all evil…
These two powers – giving and taking – form the roots of all character traits and of all actions. And note: there is no middle way...
These are far-reaching claims that contain both
truth and rhetorical exaggeration. The giver and the taker are prototypes of human behavior, and I think it would be more
accurate to say that they both exist, in varying proportions, in every person
and every interpersonal interaction. As opposing prototypes, giving and
taking can be a measure we use to examine ourselves, and understand
interpersonal situations.
The נותן – giver is
driven by a desire to benefit others, and does not keep score or ask “Must I?”
When receiving from another person, the giver not only expresses sincere thanks
but also feels a deep desire to return the favor (not necessarily to the same
person) or pay it forward. True giving creates a circle of generosity, a world
of giving, built on kindness.
The נוטל – taker is the opposite: thinking he deserves everything, the taker grabs everything in reach, and helps others or thanks them only because for fear repercussions or out of longer term self-interest. The taker destroys far more than he builds, but is not beyond saving. Indeed, every human being was created in the Divine image, and so Dessler moderates his stance:
Every human being possesses some spark of the faculty of giving.
The challenge is to keep that spark burning and help
it reach its potential, so that the giver within us overcomes the taker, and we
can build more than we destroy in the world.
The challenge is especially difficult at times
when we are unable to give, when we are empty or weak, when we need something
(physical or emotional) that others are not giving at that moment. How can we make
a request without falling into the trap of becoming a taker? I don’t have an answer but do think that
being aware of the challenge is a step in the right direction.
Shabbat Bereishit is a Sabbath of new beginnings,
as we begin the cycle of Torah readings again and the work/school year really
starts after the summer and holiday seasons.
[Bride and groom]: In a few days you will stand under a ḥuppah to formally establish the home you are building together. One of the seven wedding blessings reads “Who created humanity in the Divine image…” meaning “Who made humanity with the faculty of giving, which is a sublime power, an attributes of God who created us, male and female, in the Divine image.” Building a home is the creation of a micro-cosmos, a world built on ḥesed... Attentive listening and mutual giving will build your home on a stable foundation.
May all of us renew this year as a year of listening and giving, in to build a world of ḥesed.
Kehillat Hod veHadar, 2018
[*]All
Dessler quotes are abridged from Eliyahu Dessler, Mikhtav Me-Eliyahu, translated by Aryeh Carmell as Strive
for Truth. Emphasis added.
- With thanks to Rabbi Shai Held who introduced me to the writings of Rabbi Dessler and to Guide to the Perplexed 3:53
No comments:
Post a Comment