BR 8

(1) “And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness, and let them dominate over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26).
“And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness.” Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “Back and front [aḥor vakedem], You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If a person merits, he partakes of two worlds, as it is stated: “Back and front, You shaped me.”1Aḥor vakedem can be translated “the end, and that which precedes it,” – an allusion to this world and the World to Come. But if not, he will come to give an accounting, as it is stated: “You placed Your palm on me” (Psalms 139:5).2The following line should be here instead of where it appears, later in the midrash: Just as it says: “Distance Your palm from me” (Job 13:21). This verse shows that God’s “palm” refers to His punishment of man (Matnot Kehuna).
Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him androgynous. That is what is written: “He created them male and female” (Genesis 5:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him with two faces,3That is, two conjoined bodies, male and female. and [subsequently] He sawed him in two4Separating the female part from the male part. and made [for] him two backs,5Where they had previously been joined together. a back here and a back there. They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “He took one of his ribs [tzalotav] … [and the Lord God built the rib that He took from the man into a woman]”? (Genesis 2:21–22). He said to them: [It means that He took] one of his two sides, as it says: “And for the tzela of the Tabernacle” (Exodus 26:20), which we translate: “And for the side of the Tabernacle...”. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Benaya and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him in an unformed state and he was situated from one end of the world to the other. That is what is written: “Your eyes saw my unformed parts...” (Psalms 139:16).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya and Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: He created him filling the whole world. From east to west, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Back [aḥor] and front [kedem],6Aḥor and kedem can also mean “west” and “east.” You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5). From north to south, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “[From the day God made Adam on the earth,] and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens” (Deuteronomy 4:32). From where is it derived that he even filled the empty space of the world? It is as it is stated: “You placed Your palm on me” (Psalms 139:5) just as it says: “Distance Your palm from me” (Job 13: 21).7This line is misplaced here and belongs in section 1, as indicated there.
Rabbi Elazar said: [Adam was created] last [aḥor] among the acts of creation on the last8The Hebrew text says “first,” but Rashi emends the text. day, and first [kedem] among the acts of creation on the last day.9Adam’s spirit was created as the first act of the last day, and his body was created as its final act. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: “Let the earth produce the spirit of living beings by their species” (Genesis 1:24) – this is the life spirit of Adam the first man.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: [The creation of Adam was] last [aḥor] among the acts of creation on the last day, and first [kedem] among the acts of creation on the first day. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: “And the spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water” (Genesis 1:2) – this is the spirit of the messianic king, as it says: “The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him” (Isaiah 11:2). If a person is meritorious, it is said to him: ‘You preceded the ministering angels’; if not, it is said to him: ‘A fly preceded you, a gnat preceded you, this earthworm preceded you.’
Rav Naḥman said: [Adam was created] last [aḥor] of all the creations, but was first [kedem] for all punishments.10As it says regarding the Flood: “He obliterated all existence that was on the face of the earth, from man, to animal, to crawling creature, to birds of the heavens” (Genesis 7:23). Rabbi Shmuel said: Regarding praising [God] as well, he comes last. That is what is written: “Praise the Lord from the heavens…” (Psalms 148:1), and it says the rest of that passage. Then “praise the Lord from the earth, [sea creatures and all depths]” (Psalms 148:7), and it says the rest of that passage. Only after that it says: “Kings of the earth and all nations…” (Psalms 148:11), “young men and maidens” (Psalms 148:12).
Rabbi Samlai said: Just as his praising [of God] is only after the animals, the beasts, and the birds, so his creation was only after the animals, the beasts, and the birds. What is the source? It is as it is stated: “Let the water swarm” (Genesis 1:20), and then: “Let the earth produce…” (Genesis 1:24), and then: “And God said: Let us make Man in our image.”

(2) Rav Ḥama bar Ḥanina began: “Have you known this from [oldest times?]” (Job 20:4). Rav Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: This is analogous to a city that received its supplies by donkey drivers. They would ask one another:11The drivers entering the city would ask those departing from the city. ‘What is the price of grain in the province today?’ The Friday ones would inquire of the Thursday ones;12And they would adapt their sales in accordance with this information. the Thursday ones of the Wednesday ones; the Wednesday ones of the Tuesday ones; the Tuesday ones of the Monday ones; the Monday ones of the Sunday ones. The Sunday one, whom would he ask? Would he not ask the businessmen of the city? Here, too, everything that was made on each day would ask one another: ‘What creations did the Holy One blessed be He create on your day?’ The sixth day would ask the fifth day, and so on until the first day. Whom would it [the first day] ask? Is it not the Torah, that preceded the creation of the world? As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Torah preceded the creation of the world by two thousand years. That is what is written: “I was with Him, as a protégé; [I was a delight day after day]”13The speaker is wisdom personified, that is, the Torah. (Proverbs 8:30), and the day of the Holy One blessed be He is one thousand years, as it is written: “As one thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday” (Psalms 90:4). 14So “day after day” is two thousand years. That is, “have you known this [from oldest times?]” (Job 20:4). The Torah knows what preceded the creation of the world. But you have license to expound only “from when man was placed upon the earth” (Job 20:4).
Rabbi Elazar said, citing ben Sira:15Ben Sira 3:19–20. “Do not seek what is too great for you, do not interrogate what is stronger than you, do not seek knowledge of what is hidden from you, and do not ask regarding what is concealed from you. Observe what is permitted for you, and you have no business with the esoteric.”

(3) “And God said: Let us make Man” – with whom did He consult? Rabbi Yehoshua said in the name of Rabbi Levi: He consulted with the works of the heavens and the earth. This is analogous to a king who had two members of his council and he would not do anything without their knowledge. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: He consulted with what was made on each and every day. This is analogous to a king who had an adviser and he would not do anything without his knowledge.
Rabbi Ami said: He consulted with His heart. This is analogous to a king who built a palace through the services of an architect, but it was not pleasing for him. At whom should he be angry? Is it not the architect? This is a rhetorical question. That is, “He was saddened in His heart” (Genesis 6:6).16This could also be translated, “He became upset at His heart.” Rav Asi said: This is analogous to a king who conducted a business transaction through an intermediary, and he suffered a loss. At whom should he be angry? Is it not the intermediary? This is a rhetorical question. That is, “He was saddened in His heart.”

(4) Rabbi Berekhya said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, He foresaw righteous and wicked people descending from him. He said: If I create him, wicked people will descend from him. But if I do not create him, how will righteous people ever descend from him? What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He distanced the way of the wicked from His attention, appended the attribute of mercy to Himself,17In most of the story of creation, only the name Elohim (God) is used, but at the point man is created He is described as Hashem Elohim (the Lord, God). The title “Hashem” indicates God’s attribute of mercy. and created him: That is what is written: “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will be eradicated” (Psalms 1:6). He eradicated it [the way of the wicked] from before his attention, appended the attribute of mercy to Himself, and created him.
Rabbi Ḥanina did not interpret it in that manner. Rather, when He came to create Adam the first man, He consulted the ministering angels and said to them: “Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). They said to him: ‘What is his nature?’ He said to them: ‘Righteous people will arise out of him.’ That is what is written: “For the Lord knows [yode’a] the way of the righteous” (Psalms 1:6) – for the Holy One blessed be He informed [hodi’a] the ministering angels about the way of the righteous. “But the way of the wicked will be eradicated” (Psalms 1:6) – He eradicated18Concealed. it from them. He revealed to them that the righteous would arise out of him, but He did not reveal to them that the wicked would [also] arise out of him, as had He revealed to them that the wicked would arise out of him, the attribute of justice would not have allowed him to be created.19That is, they would have protested against his creation.

(5) Rabbi Simon said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, the ministering angels divided into various factions and various groups. Some of them were saying: ‘Let him not be created,’ and some of them were saying: ‘Let him be created.’ That is what is written: “Kindness and truth met; righteousness and peace touched” (Psalms 85:11). Kindness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of kindness.’ Truth said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of lies.’ Righteousness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of righteousness.’ Peace said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of discord.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He took Truth and cast it down to earth.20Rejecting its counsel. That is what is written: “You cast truth earthward” (Daniel 8:12). The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, why are You demeaning Your very seal?21“Truth” is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He. Let Truth ascend from the earth.’ That is what is written: “Truth will spring from the earth” (Psalms 85:12).
The Rabbis say in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Idi, and Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya said in the name of Rabbi Simon: Meod, this refers to Man [adam].22Adam and meod are written with the same letters. That is what is written: “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very [meod] good” (Genesis 1:31) – Man [adam] was good.
Rav Huna, the rabbi of Tzippori, said: While the ministering angels were busy deliberating with one another and engaging with one another, the Holy One blessed be He created him. He said to them: ‘Why are you deliberating? Man has already been created.’

(6) Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aivu: He created him wisely, as He created the needs of his sustenance and only then created him. The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, “what is a mortal that You remember him, a man that You take him into account”? (Psalms 8:5). This trouble, why should it come about?’ He said to them: ‘If so, “all sheep and cattle, all the animals of the field” (Psalms 8:8) – why were they created? “The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea” (Psalms 8:9) – why were they created?’ This is analogous to a king who had a tower filled with all manner of fine things, but he had no guests. What pleasure does the king derive from having filled it? They said before Him: ‘“Lord, our Master, how mighty is Your name throughout the world” (Psalms 8:10) – do what pleases You.’

(7) Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: He consulted with the souls of the righteous. That is what is written: “They are the potters and the inhabitants of Neta’im and Gedera; they dwelled there with the king for his works” (I Chronicles 4:23). “They are the potters [hayotzerim]” – alluding to: “the Lord God formed [vayitzer] man of dust from the ground” (Genesis 2:7). “Inhabitants of Neta’im” – alluding to: “the Lord God planted [vayita] a garden eastward in Eden” (Genesis 2:8). “And Gedera” – after “for I set the sand as a barrier [gader] for the sea” (Jeremiah 5:22).23“They are the potters and the inhabitants of Neta’im and Gedera” are all seen as allusions to the righteous, as God created man, planted the Garden, and placed boundaries for the sea only after having consulted with the souls of the righteous. “They dwelled there with the king for his works” (I Chronicles 4:23) – “with the king,” the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, “they dwelled,” [referring to] the souls of the righteous, [“for his works”], as the Holy One blessed be He consulted them when creating the world.

(8) Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: When Moses was writing the Torah, and was writing what was made on each day, when he reached this verse: “And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness” – he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, why do you provide the heretics with basis for a claim?24By making it appear as if God had partners whom He needed to consult. This is bewildering.’ He said to him: ‘Just write, and if someone wants to err, let him err.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Is it not so regarding this man whom I created, that I will bring forth descendants of greater and lesser status? If someone of greater status is about to seek approval from one of lesser stature than he, but he says: Why do I need to seek approval from one who is of lesser stature than I? One may say to him: Learn from your Creator, as He created the heavenly realms and the earthly realms, but when He came to create man, he consulted with the ministering angels.’
Rabbi Levi said: There is no consultation here; rather, this is analogous to a king who was strolling at the entrance to his palace, and saw a large hewn rock set off to the side. He said: ‘What should we use this for?’ Some of them [of his advisers] said: ‘[Use it for] the public baths,’ and others said: ‘For private bathhouses.’ The king said: ‘I am going to craft it into a statue.’25A statue in my image. Who will prevent it?26God told the angels that He was about to make man in His image, not to consult with them, but to inform them that He was doing so with or without their consent.

(9) The heretics once asked Rabbi Samlai: ‘How many deities created the world?’ He said to them: ‘Let you and I inquire into the early days.’ That is what is written: “For inquire now into the early days that were before you, from the day that God created [bara] man” (Deuteronomy 4:32) – “that [God] baru” is not written here,27Plural. but rather, “that [God] bara.”28Singular. They said to him: ‘What is this that is written: “In the beginning God [Elohim]29Elohim appears to be a plural term. created”?’ He said to them: “Baru Elohim” is not written here, but rather, “bara Elohim.”
Rabbi Samlai said [moreover]: Everywhere you find a basis for a claim of the heretics, you find a refutation alongside it. They asked him further, saying to him: ‘What is this that is written: “Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness”?’30“Our” implying that there is more than one deity. He said to them: ‘Read what is written thereafter: God created [vayivre’u] man in their image31With plural verb and pronoun. is not stated, but rather, “God created [vayivra] man in His image,”’32With singular verb and pronoun. (Genesis 1:27). After they left, his students said to him: ‘Rabbi, those men you pushed off with a reed.33You gave them a facile response. What would you respond to us?’ He said to them: ‘In the past, Adam was created from earth and Eve was created from Adam. From now on, “In our image, in our likeness” – a man will not [produce offspring] without a woman, nor will a woman without a man, nor both of them without the Divine Presence.’34“Our” in the phrase “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” refers to a child’s father and mother and God, who all create new life together.
They then asked him, they said to him: ‘What is this that is written: “God [El], God [Elohim], the Lord [Hashem], [He knows]…”’ (Joshua 22:22).35It would appear as if three different deities are being referred to. He said to them: ‘“They know” is not written here, but rather, “He knows.”’36So all these names refer to a single Deity. His students said to him: ‘Those men you pushed off with a reed. What do you respond to us?’ He said to them: ‘All three of them are names of God, as when a person says: Basilias Augustus Caesar.’37These are all titles that are used in reference to a single king. They [the heretics] asked him: ‘What is this that is written: “For He is a holy [kedoshim] God”?’ (Joshua 24:19).38Kedoshim is a plural adjective, implying more than one deity. He said to them: ‘“They are holy” is not written, but rather, “he is holy.”’

(10) Rabbi Hoshaya said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, the ministering angels erred concerning him and sought to proclaim “holy” before him. This is analogous to a king and a governor who were in a chariot, and the residents of the province wanted to salute the king by proclaiming: Domine.39O Lord. But they did not know which one he was. What did the king do? He pushed him [the governor] out of the chariot, and then they all knew that he was the governor. So, when the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, the ministering angels erred concerning him and sought to proclaim “holy” before him. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He cast a deep slumber upon him, and everyone then knew that he was [merely] a man. That is what is written: “Desist from man, who has breath in his nostrils, for in what way is he worthy?” (Isaiah 2:22).

(11) “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).
“Male and female [unkeva] He created them” – this is one of the words that they changed for King Ptolemy:40When Ptolemy gathered seventy Sages to translate the Torah into Greek – the Septuagint (see Megilla 9a). There were several places where the Sages veered from translating literally in order to evade various problems. “A male and his orifices [unkuvav] he created them.”41They made this change to avoid a seeming contradiction between this verse and another verse (Genesis 2:18), in which it appears that Adam was created alone, without a female.
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak, and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Elazar say: He endowed him [Adam] with four features from the supernal realm and four features from the lower realm. [From the lower realm:] He eats and drinks as does an animal, procreates as does an animal, defecates as does an animal, and dies as does an animal. From the supernal realm: He stands as do the ministering angels, speaks as do the ministering angels, has intelligence as do the ministering angels, and sees as do the ministering angels. But do animals not [also] see? This is bewildering. The difference is that this one [a human] has peripheral vision.
Rabbi Tifdai in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The supernal beings were created in the [divine] image and likeness, but do not procreate, while the earthly beings [created before man] procreate but were not created in the [divine] image and likeness. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will create him [Adam] in the [divine] image and likeness, [a trait] from the supernal realm, but he will procreate, [a trait] from the earthly realm.’ Rabbi Tifdai in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I create him from the supernal realm, he will live and never die; if from the earthly realm, he will die and will not live. Rather, I will create him from [both] the supernal and from the earthly. If he sins he will die; if he does not sin he will live.’

(12) “God blessed them and God said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and dominate over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living creature that crawls upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28).
“And dominate over the fish of the sea” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: If they merit it, [they will] dominate [redu], but if not, they will fall [yeredu].42They will become victims to the predations of animals. Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanin said: One who fulfills “in our image, in our likeness – “And dominate”; those who do not fulfill “in our image, in our likeness” – they will fall [yeredu]. Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: Let the one who is “in our image, in our likeness”43Man. come “and dominate” the one who does not resemble being “in our image, in our likeness.”44The animals.
“God blessed them” – there we learned: A virgin should marry on a Wednesday and a widow on a Thursday.”45Ketubot 2a. Why? It is because a blessing [for fertility] is written in connection with these days. But, is it not so, that a blessing [for fertility] is written only in connection with Thursday and Friday?46Genesis 1:22 and 1:28. Bar Kapara said: Wednesday means on the eve of Thursday, and Thursday means on the eve of Friday.47The marriage that takes place during the day is consummated at night.
Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Yosei Ben Zimra: “[Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth] and subdue it” [vekhivshuha]48Plural. – it is written [as if it should be read] vekhovshah49Singular. – the man alone is commanded regarding procreation, but not the woman. Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka says: Both the man and the woman [are commanded]. Regarding both of them it says: “God blessed them […and said: Be fruitful, and multiply…].”
Vekhivshuha – it is written [as if it should be read] vekhovshah50Meaning: And subdue her. – the man restrains his wife so she should not go out in public,51In an inappropriate manner. as any woman who goes out in public will ultimately falter. From where do we derive it? It is from Dina, as it is stated: “Dina went out” (Genesis 34:1) – and she ultimately faltered. That is what is written: “Shekhem saw her…” (Genesis 34:2).
Rabbi Yirmeya, Rabbi Abahu, and Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The halakha is in accordance with Rabbi Yoḥanan.52Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka.

(13) Rabbi Abahu said: The Holy One blessed be He [Himself] took the cup of blessing,53The cup of wine over which the wedding benedictions are recited. [as it were,] and gave a blessing to them. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Mikhael and Gavriel were the groomsmen of Adam the first man.
Rabbi Samlai said: We have found that the Holy One blessed be He blesses grooms, adorns brides, visits the ill, and buries the dead. He blesses grooms – from where is it derived? “God blessed them.” He adorns brides – from where is it derived? “The Lord God built the side” (Genesis 2:22).54See Bereshit Rabba 18:1. He visits the ill – from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1).55God appeared to Abraham shortly after his circumcision. He buries the dead – from where is it derived? “He buried him56Moses. in the valley” (Deuteronomy 34:6). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: He also consoles the mourner. That is what is written: “God appeared to Jacob again…[and He blessed him]” (Genesis 35:9). What blessing did He bless him? It was the blessing of mourners.57This took place immediately after Jacob’s mother died (see Rashi on that verse).