It does not deal with the conflict between Man’s image as perceived in the Western and liberal world and Man’s image as it arises from the Bible and halacha. Rather, it speaks in the language of the bet midrash, a language that calls for a different self-awareness, one that will lead to a genuine recognition that the most precise description of Man is “in His image.”
My intention is to is bring before the reader a complete Torah-centric worldview of the life of a servant of God who knows that he possesses the image of God.
Man’s self-concept that he is created in God’s image affects many aspects of his life. Thus, the Torah first describes the practical meanings of Man’s status. God’s first statement expresses the purpose of Man having been created in His Divine image: “And God said, Let Us make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen. 1:26).
This statement becomes a reality: “And God blessed them, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28).
And thus, in the first chapter of Genesis, God appoints Man, making him responsible for the world. God has completed His work in the world and, after creating Man, sees that the world is good and sanctifies the seventh day. From then on, the world is entrusted to its various components and systems – different elements of creation are charged with different tasks, and above all of these stands Man.
It is not just Man who is assigned responsibility in the world. God does give other beings various roles. To the creatures of the sea, He says: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply in the earth” (Gen. 1:22). The earth, embedded with the capacity to grow, automatically brings forth trees. The celestial lights also have their own mission. However, none of these has a station comparable to that of Man. Man is the only one who possesses the image of God, and he rules and fills the land.
The first chapter of Genesis also indicates that God leaves the world’s administration to Man. It is worth noting that at this point God does not command Man to do anything, nor does He forbid him anything. He blesses him “be fruitful, and multiply” (which, in its simplest sense, is not a mitzvah but a blessing) and places him in charge of the entire world. Henceforth, it seems, there is no need for a God who attends to the world, rewarding the charitable person for his work and punishing the evildoer for his deeds. The world is given to Man and he shall determine its fate. If he chooses wisely, the world will advance and produce all that can be derived from it; if he chooses poorly, the world will destroy itself.
Indeed, in Jewish mysticism, the name Elokim expresses the attribute of justice and God’s concealment from the world, establishing the fact that the world is ostensibly left in the hands of nature. As Man is foremost of nature’s creatures, he rules the earth.
However, to prevent any misunderstanding, we must note that the second chapter of Genesis paints an entirely different picture: God instructs Man on several matters pertaining to the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life. The significance of this command does not concern Man alone; it also determines the place of Divine revelation. Once a command is given, its fulfillment must be verified, so that a reward may be granted or a consequence meted out. Therefore, in the second chapter, the special divine providence that accompanies the world is also established.
