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Let us return to the first chapter of Creation. The world’s existence depends on Man, possessor of God’s image. This statement has many layers. First and foremost, there is the natural realm – Man is the one who has the ability to exhaust the world’s resources and lead it to destruction. He is the one who can cause environmental damage, bring about the melting of the ice caps, and flood the earth. He can pollute the water, turning parts of the world into a wilderness. He can invent vaccines and save the world from disease or develop new virus strains that are resistant to those same vaccines.
Man’s inventions allow him to shape an ideal society with a just distribution of resources; at the same time, his cruelty can bring about a holocaust. He has the power to develop nuclear energy as a clean alternative to other energy sources and he can make use of this energy to destroy the world in the plainest sense. Man can eradicate different species with unregulated hunting and he can also develop new species by way of hybridization or scientific developments.
All this pertains to the vital meaning of Man’s responsibility to the world.
However, the question of the world’s existence does not relate solely to survival and development. The world is not limited merely to the physical; it is also manifest in the realization of all dimensions of existence.
The world does not exist in the fullest sense if Man’s abilities are not completely realized. What is the world’s purpose if Man’s artistic talents are not expressed, adding layers of significance to life? Can there be a world without culture, without moral rules, without philosophical capability, without athletic talent realized to the fullest? How could the world exist without music surging and making the soul tremble? A world without the spiritual and psychological, without aesthetics and beauty, without humor and drama, is a world that does not “exist.”
The world’s existence, then, can mean two things. The first meaning relates to physical existence. Man cannot find meaning in his existence when he has no pleasure in realizing his inner world. And when he lives a life similar to that of an animal whose sole purpose is to survive, it is uncertain that he will find the motivation to carry on.
The second meaning redefines the term “world’s existence,” as the world does not exist solely in its physical dimension but also in the levels built above that plane.
The Divine image God granted Man therefore includes the responsibility to develop all of these. It places Man at the center of creation, with the rest of creation revolving around him. The relationship between Man and creation thus includes qualities with different trajectories. Man is not just responsible for ensuring creation’s existence; he is also permitted to harness it for his needs. Because of this, he was initially permitted to eat vegetation and later (after the Flood) permitted to eat from the living.
The relationship between Man and creation is thus double sided – it involves both Man’s activity to preserve creation and his utilization of creation to bring himself to his deserved heights. Moreover, it is essential to keep in mind that Man himself is also a part of creation. He plays a paradoxical role – on the one hand, he is an element of creation; on the other hand, he is responsible for it. As a result, part of his task is to bring his inner world to full realization. The world of pleasure and the senses, the world of enjoyment and emotion, the world of confronting internal cruelty and halting the forces of pride – all of these are an inseparable part of Man’s purpose and mission.
