The Greatest Line in the Torah - Parshat  Bereishit

In reading a book, we often make note of certain lines that stood out for us or that we found we could most relate to.

Interestingly, Chazal did this as well with the Torah. The Gemara relates a fascinating discussion about the most important line in the Torah.1 Rabbi Akiva claims that 'Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself'2 is a great principle whereas Ben Azai rejects this. Ben Azai, rather, focuses on a seemingly tame sentence from this week's parsha, Parshat Bereishit: "This is the book of the chronicles of Adam: on the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God."3 This, Ben Azai says, is an even greater principle. Rabbi Tanchuma expands on this a bit and explains that Ben Azai is saying that your respect of another is not conditional. You need to respect the other because he was created in the image of God, and, therefore, you will not want to desecrate the image of God which is present within the other.4 Just because he was created in the image of God, he is worthy of that respect.

There is an additional point to be made here which most people seem to gloss over. If we are all created in the image of God, then not only do we need to respect others because they are created in the image of God. It means that we, too, are created in His image and that we are to respect ourselves as well. All too often people seem to be lacking that positive image of their own selves. They will respect others but not themselves. How sad.

I have seen this occur time and time again in my clinic where people lack that basic self-worth. They do not recognize that they too are created in God's image and are therefore worthy of respect. Yet once they do gain that perspective, their self-view changes dramatically and they can start helping themselves.5 When people recognize that they have unconditional self-worth just by virtue of their being created in God's image, their whole demeanor changes. Even for people who are non-believers, I speak with them of everyone having meaning in their lives. Once they realize that their lives have meaning and significance, they feel significant. They do not even need to know yet why God created them or what their meaning and purpose in life is. Just understanding that they are created in His image or that there is meaning in their lives creates automatically a different sense of self-worth.

If we can accept that we need to respect others, then it follows that we are also worthy of that respect. After all, we, too, were created in His image and we, too - each and every one of us – have meaning in our lives as well.

And if our lives have significance, then we are significant.

Notes

  1. Talmud Yerushalmi - Nedarim 9:4
  2. Vayikra 19:18
  3. Bereishit 5:1 (Kaplan translation)
  4. Bereishit Rabba 24:7
  5. In a similar vein, in my work with people I've noticed that when people start believing that there is meaning in their lives, even if they haven’t yet discovered what that meaning is, their lives already become more meaningful. Knowing that there is meaning in everyone's lives is a principle of thelogotherapy of Viktor Frankl
  6. The accompanying picture was found on pinterest.com. It was widely used as a poster in the 1970's.

Have A Great Shabbat!laughing

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