According to the bible, the quality that distinguishes man from all other creatures is his endowment with “Tzelem Elokim” (the Image of God).

Beraishit 1:26-7

And God Said: Let us make man in Our Image, in accordance with Our Likeness… And God Created man in His Image, in the Image of God He Created him…

Commentators have suggested any number of possibilities for what “Tzelem Elokim” and “Demutainu”, in effect the essence of spiritual man, connote:

TE = the spiritual aspect of an entity; D = striving to emulate the Divine.TE = the outer appearance of something, outer activities in which one participates; D = inner matters affecting the imagination and the conscience that urge an individual on to sanctify himself and draw closer to HaShem.

a) Midrash Aggada (Buber) TE = animate life; D =wisdom and understanding.
b) RaShI TE = according to our mold; D = to understand and to analyze.
c) Sadia Gaon TE+D = the capacity to rule/lead.
d) RaDaK, RaMBaN TE = using intellectual capacity; D = despite resembling God, only a likeness because essentially composed of dust, material, matter. This is why man is remarkable, i.e., he combines aspects of the material and spiritual world.
e) Sephorno TE = the eternal, intellectual aspect of man; D = acting with wisdom, intention and free choice to a limited extent.
f) Ohr HaChaim TE = a compassionate side; D = a side that emphasizes the letter of the law.
g) HaKetav VeHaKabbala TE = the spiritual aspect of an entity; D = striving to emulate the Divine.
h) R. S.R. Hirsch TE = the outer appearance of something, outer activities in which one participates; D = inner matters affecting the imagination and the conscience that urge an individual on to sanctify himself and draw closer to HaShem.

R. J.B. Soloveitchik, as noted by R. Walter Wurzburger in “The Search for Meaning and Purpose”, a chapter in God is Proof Enough, adds a unique perspective that seems to be totally original:

…The Tora does not begin with the account of Creation in Beraishit in order to impart cosmological or metaphysical knowledge. The real objective of the narrative is a normative one, to teach us how to conduct our lives. Since the Biblical Command (Devarim 28:10) “Thou shalt walk in His Ways” mandates that human beings emulate God, they must strive to imitate the Creator’s creativity. Hence to become creative in the effort to perfect the world emerges as a religio-ethical ideal.”

In “The Centrality of Creativity in the Thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik” (Tradition 30:4, 1996), R. Wurzburger suggests that the Rav derived this idea from R. Chaim of Volozhin, who based himself upon the Kabbalistic principle that Itaruta DeLeTata will bring about Itaruta DeLeEila (a stirring from below will bring about a stirring Above.) But in contrast to R. Chaim who confined himself to explicitly spiritual matters, the Rav not only understood ideas such a Teshuva, prophecy and freedom of choice as acts of self-creation, but also “enthusiastically endorses cultural, scientific, and technological creativity as well,” all manifestations of emulating HaShem. While human creativity cannot be left to its own devices, and therefore R. Soloveitchik insisted that a dialectic be established between creativity on the one hand, and deep involvement in a covenantal relationship with God on the other, nevertheless, his unwavering support of all cultural, political and scientific endeavors within a religious frame of reference is significant and unfortunately appears to remain unique among venerated Orthodox thinkers.

It seems to me that the Rav’s view regarding human creativity is a necessary component of the conception that was discussed in the last blog posting, i.e., “partnering with God.” Unless a particular person’s original and idiosyncratic ideas can at least potentially, depending upon its complementarity with traditional Jewish thought and understandings about God in general, be significant and meaningful, how can man be considered even a “minor” partner with God in the act of completing the world that was Divinely Created? Each of us has areas where s/he is capable of making creative contributions to culture and society. Personally, with respect to my involvement in Jewish ideas, I have always been most excited and spiritually fulfilled when I feel that I have come up with a Chidush (an innovative insight.) Granted, that sometimes, after additional research, it turns out that I was Mitkavein (reached the identical conclusion) to others—I remember once in the Rav’s Shiur that a student gave an opinion, to which the Rav responded, “That’s the view of the RaShBA!” The student apparently seemed disappointed that he had been “scooped”; in a “teaching moment” that I obviously have not forgotten in over forty years, the Rav countered, “If you are walking on the right path, you are bound to meet others!”—that does not take away the joy of discovery on my part, and the ability to convey new ideas to my students and congregants.

Chidush can occur in many different contexts. It is inspiring to think that these innovations are not only inherent within man’s nature, but they are fulfillments of man’s Divine Purpose, whether he knows it or not.

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רש”ר הירש בראשית פרשת בראשית פרק א פסוק כו

בצלמנו – כבר הוכחנו שם (עמ’ 526), ש”צלם” – קרוב ל”שלם” (“שלמה”) ול”סמל” (“שמלה”) – מציין רק את הלבוש החיצוני, את התבנית הגופנית. נמצא “בצלמנו”= בלבושנו; הוה אומר: אם יתגשמו ויתלבשו בלבוש חיצוני – כל החסד והרחמים, כל האמת והמשפט והקדושה של הנהגת ה’, – הם יתלבשו באותו לבוש, שהבורא חלק לאדם. כבר תבניתו הגופנית של האדם מעידה עליו שהוא בא כח לאל, אלהות עלי אדמות. צלמו של אדם הוא -:

כדמותנו; הוא הולם את האדם, שנועד להידמות לאלהיו. משמעות אחרת ל”דמה”: להחריש. נמצא זה מושג הדמיון, כפי שהוא נתפס במונח “דמה”: עצמים דומים – “דוממים” זה אל זה; כביכול, אינם מביעים התנגדות זה לזה ולא סותרים זה לזה בדברים – (גם מחשבת לשוננו החדשה מכירה את המושג: ניגוד משווע). תפקידו של אדם להידמות לאלהיו – מתבטא אפוא בדרך שלילית: אל יהא בלבו דבר, הסותר למידות האלהיות, – לאמת ולחסד, לצדק ולקדושה. אין אדם יכול להשתוות אל ה’, אך עליו להידמות אליו; אל יהא בלבו דבר, הסותר למידות ה’. ייעודו של אדם “להתקדש”, לשאוף אל על בדרגות הקדושה האלהית. נמצא זה פירוש הפסוק: נעשה בא כח לנו, בלבוש הראוי לנו, כראוי לזה שנועד להידמות אלינו: