Avot195
of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel
RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP
TRACTATE AVOT, CHAPTER THREE, MISHNAH FIFTEEN:
He used to say: beloved is mankind, [being] created in the [divine] image; [even] greater affection [is indicated] in that he has been made aware that he has been created in the [divine] image, as it says, "For He created man in the image of God". Beloved are Jews who are called sons of God; [even] greater affection [is indicated] in that they have been made aware that they are called sons of God, as it says, "You are sons of your God". Beloved are Jews who have been given a delightful means; [even] greater affection [is indicated] in that they have been made aware that they have been given the delightful means whereby the world was created, as it says, "For I have given you good instruction: do not forsake My Torah."
EXPLANATIONS:
1:
The Hebrew of our present mishnah is quite simple and straightforward, but it is fiendishly difficult to render into another language. I am quite certain that I have not done the piece justice. He used to say clearly refers to Rabbi Akiva, the author of the previous mishnah, and there does not seem to be any reason to doubt this. (Previously, there have been occasions when such an attribution was in doubt.)
2:
The reisha [first clause] of our mishnah is clear: mankind has been told – in the bible – that man was created in the divine image and this is a sign of God's great affection for mankind. It will be easier, perhaps, to understand the reasoning here if we first attempt to understand the term 'divine image'.
3:
Mankind – all of mankind – has been informed in the bible [Genesis 1:27] that the human race reflects the divine image:
And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
And yet again [Genesis 5:1-2]
This is the record of Adam’s line. – When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God; male and female He created them. And when they were created, He blessed them and called them Man.
Clearly, from the point of view of Jewish theology, these verses require interpretation, because for a religious Jew to entertain the idea that man looks like God and God looks like man is heretical. Since God is held to be non-physical God cannot resemble anything physical. Indeed, God resembles nothing at all, but is absolutely unique. In his Mishneh Torah [Teshuvah 3:7] Rambam says:
Five people are termed [by the sages, Avodah Zarah 26b] heretics: he who says there is no God and that the universe has no author; he who says that there is an author but they are two or more; he who says that is but one sovereign but that he is physical and has a resemblance… every one of these five is called a heretic.
Just how problematic such a stance once was can be learned from a rather caustic comment made on the above by Rabbi Avraham ben-David of Posquières [southern France, 1125-1198]:
Why does he call someone who thinks that God is physical and has a semblance is a heretic? Many greater and better than he have entertained such thoughts according to what they saw in biblical verses and even more in midrashim that confuse people.
Later Jewish judgement has decided that it would be very difficult to find any rabbinic personality "greater and better" than Rambam – and certainly not one who entertained the idea that God is physical!
To be continued.
DISCUSSION:
In Avot 192 I quoted Leviticus 25:23: Land shall never be permanently sold, because Land belongs to Me; you are [mere] landless leaseholders with me.
Daniel Burstyn writes:
It is interesting that the verse from Leviticus which you mention was the basis for the establishment of the Jewish National Fund, which did not sell land which it owned but only leased plots to inhabitants. With the establishment of the State the government of Israel created the Israel Lands Authority, which administers land which belongs to the State and to the JNF. Sadly, the directorate of the JNF decided last year to transfer most of its assets in the centre of the country to the ILA in payment of debt. Since then it is possible to acquire a plot in Israel in perpetuity.
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