Midrashic Interpretations of Adam's Creation

נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ. אָמַר לָהֶם קִרְאוּן מַה דְּבַתְרֵיהּ, וַיִּבְרְאוּ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמֵיהֶם, לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו, רַבִּי, לְאֵלּוּ דָּחִית בְּקָנֶה, לָנוּ מָה אַתְּ מֵשִׁיב. אָמַר לָהֶם, לְשֶׁעָבַר אָדָם נִבְרָא מִן הָאֲדָמָה, חַוָּה נִבְרֵאת מִן הָאָדָם, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ, לֹא אִישׁ בְּלֹא אִשָּׁה וְלֹא אִשָּׁה בְּלֹא אִישׁ וְלֹא שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּלֹא שְׁכִינָה.

אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב דִּכְפַר חָנִין, אֶת שֶׁהוּא בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ, וּרְדוּ. אֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ, יֵרְדוּ.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם, בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בָּא לִבְראוֹת אָדָם, אָמַר אִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הֲרֵי הָעֶלְיוֹנִים רַבִּים מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים בְּרִיאָה אַחַת, אִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הֲרֵי הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים רַבִּים עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנִים בְּרִיאָה אַחַת, מֶה עָשָׂה בְּרָאוֹ מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּמִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ב, ז): וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, (בראשית ב, ז): וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, רַבִּי מָנֵי דִּשְׁאַב וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי, גָּדוֹל שָׁלוֹם שֶׁכָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת וְטוֹבוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבִיאָן עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, חוֹתְמִין בְּשָׁלוֹם, בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע פּוֹרֵס סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם, בַּתְּפִלָּה עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם, בְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (במדבר ו, כו):

אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: דְּיוֹ פַּרְצוּף פָּנִים הָיָה לוֹ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי״. כְּתִיב: ״וַיִּבֶן ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע וְגוֹ׳״, רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל: חַד אָמַר פַּרְצוּף, וְחַד אָמַר זָנָב.

Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar also said: Adam was first created with two [deyo] faces, one male and the other female. As it is stated: “You have formed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me” (Psalms 139:5). Similarly, it is written: “And the tzela, which the Lord, God, had taken from the man, He made a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:22). Rav and Shmuel disagree over the meaning of the word tzela: One said: It means a female face, from which God created Eve; and one said: Adam was created with a tail [zanav], which God removed from him and from which He created Eve.

דָּרַשׁ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם״ בִּשְׁנֵי יוֹדִין? — שְׁנֵי יְצָרִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶחָד יֵצֶר טוֹב וְאֶחָד יֵצֶר רָע. אִי נָמֵי כִּדְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: דּוּ פַּרְצוּפִין בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי״.

Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda interpreted homiletically: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Then the Lord God formed [vayyitzer] man” (Genesis 2:7), with a double yod? This double yod alludes to that fact that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created two inclinations; one a good inclination and one an evil inclination. Alternatively, this duplication in the language of creation can be explained in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar, as Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, created two faces [du partzufin] on Adam the first man; he was created both male and female in a single body, as it is stated: “You have formed me [tzartani] behind and before” (Psalms 139:5); tzartani is derived from the word tzura [face]. God formed two faces on a single creation, back and front.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁלֹשָׁה שׁוּתָּפִין יֵשׁ בָּאָדָם — הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָבִיו, וְאִמּוֹ. אָבִיו מַזְרִיעַ הַלּוֹבֶן, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ עֲצָמוֹת, וְגִידִים, וְצִפׇּרְנַיִם, וּמוֹחַ שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וְלוֹבֶן שֶׁבָּעַיִן. אִמּוֹ מַזְרַעַת אוֹדֶם, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ עוֹר, וּבָשָׂר, וּשְׂעָרוֹת, וְשָׁחוֹר שֶׁבָּעַיִן. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן בּוֹ רוּחַ, וּנְשָׁמָה, וּקְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים, וּרְאִיַּית הָעַיִן, וּשְׁמִיעַת הָאוֹזֶן, וְדִבּוּר פֶּה, וְהִלּוּךְ רַגְלַיִם, וּבִינָה, וְהַשְׂכֵּל. דָּרֵשׁ רַב חִינָּנָא בַּר פָּפָּא: מַאי דִכְתִיב ״עוֹשֶׂה גְּדוֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר וְנִפְלָאוֹת עַד אֵין מִסְפָּר״? בֹּא וּרְאֵה שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם. מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, נוֹתֵן חֵפֶץ בְּחֵמֶת צְרוּרָה וּפִיהָ לְמַעְלָה — סָפֵק מִשְׁתַּמֵּר, סְפֵק אֵין מִשְׁתַּמֵּר. וְאִילּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, צָר הָעוּבָּר בִּמְעֵי אִשָּׁה פְּתוּחָה וּפִיהָ לְמַטָּה, וּמִשְׁתַּמֵּר. דָּרֵשׁ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי: מַאי דִכְתִיב ״אוֹדְךָ (ה׳) עַל כִּי נוֹרָאוֹת נִפְלֵיתִי נִפְלָאִים מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְנַפְשִׁי יוֹדַעַת מְאֹד״? בֹּא וּרְאֵה שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם. מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אָדָם נוֹתֵן זֵרְעוֹנִים בַּעֲרוּגָה כׇּל (אַחַת וְאַחַת) [אֶחָד וְאֶחָד] עוֹלֶה בְּמִינוֹ, וְאִילּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צָר הָעוּבָּר בִּמְעֵי אִשָּׁה, וְכוּלָּם עוֹלִין לְמִין אֶחָד.

§ The Sages taught: There are three partners in the creation of a person: The Holy One, Blessed be He, and his father, and his mother. His father emits the white seed, from which the following body parts are formed: The bones, the sinews, the nails, the brain that is in its head, and the white of the eye. His mother emits red seed, from which are formed the skin, the flesh, the hair, and the black of the eye. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, inserts into him a spirit, a soul, his countenance [ukelaster], eyesight, hearing of the ear, the capability of speech of the mouth, the capability of walking with the legs, understanding, and wisdom. § Rav Ḥinnana bar Pappa taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Who does great deeds beyond comprehension, wondrous deeds without number” (Job 9:10)? Come and see that the attribute of flesh and blood is unlike the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He. The attribute of flesh and blood is that if one puts an article in a flask, even if the flask is tied and its opening faces upward, it is uncertain whether the item is preserved from getting lost, and it is uncertain whether it is not preserved from being lost. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, forms the fetus in a woman’s open womb, and its opening faces downward, and yet the fetus is preserved. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalms 139:14)? Come and see that the attribute of flesh and blood is unlike the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He. The attribute of flesh and blood is that when a person plants seeds of different species in one garden bed, each and every one of the seeds emerges as a grown plant according to its species. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, forms the fetus in a woman’s womb, and all of the seeds, i.e., those of both the father and the mother, emerge when the offspring is formed as one sex.

גּוּפוֹ מִבָּבֶל, וְרֹאשׁוֹ מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵבָרָיו מִשְּׁאָר אֲרָצוֹת. עַגְבוֹתָיו, אָמַר רַב אַחָא: מֵאַקְרָא דְאַגְמָא. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בַּר חֲנִינָא: שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת הָוֵי הַיּוֹם. שָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה – הוּצְבַּר עֲפָרוֹ, שְׁנִיָּה – נַעֲשָׂה גּוֹלֶם, שְׁלִישִׁית – נִמְתְּחוּ אֵבָרָיו, רְבִיעִית – נִזְרְקָה בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, חֲמִישִׁית – עָמַד עַל רַגְלָיו, שִׁשִּׁית – קָרָא שֵׁמוֹת, שְׁבִיעִית – נִזְדַּוְּוגָה לוֹ חַוָּה, שְׁמִינִית – עָלוּ לַמִּטָּה שְׁנַיִם וְיָרְדוּ אַרְבָּעָה, תְּשִׁיעִית – נִצְטַוָּוה שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכוֹל מִן הָאִילָן, עֲשִׂירִית – סָרַח, אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה – נִידּוֹן, שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה – נִטְרַד וְהָלַךְ לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל יָלִין״. (שָׁעָה, בַּסּוֹף, אֲרַמִּי – סִימָן.) אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְראוֹת אֶת הָאָדָם, בָּרָא כַּת אַחַת שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. אָמַר לָהֶם: רְצוֹנְכֶם נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ? אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? אָמַר לָהֶן: כָּךְ וְכָךְ מַעֲשָׂיו. אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, ״מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ״? הוֹשִׁיט אֶצְבָּעוֹ קְטַנָּה בֵּינֵיהֶן וּשְׂרָפָם. וְכֵן כַּת שְׁנִיָּה. כַּת שְׁלִישִׁית אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְפָנֶיךָ מָה הוֹעִילוּ? כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ הוּא. כׇּל מָה שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּעוֹלָמְךָ – עֲשֵׂה.

his torso was fashioned from dust taken from Babylonia, and his head was fashioned from dust taken from Eretz Yisrael, the most important land, and his limbs were fashioned from dust taken from the rest of the lands in the world. With regard to his buttocks, Rav Aḥa says: They were fashioned from dust taken from Akra De’agma, on the outskirts of Babylonia. Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Ḥanina says: Daytime is twelve hours long, and the day Adam the first man was created was divided as follows: In the first hour of the day, his dust was gathered. In the second, an undefined figure was fashioned. In the third, his limbs were extended. In the fourth, a soul was cast into him. In the fifth, he stood on his legs. In the sixth, he called the creatures by the names he gave them. In the seventh, Eve was paired with him. In the eighth, they arose to the bed two, and descended four, i.e., Cain and Abel were immediately born. In the ninth, he was commanded not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. In the tenth, he sinned. In the eleventh, he was judged. In the twelfth, he was expelled and left the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “But man abides not in honor; he is like the beasts that perish” (Psalms 49:13). Adam did not abide, i.e., sleep, in a place of honor for even one night. The Gemara presents a mnemonic for the statements that follow: At the time, to the end, Aramaic. Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: At the time that the Holy One, Blessed be He, sought to create a person, He created one group of ministering angels. He said to them: If you agree, let us fashion a person in our image. The angels said before him: Master of the Universe, what are the actions of this person You suggest to create? God said to them: His actions are such and such, according to human nature. The angels said before him: Master of the Universe: “What is man that You are mindful of him? And the son of man that You think of him?” (Psalms 8:5), i.e., a creature such as this is not worth creating. God outstretched His small finger among them and burned them with fire. And the same occurred with a second group of angels. The third group of angels that He asked said before Him: Master of the Universe, the first two groups who spoke their mind before You, what did they accomplish? The entire world is Yours; whatever You wish to do in Your world, do. God then created the first person.

אך האדם הוא בכח ויוצא אל הפעל. וזהו ענין האדם שהוא בכח, ויוצא שלימותו אל הפעל. כי האדם הזה לא נברא בשלמותו האחרון, והוא נברא להוציא שלמותו אל הפעל. וזה "אדם לעמל יולד", שהוא נולד ונמצא אל תכלית העמל, דהיינו להוציא השלמות אל הפעל.

המונחים צלם ודמות משמעות שגויה של המונח צלם 1 צלם ודמות. אנשים חשבו ש"צלם" בעברית מורה על תבניתו ומתארו של דבר. דבר זה הביא להגשמה גמורה, בגלל הפסוק "נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ" (בראשית א,כו). הם חשבו שהאל הוא בצורת אדם, כלומר בתבניתו ובמתארו, והדבר הוביל אותם להגשמה גמורה. על כן הם האמינו בה, וסברו שאם ייטשו את האמונה הזו הם יכחישו את הכתוב, ואף ישללו את קיומו של האל אם אין לו גוף בעל פנים ויד הדומים לאלה שלהם בתבנית ובמתאר; אלא שהם מדמים שהוא גדול וזוהר יותר, וגם אינו עשוי מדם ומבשר. זהו שיא רוממותו של האל, לפי סברתם.

Some have been of opinion that by the Hebrew ẓelem, the shape and figure of a thing is to be understood, and this explanation led men to believe in the corporeality [of the Divine Being]: for they thought that the words “Let us make man in our ẓelem” (Gen. 1:26), implied that God had the form of a human being, i.e., that He had figure and shape, and that, consequently, He was corporeal. They adhered faithfully to this view, and thought that if they were to relinquish it they would in so reject the truth of the Bible: and further, if they did not conceive God as having a body possessed of face and limbs, similar to their own in appearance, they would have to deny even the existence of God. The sole difference which they admitted, was that He excelled in greatness and splendour, and that His substance was not flesh and blood. Thus far went their conception of the greatness and glory of God.

וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים (בראשית ב, ז), כְּתִיב (משלי כט, ד): מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ וגו', מֶלֶךְ זֶה מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ, שֶׁבָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בַּדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, א): בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים. (משלי כט, ד): וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה, זֶה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיָה גְּמַר חַלָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וְנִקְרֵאת חַלָּה תְּרוּמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו, כ): רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן קְצַרְתָּה, כָּאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהִיא מְשַׁקְשֶׁקֶת עִסָּתָהּ בַּמַּיִם וְהַגְבָּהַת חַלָּתָה מִבֵּנְתַיִם, כָּךְ בַּתְּחִלָּה וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וגו', וְאַחַר כָּךְ וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים וגו'. וַיִּיצֶר שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וִיצִירָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק וְרַבָּנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, בָּרָא בוֹ ד' בְּרִיּוֹת מִלְמַעְלָן וְד' מִלְמַטָּן, אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה כִּבְהֵמָה, פָּרָה וְרָבָה כִּבְהֵמָה, מַטִּיל גְּלָלִים כִּבְהֵמָה, וּמֵת כִּבְהֵמָה. מִלְּמַעְלָה, עוֹמֵד כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, מְדַבֵּר, וּמֵבִין, וְרוֹאֶה, כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. וּבְהֵמָה אֵינָהּ רוֹאָה, אֶתְמְהָא. אֶלָּא זֶה מְצַדֵּד. רַבִּי תַּפְדוּיֵי אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא, הָעֶלְיוֹנִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּצֶלֶם וּבִדְמוּת, וְאֵינָן פָּרִין וְרָבִין. וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, פָּרִין וְרָבִין וְלֹא נִבְרְאוּ בְּצֶלֶם וּדְמוּת. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵי אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ בְּצֶלֶם וּבִדְמוּת מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, פָּרָה וְרָבָה מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּפְדוּיֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, הוּא חַי וְאֵינוֹ מֵת, מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הוּא מֵת וְאֵינוֹ חַי, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי בּוֹרְאוֹ מֵאֵלּוּ וּמֵאֵלּוּ, וְאִם יֶחֱטָא יָמוּת, וְאִם לָאו יִחְיֶה. וַיִּיצֶר, שְׁנֵי יְצָרִים, יֵצֶר טוֹב וְיֵצֶר הָרָע. שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה לִבְהֵמָה ב' יְצָרִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיְתָה רוֹאָה סַכִּין בְּיַד אָדָם לְשָׁחֲטָהּ הָיְתָה מְפַחֶדֶת וּמֵתָה, וַהֲרֵי אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ ב' יְצָרִים, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אִידָא (זכריה יב, א): וְיֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם צְרוּרָה בְּקִרְבּוֹ, אִלְּמָלֵא כֵּן כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיְתָה הַצָּרָה בָּאָה עָלָיו הָיָה שׁוֹמְטָהּ וּמַשְׁלִיכָהּ.

“The Lord God formed the man of dirt from the ground and He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). “The Lord God formed” – it is written: “A king will uphold the land with justice [but a man of terumot destroys it]” (Proverbs 29:4). “A king” – this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He. “Will uphold the land with justice” – as He created the world with [the attribute of] justice, as it is stated: “In the beginning, God [Elohim] created” (Genesis 1:1). “But a man of terumot destroys it” – this is Adam the first man, who was the ḥalla of the completion of the world. Ḥalla is called teruma, as it is stated: “The first of your kneading basket [you shall separate as a loaf, as teruma]” (Numbers 15:20). Rabbi Yosei ben Ketzarta said: It is like a woman who mixes her dough with water and [then] separates its ḥalla from its midst; so, too, first “a mist would rise from the earth” (Genesis 2:6), and then, “The Lord God formed [man]…” “Formed” [Vayitzer] – there were two acts of formation [involved in the creation of man], a formation from the lower realms and a formation from the upper realms. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: He created in him four creations from the upper realms and four from the lower realms. He [man] eats and drinks like an animal, procreates like an animal, defecates like an animal, and dies like an animal. From the upper realms: He stands upright, speaks, understands, and sees like ministering angels. But does an animal not [also] see? This is bewildering. The difference is that this one [a human] has peripheral vision. Rabbi Tafduyei said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The supernal beings were created in the [divine] image and likeness, but do not procreate, while the earthly beings [that have been created up to now] procreate, but were not created in the [divine] image and likeness. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will create him [Adam] in the [divine] image and likeness, [a trait] from the supernal realm, but he will procreate, [a trait] from the earthly realm.’ Rabbi Tafduyei said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I create him from the supernal realm, he will live and never die; if from the earthly realm, he will die and will not live. Rather, I will create him from [both] these [the supernal] and those [the earthly]. If he sins, he will die; if he does not, he will live.’ “Formed" [Vayitzer] – [alluding to man’s] two inclinations [yetzarim], the good inclination and the evil inclination. Were an animal to have two inclinations, when it would see a person with a knife in his hand ready to slaughter it, it would die of fright. But does man not have two inclinations [and nevertheless does not die of fright]? Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ida said: “He forms [yotzer] the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1) – this teaches that a person’s soul is bound up [tzerura] within him. Were it not so, whenever he would experience anguish, he would shed it [his soul] and cast it off from himself.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּתִיב: ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ וְגוֹ' (משלי ג, יט) וְאוֹמֵר: וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה (שמות לא, ג). לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁהַמִּשְׁכָּן שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הָעוֹלָם, וּכְנֶגֶד יְצִירַת הָאָדָם שֶׁהוּא עוֹלָם קָטָן. כֵּיצַד, כְּשֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ, כִּילוּד אִשָּׁה בְּרָאוֹ. מַה יְּלוּד אִשָּׁה מַתְחִיל מִטַּבּוּרָם וּמוֹתֵחַ לְכָאן וּלְכָאן לְאַרְבָּעָה צְדָדִין, כָּךְ הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ מֵאֶבֶן שְׁתִיָהּ תְּחִלָהּ, וּמִמֶּנָּה הֻשְׁתַּת הָעוֹלָם. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ אֶבֶן שְׁתִיָּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה הִתְחִיל הָקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ. וּבָרָא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ ה' (שמות טו, יז). אַל תִּקְרָא מָכוֹן אֶלָּא מְכֻוָּן. לְשִׁבְּתְּךָ, כְּנֶגֶד כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב לְעֵיל. וִיצִירַת הַוָּלָד כִּיצִירַת הָעוֹלָם, כְּנֶגֶד יְצִירַת הַוָּלָד בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ. כְּשֶׁרָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת הָאָדָם, אָמַר לַתּוֹרָה, נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם וְגוֹ' (בראשית א, כו). אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, הָאָדָם שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת, קְצַר יָמִים וּשְׂבַע רֹגֶז (איוב יד, א), יָבֹא לִידֵי חֵטְא. וְאִם אֵין אַתָּה מַאֲרִיךְ אַפְּךָ עִמּוֹ, רָאוּי שֶׁלֹּא בָא לָעוֹלָם. אָמַר, וְעַל חִנָּם נִקְרֵאתִי אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד (במדבר יד, יח). הִתְחִיל מְקַבֵּץ אֶת גּוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הָאָרֶץ, אֵין עֲפַר גּוּפְךָ מִשֶּׁלִּי. אִם לוֹקֵחַ מִמִּזְרָח וְיִפָּטֵר בַּמַּעֲרָב, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אֶרֶץ מַעֲרָב, אֵין עֲפַר גּוּפְךָ מִשֶּׁלִּי, לֹא אֲקַבְּלֶךָ. וּלְפִיכָךְ נְטָלוֹ מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּפָּטֵר שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוֹ הָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי עָפָר אָתָּה (בראשית ג, יט). וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת הָיָה הַיּוֹם. בְּשָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, צָבַר עֲפָרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם. בַּשְּׁנִיָּה, גִּבְּלוֹ מִן הַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי (תהלים קלט, ה). אָחוֹר, זֶה מַעֲרָב. וָקֶדֶם, זֶה מִזְרָח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה (שמות כז, יג). וְרָאוּהוּ וְנִתְיָרְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו. הָיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁהוּא בְרָאָם, וּבָאוּ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן, לָמָּה בָּאתֶם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לִי, נָבוֹא כֻלָּנוּ נִרְאֶה כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְהָיָה תָמֵהַּ בְּלִבּוֹ. הִתְחִיל מְשַׁבֵּחַ וּמְפָאֵר לְיוֹצְרוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר: מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ (תהלים לא, כ). וְאוֹמֵר: מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ ה' (תהלים קד, כד). קָם עַל רַגְלָיו וְהוּא כְּתֹאַר וְכִדְמוּת אֱלֹהִים, וְהָיָה קוֹמָתוֹ אַחֲרָיו. וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ גֵּאוּת וָעֹז וְהִמְלִיכוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְיוֹצְרוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ, ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ (תהלים צג, א). קַנְקַן חָדָשׁ מָלֵא יָשָׁן.

Another explanation of It hath been already (Eccles. 1:10). It is written: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19) and also: I have filled him with the spirit of wisdom (Exod. 31:3). This teaches us that the Tabernacle was equal both to all the world and to a human embryo, which is a world in miniature. How is that so? When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He did so just as a child is born to a woman. A child starts to grow at the navel and then develops in all directions, and the Holy One, blessed be He, began the creation of His world at the foundation stone, and built the world upon it. Why was it called a foundation stone? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, began the creation of His world upon it. Then He created the celestial Temple, as it is said: The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made to dwell in (Exod. 15:14). Do not read the word as makhon (“foundation”), but as mekuvan (“exactly opposite”). Your dwelling place above is directly opposite Your dwelling place below. The formation of the embryo is like the formation of the world, for just as the embryo is formed in the womb of its mother, so too the world was formed at the foundation stone. When the Holy One, blessed be he, contemplated fashioning man, he said to the Torah: Let us make man (Gen. 1:26). It replied: Master of the Universe, the man You wish to make is of few days, and full of trouble (Job 14:1), and he will sin. If You are not forbearing with him, it would be better that he should not come into the world. He retorted: Is it for nothing that I am described as Slow to anger and plenteous in loving-kindness (Num. 17:18)? Whereupon He began to collect the dust for the body of the first man from the four corners of the earth, so that no one part of the earth might say: “The dust of the body of man is mine.” If he took the dust from the east and the man passed away to the west, the earth of the west might say: “The dust of your body did not come from me, I will not welcome you.” Therefore He took the dust from the four corners of the world, so that wherever man man passes away the earth would welcome him, as it is written: For dust thou art (Gen. 3:19). There were twelve hours in that day. During the first hour He collected the dust for the body of man; in the second hour He kneaded the dust of the east and the west together, as it is said: Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before (Ps. 139:4). Behind refers to the west, and before to the east, as is said: Before the east side (Exod. 38:13). The creatures of the earth saw him and feared him. They believed that he was their creator. They came and bowed down before him, and he said to them: “Why do you come to bow before me?” “All of us have come because we have seen all the creatures that the Holy One, blessed be he, has created.” And his heart was filled with wonder. He began to praise and extol his Creator, saying: Oh, how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for those that fear Thee (Ps. 31:20), and also How manifold are Thy works, O Lord (Ps. 104:24). He arose and had the appearance and the likeness of God; he was tall in stature and was clothed with majesty and glory, and he ruled over them for His creator. And they said: The Lord reigneth; he is clothed in majesty (Ps. 93:1).

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ (בראשית א, כו), רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן פָּתַח (תהלים קלט, ה): אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אִם זָכָה אָדָם, אוֹכֵל שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי, וְאִם לָאו הוּא בָּא לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס בְּרָאוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ה, ב): זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דְּיוּ פַּרְצוּפִים בְּרָאוֹ, וְנִסְּרוֹ וַעֲשָׂאוֹ גַּבִּים, גַּב לְכָאן וְגַב לְכָאן. אֲתִיבוּן לֵיהּ וְהָכְתִיב (בראשית ב, כא): וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו, אֲמַר לְהוֹן מִתְּרֵין סִטְרוֹהִי, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כו, כ): וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן, דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן וְלִסְטַר מַשְׁכְּנָא וגו'. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בְּנָיָה וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן גֹּלֶם בְּרָאוֹ, וְהָיָה מוּטָל מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, הֲדָא הוא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קלט, טז): גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וגו'. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר מְלֹא כָל הָעוֹלָם בְּרָאוֹ, מִן הַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי וגו'. מִצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, לב): וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם. וּמִנַּיִן אַף בַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, טז): וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (איוב יג, כא): כַּפְּךָ מֵעָלַי הַרְחַק. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָחוֹר לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וָקֶדֶם לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן. הוּא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר (בראשית א, כד): תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ, זֶה רוּחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, אָחוֹר לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, וָקֶדֶם לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הוּא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ (בראשית א, ב): וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם, זֶה רוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, הֵיךְ מָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר (ישעיה יא, ב): וְנָחָה עָלָיו רוּחַ ה', אִם זָכָה אָדָם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ אַתָּה קָדַמְתָּ לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְאִם לָאו אוֹמְרִים לוֹ זְבוּב קְדָמְךָ, יַתּוּשׁ קְדָמְךָ, שִׁלְשׁוּל זֶה קְדָמְךָ. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָחוֹר לְכָל הַמַּעֲשִׂים, וָקֶדֶם לְכָל עֳנָשִׁין. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אַף בְּקִלּוּס אֵינוֹ בָּא אֶלָּא בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קמח, א): הַלְּלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו', וְאוֹמֵר כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (תהלים קמח, ז): הַלְּלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הָאָרֶץ וגו' וְאוֹמֵר כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אוֹמֵר (תהלים קמח, יא): מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְכָל לְאֻמִּים (תהלים קמח, יב): בַּחוּרִים וְגַם בְּתוּלוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׂמְלָאי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁקִּלּוּסוֹ אֵינָהּ אֶלָא אַחַר בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וְעוֹף, כָּךְ בְּרִיָּתוֹ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא אַחַר בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף, מַה טַּעְמֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית א, כד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ וגו', וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית א, כו): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם וגו'. רַב חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא פָּתַח (איוב כ, ד): הֲזֹאת יָדַעְתָּ מִנִּי וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא מָשָׁל לִמְדִינָה שֶׁהָיְתָה מִסְתַּפֶּקֶת מִן הַחֳמָרִין, וְהָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִין אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ מַה שִּׁבָּרוֹן נַעֲשָׂה בַּמְּדִינָה הַיּוֹם, שֶׁל שִׁשִּׁי הָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִין שֶׁל חֲמִישִׁי, וְשֶׁל חֲמִישִׁי שֶׁל רְבִיעִי, וְשֶׁל רְבִיעִי שֶׁל שְׁלִישִׁי, וְשֶׁל שְׁלִישִׁי שֶׁל שֵׁנִי, וְשֶׁל שֵׁנִי שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן, וְשֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן לְמִי הָיָה לוֹ לִשְׁאֹל, וְלֹא לִבְנֵי הַמְדִינָה שֶׁהָיוּ עֲסוּקִין בְּדִימוּסָהּ שֶׁל מְדִינָה. אַף כָּאן כָּל מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם הָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִין אֵלּוּ לָאֵלּוּ מַה בְּרִיּוֹת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּכֶם, הַיּוֹם שֶׁל שִׁשִּׁי שׁוֹאֵל שֶׁל חֲמִישִׁי וכו' עַד לָרִאשׁוֹן לְמִי הָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִין, לֹא לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁקָּדְמָה לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים שָׁנָה קָדְמָה הַתּוֹרָה לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ח, ל): וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וגו', וְיוֹמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלֶף שָׁנִים, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צ, ד): כִּי אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל, הֱוֵי הֲזֹאת יָדַעְתָּ מִנִּי עַד וגו', הַתּוֹרָה יוֹדַעַת מַה קֹּדֶם לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲבָל אַתָּה אֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק לִדְרשׁ אֶלָּא (איוב כ, ד): מִנִּי שִׂים אָדָם עֲלֵי אָרֶץ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם בֶּן סִירָא אָמַר בְּגָדוֹל מִמְךָ אַל תִּדְרשׁ, בְּחָזָק מִמְךָ בַּל תַּחְקֹר, בְּמֻפְלָא מִמְּךָ בַּל תֵּדָע, בִּמְכֻסֶּה מִמְךָ אַל תִּשְׁאַל, בַּמֶּה שֶׁהֻרְשֵׁיתָ הִתְבּוֹנֵן, וְאֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק בְּנִסְתָּרוֹת.

“And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness, and let them dominate over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26). “And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness.” Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “Back and front [aḥor vakedem], You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If a person merits, he partakes of two worlds, as it is stated: “Back and front, You shaped me.” But if not, he will come to give an accounting, as it is stated: “You placed Your palm on me” (Psalms 139:5). Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him androgynous. That is what is written: “He created them male and female” (Genesis 5:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him with two faces, and [subsequently] He sawed him in two and made [for] him two backs, a back here and a back there. They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “He took one of his ribs [tzalotav] … [and the Lord God built the rib that He took from the man into a woman]”? (Genesis 2:21–22). He said to them: [It means that He took] one of his two sides, as it says: “And for the tzela of the Tabernacle” (Exodus 26:20), which we translate: “And for the side of the Tabernacle...”. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Benaya and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him in an unformed state and he was situated from one end of the world to the other. That is what is written: “Your eyes saw my unformed parts...” (Psalms 139:16). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya and Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: He created him filling the whole world. From east to west, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Back [aḥor] and front [kedem], You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5). From north to south, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “[From the day God made Adam on the earth,] and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens” (Deuteronomy 4:32). From where is it derived that he even filled the empty space of the world? It is as it is stated: “You placed Your palm on me” (Psalms 139:5) just as it says: “Distance Your palm from me” (Job 13: 21). Rabbi Elazar said: [Adam was created] last [aḥor] among the acts of creation on the last day, and first [kedem] among the acts of creation on the last day. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: “Let the earth produce the spirit of living beings by their species” (Genesis 1:24) – this is the life spirit of Adam the first man. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: [The creation of Adam was] last [aḥor] among the acts of creation on the last day, and first [kedem] among the acts of creation on the first day. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: “And the spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water” (Genesis 1:2) – this is the spirit of the messianic king, as it says: “The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him” (Isaiah 11:2). If a person is meritorious, it is said to him: ‘You preceded the ministering angels’; if not, it is said to him: ‘A fly preceded you, a gnat preceded you, this earthworm preceded you.’ Rav Naḥman said: [Adam was created] last [aḥor] of all the creations, but was first [kedem] for all punishments. Rabbi Shmuel said: Regarding praising [God] as well, he comes last. That is what is written: “Praise the Lord from the heavens…” (Psalms 148:1), and it says the rest of that passage. Then “praise the Lord from the earth, [sea creatures and all depths]” (Psalms 148:7), and it says the rest of that passage. Only after that it says: “Kings of the earth and all nations…” (Psalms 148:11), “young men and maidens” (Psalms 148:12). Rabbi Samlai said: Just as his praising [of God] is only after the animals, the beasts, and the birds, so his creation was only after the animals, the beasts, and the birds. What is the source? It is as it is stated: “Let the water swarm” (Genesis 1:20), and then: “Let the earth produce…” (Genesis 1:24), and then: “And God said: Let us make Man in our image.” Rav Ḥama bar Ḥanina began: “Have you known this from [oldest times?]” (Job 20:4). Rav Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: This is analogous to a city that received its supplies by donkey drivers. They would ask one another: ‘What is the price of grain in the province today?’ The Friday ones would inquire of the Thursday ones; the Thursday ones of the Wednesday ones; the Wednesday ones of the Tuesday ones; the Tuesday ones of the Monday ones; the Monday ones of the Sunday ones. The Sunday one, whom would he ask? Would he not ask the businessmen of the city? Here, too, everything that was made on each day would ask one another: ‘What creations did the Holy One blessed be He create on your day?’ The sixth day would ask the fifth day, and so on until the first day. Whom would it [the first day] ask? Is it not the Torah, that preceded the creation of the world? As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Torah preceded the creation of the world by two thousand years. That is what is written: “I was with Him, as a protégé; [I was a delight day after day]” (Proverbs 8:30), and the day of the Holy One blessed be He is one thousand years, as it is written: “As one thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday” (Psalms 90:4). That is, “have you known this [from oldest times?]” (Job 20:4). The Torah knows what preceded the creation of the world. But you have license to expound only “from when man was placed upon the earth” (Job 20:4). Rabbi Elazar said, citing ben Sira: “Do not seek what is too great for you, do not interrogate what is stronger than you, do not seek knowledge of what is hidden from you, and do not ask regarding what is concealed from you. Observe what is permitted for you, and you have no business with the esoteric.”

אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, רָאָה צַדִּיקִים וּרְשָׁעִים יוֹצְאִים מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר אִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ רְשָׁעִים יוֹצְאִים מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאִם לֹא אֶבְרָא אוֹתוֹ הֵיאַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹצְאִים מִמֶּנּוּ. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִפְלִיג דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים מִכְּנֶגֶד פָּנָיו וְשִׁתֵּף בּוֹ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים וּבְרָאוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (תהלים א, ו): כִּי יוֹדֵעַ ה' דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד, אִבְּדָהּ מִכְּנֶגֶד פָּנָיו וְשִׁתֵּף בּוֹ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים וּבְרָאוֹ. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא לֹא אָמַר כֵּן, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, נִמְלַךְ בְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְאָמַר לָהֶן: נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אָדָם זֶה מַה טִּיבוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶן צַדִּיקִים עוֹמְדִים מִמֶּנּוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: כִּי יוֹדֵעַ ה' דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים, כִּי הוֹדִיעַ ה' דֶּרֶךְ הַצַּדִּיקִים לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד, אִבְּדָהּ מֵהֶם, גִּלָּה לָהֶם שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים עוֹמְדִים מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא גִּלָּה לָהֶם שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים עוֹמְדִים הֵימֶנּוּ, שֶׁאִלּוּ גִּלָּה לָהֶם שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים עוֹמְדִים הֵימֶנּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה מִדַּת הַדִּין נוֹתֶנֶת שֶׁיִּבָּרֵא. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, נַעֲשׂוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת כִּתִּים כִּתִּים, וַחֲבוּרוֹת חֲבוּרוֹת, מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים אַל יִבָּרֵא, וּמֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים יִבָּרֵא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים פה, יא): חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ. חֶסֶד אוֹמֵר יִבָּרֵא, שֶׁהוּא גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים. וֶאֱמֶת אוֹמֵר אַל יִבָּרֵא, שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שְׁקָרִים. צֶדֶק אוֹמֵר יִבָּרֵא, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה צְדָקוֹת. שָׁלוֹם אוֹמֵר אַל יִבָּרֵא, דְּכוּלֵיהּ קְטָטָה. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָטַל אֱמֶת וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לָאָרֶץ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דניאל ח, יב): וְתַשְׁלֵךְ אֱמֶת אַרְצָה, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים מָה אַתָּה מְבַזֶּה תַּכְסִיס אַלְטִיכְסְיָה שֶׁלָּךְ, תַּעֲלֶה אֱמֶת מִן הָאָרֶץ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים פה, יב): אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אִידֵי וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס וְרַבִּי חֶלְקִיָּה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר, מְאֹד, הוּא אָדָם. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית א, לא): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, וְהִנֵּה טוֹב אָדָם. רַב הוּנָא רַבָּהּ שֶׁל צִפּוֹרִין אֲמַר עַד שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִדַּיְּנִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ וּמִתְעַסְּקִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ בְּרָאוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶן מָה אַתֶּם מִדַּיְּנִין כְּבָר נַעֲשָׂה אָדָם.

Rabbi Berekhya said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, He foresaw righteous and wicked people descending from him. He said: If I create him, wicked people will descend from him. But if I do not create him, how will righteous people ever descend from him? What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He distanced the way of the wicked from His attention, appended the attribute of mercy to Himself, and created him: That is what is written: “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will be eradicated” (Psalms 1:6). He eradicated it [the way of the wicked] from before his attention, appended the attribute of mercy to Himself, and created him. Rabbi Ḥanina did not interpret it in that manner. Rather, when He came to create Adam the first man, He consulted the ministering angels and said to them: “Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). They said to him: ‘What is his nature?’ He said to them: ‘Righteous people will arise out of him.’ That is what is written: “For the Lord knows [yode’a] the way of the righteous” (Psalms 1:6) – for the Holy One blessed be He informed [hodi’a] the ministering angels about the way of the righteous. “But the way of the wicked will be eradicated” (Psalms 1:6) – He eradicated it from them. He revealed to them that the righteous would arise out of him, but He did not reveal to them that the wicked would [also] arise out of him, as had He revealed to them that the wicked would arise out of him, the attribute of justice would not have allowed him to be created. Rabbi Simon said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, the ministering angels divided into various factions and various groups. Some of them were saying: ‘Let him not be created,’ and some of them were saying: ‘Let him be created.’ That is what is written: “Kindness and truth met; righteousness and peace touched” (Psalms 85:11). Kindness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of kindness.’ Truth said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of lies.’ Righteousness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of righteousness.’ Peace said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of discord.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He took Truth and cast it down to earth. That is what is written: “You cast truth earthward” (Daniel 8:12). The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, why are You demeaning Your very seal? Let Truth ascend from the earth.’ That is what is written: “Truth will spring from the earth” (Psalms 85:12). The Rabbis say in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Idi, and Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya said in the name of Rabbi Simon: Meod, this refers to Man [adam]. That is what is written: “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very [meod] good” (Genesis 1:31) – Man [adam] was good. Rav Huna, the rabbi of Tzippori, said: While the ministering angels were busy deliberating with one another and engaging with one another, the Holy One blessed be He created him. He said to them: ‘Why are you deliberating? Man has already been created.’

אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַתּוֹרָה: ״נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ״. אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, הָאָדָם שֶׁלְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת קְצַר יָמִים וּשְׂבַע רֹגֶז, וּבָא לִידֵי חֵטְא. וְאִם אֵין אַתָּה מַאֲרִיךְ אֶת אַפְּךָ עִמּוֹ, רָאוּי הוּא כְּאִלּוּ לֹא בָּא לָעוֹלָם״. אָמַר לָהּ: ״וְעַל חִנָּם נִקְרֵאתִי אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד?״ הִתְחִיל מְקַבֵּץ עֲפָרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מֵאַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הָעוֹלָם: אָדֹם, שָׁחֹר, לָבָן, יָרֹק. אָדֹם – זֶה הַדָּם, שָׁחֹר – אֵלּוּ הַקְּרָבַיִם, לָבָן – אֵלּוּ עֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִין, יָרֹק – זֶה הַגּוּף. וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שָׁעוֹת הַיּוֹם. בְּשָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הוּצְבַּר עֲפָרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, בַּשְּׁנִיָּה גִּבְּלוֹ, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית רִקְּמוֹ, בָּרְבִיעִית נִזְרְקָה בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, בַּחֲמִישִׁית קָם עַל רַגְלָיו, בַּשִּׁשִּׁית קָרָא שֵׁמוֹת, בַּשְּׁבִיעִית נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ חַוָּה, בַּשְּׁמִינִית נִצְטַוּוּ עַל פֵּרוֹת, בַּתְּשִׁיעִית עָלוּ לַמִּטָּה שְׁנַיִם וְיָרְדוּ אַרְבָּעָה, בָּעֲשִׂירִית עָבַר עַל צִוּוּיוֹ, בְּאַחַד עָשָׂר נִדּוֹן, בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר נִתְגָּרַשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֶת הָאָדָם״. וְגִבֵּל גּוּשׁ עֲפָרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּמָקוֹם טָהוֹר בְּטַבּוּר הָאָרֶץ. רְקָמוֹ וְתִכְּנוֹ, וְרוּחַ נְשָׁמָה לֹא הָיְתָה בּוֹ. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? נָפַח בּוֹ רוּחַ נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים. וְעָמַד אָדָם וְהָיָה מִסְתַּכֵּל כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמַטָּה, וְרָאָה כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהָיָה תָּמֵהַּ בְּלִבּוֹ. הִתְחִיל מְשַׁבֵּחַ וּמְפָאֵר לְיוֹצְרוֹ וְאָמַר: ״מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ ה'!״ קָם עַל רַגְלָיו וְהָיָה בְּתֹאַר כִּדְמוּת אֱלֹהִים, וְהָיְתָה קוֹמָתוֹ מִן הַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי״. אָחוֹר – זֶה מַעֲרָב, וָקֶדֶם – זֶה קִדְמָה מִזְרָחָה. וְרָאוּ אוֹתוֹ כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת וְנִתְיָּרְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו, סְבוּרִין שֶׁהוּא בּוֹרְאָן, וּבָאוּ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לְפָנָיו.

The Holy One, blessed be He, spake to the Torah: "Let us make || man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). (The Torah) spake before Him: Sovereign of all the worlds ! The man whom Thou wouldst create will be limited in days and full of anger; and he will come into the power of sin. Unless Thou wilt be long-suffering with him, it would be well for him not to have come into the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, rejoined: And is it for nought that I am called "slow to anger" and "abounding in love"? He began to collect the dust of the first man from the four corners of the world; red, black, white, and "pale green," (which) refers to the body. The day had twelve hours; in the first hour He collected the dust for (the body of) Adam, in the second (hour) He formed it into a mass, in the third (hour) He gave it its shape, in the fourth (hour) He endowed || it with breath, in the fifth (hour) he stood on his feet, in the sixth (hour) he called the (animals by their) names, in the seventh (hour) Eve was joined to him (in wedlock), in the eighth (hour) they were commanded concerning the fruits of the tree, in the ninth (hour) they went up to (their) couch as two and descended as four, in the tenth (hour) they transgressed His commandment, in the eleventh (hour) they were judged, in the twelfth (hour) they were driven forth, as it is said, "So he drove out the man" (Gen. 3:24). And He formed the lumps of the dust of the first man into a mass in a clean place, (it was) on the navel of the earth. He shaped him and prepared him, but breath and soul were not in him. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He breathed with the breath of the soul of His mouth, and a soul was cast into him, as it is said, "And he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). Adam stood and he began to gaze upwards and downwards. He saw all the creatures which the Holy One, blessed be He, had created; and he was wondering in his heart, and he began to praise and glorify his Creator, saying, "O Lord, how manifold are thy works !" (Ps. 104:24). He stood on his feet and was adorned with the Divine Image. His height was from east to west, as it is said, "Thou hast beset me behind and before" (Ps. 139:5). "Behind" refers to the west, "before" refers to the east. All the creatures saw him and became afraid of him, thinking that he was their Creator, and they came to prostrate || themselves before him.