RABBI DAVID ETENGOFF: PARASHAT HASHAVUAH
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770

10/9/2012

Parashat Bereishit 5773, 2012: "The Soul of Life"

1 Comment

Read Now
 
                         Parashat Bereishit, 5773, 2012:

                              The Soul of Life

                            Rabbi David Etengoff

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, my sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, and Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Yehonatan Binyamin Halevy ben Golda Friedel, and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya.

Sefer Bereishit’s narrative of man’s creation never fails to intrigue us and capture our attention. Perhaps each of us discovers a small part of ourselves as we encounter Adam and Chava’s beginnings, and, by definition, our own. In many ways, our successes and failures mirror those of Adam and Chava, and therefore, their story is our story.

As is widely known, there are two distinct versions of man’s creation. In the first chapter of Sefer Bereishit (26-30) we read the following:

And G-d said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and they shall rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heaven and over the animals and over all the earth and over all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.” And G-d created man in His image; in the image of G-d He created him; male and female He created them. And G-d blessed them, and G-d said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the sky and over all the beasts that tread upon the earth.” And G-d said, “Behold, I have given you every seed bearing herb, which is upon the surface of the entire earth, and every tree that has seed bearing fruit; it will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and to all the fowl of the heavens, and to everything that moves upon the earth, in which there is a living spirit, every green herb to eat,” and it was so. (This, and all Torah translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)

Herein, Hashem created man in His image (b’tzalmeinu), after His likeness (kidmuteinu) and, according to a famous Midrash, as a plural, yet single entity (“zachar u’nekavah bara otom,” “male and female He created them.”) Man was given G-d’s blessing to populate the world. Additionally, he was given the role of Hashem’s steward of the planet with the right to rule over Nature. We do not know, however, of what man was composed or how exactly he differed from the rest of the mosaic of Creation. While clearly Nature’s master, he appeared to be a part of, rather than apart from, that which he was designated to rule.

In sharp contrast, chapter two’s version of man’s creation is short and pithy: “And the

L-rd G-d formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life, and man became a living soul.” (2:7) This verse teaches us a great deal about man that was hidden in chapter one’s presentation. Man’s creation was different, in kind and degree, from the rest of Creation. Unlike all other living beings, we learn that he was formed “from the dust of the ground,” in some majestic and mysterious manner that defies our comprehension and understanding. In addition, Adam, in this description, was at first created solely male. He was required to wait in wrenching existential loneliness for the creation of Chava and his concomitant recognition of her: “And man said, ‘This time, it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…’” (2:23) Herein, as well, man was granted a distinctive gift that further separated him from the world of the beasts of the field: G-d, in His ineffable wisdom, endowed Adam with “the soul of life” (nishmat chaim).

What exactly, however, is this nishmat chaim that man received? As one might suspect, the classic meforshei haTorah (Torah commentators) offered many different interpretations of this phrase. In my view, one of the most compelling explanations is found in the famous 16th century Torah commentary of Rabbi Shlomo Efraim of Luntchitz (1550-1619) that is known as the “Kli Yakar”:

…the nishmat chaim is the eternal intellectual-based soul (hanefesh hamaskelet hanitzachi) Come and learn who the breather (hanofeach) was [i.e. none other than G-d, Himself]. You will then [surely] find that this [phrase nishmat chaim] references [literally “speaks about”] the G-dly portion [of man] from above. It should be said that even though G-d breathed into man this intellectual soul, nonetheless, man at the moment of his coming into being was nothing other than a living being like other living creatures “… and [from] a wild donkey a man will be born.” [Sefer Iyov 11:12] It, therefore, follows that the essence of man’s perfection is contingent upon his determination and efforts; as well as exercising his free-will properly when he opens his eyes to his intellectual faculty as the time progresses. [To reiterate:] In the beginning of his existence – even though the spirit of the living soul has been breathed into him, his soul [i.e. intellectual ability] only exists in potential and has not been actualized. [Therefore,] if man does not expend every manner and variety of zealousness to be “at the head of the army“ and be a soldier to fight the war of Hashem [for righteousness and human dignity], he will remain in his animalistic state and be compared to a beast.

The phrase “nishmat chaim” for Rav Luntchitz, therefore, refers to Adam’s intellectual abilities. When used astutely on behalf of righteousness and human dignity, Adam’s rational and logical faculties can launch him far beyond the beasts of the field with whom he shares basic biological and physiological needs. In sum, the unique gift of the nishmat chaim provides man with the potential to leap beyond mere animalistic desires, and become a shutaf im Hakadosh Baruch Hu b’maaseh bereishit (a partner with G-d in the ongoing creation of the world).

The past century bears horrific witness to man’s failure to utilize his intellectual powers for the benefit of mankind. The Holocaust, and many other acts of genocide, demonstrate the consummate evil of which man is so deadly capable when he fails to use his brilliance for good. As the Kli Yakar succinctly states, if unchecked and uncontrolled, man “will remain in his animalistic state and be compared to a beast.”

We are now at the beginning of a new and, hopefully, outstanding Jewish year.  May it be a year wherein mankind will finally see the folly of rejecting good and embracing evil. May it be a year wherein mankind will finally pursue peace with the same unflagging zealousness that we have pursued power, riches, and honor. Most of all, may it be a year wherein we finally use our nishmat chaim for the benefit of the entire world, and together help bring Mashiach Tzidkeinu (the one and only Righteous Messiah) soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email rdbe718@gmail.com.

My new audio shiurim for Women on Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

Share

1 Comment
asiangamer mfc link
9/28/2013 10:41:09 am

I stumbled on this from Google and wanted to say thanks for posting

Reply



Leave a Reply.

Details

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    Author

    Talmid of Rabbi Soloveitchik zatzal

    Categories

    All
    Parashat Hashavuah

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770