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Bereishit (2026)

Shabbat Bereishit

Dvar Torah – In the Image of G-d
This week marks the beginning of the annual cycle of Torah reading. Once again we start from the beginning where the Torah recounts the esoteric story of creation. Amid the sweeping narrative of the universe coming into being, the Torah makes a fascinating declaration that mankind is created B’tzelem Elokim—"in the image of G-d."

It is an inspiring idea, but also a mysterious one. Since we believe that Hashem has no physical body or form, what does it mean to be created in the "image" of G-d?

Our classical commentators struggled with this question. Some, such as Sforno and Rashbam, suggested that the Hebrew word Elohim here refers to powerful beings like angels or judges. Another great commentator, Nachmanides, explains that this reflects the fundamental dialectic of mankind who is on the one hand rooted in the physical earth, yet animated by a heavenly soul.

However, Rashi, the classic 11th-century commentator whose explanations accompany the text on nearly every Jewish bookshelf, takes a simpler, bolder approach. He writes that human beings are indeed imprinted with a reflection of their Creator.

What does that look like in daily life?

Throughout, the Torah sets very lofty goals for us. It calls on us to grow in two directions at once: bein adam l’Makom (our spiritual relationship with God) and bein adam l’chaveiro (our ethical responsibilities toward each other). We are instructed to live with integrity, kindness, and moral conviction, even when life makes that difficult.

At first glance, that can feel like an overwhelming standard. However, man is endowed with unprecedented intellect, perception, and depth. Incredibly, humans alone are capable of empathy, bravery, and integrity (and the combination thereof) not found in any other domain on the planet.

Perhaps this is the radical insight Rashi is pointing toward, that these characteristics of the Human image is the reflection of the Divine within us. The unique capacity to think, feel, and act like no other being is the image of G-d we are impressed with.

At the very beginning, before asking anything from us, the Torah reminds us that we are up for the challenge and that we can live the lives we aspire to. Our very nature transcends the bounds of nature. We are equipped with the strength we need to face life’s challenges and build meaningful relationships with our families, communities, and Hashem.

Shabbat candle lighting/Havdalah times
Yerushalayim 17:34/18:49
Tel-Aviv 17:54/18:51
Budapest 17:50/18:51
Munich 18:19/19:21
NYC 18:07/19:04
San Francisco 18:23/19:18
More Shabbat times here

Shabbat Shalom!



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