B'REISHEET - In the Beginning

“So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:27

If we were to look back over the first few days of creation we would notice that at the close of the first five days God looked over His work and declared it good. The Hebrew word here is TOWB, which breaks down to a general sense of good. We see this term in Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21 and 25. Up until this time, all that God had created was generally good. But on day six when He added man as part of His creation, He looked over what He had made and declared it very good (1:31). The words used here are MEHODE’ TOWB, referring to vehemently, intensely, or exceedingly good. What was it that allowed this piece of creation to move away from the generally good category to that of the exceedingly good? While the world and animals and plants were all made also within the spoken command of Adonai, it was man who was made within His image. It is this single difference that separates man from anything else, and it is this difference which defines man’s relationship with his Creator.
We read in Genesis 1:27 that God made man in His image and likeness, but it isn’t until Genesis 2:7 that we read the details of this purposed and deliberate creation. The root word for ‘Adam’ means man, red, and ground. Genesis 2:7 records that “…God formed a person [adam] from the dust of the ground [adamah]…” Having first taken from the red clay, the dirt, God began shaping and molding a human. Yet one thing was missing, life. So God “…breathed into his nostrils the breath [neshamah] of life, so that he became a living being.” Man only became living with the breath, the NESHAMAH, the vital breath and divine inspiration, of God alone flowing through his body. Man only stays alive with the breath of God flowing through his body. We are dependent upon our Creator for CHAY, life, lest we forget that apart from God we can do nothing (Jn 15:5).
“ADONAI, God, said, ‘It isn’t good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him’…Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person; and while he was sleeping, He took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which He took it with flesh. The rib which ADONAI, God, had taken from the person, He made a woman-person; and He brought her to the man-person (Gen 2:18, 21-22).” In the first chapter of Genesis we read of all God created and called good. But now, for the first time in the Torah, we read that something was not good. With every created animal having a mate, God saw that man had none. He saw that man was lonely, and this was not a good thing. Therefore, the desire for love and companionship is hard-wired into the creation of man. To solve this circumstance and make it good once more, God took one of Adam’s ribs while he was asleep, and created a woman, which Adam named Eve, meaning ‘living’. The two were naked and unashamed, joined in spirit, and they became one flesh, ‘ECHAD BASAR (united body). This was God’s intention from the beginning. Man and woman were to become one flesh. His intention has never changed just because society has.
Maybe you have done a few bad things. Trust still that God calls you good. Maybe you are alone. Trust still that God has a mate for you. But know also that His creation is His treasure, and He will always look at you as MEHODE' TOWB.