Thursday, October 3, 2013

Rabbinic Ecology: The Mei Shiloach on Creation



And G-d said ‘Let us make Man in Our image.’

The Holy One created all creatures other than people first.  The other creatures recognized and understood their shortcoming; they had nobody who could connect their existence to the Holy One.  For only by means of people can things of this world connect themselves to G-d.  People elevate  everything, as is known.   Earth and water’s strength give their strength to plants, plants to animals, and animals to people.  People, by means of serving the Holy One, elevate all of the strength that they receive from this world, even the strength of water and earth.  When other creatures saw they lacked this connection, they prayed for the creation of people.  Thus G-d said, ‘Let us make Man…’  That is to say, G-d said to all other creatures, ‘You will give your strength and partner in the creation of people.’  This gives people a share in all of you, and if people need something, all of the other creatures will arise to help them.   When people are bad, it’s bad for all creatures, as in the generation of the Flood, and when it’s good for people, it’s good for all creatures. 

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