One
is obligated to say: “for my sake was the world created”. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin
37a
At first glance, this statement of
our Sages makes Man a braggart. However, the Sages’ intention was that Man
should make this comment as a statement of responsibility, rather than as one
of privilege.
The Creator, in announcing His
intention to create Man said:
We
will make man ... and they shall have dominion (v’yirdu) over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heaven,
and over the beasts, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing upon
the earth. [Genesis 1:26]
Rashi notes the play on words made
by Midrash Breishit Rabba: if man is
worthy, he will have dominion, if not,
he will sink lower (yarad) than the
beasts and they will rule over him.
Mankind’s status in relation to the
rest of creation is a function of his behavior.
“And
to every animal of the earth and to every fowl of the heaven, and to every
thing that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is a living soul, I have given
every green herb for food; and it was so.”
[Genesis 1:30]
Our classical commentators (Rashi,
Radak) understand this verse to mean that at creation there were no carnivorous
animals. The change came as the result of mankind’s degradation of itself, as
we read in Parashat Noaḥ: “... for all flesh had corrupted
its way on the earth”. The corruption of man corrupted the rest of creation.
Such is the power of man’s behavior!
Isaiah [11: 6] prophesied that in
the end of days:
The
wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and
the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall
lead them
It has been pointed out that
Isaiah’s vision is simply a return to the pristine situation. In the end of
days, when mankind achieves harmony, this will be reflected in the rest of
creation, and there will no longer be beasts of prey.
It is mankind’s obligation to
achieve this level. Then, and only then, can Man boast “for my sake was the world created.”
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