226 Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Bereishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Source Book Keys, SINAI3 GENESIS | 1:26 image — GEN60 [He is called …] one who loves the Omnip... GEN60 [He is called …] one who loves the Omnipresent God, one who loves mankind. Pirkei Avot VI:1 This is the ultimate reward that the Torah student seeks, and achieves: that from him too should emanate some of the Divine aura which is the Almighty’s presence. So does he love mankind and receive its love in return; for his very being, his life and ways reveal the nature and immanence of the Heavenly Father. He is a living channel for the sh’chinah, indeed beloved by all, as R. Isaac of Toledo comments, “because everyone learns from him every good thing, and no harm comes to anyone from him.” For the very Torah he studies will teach him to “love our neighbor as yourself,” since all humans are created “in the image of God.” [this verse]. Since his study is lish’mah, for its own sake, he has no reason to hoard or withhold his knowledge; seeing others going blindly astray, he will gladly share his knowledge with them out of love, if they will listen. SINAI3 269 Share Print Source KeySINAI3Verse1:26Keyword(s)imageSource Page(s)(See end of excerpt) Switch article GENESIS | 1:26 image — GEN59 Throughout classical Jewish literature, the... Previous Article GENESIS | 1:26 image — GEN61 [A] framing Jewish attitude [that shapes ec... Next Article