GEN204 See [[GEN42]] Genesis 1:25 good AMJV 96

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GEN231 It is clear that man is made from two components: the earth as well as the soul he received from God. Both components make man what he is – his animal/earth side, along with his Godly side. And each side continually struggles for supremacy.  Perhaps this dual quality of man can best be seen in the two stories of Creation in the first two chapters of Genesis.  When man’s creation is first described, the human being is the last creation of a continuum that begins on the first day of Creation. Genesis 1:24-27 On the sixth day, all of the animals are created, and man is but the last of these creations. This demonstrates that man is an integral part of nature, part of the animal kingdom and the same as all other creations, as he has much in common with them.  But in the next chapter, the Torah speaks about creation and mentions just one creature that God created –that creation is man.  Genesis 2:4-8. Thus, man seems to be unique, the very purpose of creation itself, and its central focus. Both descriptions are correct, and man struggles daily with each part of his nature.  AMJV 93

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GEN241 Although animals can often communicate nonverbally and some animals can even be taught sign language, no animal can speak in the manner of man or express complex ideas.  When man was created and became a unique “living being” after “God blew into his nostrils the soul of life” this unique living being, according to Onkelos’ commentary, was differentiated from animals by his ability to speak.  The Talmud and Midrash make note of this unique aspect of man.  Chagiga 16a; Midrash Tanchuma, Emor 15; Otzar Hamidrashim, “Ma’asim” 9 Man’s ability to speak also includes, by extension, his ability to write, to record his own history, and to analyze himself.  No other creature is capable of any of these attributes.  AMJV 94

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GEN314 One of the aspects of wisdom that God bestowed upon the first man was that he had the ability to call each beast and bird by the name that best described each species.  Midrash, Yalkut Shimoni, 1 Kings 247.  This trait was part of man’s resemblance to God, showing he understood the nature of each animal so well that he could choose the names perfectly suited to each species, with the name actually describing the essence of each animal.  Rabbeinu Bechaye commentary. Thus, in Hebrew, an object’s name should and often does reflect the essence of that object, animal, or even person.  … Judaism believes that the name of a person is so crucial that it can change and sometimes help determine a person’s personality and future. In fact, the Talmud states that a person’s name impacts upon his future life.  Berachot 7b  Parents should be very careful in choosing a specific name to match the essence of the baby because the name could determine if the child will grow up to be moral or immoral. Midrash Tanchuma, Ha’azinu 7 AMJV 185

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GEN353 Only man feels shame and embarrassment.  Every animal in the world was born naked and remains naked for its entire life.  It never thinks of itself as naked, and is never clothed (unless it is in a circus or the pet of an overzealous owner).  In a similar manner, all animals feel no shame in relieving themselves in public or in front of other people.  According to the Midrash, the feeling of shame was given by God to man in order to distinguish him from all other creations.  Otzar Hamidrashim, “Ma’sim” 9  AMJV 94

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GEN449 Weapons first appeared in the Torah at the very beginning of Creation after Adam and Eve sinned, with the flaming sword that protecting the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life, preventing man from re-entering.  This first divine weapon then, was intended to protect property, like a gun in a home, but for defensive purposes only.  A few generations later, as society developed implements and tools for working the land and musical instruments, one person, Tuval Kayin, forged sharp instruments out of bronze and iron, which Rashi says were weapons made for murders to kill people.  Genesis 4:22 with Rashi commentary.  Thus, the first human weapons were made in order to hurt individuals and kill human beings, not essentially different from the guns and other weapons that are manufactured to kill people today.  Needles s to say, the Rabbis did not look upon this invention as a positive development for mankind.  AMJV 120

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GEN457 First use of the verb in the Torah as associated with the sexual act.  AMJV 140

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GEN461 Abarbanel describes the entire episode of the sacrifices of Cain and Abel (which led to Cain slaying Abel) as a competition between the two for the affection and approval of God.  Genesis Rabbah 22:7 also depicts the relationship of Cain and Abel as competitive, but gives three different underlying reasons for this rivalry.  The first explanation is that they were arguing over possessions: Cain claimed all the land in the world for himself and Abel claimed all the objects in the world as his own.  But then Cain told Abel to get off of “his” land, and Abel told Cain to give him back “his” clothing that Cain was wearing.  They argued and Cain killed Abel.  Rabbi Joshua disagrees.  He says that they spit the land and possessions amicably, but they were actually competing and arguing about whose property would contain the Holy Temple.  Each claimed the Temple site for himself, they argued and Cain killed Abel.  Yehuda bar Ami says they were arguing about and competing with each other over Eve or the twin sister of Cain and Abel who was also born to Eve, as both Cain and Abel wanted to take her as their wives, until Cain killed Abel.  A modern commentary has explained this Midrash to exemplify all competitions in human history, the prototype of what leaders and nations have always fought over and competed for: land/possession, religions, and sex.  AMJV 73

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GEN488 According to Rabbeinu Bechaye, the second sin in the Torah, that of Cain, was based on his greed.  He worked the land and brought a sacrifice to God from that land, only because he desired to take the entire planet from his brother Abel.  He was cursed and forced to till the land in great labor as a punishment for this greediness.   AMJV 337

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GEN492 The very first man-to-man sin in the world was the act of murder caused by anger.  Both Cain and Abel brought sacrifices to God. When God favored Abel’s over Cain’s, Cain became very angry, so much so that he killed his brother.  This set the pattern for anger and angry reactions until today.  Therefore, we see from the very beginning of history how pernicious this character trait is.  It causes man to say and do things that are irrational and for which he may later be sorry but cannot undo.  Genesis Rabbah 31:2 states that it was the anger between people in the time of Noah that caused bitter fighting between them, which led to the ever-present stealing that sealed the fate of all mankind and resulted in God’s destruction of all people in the world (except for Noah’s family).  Thus, like in Noah’s time, sometimes anger that starts small can grow into something very big and dangerous with unimaginable negative consequences.   AMJV 30

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