Yom HaShishi

21 Jun 2006

[m.]; the Sixth “Day of Creation,” described in Bereshit 1:24-31

And “E-lohim,” G-d said, “Let the Earth produce living souls: cattle, swarming things and wild beasts, according to their type. And so it was. And G-d made the beasts of the land, and the cattle and the swarming things, each according to their type; and “E-lohim,” G-d saw that it was good.

And G-d said, “Let us make man in our image [RASHI immediately comments on the unexpected usage of ‘us’ and ‘our,’ which gives unbelievers a place to inject their false ideas, and says that here G-d is teaching human beings courtesy, that one should always consult with one’s subordinates (in this case, the Angels, heavenly creations of G-d) before taking action. Even though when it came to the actual creation of the human being, it was only G-d Who was involved, as the verse says ‘And He Created,’ not ‘And they created’]. And let him rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and over the cattle and over all of the land, and over everything that swarms from the land.”

And “E-lohim,” G-d created Man in His image, in the image of “E-lohim,” did He Create him, male and female did He create them.

And “E-lohim,” G-d blessed them, and “E-lohim” said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the land, and conquer it; and rule over the fish of the sea and the beats of the land, and the birds of the skies, and over all life that creeps upon the ground.”

And G-d said, “I have given to you all the vegetation of the earth, and all the fruit of the trees, for you to eat.”

“And I have given to every form of life that moves on the Earth or flies in the air, I have given all vegetation to eat.”

And it was so.

And “E-lohim,” G-d saw all that He had done, and behold it was VERY GOOD; and there was an “Evening” and a “Morning,” completing the Sixth Day.