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IDOLATRY-11/ELHM/ Building Adam while Speaking in Plural  

 

Know your CREATOR, know yourself and know the difference

 

 

Adam! Be Very Good!

 

Last class we saw that Adam is born into a trial.

At the End of our Sixth Day, the End of Time, Adam will be judged.  The stakes of that trial are high:

If the verdict is Very Good, Adam would see the next Day – the Seventh.  ELKM would finish His work, abstain from doing more work and enter the Sabbath.

If the verdict is Very Bad, ELKM would “finish” His work – terminate it with wrath –  like He had done to numerous Universes before ours.

 What exactly Adam should do to be Very Good in ELKM’S eyes? ELKM is harsh, yet fair and He wouldn’t have placed Adam inti such a demanding trial, without telling us the details of the trial and HOW TO WIN It.

Let’s read the verses describing the creation of Adam:

 

Two Ways to Rule Over

 

“ELKM said: The Let Us Make Adam in Our Form and Our Image

And they will have dominion over the Fish

Over the Birds…over the Cattle… over the entire Earth”

From ELKM’S words we learn that Adam would be born to “have a dominion over….” Meaning to rule over or serve as a “king” over his habitat, Earth.

How should Adam fulfil that enormous task and be Very Good in ELKM’s eyes?

After all, the CREATOR is the real Ruler over CREATION.  Wouldn’t ’Adam kingship negate His Kingship?

 

Consulting the Angels 

The rabbis addressed that question in the following legend: (see Rashi)

When ELKM announced His Plan to make Adam, saying “Let Us Make an Adam,” He spoke in plural, to no one in particular, as if Consulting with Whoever Was Listening, or Whoever is Mentioned in Chapter One.   Among them were the Angels, having been made on the Second Day.

As His Face was turning to them in Consultation, the Angels said: “Our KING, why consulting us at all? Aren’t we your faithful messengers who perform your will with no discretion?”  Indeed, the Hebrew term for an Angel, malaach, refers to ‘a messenger,’ even a human one.

This was the first time that the Angeles addressed ELKM as “Our KING,” because they had just noticed the change in the way ELKM rules the world.

Previously, throughout the Six Days, the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM created by issuing ORDERS, that were readily fulfilled.  Thus, He said “Let there be Light” and Light was there.  He said “Let there be Grass” and Grass was there.  He said “Let the Luminaries be seen regularly in the sky” and there were.  Throughout those Six Days, He consulted no one, told ng no one about His Plans, moving CREATION from Day to Day using an iron fist.  No one could disobey or raise a brow. In short- He ruled the world “awesomely alone” as a Dictator.

But before making Adam, after the Midday Judgement of the Sixth Day, the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM changed His tone and instead of giving another ORDER – such as Let there Be an Adam- He announced His Plan to make Adam.  This He had never done before. He had never told anyone His Plans.  Moreover, this time He Spoke in plural Voice, saying “Let Us Make Adam in Our Form and Our Image.” He was no more a Dictator.  Instead, He became a King Who Consults; a “democratic” King.

Hearing their question, ELKM said: “I consult you, my Angels, to show Adam how to rule with modesty, that the Superior should consult the Inferior before making a decision.” (Rashi)

Hence, the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM wished to teach Adam how to ‘rule over’ and be Very Good.  Adam should emulate the CREATOR and rule over Nature and  himself by the art of consultation, rather than by iron fist.

Speaking in Plural, saying “Let Us,” is always considered “Royal.” Thus, in the phrase “We, the King of England,” the King speaks in plural to inferring that he has a Council, that he is NOT a dictator. The Royal, plural voice also infers that the king speaks in the name of his subjects, that he presents them too.

Similarly, by speaking in plural saying “Let Us…” the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM sent (us) the message that He had ceased to act as a Dictator and had begun creating Adam as a King Who Consults.  In other words, He had “Descended” from His “High Pedestal” to become a benevolent KING Who Consults His Councils.

By this, ELKM sends us the massage that in order to be a Very Good ruler, Adam should emulate the CREATOR and rule by Consultation rather than by the iron fist.  The Superior should consult the inferior and only then issue a decree. Only by following this path, Adam would merit seeing the next Day.

Also, by Speaking in Plural, ELKM sent us a message that we are made to live under the New Heavenly Court of the KING Who Consults, who is more open to our pleas and more tolerant to other opinions and even to rejection. Adam, equipped with Free Will, would be treated with more patient under the KING, rather than under the Dictator.  By Descending down, ELKM gave us a better chance to win our End of Days’ Trial.

And in one strike of a pencil, Moses elevates Democracy to a religious dictum.  If Adam wishes to see the next Day, Moses says, Adam should choose to act as a King Who Consults, rather than as a Dictator.

In other wards- Dictatorship can be efficient and successful.  Had not ELKM created the Six Days as a Dictator? Yet, Dictatorship faces a ceiling- it can be good at most, never Very Good.  And in order to merit seeing the next Day, we must rule the world and ourselves by the art of listening and consulting.

 

Speech as the way to rule over

Adam is born into a trial of Kingship.  He has to choose one of two ways- either to give orders, or to consult first.  In both ways he uses his SPEECH.  Hence, according to Moses, Adam is distinguished by our ability to SPEAK.   After the Inanimate, the Vegetation and the Animal Kingdoms, came the one SPEAKING CREATURE- Adam.

This is one of the insights of the Hebrew language.  The word for “king,” melech, is rooted in the verb ‘nimlach’ meaning “consults with”.  Who is king? The ruler who consults, who has councilors.  (The word for a dictator is ‘aa rri-tz’)

in order to see the next Day, and that on eof Adam’s foremost fault would be his arrogance, his big Ego.  This is why the CREATOR wished to teach him modesty first.  Yes, to be a king, Adm should have the Drive to do so, an Ego.  But this very gift, his ego, can lead him astray to be arrogant.  And as t the rabbis said, “an arrogant person and GOD can’t be in the same room.”

 

 

Building Adam by

A Series of Consultations

 

And ELKM said: Let Us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image

ELKM spoke in Royal plural, to no one in particular, as a  KING surrounded by His Councilors. The Councilors could be anyone mentioned in Chapter One.  His Gaze moved from each Councilor to the next, consulting it whether or not to make Adam.

Each consultation contributed a layer in Adam’s body and soul.  By this method, ELKM build a dummy of Adam from the ground.

 

1:  ELKM Consulted the Six Days and Made Adam

 

First, ELKM consulted the Six Days. To each Day He said:

“Do you agree that I’ll make an Adam who would rule over you?”

And each Day said: “My King, I agree, as long as You’d make Adam like me.  Otherwise, how could he rule over me as a King Who Consults?”

As Moses would later say:  From among your brothers you shall appoint a king over you.” A King Who Consults, an Ideal King, must be elected from among his future subjects. How else could he understand their wishes and whims?

ELKM agreed, and to each Day He said:

““Let Us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.”

He meant: Let Us make Adam like me and you.”  The then consulted each Day, as a BUILDER consulting his Plan, and built a layer in Adam accordingly. Thus

He consulted the First Day and made Adam. No wonder we are made of stuff that stars are made of.

He Consulted the Second Day’s Water and made another layer in Adam. Our body therefore constitutes mostly of waters.

He Consulted the Third Day’s Vegetation and made another layer in Adam. This is why our eyes use photosynthesis and our blood vessels brunch out like trees, and our body know the cycle of nights and days.

He Consulted the Fourth Day’s Luminaries and made another layer in Adam accordingly. This is why our body has a biologic clock and is aware of seasonal changes

He Consulted the Fifth Days’ fish, birds and crocodiles and made another layer in Adam

He Consulted the Sixth Days’ Cattle, Beasts and Crawling creatures and made another layer in Adam.

Adam is therefore not an alien on Earth.  Adam is the summary of everything created before him.  The evidence for that in seen in the way the human embryo develops in the womb. We all start as a single cell, that divides and grows into multi-cellular ball that continues to evolve into phases that resemble Fish, Bird, Lizard and so on. The Onto-genesis repeats the phyllo-genesis.

This way ELKM made Adam eligible to serve as Nature’s King Who Consults.  Adam would be able to understand Nature and sympathies with its causes.

 

 

2: ELKM Consulted His Wisdom and Made Adam

 

Next, the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM turned to His Wisdom by Which He had Created the World and said:

Do you agree that ‘ll make an Adam who would rule over you?”

“My KING” Wisdom said, “I agree, as long you’d make Adam like me. How else could he serve as my King Who Consults?”

ELKM then said to Wisdom:

“Let Us Make and Adam in Our Form and Our Image.” 

And He consulted Wisdom the way a BUILDER consults his Plan, and made Adam’s mind accordingly.

And ever since then, Adam’s mind would be able to unravel all the mysteries of the Universe. Nothing in the Universe can evade Adam’s searching mind.

Where do you see Wisdom mentioned? It is mentioned indirectly, in the words: “At the Beginning, (Head of the events) ELKM created the Heavens and the Earth.”  ELKM turned back to the Beginning, or to His “Head” or to” the Wisdom in His Head” and made Adam’s mind.

 

3: ELKM Consulted Art and Made Adam

 

“At the Head of the Events (Beginning)

ELKM created the Heavens and the Earth

And the Earth was chaotic (tohu and bohu)

And the Spirit of ELKM was hovering over the waters…”

 

Having consulted the “Wisdom in His Head” to make Adam,  the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM turned to His Spirit- His Art- and asked:

“Would you agree that I shall make an Adam who would rule over you?”

The ‘Spirit of ELKM’ stands for His “Artwork”, since it is said that when Moses built the Tabernacle, ELKM said to him

“See, I called the name of Bezalel….and I filled him with the Spirit of ELKM

In Wisdom, Insight, and Knowledge to work with gold, silver and copper

Stone curving for setting, and wood carving…” (Exodus 31: 4)

Art said: “My KING, I agree, as long as you’d make Adam like me.  How else could he rule over me as a King Who Consults?”

ELKM said: Let Us make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.

ELKM then consulted His Art (Spirit) as a BUILDER consulting his Plan and He made Adam’s mind and heart accordingly.  And ever since them, Adam is blessed by the ability to appreciate and create Artwork.  It enriches our lives and render us susceptible to Nature’s charm.

 

4: ELKM Consulted Ego (Self) and Made Adam

 

Watching the series of Consultations, the Angels asked: “Our KING, aren’t you afraid that by Speaking in Plural you’ve opened the door for IDOLATERS to falsely assume that they have more than One CREATOR, You?”

ELKM said: “I take the risk and speak in Plural, for teaching Adam modesty is paramount.”

The Angels derived from here that Adam, as a ruler over his habitat, would be blessed with a big ego and self -consciousness, which are necessary for his role. Yet his “self” or ego might make him extremely arrogant.   ELKM therefore wished to teach Adam modesty.  Without it, Adam would never be Very Good in ELKM’s eyes.

ELKM then said to His Self: Let us make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.” He Consulted His self as a BUILDER consulting his Plan and made Adam’s self accordingly.

Note that unlike other faith’s teaching, the Torah holds that our Self has a divine origin, and it is not a mirage.

 

5:ELKM Consulted the Desire to Procreate and Made Adam

 

“And ELKM blessed them, and ELKM said to them

Be fruitful and multiply, fill the Earth and conquer it and rule over (Genesis 1: 28)

Next ELKM turned and Consulted items mentioned ahead of Adam in the text. They would propel Adam forwards to reach his goals.

The first of these Councilors was the “Desire to Procreate,” namely the Sex Drive. Turning to it, the All Mighty JUDGE ELKM said:

“Would you like me to make Adam who will rule over you?”

The Sex Drive said: “My KING, I agree as long you’ve made him like me. How else would he serve as my King Who Consults?”

ELKM said to the Sex Drive:

“Let Us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.”

He then Consulted the “Drive to Procreate” like a BUILDER consulting his Plan, and made another layer in Adam’s heart.   Moreover, by Blessing Adam with it, ELKM made our Sex Drive stronger then found in Nature.  While all animals have a seasonal Drive to Procreate, Adam is possessed by a perpetual Sex Drive all year long.

 

 

6: ELKM consulted the Desire to Wield Power and made Adam

 

And ELKM blessed them, and ELKM said to them

Be fruitful and multiply, fill the Earth and conquer it and rule over (Genesis 1: 28)

 

Next, ELKM turned to the Drive To Rule Over (Drive For Power) mentioned in the verse and said to it –

“Would you like me to make Adam who would rule over you?”

The Drive for Power said: “My KING, I agree as long you’ve made him like me. How else would he serve as my King Who Consults?”

ELKM then said to the Drive for Power:

“Let Us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.”

He then consulted the Drive for Power like a BUILDER consulting his Plan and made another layer in Adam’s heart. Since ELKM blessed Adam with it, the Drive for Power is stronger in Adam than in all other creatures.  Moreover, since ELKM placed our Drive for Power at the forefront, this Drive is stronger in Adam than our Sex Drive.  In fact, both Drives dominate our lives and propel us forwards to impact our societies, leave a legacy, and achieve our goals.

Note that In Nature too, the Drive For Sex and for Power are intertwined. In Adam they become the most powerful engines that push us towards the next Day.

ELKM has answered so far the Angels’ questions besides one. They asked, as you remember: “Our KING, Aren’t you afraid that by speaking in plural you’ve opened the Door for idolaters t think they have more then One CREATOR?”

ELKM said, as you remember: “I take the risk. since teaching Adam modesty is paramount!”

Hence ELKM acknowledges the existence of IDOLATRY.

On that we’ll expand next class.

 

 

Does Moses match our Science about Adam?

 

 Earlier we’ve said that Science distinguishes Mankind by the fooling features:

  1. Man is an extension, another step in the Evolution
  2. Man is Wise, a Homo Sapience
  3. Man is blessed by an Artistic heart
  4. Man is blessed by a strong self-consciousness
  5. Man is motivated by a strong Sex Drive
  6. Man is motivated by a strong Drive for Power
  7. Man can improve or destroy our world

Now according to Moses, ELKM made Adam by a series of Consultations that match exactly the features of Adam recognized by science.

 

Man developing from birth to adulthood

 

How amazing it is that Moses description of the ORDER OF THE CONSULTATIONS can fit well the development of each person from birth to adulthood.  Thus

At the Uterus, the embryo repeats the Six Days’ evolution, from cell to a full child

The young child is smart, fascinated with Science, and  swallows encyclopedias

The self, our ego, develops

Around puberty we become fascinated with music, art and other emotional connection between the genders

As teenagers, our Sex lives dominate our lives

At our twenties, we are fascinated by our careers, thriving to gain power and status

So far Moses concurs with Science about Adam.  But there is one more feature in Adam that Science does not recognize while Moses sees it as the most important one in our lives,