Q&A: What does Rashi mean by the words “the likeness of his Maker”?
What does Rashi mean by the words “the likeness of his Maker”?
Question
Hello,
On the verse in Genesis 1:27:
“And God created the human in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Rashi writes in his commentary:
“In the image of God He created him” — this explains to you that that image prepared for him was the image, the likeness of his Maker.
As is well known, God has no body… so what is meant by the words “the likeness of his Maker”?
Answer
It could be a metaphorical resemblance. But a few days ago someone here wrote a post claiming that Rashi was a corporealist. Maybe. See here:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%99-%D7%9B%D7%A9%D7%94%D7%95%D7%90-%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%91-%D7%99%D7%93-%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%A9
Discussion on Answer
Why are you asking about Rashi? Ask about the Torah, which says, “in the image of God He created the human.” Does God have an image?
Rashi writes on the previous verse:
“Let us make man. We learn from here the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He, for since man is in the likeness of the angels and they would be jealous of him, therefore He consulted with them. And when He judges kings, He consults with His heavenly court, as we find with Ahab, when Micaiah said, ‘I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.’ And is there right and left before Him?”
If Rashi says there is no right and left before Him, then he certainly did not believe in corporeality. Every spatial form has a right and left.
“Rather, these stand on the right to argue for acquittal, and those stand on the left to argue for conviction.”
That is, these are concepts that have no spatial form.
“In our image. In our mold; like our likeness: to understand and to discern.”
Rashi on “And I will cover you with My hand”:
“And I will cover you with My hand. (Torat Kohanim, parashat Vayikra) From here we learn that destroyers were given permission to destroy; and its translation is, ‘And I will protect with My word.’ This is a substitute expression used out of respect for Heaven above, for He does not need to shield over him with an actual hand.”
The translation, as is its way, comes to deny corporeality, but Rashi explained it differently.