Compiled by Mordechai Rubin
From the Teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Zt”l
This week's Torah portion, Tazria, deals with the laws pertaining to man - matters of ritual impurity and how to purify oneself after becoming impure. A discussion of these laws follows the discussion in previous chapters which pertain to animals - which are pure and which are impure, and animal sacrifices.
"The same way that man's creation took place after all the other animals and birds, so are the laws pertaining to man to be found in the Torah after the laws dealing with animals," our Sages teach.
The Talmud and Midrash offer several explanations as to why man was created only after very other creation was complete. One of them is so that man would arrive in a world ready and completed and be immediately able to perform mitzvot (commandments). A second reason given is that if man's behavior is not worthy and proper, one can say to him, "Even a mosquito was created before you, even an earthworm preceded you."
These two explanations express the dual nature of the essence of man. The first presents man in the role of the crown of Creation, for whom G-d prepared everything in advance. The second explanation stresses the relative unimportance of man as compared to all the other animals, to the point that even the mosquito came first.
The first reason stresses man's merit and is related to the soul every Jew. The second explanation, stressing the unimportance of man, relates to the physical body.
By virtue of the G-dly soul, which is literally a part of G-d, man stands on a level higher than all other creations. This aspect of man cannot be changed even if, G-d forbid, he sins. However, because of his physical body, man is concurrently lower than even a mosquito; an animal does not have free choice and can only carry out the function for which it was created. Man is the only creature that can chose not to carry out G-d's will.
Because man has the ability to lower himself below all other animals, the laws pertaining to him are written in the Torah only after the laws pertaining to the animals.
This contradiction in man's nature raises the question, "How is it possible to be, at the same time, on both a lofty exalted level and yet lower than all other creature?"
Man's subordinance is hidden within a great virtue. Precisely because of man's corporeal nature, he is able to fulfill the purpose of Creation. G-d's will is that the lofty soul should come down and "clothe itself" in a physical body, to elevate and purify the body. The purpose of creation is that man ("adam"), created from earth ("adama") should uncover and fulfill the potential of his soul and elevate his corporeal nature.
Reprinted from the Parshat Sasria 5786 email of L’Chaim, a publication of the Lubavitch Youth Organization in Brooklyn, NY. Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
