Genesis 1:26

From a Kabbalistic perspective, being in His image does not mean that the Creator has a human form, but rather that the human being possesses potentially divine qualities. Image and likeness refer to aspects of the soul, the inner being.

According to Kabbalah, Tzelem (image) is a spiritual structure that connects the human soul to the higher worlds. In particular, it relates to the sefirot, which are the 10 emanations through which God creates and sustains the universe.

The human being, in his spiritual form, reflects these sefirot. For example, when we use wisdom (Chochmah), understanding (Bina), or mercy (Chesed), we are activating these divine qualities within us. Likeness implies a potential for development. Human beings are not automatically like God, but have the capacity to become so through their actions, their spiritual growth, and their conscious connection with the divine.

This means that "in the image" is what we are in essence. "In likeness" is what we can become. Being in likeness calls us to imitate divine qualities, to be compassionate, just, generous, and patient, like the sefirot that represent those aspects of God.

We must work toward this Tikkun Olam: to Repair the world, to elevate creation through our conscious actions. For Unification: to seek unity in diversity, to recognize the divine spark in all.

The human being is a microcosm of the universe, and our soul is connected to the highest forces of the cosmos. Being in the image and likeness of God is a call to live with spiritual purpose, reflecting divine light in the material world.

We are in His image, according to His likeness, called to have dominion over the earth. As His children, "בְּ צַלְּ מֵ נוּ כִׁדְּ מוּתֵ נוּ" (B'tzalmeinu Kidmuteinu), the concept of "Tzelem" (image) reminds us that we have a spiritual form, while "Demut" (likeness) refers to our physical form, meaning this duality calls us to balance the human with the divine.

Since we were created "נַעֲשֶ ה אָּ דָּ ם " (Na'aseh Adam) through Adam "אדם" as the firstborn, it is reiterated that we are filled with inquiries, as deduced from the gematric value of this expression: 45, which is the same value as the word "מה " (Mah), meaning "What?". This inquisitive nature constantly confronts spirituality and revealed truth, leading us to seek answers and meaning in our lives.

The number 26 in the verse brings us to the Tetragrammaton (יהוה , YHWH), the most sacred name of the Creator, a perfect number that suggests the creation of humankind is intimately linked to this divine essence, so our identity must fulfill this heavenly purpose here on earth.

Being created "in the image and likeness" implies an immense responsibility, and we must strive to reflect these divine qualities in our daily lives. This is a compelling reason to assume that we are here to perfect the world (Tikkun Olam) through our actions, using both our spiritual and physical nature to do good.

The gematric value of 26, corresponding to the sacred name of our Creator, also reminds us that each of us carries within a spark of the divine, a potential for holiness and spiritual elevation. Our task is to cultivate that spark, recognizing in our ability to verbalize the possibility to create, love, and lead in a way that correctly reflects the divine image in which we were formed.

Our dignity is greater than just being human, for we are His children, though we have lost our way due to sin, which allows us to evaluate our freedom, even extending it to the dimension of libertinism. As human beings, the call is to reach those ethical and spiritual standards, contributing to the well-being of the world and our personal and spiritual growth.

The Jayá (חַ יָּה) level calls us to understand the transcendent and the connection with the whole, making us aware of all the unconsciousness that stifles us and cries out for us to reach that state of spiritual enlightenment where the soul can perceive life from a higher perspective.

Reaching the Yejidá (יְּחִׁ ידָּ ה) level, the highest, which represents total unity with the Creator, is to be guided by that divine spark that exists in each person and is completely united with His essence. This thread, which here and now allows us to understand that level beyond individuality, is the part of the soul that makes us recognize ourselves as eternal: His children.

This is why the idea of "lording it over" creation, from a Kabbalistic perspective, calls us to fulfill a life mission: "רְּ דוּ" (Redu) – "rule over it," "כבשוה " (Kivshuhá) – "subdue it" or "dominate it." Through the lens of gematria (the numerical value of Hebrew words), it tells us that, "רדו" (Redu)? ר =200 ,ד =4 ,ו =6, Total = 210, is the same value as the word "יהר" (Ye'or), which means the Nile, the great river of Egypt. And 210 is also the number of years that, according to Jewish tradition, the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt.

In Kabbalah, nothing is accidental. The fact that "ruling" (Redu) has the same meaning as "slavery in Egypt" (210 years) implies a paradox: If a human being does not govern his environment with spiritual awareness, he risks becoming a slave to the material world. Domination without wisdom becomes oppression. Domination with awareness is liberation and harmony.

For Kabbalah, "ruling" (Redu) does not mean dominating in the sense of exploiting, but rather in the sense of correcting and elevating creation – Tikkun HaOlam. Man is called to participate in the rectification of the world, revealing the divinity hidden in matter. This is done by using material things for spiritual purposes.

Being the ruler of creation, as the Zohar teaches, is not a privilege, but a mission: to act as an intermediary between the upper worlds and the lower reality. Before ruling the external world, man must learn to rule himself: master his negative impulse (Yetzer Hara) with the guidance of the divine soul (Neshama). As the sages say, “Who is strong? He who masters his inclination.”

The letters of "Redu" (רדו) can also be seen as symbolic acronyms: ר – represents Ratzon (will), ד – represents Dibbur (word), ו – represents Vav, which unites, the channel that connects the high with the low. Thus, "Redu" reminds us that true leadership comes from the alignment of will, word, and action, connected to the divine.

It is about being "lords" of creation; it implies: not possessing it, but consciously serving it, elevating it with our actions, acting as bridges between heaven and earth, and being responsible kings, not tyrants.