We are tasked with improving ourselves, and this is the most fundamental aspect of our mission.

Not Necessarily Good

Hashem created man last, as the climax of creation. The Torah tells us that Hashem saw what He created before man’s arrival as “good.” He put everything in place in preparation for man’s arrival in the world, which He created for him.^[1]

Surprisingly, though, Hashem does not describe man as good.^[2] Rav Yosef Albo^[3] attributes this to a fundamental difference between man and all other creations. Hashem created other creatures as objectively good, naturally ready to function properly. Man’s status, though, depends upon his own choices and decisions. Our creation in G-d’s image includes free choice  — the ability to choose good, but also the option to choose evil and have a negative impact.

Not Our Final Form

Man’s fate is in his own hands — he decides for himself and for the world. Hashem did not create us as finished products, but with the need and responsibility to develop ourselves properly. As opposed to angels, who have static existences, man is meant to work to reach higher levels of existence.^[4] This is why the Gemara teaches that talmidei chachamim “do not have rest” in this world.^[5] They constantly seek opportunities for personal growth.

Rebbe Akiva^[6] saw this as the message of the mitzvah of brit milah. The Roman general Turnus Rufus rejected milah, claiming it to be a defamation of Hashem’s creation. He claimed that if Hashem wanted us to be circumcised, He would have created us that way: As G-d’s creations are better than man’s, man cannot possibly improve His world.

Rebbe Akiva responded that man’s creations are greater than G-d’s; G-d creates the world incomplete to leave us room to complete it.^[7] The mitzvah of milah teaches us that we, too, need improvement. Just as we turn wheat into bread and cookies, we must improve our bodies. Rebbe Akiva proved this from the fact that babies are born with an umbilical cord that needs to be cut for the mother and child to survive. We are born this way to teach us our responsibility to develop ourselves.

The Sefer HaChinuch^[8] takes Rebbe Akiva’s idea an important step further. He explains that milah teaches us that we must also improve ourselves spiritually. Hashem creates us with the need to improve our bodies in order to teach us the importance of improving our souls. Our role in cultivating the physical should inspire us to develop spiritually.

Learning From Our Creation

The Netziv^[9] inferred this idea from the Torah’s description of man’s creation. Unlike the animals, who are described as “nefesh chayah” immediately upon their creation, man is described this way only once Hashem adds a soul. This, explains the Netziv, is because an animal’s existence is purely physical. Man, on the other hand, is truly alive only once he develops himself spiritually and fully appreciates his soul.

The Zohar^[10] used this idea to explain another difference between the Torah’s descriptions of humans versus animals. As opposed to human beings, for whom we use different names to describe the different ages and stages of life (baby, child, adult), the Torah describes baby animals with the same terms it uses for those fully grown. It calls a baby ram a ram,^[11] a baby ox an ox, a baby sheep a sheep, and a baby goat a goat.^[12]

The Zohar explains that we use different names for the various stages of human life because humans, unlike animals, undergo significant development from one stage to the next. The distinct names convey the meaningful distinction between the stages of a well-lived human life.

The Maharal^[13] saw a hint of our need for personal development in an additional aspect of creation — the physical material used to create man, the “afar min ha’adamah.”^[14] Man was created from dirt to teach us that we, like the ground, have growth potential. This is why Chazal^[15] describe man’s accomplishments as his pei’rot  — he, like the ground, produces fruit. The ground’s produce is physical fruit; our produce is personal growth.

The Baal Shem Tov saw this idea as Hashem’s intention when He exclaimed (before creating man), “Na’aseh adam^[16] — We will make man.” The commentators wonder who else Hashem involved in the process of creating man. The Baal Shem Tov identifies the adam Hashem created as the one He included as His partner in the process. Hashem creates us together with ourselves. He begins the process; we  complete it.^[17]

Our Historical Emphasis on Personal Growth

Judaism often finds itself at odds with society on this issue.

In Greco-Roman times, the debate centered on altering one's physical appearance. Turnus Rufus and his colleagues^[18] rejected Judaism’s belief in the need to change our bodies.

In contemporary times, the debate focuses on our emotional makeup. Much of contemporary society celebrates and seeks recognition for our natural emotions and emotional state. The Torah teaches us that our natural emotional makeup is merely a starting point for personal development. Holiness is a goal, not (just) a starting point.^[19]

The Point of Life in This World

This is why the Medrash^[20] is critical of Yaakov Avinu seeking to settle down. Understandably, after the challenges he faced with Lavan and Esav, Yaakov sought tranquility. Presumably, he sought it for all the right reasons. The Rambam^[21] explains that the prophets and the wise desire the coming of Moshiach so they can have the peace of mind to study Torah and fulfill mitzvot properly. Yaakov had similar goals.

But this was not meant to be. Instead, he faced new challenges — the discord between Yosef and his brothers. The Sefat Emet^[22] explains that though tranquility is valuable and useful, it should not be what we seek in this world. It is what we find in the next world; this one is for personal growth.^[23]

Attaining the Ultimate Good

Personal growth is very hard; Rabbi Yisrael Salanter taught that changing one middah is harder than finishing all of Shas. But this is our life’s mission, the purpose of our creation.

Bereishit Rabbah^[24] explains that, though man is not described as “good,” when he lives his life correctly, he is the ultimate embodiment of “very good.” ^[25] When we channel our freedom towards meaningful personal growth, we are better than other creatures, who are programmed to reflexively play their roles.

May appreciating this point inspire us to develop ourselves and reach our full personal potential.

Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA.

His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com

^[1] Sanhedrin 38a. See also the Mishnah in Sanhedrin (4:5), which adds that each person should see the world as created for him.

^[2] Though the Torah tells us that Hashem saw the entirety of creation as good (Bereishit 1:31), this point is not made about man in particular.

^[3] Sefer Ha’Ikkarim 3:2. See also the Ramban (Bereishit 2:18), who explains that man is not described as good because he is only good when connected to others.

^[4] See Pri Tzaddik (Vayelech 1) based upon Zecharyah 3:7. This is why the Rema (O”C 1:1) describes tzaddikim as those who “go” before G-d. See the GRA (1:1), who 1) links this description to the Torah’s description of Noach, Chanoch, and the Avot, and 2) sees this behavior as the totality of being a tzaddik.

^[5] Berachot 64a. See also Mesilat Yesharim 9, who develops this idea.

This is why the medrash (Bereishit Rabbah 38:7) sees a Torah description of sitting or resting as negative (“a launch point for the Satan”). See also Rashi and the Kli Yakar on Bereishit 37:1. See also Sefat Emet, Vayeshev 5636.  

^[6] Midrash Tanchuma, Tazria 5. See also Bava Batra 10b for a similar conversation between the two regarding the mitzvah of tzedakah.

^[7] In a similar discussion about milah (Bereishit Rabbah 11:6), Rebbe Hoshaya proved this point from Bereishit’s description of Hashem having created the world “la’asot.” The world was created imperfect in order for us to fix it.

See also Kelach Pitchei Chochmah (131), who speaks about the world developing spiritually.

The Kotzker Rebbe saw this idea in the Torah’s first word — “Bereishit.” G-d created the “beginning”; the rest is in man’s hands.

^[8] Chinuch 2.

^[9] Ha’Amek Davar Bereishit 2:7. (See also his commentary to Devarim 4:1.)

^[10] Zohar 3:91b.

^[11] Bereishit 31:38. See Rashi there, who quotes Bava Kamma (65a), which infers from this pasuk that a baby ram can be called a ram.

^[12] Vayikra 22:27.

^[13] Tiferet Yisrael 3. The Maharal describes the idea that man is created in his ultimate, final state as a “machshevet pigul” — a disgusting, unacceptable thought.

^[14] Bereishit 2:7. This is why man is called “adam,” from “adamah.”

^[15] Sotah 46a. See also Devarim 20:19, which compares man to a fruit tree.

^[16] Bereishit 1:26.

^[17] This is how many seforim explain the significance of the difference between the birth and naming of Yaakov and Eisav. Eisav was born first and already full of hair. This is why he was given the name Eisav, which means “ready-made” (Rashi, Baal Haturim, and Shem Mishmuel to Bereishit 25:25). Yaakov, on the other hand, was born holding on to the heel of Eisav. This symbolized his striving for more and passion for growth. The name given to him later in life, Yisrael, also reflects his willingness to struggle in order to achieve growth (Bereishit 32:29). See also Rav Nosson Tzvi [Finkel] Speaks, pg. 48–50.

^[18] See Bereishit Rabbah 11:6.

^[19] As opposed to Korach, who claimed that all Jews were already naturally holy (Bamidbar 16:3), the Torah presents holiness as what we achieve through mitzvah performance and personal growth (Shemot 19:6, 22:30; Vayikra 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7,26, 21:6; Bamidbar 15:40).

^[20] Bereishit Rabbah 84:3, quoted by Rashi, Bereishit 37:2. See also Targum Yonatan, Bereishit 37:1. See also Sanhedrin 106a, which presents this as a broader rule (beyond the case of Yaakov).

^[21] Hilchot Teshuvah 9:2.

^[22] Sefat Emet, Vayeshev, Likutim. See also 5636. See also Maharal to Avot 2:2.

^[23] Avot 4:17. See Kli Yakar, Bereishit 37:1, who references this Mishnah. See also Mesilat Yesharim 9.

^[24] Bereishit Rabbah 9:12. The Midrash points out that the words “Adam” and “me’od” consist of the same three letters.

^[25] Bereishit 1:31.