Today’s minute? More about ‘G-d created man in the Divine Image’.

… It’s a powerful Jewish concept.

And one of the most important ideas that Judaism brought to the world. For many reasons.

… Think of ancient Greece. Of their religion and mythology.

They had ‘Gods’ with every possible shortcoming. Lust. Jealousy. Anger. You name it.

… Pick a human shortcoming and they had a God for it.

It wasn’t ‘man created in the Divine Image’.

But ‘God created in man’s image’!

… And that makes the whole difference.

Because if we internalize the Torah’s teaching about life. That there is an all-perfect G-d.

Who created this all. With a purpose.

And that He endowed us with a Divine soul.

Allowing us too to achieve a near-perfection.

… Then we have something to motivate us to grow.

To become better. More consistent with how G-d wants us to be.

More G-dlike.

… But if you have a God created in man’s image? You loose any motivation to grow spiritually.

Because we can simply say to ourselves: ‘What’s wrong? That I’m jealous of others?

So what?

The Gods are like that too!

… It’s a lesson to remember day in and day out as we face life’s challenges. At work. At home. And in the streets.

We’re not just ‘people’. We are Divine Images.

And we should always try to live up to that.

… I hope you have a great day, and again, I pray that we all share many simchas (joyous occasions).