MOREOVER, THOU SHALT LOOK ABOUT AND CHOOSE OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE, ABLE MEN. R. Isaac and R. Jose were one day studying the Torah in Tiberias. R. Simeon passed by and asked them what they were engaged upon. They answered him: ‘The words which we have learned from thee, Master,’ ‘Which?’ said he. They replied: ‘It arises out of the verse: “This is the book of the generations of man; in the day when God created man, in the likeness of God made he him” (Gen. 5, 1). We were taught,’ they said, ‘that this verse indicates that the Holy One showed to the first man all the future generations of mankind: all the leaders, all the sages of each period.
We were further taught concerning the mystery contained in the words “this is the book” that there are two books, an upper and a lower book. The lower book is the “book of remembrance”, and the upper one is called ” this”. And in order to show that the two are not separated, but form one, it is written “this is the book”. There are two grades, male and female.
For all the souls and spirits that enter human beings are alluded to in the words “generations of man (Adam)”, for they all issue from the “Righteous One”, and this is the “watering of the river that went out of Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2, 10).
There is also another, a lower “Adam”, alluded to in the words, “on the day that God created man (Adam)”, in the same verse. In regard to the upper Adam, the union of male and female is at first only distantly alluded to in the words “this is the book”, but after they produced offspring they are called openly “Adam”. Then it is said that God made man in the “likeness” of God. By the word “likeness” we are to understand a kind of mirror in which images appear momentarily and then pass away. According to another explanation, the word “likeness” refers to the union of male and female organs: and so the Master affirmed. In regard to the upper Adam, the union of male and female is at first only distantly alluded to in the words “this is the book”, but after they produced offspring they are called openly “Adam”.
Then it is said that God made man in the “likeness” of God. By the word “likeness” we are to understand a kind of mirror in which images appear momentarily and then pass away.
Furthermore: “This is the book of the generations of Man”, viz. the book which reveals the inner meaning of the features of man, so as to teach the knowledge of human nature. The character of man is revealed in the hair, the forehead, the eyes, the lips, the features of the face, the lines of the hands, and even the ears. By these seven can the different types of men be recognized. The Hair.
רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי יוֹסִי, הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי יוֹמָא חַד וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בִּטְבֶרְיָא. אַעְבָּר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לוֹן בְּמַאי עַסְקִיתּוּ, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, בְּהַאי קְרָא דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא מִנֵּיהּ דְּמֹר, אָמַר לוֹן מַאי אִיהוּ. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, הַאי דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ה׳:א׳) זֶה סֵפֶר תוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם בְּיוֹם בְּרוֹא אֱלהִים אָדָם בִּדְמוּת אֱלהִים עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ. וְהָא אִתְּמַר, דְּאַחְמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, כָּל אִינּוּן דָּרִין דַּהֲווֹ זְמִינִין לְמֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא, וְכָל אִינּוּן פַּרְנָסִין, וְכָל אִינּוּן חַכִּימִין, דַּהֲווֹ זְמִינִין בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא.
MOREOVER, THOU SHALT LOOK ABOUT AND CHOOSE OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE, ABLE MEN. R. Isaac and R. Jose were one day studying the Torah in Tiberias. R. Simeon passed by and asked them what they were engaged upon. They answered him: ‘The words which we have learned from thee, Master,’ ‘Which?’ said he. They replied: ‘It arises out of the verse: “This is the book of the generations of man; in the day when God created man, in the likeness of God made he him” (Gen. 5, 1). We were taught,’ they said, ‘that this verse indicates that the Holy One showed to the first man all the future generations of mankind: all the leaders, all the sages of each period.
וְרָזָא אוֹלִיפְנָא, זֶה סֵפֶר. אִית סֵפֶר וְאִית סֵפֶר. סֵפֶר לְעֵילָּא, סֵפֶר לְתַתָּא. סֵפֶר לְתַתָּא אִקְרֵי סֵפֶר הַזִּכָּרוֹן, סֵפֶר דְּהַהוּא זִכָּרוֹן, וְדָא חַד צַדִּיק, וְאִקְרֵי זֶה. וּבְגִין דְּלָא לְאַפְרְשָׁא לוֹן, דְּאִינּוּן תָּדִיר כַּחֲדָא בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא, כְּתִיב, זֶה סֵפֶר תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין דְּאִינּוּן חַד, כְּלָלָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא.
We were further taught concerning the mystery contained in the words “this is the book” that there are two books, an upper and a lower book. The lower book is the “book of remembrance”, and the upper one is called ” this”. And in order to show that the two are not separated, but form one, it is written “this is the book”. There are two grades, male and female.
וְדָא אִיהוּ כְּלָלָא חֲדָא, דְּכָל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין וְרוּחִין דְּפַרְחִין בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּלָלָא דְּכָל תוֹלְדוֹת, אִינּוּן בְּרָזָא תוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם וַדַּאי. דְּהָא מֵהַהוּא צַדִּיק דְּקָאָמַר, פַּרְחִין אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא חֲדָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ שַׁקְיוּ דְּגִנְתָּא דְּאַשְׁקֵי הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן. וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּאָדָם, דִּכְתִּיב תוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם.
For all the souls and spirits that enter human beings are alluded to in the words “generations of man (Adam)”, for they all issue from the “Righteous One”, and this is the “watering of the river that went out of Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2, 10).
לְבָתַר בְּיוֹם בְּרוֹא אֱלהִים אָדָם, דָּא אָדָם דִּלְתַתָּא, דְּהָא תְּרֵין אָדָם כְּתִיבֵי בְּהַאי קְרָא, חַד רָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְחַד רָזָא דִּלְתַתָּא, אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, אִיהוּ בִּגְנִיזוּ, דְּגָנִיז קְרָא, בִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא בְּרָזָא חֲדָא, דִּכְתִּיב זֶה סֵפֶר, דָּא כְּלָלָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא כַּחֲדָא. כֵּיוָן דְּעָבְדוּ תוֹלְדוֹת כַּחֲדָא, קָרָא לוֹן אָדָם, דִּכְתִּיב תוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם.
There is also another, a lower “Adam”, alluded to in the words, “on the day that God created man (Adam)”, in the same verse. In regard to the upper Adam, the union of male and female is at first only distantly alluded to in the words “this is the book”, but after they produced offspring they are called openly “Adam”. Then it is said that God made man in the “likeness” of God. By the word “likeness” we are to understand a kind of mirror in which images appear momentarily and then pass away. According to another explanation, the word “likeness” refers to the union of male and female organs: and so the Master affirmed. In regard to the upper Adam, the union of male and female is at first only distantly alluded to in the words “this is the book”, but after they produced offspring they are called openly “Adam”.
לְבָתַר דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא מִלְּתָא, מִגּוֹ סְתִימוּ עִלָּאָה קַדְמָאָה דִּקְרָא, בָּרָא אָדָם לְתַתָּא, דִּכְתִּיב בְּיוֹם בְּרוֹא אֱלהִים אָדָם בִּדְמוּת אֱלהִים עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ. בִּדְמוּת (ס"א דא איהו) דְּאָדָם אִיהוּ כְּהַאי חֵיזוּ דְּאִתְחָזֵי דִּיּוּקְנִין בֵּיהּ, וְאִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנִין לָא קַיְימִין בְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא בְּקִיּוּמָא, אֶלָּא מִתְעַבְּרָן מִינֵּיהּ, אוּף הָכִי בִּדְמוּת אֱלהִים.
Then it is said that God made man in the “likeness” of God. By the word “likeness” we are to understand a kind of mirror in which images appear momentarily and then pass away.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, בִּדְמוּת אֱלהִים, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּשַׁיְיפִין דְּכָר וְנוּקְבָּא, בְּרָזָא (תהלים קלט) דְּאָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם. אָחוֹר: בְּרָזָא דְּשָׁמוֹר. וָקֶדֶם: בְּרָזָא דְּזָכוֹר. וּבְאִלֵּין תַּלְיָין כָּל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, שִׁית מְאָה וּתְלֵיסָר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא. וְתָנֵינָן, אָחוֹר לְעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרִאשִׁית, וָקֶדֶם לְעוֹבָדָא דְּמֶרְכָּבָה. וְכֹלָּא דָּא בְּדָא תַּלְיָא. בִּדְמוּת אֱלהִים, בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא מַמָּשׁ, וְהָא אוֹקִים לֵיהּ מֹר.
According to another explanation, the word “likeness” refers to the union of male and female organs: and so the Master affirmed.
תּוּ, זֶה סֵפֶר תוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם: לְדִּיּוּקְנִין, בְּרָזֵי דְּדִיּוּקְנִין דְּבַּר נָשׁ, לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא בְּאִינּוּן תוֹלְדוֹת דְּבַּר נָשׁ, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּרָזִין דְּבַּר נָשׁ, בְּשַׂעְרָא, בְּמִצְחָא, בְּעַיְינִין, בְּאַנְפִּין. בְּשִׁפְוָון, וּבְשִׂרְטוּטֵי יְדִין, וּבְאוּדְנִין. בְּאִלֵּין שֶׁבַע בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן.
Furthermore: “This is the book of the generations of Man”, viz. the book which reveals the inner meaning of the features of man, so as to teach the knowledge of human nature. The character of man is revealed in the hair, the forehead, the eyes, the lips, the features of the face, the lines of the hands, and even the ears. By these seven can the different types of men be recognized. The Hair.