In the Genesis story there are two moments that recall the creation of human beings. Many Biblical commentators and scholars analyze and compare the two stories. And although I don’t even “reach to their ankles”, I’d like to offer a reading that I heard.
At the end of the first chapter, on the 6th day of a 6-Day Creation Story, Human is created. The Torah reads:
"וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם." (בראשית א: כז)
“And GD(s) created the AdAm in his/its image; in the image of GD(s) he/it created him/it; Male and Female created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
Here the terms “Male” and “Female” are introduced in the context of B’Tselem Elohim - in the image of GD - which means that GD is both male and female in nature. That is, GD possesses both characteristics/traits that are generally classified as masculine or feminine. And since Human is created in GD’s image, all humans can possess both characteristics/traits that are generally classified as masculine or feminine
In the second chapter, the Torah recounts the creation of the Garden of Eden, and teachers:
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־זֹּֽאת׃ (בראשית ב: כג)
“And the Human said: This instance happened from my bone and my flesh. To this I will call Isha/Woman because she was taken from Ish/Man.” (Genesis 2:23)
In this second instance of Human, the terms “Isha/WoMan” and “Ish/Man” are introduced for the first time. The context of the verse(s) seem(s) to indicate that this creation was more “biological” in nature. Hence, we can posit that WoMan and Man are biological categories, related to the Human ability to reproduce offspring.
Yet in the second account there is no reference to “B’Tselem Elohim”, meaning there isn’t a claim that GD is either WoMan or Man, in a physical sense. We can actually imply that humans are animals when it comes to reproduction (and not GD).
But there is B'Tselem Elohim and that is masculinity and femininity.
Like GD, humans have both male and female inside.
And sometimes a Man can feel/act more feminine than masculine and sometimes a WoMan can feel/act more masculine than feminine.
Society often recoils at this because it's complicated and hard to understand.
But it’s also difficult and complicated to understand God!
Sometimes there are contradictions.
Sometimes what seems like a cruel god is actually kindness.
And sometimes what seem like mercy turns about to be excruciating punishment.
It is difficult for a person to understand because it is not that simple.
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