This week, I was giving a class on Judaism’s perspective on the sanctity and immeasurable value of human life. During the discussion, we came across one of the most profound teachings of our Sages:
“Whoever sustains a single Jewish soul, it is considered it as though one has sustained an entire world.”
(Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5)
This is because every human being is created בצלם אלוקיםin the image of G-d.
“So G-d created man in His image”
At first glance, this teaching can seem inspiring but somewhat impractical. Most of us are not doctors, paramedics, or first responders. We are not literally saving lives every day. Does this teaching only apply on those rare occasions when a person’s life is physically rescued?
I want to suggest otherwise.
In this week’s Parsha Moses tells the Jewish people and tells them to go in G-d’s ways:
“To walk in all His ways.”
The Talmud explains what this means:
“Just as He is compassionate, so you should be compassionate. Just as He is gracious, so you should be gracious.”
This raises an obvious question. How can finite human beings imitate the infinite G-d? Isn’t that an impossible expectation?
The answer lies in the very idea with which we began. We are created in G-d’s image. G-d has placed within each of us a spark of His own character. He has given us the capacity to reflect His kindness, compassion, generosity, and love in the way we treat others.
Every act of kindness, every encouraging word, every moment of patience, every opportunity to help another person is, in its own way, an act of sustaining a world. And that comes form the Divine image that is in us.
This teaching also changes the way we look at ourselves. If every person is an entire world, then so are we. Each of us possesses immeasurable value and untapped potential. Recognising our own worth enables us to recognise that same infinite worth in every person we meet.
Perhaps that is one of the messages of this week’s Parshah: to walk in G-d’s ways begins by seeing every person including ourselves as infinitely precious, each being created in the image of G-d and the potential to be an Ambassador of G-d’s kindness in this world.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Zalman and Esty
