In Weekly Parsha
The Greatest Human
“And Hashem blew into Adam’s nostrils a living Neshama (soul) and Man became a living creature” (4:8).
For starters, what is this verse even telling us in the first place? Hashem blew life into Adam by giving him a Neshama, a soul, and then man became a living creature. What does this all mean? Also, why all the repetition, just state that Hashem placed a soul into him, what is the meaning of the concluding words of the verse?
As usual, the answer to this question explains everything!
The animals were created and were also described as being a “living creature”, how then is the soul of man more special and higher than theirs?
Rashi informs us that man’s soul is different from the soul of all other living creatures in that it has the ability to think and talk.
Reb Moshe Feinstein however has a question on this. Although this is certainly true, however, from the verse itself, it is very hard to see how man's uniqueness is expressed. The problem is that the words, “living creature” means: a being that can live on this earth, which refers to the ability to stay alive by means of eating, sleeping and self-protection. Animals are able to eat and sleep as well?! How then is man different?
He explains that the difference between a human and an animal is in their motivation. An animal only thinks about its physical existence, it has no noble thoughts beyond that. However, man’s “living spirit” was only found in him after Hashem blew into his nostril, “a living Neshama”. Hence, this connotes the specialness of man. When man takes care of his physical needs, when he eats and sleeps, it is not for selfish reasons, rather, it is l’shem shamayim, for the sake of heaven.
This is why the verse only calls man “a living being” after describing the fact that Hashem gave him a spiritual Neshama, soul. A true servant of Hashem utilizes the physical world in order to maximize his spiritual growth!
Yosef Tropper
www.closetotorah.com