While it’s clear from the Torah that man was created last in the process of the creation of the world, David Hamelech—at first glance—seems to put a puzzling twist on the creation of man: “Last and first you created me,” (Tehillim, 139). It sounds from David that while man was created last, he was also created first! How could this be?
Furthermore, the midrash in our parsha learns from this statement of David that “if a person has been worthy, they (the angels) say to him (respectfully) ‘You preceded all the work of creation.’ But if he has not (been worthy), they say to him (disdainfully), ‘The gnat preceded you, the earthworm preceded you,’” (Vayikra Rabbah, 14:1). Does a person’s worthiness or lack of it dictate a fact about when he was created?
Rav Gedalia Schorr explains that—as we know—man is created of two distinct parts: his body—the physical and his soul—the spiritual. When David Hamelech says that man was created last, this is a reference to his physical being. However, when David says that man was created first, that’s a reference to his spiritual being.
Based on this, Rav Schorr explains what the midrash is essentially gleaning from David’s statement: If a person leads a spiritual life, and his physical being is only as a means to enhance his Avodat Hashem, so then he is “worthy,” and thus they tell he who has chosen to prioritize and emphasize spirituality and who has made physicality secondary, that he has preceded all the work of creation—that all of creation is secondary to him. However, a person whose main priority is physicality, then they tell this person a gnat has preceded him, for in fact, his physical being was created last.
What does it mean that they tell a person who emphasizes physicality, instead of his spirituality that he was created last—that a gnat has preceded him? What “mussar,” what chastisement, is being imparted to such a person? In the entirety of creation, there are four basic elements. Listed in order of least to most importance: 1) Domem (inanimate matter); 2) Tzomeyach (things that grow). 3) Chai (living beings, for example, animals). 4) Medaber (creations that speak, i.e., man). Additionally, according to the Kuzari, there is a fifth creation—a Jew.
Rav Schorr points out that those which are higher up in the list, nevertheless, when they cease to function in their intended purpose, they become even more downgraded than the lowest on the list. When a tzomeyach loses its capability to grow, it totally lacks the ability to continue functioning and loses all form, as opposed to a simple domem which continues in its original form. When a chai dies, its carcass becomes so repugnant and is more degrading than the two elements below it. When a human corrupts his purpose of living, he also becomes considered more degraded than all the other elements below him. And when a Jew—the fifth and greatest of creation—doesn’t live up to his intended purpose, he likewise is considered more degrading than all the other four below him. Says Rav Schorr—this is what it means when we tell him that even a gnat has preceded him—meaning, that one who fails to live up to his intended purpose becomes even lower than a miniscule fly (“Ohr Gedaliyahu,” Tazria-Metzorah).
To live a materialistic life is against the entire purpose of a Jews creation, and thus by doing so, in some sense, even a gnat is more important than him, since the fly is at least fulfilling its intended purpose of creation.
If you think about it, much of the average person’s time is probably spent on “physical” matters (we eat, we sleep, work, exercise, etc.). Although this seems reasonable, it would nevertheless seem that, generally speaking, most of our time is spent engaged in the physical world! If so, would that mean that we are on a lower level than those tiny buzzing creatures?
Rav Nosson Wachtfogel points out that the midrash seems to provide only two possibilities for man to be capable of. Either one lives a spiritual life and he is worthy, or he lives a physical life and is worse off than a fly. But, what about someone who is in between? Doesn’t the Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva, 3:1) say that someone whose merits are more than his transgressions is a tzaddik, one whose transgressions are more than his merits is a rasha, but one who is 50-50 is in the middle?! Yet, the midrash sounds like only two extremes are possible!
Rav Wachtfogel explains that in reference to actual deed, there is, indeed, a third, and middle level where one is at a 50-50 scale. However, the midrash here refers to one’s inner being—one’s main and overall ambition, aspirations and hopes in life. In this realm, there will only be two possibilities: either one will aspire to live a spiritual, growth-oriented life or the opposite. There’s no 50-50.
We could, perhaps, learn from here that one’s spiritual level and his lofty status as a “Jew” in its intended purpose—who is the most important of all creation, is largely determined by where one’s heart is. If one’s heart—what one aspires for—is for that which is against the values of the Torah, then even if he is mostly involved in spiritual activities, he might still be considered less important than a fly. However, if one’s heart wants and strives for spirituality and closeness to Hashem, then even if most of his day is spent on “physical” activities, he—in theory—might, nevertheless, retain his noble status as a “Jew” in its intended purpose—who is the pinnacle of creation.
Perhaps then, one’s level of greatness, and who one truly is, is not necessarily limited to and determined by what a person does, but rather by what a person wants.
Binyamin is a graduate of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchanan, and of Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
