Quotation sobre Gênesis 2:15

Man — what is he in this God-filled world? What is his place in this throng of creatures of God, this choir of servants of the Lord? Though the Torah were silent, would not the contemplation of creation, would not your own breast tell you? Man, is he not also a creature of God? Should he not also be a servant of God? Every fiber of your body is a creation from the hand of God, formed by Him, arranged by Him, endowed by Him with power. Your spirit, that world of powers, is the creation of God from beginning to end. The divine spark, your personality, which, invisible as Deity, weaves and works in this microcosm, and under whose control stand intellect and body and the power to use the entire realm of nature for its purpose, this mysterious spritual force in you is itself emanation of Deity. Learn to deem yourself holy as creature of God and, while contemplating heaven and earth and the great chorus of servants of the Lord, consecrate yourself to your mission, and proclaim yourself with mingled solemnity and joy, "servant of God!" Since all things, the smallest and the greatest, are God's chosen messengers, to work, each in its place, and with its measure of power, according to the law of the Most High, taking only that it may give again, should man alone be excluded from this circle of blessed activity? Can he be born only to take? — to revel in lavish plenty or to starve in misery, but not to work? — not to fill any place, nor fulfill any purpose, but to let all end in himself? The world and all which is therein serves God; is it conceivable that man alone should only serve himself? No! Your consciousness pronounces you as does the Torah, צלם אלהים "an image of God." That is what man should be. Only when working out some end canst thou know God in love and righteousness; to work out ends of righteousness and love art thou called; not merely to enjoy or suffer. All which thou possessest, spirit, body, human beings, wealth, every ability and every power, they are means of activity; לעבדה ולשמרה to promote and preserve the world were they given — love and righteousness. Not thine is the earth, but thou belongest to the earth, to respect it as Divine soil and to deem every one of its creatures a creature of God, thy fellow-being; to respect and love it as such, and as such to endeavor to bring it nearer to its goal, according to the will of God. For this reason every being impresses upon thy spirit an image of itself; for this reason thy heart-strings pulsate sympathetically with every cry of distress heard anywhere in creation, or with every tone of joy which issues anywhere from a gladsome being; therefore thou rejoicest when the flower blooms and sorrowest when it fades. The law to which all powers submit unconsciously and involuntarily, to it shall thou also subordinate thyself, but consciously and of thy own free will. "Knowledge and freedom,'" these words indicate at once the sublime mission and the lofty privilege of man. All forces stand as servitors around the throne of God, their capacity is hidden from themselves and covered are their countenances, so that they can not see the reason of their mission, but they feel within them winged power to act, and act in accordance with their purpose. Thou, O man, thy countenance is half uncovered, thy capacity is half revealed, thou canst comprehend thyself as creature of God — canst at least faintly appreciate the notion of the mission which He breathed into thy ear; canst thou see thyself encompassed round about by God's active servants, canst thou feel in thyself power to act and wilt thou not joyously join in the cry of the great chorus of servants, נעשה ונשמע "we will do and therefore hearken? We will obey, and fulfilling strive to comprehend the import of the command!" Consciously and freely! Therefore thou shalt be first and highest servitor in the company of servants!