Rav Leibowitz
Last week we noted that our sages identify four primary levels of "beings" in creation. This week we continue that discussion.
An Essentially Unique Level
In general, we find that a more elevated group possesses the
capabilities of the groups beneath it, in addition to its own more elevated capabilities. Therefore, to discover the capabilities that
truly reflect a group’s elevation, it is necessary to isolate the unique capabilities
of a particular group. Abilities that
are shared with a less elevated group do not reflect elevation.
Accordingly, human beings – as the most elevated group in
creation – not only possess the capabilities of the other groups, but must also
be endowed with unique capabilities that stem from their most elevated level in
creation. These capabilities must be
unique to mankind, and cannot be shared with the animal kingdom or plant life.
Before we can explore man’s unique capabilities, an additional
point must be made. Observation reveals
to us that within each group we find varying degrees of sophistication and
complexity. For instance, among plants, a
Venus fly trap is more complex than a blade of grass. Among animals, a dolphin is more
sophisticated than a worm.
The classification system described above implies that every
animal, even the most basic animal, exists on a more elevated level than the
most sophisticated plant. This is
because the difference between an animal and a plant is essential and
inherent. A Venus fly trap, like a blade
of grass, is a plant and in the “vegetative creations” group. No one would consider it an animal or a
member of the “living creations group,” “eating” habits notwithstanding.[1] Similarly, a worm remains an animal and a
member of the “living creations” group, albeit an unsophisticated one. We would not deny this identification and
classify a worm as an “advanced plant.”
This is also the case with human beings. Mankind occupies a unique level in the
hierarchy of creation. Man is essentially distinct from even the most
sophisticated members of the “living creations” group. Just as an animal is not a more sophisticated
plant, but is part of an entirely distinct level in creation, so too, a human
being is not merely a more sophisticated form of animal. A human is a member of an entirely distinct
level in creation.
Many intelligent people err regarding this fundamental point. They mistakenly view human beings as a member
of the “living creations” group. The
most sophisticated member. This error is
not surprising, for one can look at a human being and truly see only an
animal. To a certain degree, humans look
like most animals, and share with them many physical attributes. They have two eyes and ears, lungs and a respiratory
system, a heart and a cardio-vascular network of veins and arteries, etc. Humans also often act in similar ways to
animals. They get angry, frustrated, and
excited. The Ramban indeed notes
(Bereshis 2:7) that many of man’s basic instincts are shared with the animal
kingdom. As an example, the Ramban mentions
that both man and beast instinctually avoid pain and pursue pleasurable
activities.
Based on these observations it is easy to mistakenly
conclude that human beings are simply sophisticated animals. In fact, a similar observation appears in the
book of Koheles, and is attributed to individuals who erroneously equate
mankind with the animals.
For the happenings of mankind are like the happenings of the animals,
they experience the same happenings.
Just as one dies, so too the other dies - they all share one essence. Man has no elevation over the animals, for
all is vanity. (Koheles 3:19)
כי מקרה בני האדם ומקרה הבהמה, ומקרה אחד להם, כמות זה כן מות זה ורוח
אחד לכל ומותר האדם מן הבהמה אין כי הכל הבל:
In explanation, R. Avraham Ibn Ezra (d. 1167) writes:
This verse records the thoughts of people who are uneducated
and upon seeing that the happenings of man and animal are similar in life and
death, assume that their essence is the same, and that man has no elevation
over the animals.
זה הפסוק על מחשבות בני אדם שלא חכמו והשכילו כי בראותם שמקרה אחד לאדם
ולבהמה בחיים ובמות חשבו כי רוח אחד לכל ואין לאדם מותר מן הבהמה.
Indeed, the casual observer concludes that the fate of man
is that of the animals. And a superficial
look at man leads one to conclude that man is merely a sophisticated
animal. Yet, man must be destined for a
more elevated existence. King Shelomo
echoed this very sentiment after recording the above quoted error of people who
think that man is no greater than the animals.
Two verses later in Koheles, King Shelomo laments that so few people
consider that human beings exist on a distinct and more elevated level in
creation than the animal of the world.
Who knows the essence of man that it elevates upward, while the
essence of the animals descends down to the earth? (Koheles 3:21)
מי יודע רוח בני האדם העלה היא למעלה ורוח הבהמה הירדת היא למטה לארץ.
It is, indeed, few people who recognize that man is not
merely a sophisticated animal, but an inherently more elevated being, who occupies
an entirely distinct level in the hierarchy of creation.
In Tehilim (49:21) King Shelomo’s father, King David,
laments that man is often oblivious to his elevated essence. “Man is precious, yet when he does not
understand this…” Few people appreciate
that as an inherently more elevated being, man is capable of an existence that
greatly transcend those of the rest of creation.
[1] Venus
fly traps are one out hundreds of species of carnivorous plants. But, Venus fly traps do not actually eat
their prey. Their lightning fast lobes
trap their prey and then secrete enzymes that “digest” the nutrients from the
trapped insects.
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