The Bible Says What? Adam is male and female in the first creation story
Rabbi Sandra Kviat takes a controversial topic from the Torah and looks at a progressive Jewish response
And God said, “Let us make Adam in our image, after our likeness… And God created Adam in God’s image, in the image of God, God created it; male and female God created them” Genesis 1:26, 27
It comes as a surprise to some that there are two creation stories in the Torah. Most remember only the second, which includes the rib incident. The first is intriguing and complex, as the language moves between singular and plural. When you read the text closely, it becomes clear that one option is to see the first person Adam (earthling) as both male and female,
a ‘they’ rather than a ‘him’ or ‘her’.
Transgender awareness has been raised recently and we are all trying to grapple with what that means. One of the outcomes of the debate is the questioning it has entailed for all of us, no matter where you stand or how you understand the issue.
To add to the complexity when looking at Jewish texts, it is worth noting that the ancient rabbis operated with seven genders – male, female, androgynos (both male and female sexual characteristics), tumtum (indeterminate or obscured sexual characteristics), aylonit (female at birth, but develops male characteristics in puberty and is infertile), saris hama (male at birth, but develops female characteristics in puberty) and golem(something unfinished or not clearly shaped, not to be mistaken for its later interpretation as a magic creature).
By engaging with this story of the first person, our ‘prototype’, we can see humanity as something multi-varied and complex. Perhaps the most important part of this story is that Adam was created “in God’s image” (b’zelem elohim). We are all created in the divine image in all its complexity.
Before any classification or differentiation lies a core of sacredness in us all.
- Rabbi Sandra Kviat serves Crouch End Chavurah
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
