Beyond Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

"He used to say: 'Beloved is man for he was created in the image of G-d; it is by special divine love that he is informed that he was created in the image of G-d, as it is said: "For G-d made man in his own image." Beloved are Israel, for they were called the children of G-d; it is by special divine love that they are informed that they were called the children of G-d, as it is said: "You are the children of the L-rd your G-d." Beloved are Israel, for to them was given a previous instrument [the Torah]; it is by special divine love that they are informed that to them was given the precious instrument through which the world was created, as it is said: "For I give you good doctrine; forsake not my Torah.'"

Why is it so special that G-d informs us that we were created in His image? If we weren't informed of this, would it be any less important and what does it mean that we were created in His image in the first place?

The Torah tells us that when man is created, G-d gave him life by putting in a soul in his body. This soul is part of G-d, so-to-speak which gives mankind the ability to make decisions, reason and reach their spiritual capability. At the same time. G-d puts man in a physical universe with desires and temptations that hinder man in this quest.

It is for this purpose we are created, to use the physical world as a means to spiritual perfection. The Jewish people don't look at the world as a terrible place where we are condemned forever but rather as a place that is full of challenges helping us reach our potential.

Each person has their own challenges and trials and are given a specific purpose only they can reach. They are supposed to navigate this world and be successful by tuning into what the Torah wants from them. This is what the second part of the Mishna means here.

G-d gave us a tremendous gift and heritage to pass down to the future generations. It is this instrument that guides us in everything that we do. Even though the physical world is a tough place to navigate, the Torah helps give us direction.

G-d created the evil inclination but at the same time he gave us the Torah to learn and practice as its antidote. While we are praised for making the right choices, we are also punished for the wrong ones we make. This is the power of free will.

When we use this world for our betterment, we uplift it and ourselves as well. When we give into our physical desires, we debase ourselves and the world too! We are created against our will and we die against our will, but we still have to live the most meaningful and productive lives we can.

This is why Torah is so precious. It helps us in so many ways, giving us the ability to be guided while living in treacherous conditions. These situations are what makes us who we are and who we can be!