The Divine Image

Author’s Preface

Every person is created in the Divine image. The task of each of us is to elevate all human activity toward a Divine purpose. In brief, this means the ability to connect every aspect of human activity with God—and this is precisely the purpose of the Torah and its commandments, called mitzvot in Hebrew. Every person possesses a unique capacity to unite his entire being with the Creator. By fulfilling this task, he creates a dwelling place for God in this world, thereby accomplishing the purpose of creation.

As explained in this book, the spiritual and physical worlds are not in conflict. Their ultimate purpose is to be united, with the physical existence permeated by the spiritual. The essential element of every mitzvah—the fulfillment of a commandment—is to take the physical creation and use it for a Divine purpose. In this way, a wondrous harmony is achieved both within the individual and in the world as a whole. This theme spans all times and places; wherever and whenever a person acts, he has the ability to use the task before him for its proper and Divine purpose, thereby transforming the world into a dwelling place for God.

The Seven Laws of Noah form a foundation with many branches, from which numerous other mitzvot—commandments given by the Almighty to Moses at Mount Sinai for transmission to all the nations of the world—are derived. The reader is invited to learn more by asking questions and studying the Torah, particularly the ideas of Jewish philosophy found in Chabad Hasidism, many of whose concepts are discussed in this book.