Rabbi Roodyn

Now that we have  discussed plant and animal life, the discussion focusses on mankind. Blessed with many of the elements that give life to the plant and animal kingdoms but with an intellect that is so much more developed than any other being. In the words of the Malbim, the human body contains within it all the laws of chochmah (Divine wisdom as expressed through nature), whether simple, complex or extremely complex. We are blessed with the ability to articulate our thoughts into intelligent speech which is an expression of the fact that we are imbued with a Divine soul.

The bracha of asher yaztar ends with a cryptic phrase ומפליא לעשות, who acts wondrously. The greatest wonder of the human body is neither the number of cells nor the number of chemical reactions that take place in our body. The greatest wonder is that there is a being called man within whom two opposites coexist.

Melachim, angels are purely spiritual beings, they have no  physical form and no free will. Animals are purely physical, they act on their instincts and are unable to exercise moral judgement. Adam was so called because he was fashioned as a physical being from the earth אדמה,  and yet the same letters can be read adameh  as in אדמה לעליון  I shall be like G-d.

This synthesis of physical and spiritual is something we take for granted, but is actually a mystery at the core of our very existence. It is for this reason that the six days of bereishis lead up to the creation for man, for whom the entire universe was brought into being.