"And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them. And God blessed them and God said to them 'Be fruitful and multiply.' "
Our verse tells us God created man to resemble Him, then it immediately says "in the image of God He made them, male and female. Can we learn from the juxtaposition of these two attributes of man? Although we use the word 'He' for God, He also has a feminine identity, the 'Shekhina.' So both God and man are both male and female. And we share another attribute with God.
"In the beginning, God created…" So His first aspect mentioned is creativity. And man's first command is to create, as it says, 'Be fruitful and multiply. So both God and man are creators.
As describe in the next verses, God developed His creation though seven steps. I would like to call attention to the following pattern to these steps:
potential
1) male impulse 2) female impulse
3) universal vision
4) male act 5) female act
6) product
7) potential actualized through experience
We can see in these steps the seven middot, or emotional attributes, by which Godly energy is channeled to the world to generate all reality. These are Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Malchut.
If man is in the image of God, and this image is a desire to create, then perhaps the process of God's creativity and man's creativity is also in the same image. And the act of man's creativity, like God's, would then be a combining of male and female energies.
I would like to suggest the following diagram to correspond the seven days of creation to the seven middot.
Male Female
Day One-Chesed-God created-giving the universe Day Two-Gevurah-separation
Day Three-Tiferet-Earth provides habitat for all
Day Four-Netzach-Sun eternal, allow life to endure Day Five-Hod-Humble, but necessary, sea/air life
Day Six-Yesod-Man, product, created to seed the world
Day Seven-Malchut-Holding back to experience actualized potential
This is God's recipe for the world. If it's good enough for God, perhaps we can use these steps as a guide for when we want to create something truly 'ki tov,' that is good.
1) Chesed. It starts with the desire to give. This is love and kindness. God gave a tremendous burst of energy to make the whole universe on day one.
2) Gevurah. We have to decide exactly what we can give so it is not too much, and who to give to so it goes to the right place. God saw we needed the water below for the seas and above for the heavens, but not between to drown us.
3) Tiferet. We need a vision of how the big picture accommodates everybody, bringing in truth and compassion to make it beautiful. God made exactly the right design of dry land and water to make perfect forests, deserts, mountains, and fields that we experience as beauty.
4) Netzach. Our design has to be something built to last, a 'winning combination' that we can depend on. God created the sun and moon to serve and guide us for a long, long time and to make the world meaningful. King David says "The sun rejoices to run his course," breaking out of the gate like a runner, and the moon represents Israel, the eternal people.
5) Hod. Our 'winning combination' is not just for showing off. It will really be a benefit if given with an appreciation of just who the receiver is and what his needs are. At the critical time just before the giving, we need the humility to know we are giving not for the sake of ourselves but for the glory of a bigger purpose. God created the life that stays out of the way-the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky-but they are so necessary for the world that what would life on earth be without sealife supporting the food chain and the birds glorifying the change of seasons?
6) Yesod. Now we can combine our desire for eternal success with our maturity for holding back and use all that we are, and all we created, to connect to the world and form bonds for goodness. God created man to connect intimately to His creation, to affect it and plant seeds of mitzvot.
7) Malchut. All the planning and all the work we've done is for the sake of this moment. Despite our specific intentions, we must keep in mind that there will come a point when we can no longer control they way it will combine with the world and grow. After we have taken ourselves and our creations into the world, there comes a point where we stop and consider them completed and allow them to become what they will become. Good Shabbes...