Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah
Or HaChaim on Genesis 1:27/אור החיים על בראשית א׳:כ״ז
אוַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ. פֵּרוּשׁ בְּצַלְמוֹ הַנִּכָּר בָּאָדָם, וְהַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁבָּרָא גָּלְמוֹ וְגַם צַלְמוֹ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים, בָּזֶה הוֹדִיעָנוּ הַצֶּלֶם שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ בּוֹ כִּי הוּא צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים.
1And God created man in His/his image: The explanation of "in his image" is that which is perceivable in man, and the intention is that He created his form and also his image, and afterwards, it states, "in the image of God;" by which it informs us that the image that He created him with is the image of God.
בעוֹד יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר כִּי בָּרָא הָאָדָם בִּב׳ צְלָמִים: הָרִאשׁוֹן צֶלֶם הַנִּכָּר בְּכָל אָדָם, וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּבְנֵי אָדָם הָרֵקִים מֵהַקְּדֻשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה, וַעֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר בְּצַלְמוֹ פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁל הַנִּבְרָא. וְהַב׳ הֵם בְּחִינַת הַמְאֻשָּׁרִים עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל נַחֲלַת שַׁדַּי, כְּנֶגֶד אֵלּוּ אָמַר בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בְּרָאוֹ. הֲרֵי זֶה בָּא לְלַמְּדֵנוּ כִּי יֵשׁ בַּנִּבְרָאִים ב׳ צְלָמִים: צֶלֶם הַנִּכָּר וְצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים רוּחָנִי נֶעְלָם, וְהָבֵן:
2It also wants to tell [us] that He created man with two images: the first is the image that is recognizable in all men, and even in men that are empty of holiness, 'that they are not from the Children of Israel' - about them it states, "in his image," the explanation [of which] is [the image] of the creature; and the second is the level of the happy ones, the people of Israel, the inheritance of My field - corresponding to those, it states, "in the image of God" He created him. Behold, it comes to teach us that there are two images among the creations; the image that is recognizable [that he is a man] and the image of God, [which is] spiritual and hidden; and understand [this].