Derasha 1 on Bereishis 1:26

EXTRA · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 26

Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Sanhedrin 38b (and parallel traditions) — classical material on the plural “Naaseh.”

E-Daf image (Sanhedrin 38b)

Core Text

Core Textאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁפָּקְרוּ הַצְּדוֹקִים תְּשׁוּבָתָם בְּצִדָּן. הֵם פָּקְרוּ בַּפָּסוּק נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ — מַה כְּתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ? וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ.
English of Core Text: Rabbi Yochanan said: Wherever the Sadducees attacked, their answer is beside them. They attacked the verse “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” — what is written after it? “And God created the man in His image.”
On the daf / in context: The plural of consultation is immediately answered by the singular of creation, refuting any claim of multiple creators.
Type of Learning: Custom (adjacent singular answers the plural)
What Is Learned: The singular “And God created” that follows refutes the heretical reading of the plural “Let us make.”