When man was created he was empowered to, "Be fruitful, and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea, the bird of the sky, and every living thing that moves upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28) He was instructed to continue with creation.

In the study of ancient Jewish philosophy and kaballah we are taught the following Rules:

There are four distinct material worlds or orders: mineral, vegetable, animal, and mankind. Each has feelings, a divine spark, or soul. Each world compliments the one above and the one below. Each creation is unique and special, creating a symbiotic life cycle. The relationship is mutually enriching. As one enters the other it achieves full enrichment and purpose.

The mineral is the basis and foundation of Earth. It is lifeless when compared to the vegetative world. The mineral nourishes the higher form of life, the vegetable. It does so by providing the earthly nourishment found in the soil. As the vegetable grows it transfers the nutrition to a higher visible form. When the vegetable life is consumed by the next world order, the animal, the vegetable leaves its natural state. The change-taking place is the very act of transcendence. It is not to be considered a sacrifice. It is a passage for the spark or soul of one created world to a higher world. We say that the vegetable has transcended its limitations.

This is true for the distinct lower three worlds and for mankind. As each world feeds the higher one it fulfills a divine mission. It serves its purpose and becomes elevated. When observing the four worlds we see the lower worlds being raised to a higher level.

Life is the process of worlds becoming integrated within higher worlds.

In the order of the four worlds we find that the mineral is the largest in quantity but the smallest in quality. Mankind is the greatest in quality but the least in quantity. There is a message there. How do we measure the importance of worlds? Is it by quantity or by quality? Both are important and both are needed to complement creation. How does this happen may be explained by the following concept.

The greatest gift for the inanimate mineral is to actualize its inherent power of being a source for the next higher life the vegetable. When the vegetable grows, receiving nourishment from the lower mineral, it elevates the soul of the inanimate. Next comes the animal, the next higher world. It eats the vegetative world. It too is uplifted, ascending upwards. Each life is given a greater opportunity to grow, and uplifted, ascending to a higher purpose.

When man eats the animal a wonderful thing happens. The flesh of the animal becomes uplifted to the flesh of the human. The simple animal has now become part of mankind. Mankind has now more energy then ever, to perform well.

What has taken place is the symbiosis of inanimate to vegetative to animal culminating with the highest world order, mankind. All the worlds are now bound together, possessing a collective tremendous energy.

Where does man go with all this energy? He strives to be good and G-dlike. As the Bible states, man was created in the image of G-d. As man aspires to be G-dlike, he completes the natural cycle of life. He does this by uplifting the three lower worlds and bringing fruition to man's purpose in this world.

Yet there are times when he is not G-dlike. For example, if man kills an animal for selfish pleasure, that is, for no useful purpose, he is guilty of a most heinous crime. He destroys G-d's purpose of creation. Not only has he killed an animal; he has killed the vegetable and, even more, the mineral. By taking the life of the animal for no reason, he frustrated the divine natural plan of having a balanced world. Man must not waste. He doesn't have the right to destroy anything.

The Kaballah states that if a man destroys an animal for no good reason, he is considered even lower than the animal. The animal acts like an animal. This is its fate. However, when man destroys, he causes a descent. That is the antithesis of the life cycle. He destroys his purpose!

In the writing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, world Chassidic leader, we find the following statement:

It is said of the time to come "A stone in the wall will cry out and a beam from the tree will respond." Prophet Habakkuk 2:11. At present, inert creations are mute; though trodden upon, they remain silent. But there will come a time when the revelation of the future becomes a reality, that the inert will begin to speak, relate and demand: "If man was walking along without thinking or speaking words of Torah-Spirituality, why did he trample upon me?" The Rebbe is saying that all created things and orders haves feelings and purpose. Over the century Kaballah masters have taught these concepts. Those who practice authentic Kaballah echo this message.

You may also ask, does man have the right to experiment with animals? Isn't it a cruel thing to do? The answer is yes and no. Yes you may experiment and no, it's not cruel.

When the animal gives its life - soul - to help mankind, it's being uplifted. The animal is transcending its animal life and entering the human life. The divine spark that created the animal now helps mankind.

When there is a need to experiment with an animal, it must be done in the least painful manner.

With the above in mind, we may have a formula in dealing with many questions of life and death. For example how do we deal with cloning? We can apply the above as a novel way to look at cloning.

When the cells of an animal are cloned in order to produce a special kind of animal, then the cloning is being done to elevate the animal to a higher level. Now imagine that the animal can become two animals and both can be elevated to man. Wouldn't it be great to help mankind reach a higher level of productivity by having a better and higher quality animal! This may even be considered part of the divine plan, to move the soul of the mineral to vegetable; the vegetable to animal and the animal reproduces itself and becomes a higher specialized breed and their souls are combined. All of this happening to help mankind. The four worlds reaching their highest potential.

Yes, we may have the right to create and perhaps even to clone animals. This is no different from the past where we cloned and crossed-pollinated seeds found in the vegetable world, producing a better and healthier crop. The growth of cures and better species are part of the major plan for man to be G-dlike. One is to make things better and better.

Cattle may be cloned to produce milk that will have human proteins that can treat genetic diseases. Pigs may be cloned to be used for human transplantation. Animals may be cloned to study genetic disorders and cures.

Now let's turn to a current question. What does religion think of human cloning? Does cloning change the symbiotic life cycle?

I believe that cloning for humans is unacceptable because humans cannot uplift or transcend other human beings. If and when we attempt to clone human beings, we will quickly realize that we are attempting to change man, which is wrong. We were not given the freedom to make that change. We may not tamper with the DNA of humans for cloning, as we were not entrusted with that mission. Our task is to uplift the lower three worlds to humankind and, by doing so, we accomplish our divine purpose. To clone humans is to doom our work with ascendancy. We destroy G-d's plan for the natural symbiotic relations of the four life worlds. Becoming a higher human being by integrating a cloned human is not possible. There is no way to combine or uplift the soul to a higher form. This is not in the symbiotic order. The humans have already reached their highest level!

However we must remember a glaring fact, that there is no possible way that a human can lift other humans to a higher level except through using the goodness and intellectual power of man. The energy of mankind is used to uplift those under him but not those parallel to him. For we cannot transfer-clone the very soul and life of mankind. However in the lower worlds we can. We do elevate one soul to another, and the spirit fuses with the higher life. In humans we would end up destroying the creation process.

We have the responsibility to uplift the lower worlds to a higher level. We are to move the sparks - souls - of the lower ones to a higher life cycle but we cannot move the human spark - soul - to a higher level by cloning. We cannot replicate G-d's work. The only time cloning was permitted was when G-d took the rib from Adam and cloned a wife. "Let us make man" doesn't include cloning humans.

It is G-d who said, "Let us make man." This excludes man from doing a work he wasn't trusted to do. "And the rib, which the L-rd G-d had taken from the man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And the man said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

According to the mystical teaching of Kaballah, the only reasons for creation is to give man a chance of being a partner in G-d's world. As the Bible states: Man is created in G-d's image. In order for man to be a good partner he needs all the resources of the world. Therefore, G-d created the complete world and only then did he create man, His so-called partner, giving man the opportunity to choose as he pleases.

Kaballah also explains that whatever man needs most G-d provides for free or with little effort. Man needs air, water and bread. Sadly, of the two, man has polluted the air and water. This, of course, cannot continue for it defeats the purpose of creation. Man is to work in keeping the creation in a healthy balance. By providing humanity with courts of justice, practicing respect for all forms of life whether inorganic, animal, or man then all elements are preserved, their purpose being fulfilled.

Now if man does well, in order to better the world, G-d is pleased with creation. Then man is considered a great partner. Unfortunately man has not always performed to G-d's expectations. There are times that man has been a bad partner, abusing the trust given to him. When man does not utilize his wonderful Divine powers it is his failure that affects the creation of the whole world.

G-d checks the account and sees if there is an equal partnership-taking place. G-d seems to be saying I created the entire world for you so you would find everything you would need for a partnership - now what have you done? Have you used your partnership in a good way?

With the above in mind it's easy to be in control of ones self. Just before you act on anything ask yourself if you are making things better for the world are you using your G-d given powers for ascending. You have the power to make things happen for a good purpose.

Therefore, mankind is constantly asked to re-evaluate their partnership. Man has the power to rule the world. He is master on land, sea, and in the air, and this is his task. He is to act in accordance with the laws of transcendence and harmony.

Recognize your potential and actualize your divine purpose.

Rabbi Eli Hecht, Chabad of South Bay
Vice-President, Rabbinical Alliance of America
Phone:(310) 326-8234 Fax:(310) 326-1555, Cell:(310) 528-4812, E-mail rabbieh@aol.com