Glossary of Spiritual and Religious Words

A

Adam

(Hebrew [אדם] aleph, daleth, mem) "The first."

"We learned that man has names in different stages, FOR HE IS CALLED Adam (man), Gever (male man), Enosh (human), Ish (person). The greatest is Adam, as written, "So Elohim created man (Heb. adam) in His own image" (Beresheet 1:27), and, "for in the image of Elohim made He man (Heb. adam)" (Beresheet 9:6), instead of using Gever, Enosh or Ish. Rabbi Yehuda said, in that case, it is written, "If any man (Heb. adam) of you bring an offering to Hashem" (Vayikra 1:2). Who needs to bring an offering? Only whoever sins WHO IS OF A LESSER LEVEL." - Zohar 15:22:106

"Every spirit [ruach] is called Adam [man], which means that only the aspect of the light of the spirit that is enclothed within the body is called Adam [man]. So the body of the spirit of the holy side is only a covering; in other words, the spirit is the actual essence of man and the body is only its covering. But on the other side, the opposite applies. This is why it is written: "you have clothed me with skin and flesh..." (Iyov 10:11). The flesh of man is only a garment covering the essence of man, which is the spirit [ruach]. Everywhere it is written the flesh of man, it hints that the essence of man [Adam] is inside. The flesh is only a vestment for man, a body for him, but the essence of man [Adam] is the aspect of his spirit [ruach]." - Zohar 1A:10:120

Genesis 1:26: "And Elohim said; Let us make Adam in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion:

1. Over the fish of the sea (Tattva Apas – “He” - Water),
2. And over the fowl of the air (Tattva Vayu – “Vav” - Air),
3. And over the cattle, and over all the earth (Tattva Prittvi – “He” - Earth),
4. And over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth (wherein there is life – “Iod” - Tattva Tejas – Fire, the Serpent.)