Pardes continued

I have much less time than I've had so far to write in my blog, but there is something about productivity, or just activity that makes me really want to keep working.
I'm in Chumash (bible) level 4. I was a bit terrified as I walked in because I've spent the past two months putting myself into situations where I'm over my head. Even though I haven't studied Chumash in a classroom setting since 8th grade, I began to feel more comfortable as I sat down and surveyed the classroom: Two other people with noserings, two other people wearing colorful scarves, two older women, one woman wearing bright green, one woman with granola, a guy wearing Hot Chilis....
Baruch, my teacher, began class. We were to study the end of the second chapter of Breishit (Genesis) and begin the second chapter. I was pretty happy that the parsha we happened to be studying just happened to by my bat mitzvah parsha. We studied in chevruta for and hour and a half. My chevruta, Kelly, and I worked through extensive Rashi and Rambam (without English translations!!!) to delve into the story of creation. Who did G-d consult with? Why does G-d say נעשה? Man was created in partnership: G-d combined with the Earth to create this being called Man. On the first days, the world was created in potential; in the following days, everything comes forth from this base. The Earth brought forth the grass and animals, etc.
We also discussed the world "צלם" and its meanings. It is written that we were written in the image of G-d or בצלם אלוקים. We have taken this and flipped it, using "corporealization" (the teacher actually said this word) and have tried to give G-d structure and outline. Our human intelligence is the צל, or shadow, of G-d's essence. People are like G-d in an essential way.

Modern Jewish Thought blew my mind. We read Rosenzweig's "Star of Redemption" and discussed the relationship between G-d, people, and the world. As is typical to philosophy, if I were to begin to explain one part of what we learned, I would have to describe the entire conversation and every idea. I'll do it at some point...but not on a school night.