The First Adam and Second Adam (Kadmon)

With this article, we will start covering some of the more complex concepts featured in the New Testament.

In the Torah, we are that told Adam was created in the image of G_D. As thought precedes action, Jewish tradition maintains that the idea of Adam existed in Spiritual form before his physical creation.

Similar to how one may construct a building, the idea and purpose for the building precede the blueprint. Later, a blueprint is created, and raw materials are assembled that ultimately yield an end product. Spiritual Adam is the idea, and Physical Adam represents the structure.

In Jewish tradition, the "Spirit of Adam" is also known as the "Spirit of Messiah", for reasons we will explain below. This creates an important connection between Adam and Messiah, an idea referenced many times in the New Testament.

The Spirit of Adam

In order to attain his full potential, which is the purpose of his creation, "Physical Adam" needed to obey G_D's command, and use his free will in submission to his Creator. In doing so, he would have elevated the higher level of his soul¹, thus completing his goal.

Sadly, he fell short of this goal. Now, the "Spirit of Adam" represents the goal of all humanity. In this metaphor, we should not think of this Adam as a single person, but as a representation of humanity as a unified whole - the redeemed version of us that abides by and walks with G_D.

Spiritual Adam goes by another name in Jewish tradition, "Adam Kadmon" (אָדָם עֶלִיוֹן), or 'Primordial Adam'. The mystics tell us that the entire universe was created for the sake of this Adam.

Rav Ginsburgh writes:

The two words which form the name Adam Kadmon allude to its paradoxical nature of being, on the one hand a created being–Adam–while on the other hand a manifestation of primordial Divinity–Kadmon.

Adam's Spirit

Adam's sin, in addition to preventing him from reaching his goal, caused damage to himself, body, and soul, as well as all of creation.

It is thus the job of Messiah to rectify this damage, and help humanity reach this original goal.

In order to do this, the Messiah will need to undergo the same test that Adam failed². In doing so, [Messiah] will attain the higher level of soul, and begin imparting this consciousness to the rest of humanity. This is essentially the final redemption and the move toward the World to Come.

Continuing in his thoughts, Rav Ginsburgh states.

For this reason, Adam Kadmon is often seen to represent the archetypal soul of Messiah, the general Yechidah of all the souls of Israel, the ultimate “crown” of all of G_D’s Creation, the Divine “intermediate” which reveals primordial Infinity to finite created reality.

This is why Paul continues to connect Adam with Messiah in his letters. Through physical Adam, death came into being, but through the Spirit of Adam, life. It was this Adam that all creation was intended for, and created through.

Think back to the building analogy, say the original idea for the building was to create a social space for people to connect and share ideas. To enable this, one may need to include plans for parking lots, seating, landscaping, places to eat, plumbing, and other utilities. This is similar to how G_D created the world.

For instance, we read:

He is the image of the invisible G_D, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
- Colossians 1:15-17

With this key, we may now be able to make sense of many passages in the New Testament.