Halakhah for Pirkei Avot 3:14
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט) כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם. חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יד) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ד) כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ:
He was wont to say: "Beloved is man, who was created in the image (of G-d)." Additional love was made known to him, that he was created in the image, as it is written (Genesis 9:6): "In the image of G-d, He made man." [Rambam explains: Additional love was shown by the Holy One Blessed be He to Adam in that He apprised him: "See, I have created you in the image." For one who grants good to his friend and apprises him of the good that he has bestowed upon him demonstrates thereby greater love than if he would grant him good and not find him worthy enough to apprise him of the good that he had granted him. "Additional love, etc." may also be understood as "revealed" and "manifest" love. G-d did not love man covertly but overtly, in the eyes of all.] Beloved are Israel who are called "sons of the L rd." Additional love was made known to them in that they were called "sons of the L rd," as it is written (Deuteronomy 14:11): "You are sons of the L rd your G-d." Beloved are Israel, who were given a precious vessel (the Torah). Additional love was made known to them, that they were given a precious vessel by which the world was created, as it is written (Proverbs 4:2): "For I have given you a goodly acquisition; do not forsake my Torah." [The entire creation, of which it is written "And G-d saw that it was good," was created only for the Torah, which is called an "acquisition," viz. (Deuteronomy 32:2): "Let My acquisition ("likchi") drip as the rain."]
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