I have read in Tractate Sanhedrin: Chapter 4:
Therefore the man was created singly, to teach that he who destroys one soul of a human being, the Scripture considers him as if he should destroy a whole world, and him who saves one soul of Israel, the Scripture considers him as if he should save a whole world.
There are references to "the Scripture" considering him as if he should destroy or save a whole world.
Does anyone know which Scripture this is referring to?
Thanks!
The Mishnah you cited in your question cites a posuk (verse) in Genesis (4:10):
And He said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground.
The Mishnah goes on to explain that based on the way the word "blood" is written, e.g. דְּמֵ֣י (Demei = plural of דָּם Dam, blood in singular form), this means that, so says the Mishnah, if a person, G-d forbid, kills someone, it is as if he kills entire mankind:
to teach you that with regard to anyone who destroys one soul from the Jewish people, i.e., kills one Jew, the verse ascribes him blame as if he destroyed an entire world, as Adam was one person, from whom the population of an entire world came forth.
The Bartenura, in his commentary on this Mishnah explains why:
לפיכך נברא יחידי – to show you that from one person the fulness of the world is settled [by humans].
Hi and welcome to Mi Yodeya.
It seems, there is no specific verse this is referring to, but rather the concept that Adam was created alone.
E.g. Genesis 1:27
וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ
And God created man (singular)
or 2:7
וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם
God formed the Human (singular)
Or 2:18
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ
God said, "It is not good for the Human to be alone"
