Perashat Bereshit 5777

Perashat Bereshit 5777

Friday, October 28, 2016 Author: Rabbi Elie Abadie

We began the new Torah reading cycle this week, right after we concluded last year’s cycle on Simhat Torah. Very aptly named, the first Perasha in the Torah is Perashat Bereshit; meaning, “In the beginning”. 

Life teaches us that there is always a beginning and an end to almost everything around us; from life itself to practically everything we do.  There is usually a beginning and an end in matters of school, career, business, events, happy or sad occasions, etc. 

In Judaism, however, we believe that although there are beginnings and endings to these happenings during our lives, there is always a continuity for values,  traditions, and life itself. When one cycle ends, another one begins immediately. Our entire calendar repeats itself on a yearly basis with the same holidays, the same celebrations and the same occasions; it is all part of a cycle. 

Indeed, the most important scientific principle of matter is that, “matter is neither created nor destroyed, but transformed.” This conveys the message that there are no beginnings and no real endings to things.  Rather, there is only a transformation to another state of matter. This principle is, however, from the human point of view. The Creator’s point of view can be found in Perashat Bereshit.  It teaches us that there was a beginning - a creation that the A-mighty effectuated - and only He can effectuate a complete destruction. For us humans, we can only transform that matter into something else. 

We believe that life itself does not begin or end in this physical world. Instead, life begins in the spiritual world, continues in this physical world and returns back to the spiritual world.  While we are here in the physical world, we have the opportunity to be creative, to make a difference in the world, and to transform matter into something productive, useful and beneficial to humankind. 

We are a testament to G-d’s creation and to His Torah, which is ours to keep, value and apply throughout our lives. As we fulfill the teachings of the Torah, we become part of that creative power which G-d has endowed to humankind, just as when He created the world and Adam, the first human being.  

Rashi, the 12th century commentator, quotes a question from Ribbi Isshak; that if the Torah is a book of laws and not a historical book, why is it that it starts from Perashat Bereshit, which deals with the Creation of the world and not from the first Missva given to the Israelites prior to leaving Egypt, namely the Sanctification of the Moon/New Month?  He answers that G-d wanted all the nations of the world to know that He created the world, and He chose to give the land, known as the Land of Israel, to His People, the Jewish People. In this way, no nation can come and accuse the Jews of being thieves, and having stolen that land. That land was created by G-d, and He chose to give it to whom He so desires. 

How true this prediction was for our own time! When the nations of the world and a United Nation agency, namely UNESCO, have the audacity, the nerve and the sheer Husspa to declare that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron are not Jewish Heritage sites, let alone the Land as Jewish Land. These nations and UNESCO ought to read the Bible, educate themselves and be indeed ashamed of themselves for being such ignorant fools, to the point of denying history and the Bible. However, if they were merely ignorant fools, but were still interested in learning, we could educate them. Unfortunately, they are just plain evil, anti-Semitic, Anti-Israel and ingrates! Their day of Judgement is not far off. The day will come that they will proclaim with great enthusiasm and pride that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish People – just as G-d has determined. 

As for us, let us live, based on those creative principles with which G-d has endowed us with, and cherish the beautiful and sacred gift that G-d has given us at the time of creation; the Land of Israel.