Genesis 1:1-6:8 – Isaiah 42:5-43:10 – John 1:1-18

This week's edition of The Set Table contains:

Questions and Commentary on Bereshit
Chayyei Yeshua - A Devotional Commentary on the Besora Reading
In Summary
Looking Ahead

Questions & Commentary on Parashat Bereshit

1. "In the beginning of God's creation of the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) is perhaps the most famous Bible verse. What is the dichotomy that is inherent in the pairing of "heaven and earth?" How does this reflect the classic debate between Hillel and Shammai?

Nick Amic

The Talmud relates a classic debate between two competing schools - Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai -- on the subject of the order of creation:

The School of Shammai says that first the heavens were created, then the earth . . . The School of Hillel says that first the earth was created, and then the heavens.

b. Chaggiga 12a

This debate has two layers that we'll explore: the pairing of heaven and earth, and the dichotomy of the two in relation to us.

The opening line of the creation story is surprisingly illogically unbalanced. It pairs the creation of the cosmos-replete with it's billions of stars, numerous galaxies, etc. with the creation of one small planet, a virtual speck in comparison. King David offers some insight into this perplexing duality:

What is a human that you should remember him . . . Yet you have made him slightly less than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and majesty. You give him dominion over the work of your hands.

Psalm 8:4-7

The opening line of Genesis is meant to alert us not only to the centrality of humans, and thereby shows God's infinite love and desire for us, but also shows that we have some responsibilities in relation to God's purpose of creating humans.

So what is the purpose of humans on this earth? The Midrash tells us God's purpose of creating the Earth was to create "a dwelling place in the lowly realms" (Midrash Tanchuma) where the spiritual and the physical could meet. Which is the order? Shammai says that the "spiritual heavens" take precedence in that God first projected from himself the spiritual potential of creation and then embodied it in a physical reality. Plainly put: "God makes the spiritual physical; the Jew makes the physical spiritual." Rabbi Menachem Shneerson succinctly explains the opposing view: "From the Hillel perspective, the ultimate purpose of creation is not to ‘spiritualize' the material existence, but that the material existence, as it is, should serve the Divine will." From Hillel's perspective, physicality itself declares God's glory in that God determined that such a "lowly" thing can be used as it is to praise him.

In truth the answer to this question is paradoxical in nature. Judaism, in its comfort with paradoxes says we can appreciate the merits of both approaches simultaneously. This leads to one final dichotomy contained in the very word Bereshit itself. The sages point out that the word is an acronym for bet reshit (two firsts). The "two firsts" referred to are also a dual-nature of the purpose of creation. The Torah (referred to as reshit in Proverbs 8:22) expresses the "instruction manual" for how to elevate mundane items-flour and water to make matza, blood from animals to atone, etc. - towards a spiritual fulfillment. The people of Israel, and those among the nations attached to her through Messiah (called reshit in Jeremiah 2:3), are the testament to God's glory. That God, being so beyond the limitations of physicality, could commune and receive praise from humans that are utterly bound to an ego-centered and physically driven nature. This marrying of the Torah and the people of Israel is ultimately fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua - who at once embodies the Torah and is the culmination of Israel. Through following him we both display the ability of flesh and blood to worship the Divine, and thus we also are elevating the physical to one day bring about a whole new heaven and earth.

2. What is the purpose for the creation account, and what is the "Light" of which the text speaks?

Joshua Brumbach

The Torah relates the story of the six days of creation in order to refute other theories that claim the universe came into being through some cosmic accident or coincidence. The story of creation speaks in general terms to illustrate that nothing came into being except at God's command. The Hebrew word bara emphasizes this point. Bara, used here for "create," can only be used in connection to God (never for humans), and alludes to the creation of something from nothing.

The Torah's narrative of creation is meant to directly establish God as the sovereign of the universe. Unlike other origin myths circulating around the ancient Near East, the biblical account makes no attempt to explain the origins of God, or try to persuade the listener of God's existence. The existence of God is assumed. Therefore, it immediately jumps to the explanation of God's creation of heaven and earth.

In verse three, God says "'Let there be light': and there was light." If the sun and moon were not created until the fourth day of creation (see Genesis 1:14-19), what is the "light" that is being spoken of here. Interestingly there are two answers. The Yalkut Shemoni, a medieval rabbinic anthology, commenting on this verse states:
 

"And God saw the light, that it was good." This is the light of the Messiah . . . to teach you that God saw the generation of Messiah and his works before he created the universe, and he hid the Messiah . . . under his throne of glory. Satan asked God, Master of the Universe: "For whom is this Light under your Throne of Glory?" God answered him, "It is for . . . [the Messiah] who is to turn you backward and in who will put you to scorn with shamefacedness."

Yalkut Shemoni on Isaiah 60     

The pre-existence of Messiah, and his presence at creation has been discussed widely among many Jewish writers throughout history. According to Midrash Haggadol, "The final goal of humanity is to attain the state of the days of Mashiach; therefore the name of Mashiach had to be formulated even before the world's inception (1:1)." According to the Babylonian Talmud:

It was taught that seven things were created before the world was created; they are the Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden, Gey-Hinnom, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah . . . The name of the Messiah, as it is written: "May his name [the name of the Messiah] endure forever, may his name produce issue prior to the sun."

b. Pesachim 54a, b. Nedarim 39a, also Midrash on Psalm 93:3

Midrashic legend teaches that this light is hidden until the Messianic Age, after which it will be once more revealed.  When this happens, it will be like in Revelation (Rev. 21:22-23, 22:5, etc.), where there will no longer be need of the sun, for God's presence, will provide all needed light. The Messiah is also clearly connected to the themes of light and creation in John 1:1-18.