Bereshis
Introduction
BERESHIS (“in the beginning”) begins the first fifth of the “book of the Law of Moses” (SEFER TORAT-MOSHE2Kgs 14:6). In view of the watchword “Sola Scriptura” (the Bible alone is authoritative for faith), we must allow inerrantly inspired Scriptural texts to give us our normative interpretation of Scripture. For example, Genesis chps 1—11 is about the creation of the inhabited world. And the book begins with Adam, who is told to govern the world as the son of G-d, being a type of “the one who is to come” (see Gn 5:1; 1Chr 1:1; Lk 3:38; Ro 5:14; Gn 3:15; 49:10), as expectation begins to build regarding a promised eschatological Redeemer-Ruler, a Moshi'a (Savior) from sin and death, a Great “Descendant” or “Seed” (ZERA). In Genesis we see the “fall,” that is, “creation being subjected to futility” (Ro 8:20) and the whole human race being brought under the bondage of the law of sin and death (Ro 6:23). Ro 5:12 tells us how to exegete (interpret) Gn 3. Adam is an epochal figure whose failure and fall determines the character of all encompassed in his epoch; that is, all of Hashem-alienated humanity in need of the epoch of the second Adam, the New Man, the Moshiach, and especially in need of the new life that flows from the Kingdom of G-d and G-dʼs great King, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach. When we look at the first man lying on the ground dead (Gn 5:5), the Bible is showing us the first sinner of a sinning/dying epoch which only the Moshiachʼs death brings to an end (2C 5:14). But the point here is that humankind in Gn 1:27 is “HaAdam” in Hebrew, and that verse shows Man as having both singularity and plurality (oto and otam, Gn 1:27), thus reflecting his Maker, Elohim, Who also has singularity and plurality in His complexity (compare echad in Gn 2:24 and Dt 6:4). Gn 1:26 uses a majestic plural but the Doctrine of Hashemʼs Kedushah Meshuleshet (Threefold Holiness) is seen in Elohim (Gn 1:1) and the Dvar Hashem (Gn 1:3) and the Ruach Elohim (Gn 1:2) engaged in the work of creation. When we look at the original language in Zohar Vol.3 Ha'azinu page 288b, we see the text which comments on Dan 7:13, where the Bar Enosh Moshiach comes to the Ancient of Days. The Zohar says, “The Ancient One is described as being two (TAV-RESH-YUD-FINAL NOON, Aramaic for ‘two’).” G-d and the Moshiach, called by Daniel “the Ancient of Days” and “the Son of Man” are obviously a picture of G-d as “two” in the Bible, and the Zohar owns up to this fact, calling G-d “two.” Two sentences prior to that on the same page, the original language of the text of the Zohar says, “The Ancient Holy One [i.e. G-d, Dan 7:13] is found with three (TAV-LAMMED-TAV, Aramaic for ‘three’) heads or chiefs (RESH-YUD-SHIN-YUD-FINAL NOON Aramaic for ‘heads’), which are united in One (CHET-DALET Aramaic for ‘one’).” Here we have a picture in the Zohar of the raz (mystery) of G-dʼs unity, the distinct havayot (subsistences, modes of being) in Adonoi Echad. G-d is echad, one, but a complex one, not three g-ds, only Hashem, One, but with Hashemʼs Kedushah Meshuleshet (Threefold holiness, Isa 6:3). Granted, Genesis answers all kinds of questions that only get raised for the reader later in the Bible. So it is only when you read Obadiah and Malachi that you really start asking, “Who are the Edomites and when do we first hear of their patriarch Esau?” So Genesis should be read last as well as first. Similarly, when Gog and Magog are mentioned in Ezekiel, when Javan (Greece) is mentioned in Zecharyah (Zechariah), when Babylon (Shinar — Gn 14:1) is mentioned in Isaiah, when the Canaanites and the Moabites and the Amorites (Noahʼs son Ham is the father of the Amorites) are discussed in the rest of the Scriptures, Genesis is the place to turn to get the Bibleʼs theological introduction and overview of their significance and determinative character. Genesis introduces us theologically to all the major questions of life. What is mankind? What is marriage? What is work and rest from work in relation to G-d? In Proverbs it says that wine is a mocker (20:1). How does the Bible first introduce us to that fact? (Hint: see Gn Chp 9. Read also Lv 10:8-11; Num 6:1-4; Lk 1:15; Ro 14:21.) How did the evil of polygamy begin? (Note Gn 4:19 and Lamechʼs overweening desire for both women and violence — see Gn 2:24 on monogamy.) What is sin? What is guilt? Does man have to sin? (See Gn 4:7). How in the human heart did wickedness begin and proliferate over the earth? How did it happen that the life-blood was set apart as holy in the beginning, when G-d began to institute blood sacrifice as a necessary aspect of the faith of Abraham? Where did Moshe Rabbeinu and Yosef and the Bnei Yisroel come from? How did bondage, especially bondage in Egypt, come about? How can spiritual bondage be circumcised and rolled away from the human heart so that we might be awakened to personal da'as of G-d and become his true sons? Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Arphachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah and Abraham show us sons of G-d, whereas the sons of the Serpent become a brood of “Lamechʼs” swallowed in a flood of wrath. The coming “Descendant” is the “zera HaIsha (the seed of the woman)” and is also part of the promise given to Abraham. Ga 3:16 interprets in this Messianic sense Gn 12:7; 13:15; 17:7; 22:18 and 24:7. G-d promised many descendants but the fact that the word ZERA or SPERMA is singular Rav Sha'ul takes as a Messianic reference, not merely a reference to the nation. Rav Sha'ul sees the notion of promise, including a promised eschatological covenant (Gn 17:2), as central to the book of Genesis, because the Exodus from Egypt, the conquering of the land of Israel, the coming of the King Moshiach, and his inheritance of the nations are all an unfolding of the promise that has its beginning in Genesis (the word “Genesis” is from a Greek word meaning “origin”). Since a gracious promise from a sovereign G-d who creates out of nothing negates any notion of salvation through meritorious works-righteousness, Rav Sha'ul relies on Moses and Habakkuk to say “amen” when Rav Sha'ul teaches that righteousness was credited to Abrahamʼs faith when Abraham became the father of all (Jewish people and Gentiles alike) who believe (see Gn 15:6; Dt 7:7-8; 9:4-6; Hab 2:4). This is the teaching of Moshiach in Yn 6:28-29. Although the book of Genesis tells us the origin of everything from marriage to polygamy and from the Edomites to the Sodomites, Rav Sha'ul shows us the most important doctrine that originates from Genesis, the doctrine of justification by faith alone (Ro 3:28). Important prophecies in Genesis are these: one descendant of Abraham will bless the nations (see Gn 12:1-4; Isa 49:5-6); Abrahamʼs descendants will be slaves 400 years in a land not their own (Gn 15:13); Abrahamʼs descendants will be delivered in the fourth generation (Gn 15:14-16); the land of Canaan would be given to Abrahamʼs descendants as an inheritance (Gn 15:16-21) and the promise would be given graciously and miraculously through Yitzchak(Isaac — Gn 17:21; 21:12).
1
[PARASHAS BERESHIS]
1 In the beginning Elohim bara hashomayim (the heavens) and haaretz (the earth).+ 2 And the earth was tohu vavohu (without form, and void); and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohim was hovering upon the face of the waters.
3 And Elohim said, Let there be light: and there was light.+ 4 And Elohim saw the light, that it was tov (good); and Elohim divided the ohr (light) from the choshech (darkness). 5 And Elohim called the light Yom (Day), and the darkness He called Lailah (Night). And the erev (evening) and the boker (morning) were Yom Echad+(Day One, the First Day).
6 And Elohim said, Let there be a raki'a (expanse, dome, firmament) in the midst of the mayim (waters), and let it divide the mayim from the mayim. 7 And Elohim made the raki'a, and divided the waters under the raki'a from the waters which were above the raki'a; and it was so. 8 And Elohim called the raki'a Shomayim (Heaven). And the erev and the boker were Yom Sheni (Day Two, the Second Day).
9 And Elohim said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the yabashah (dry land) appear; and it was so. 10 And Elohim called the yabashah Eretz (Earth); and the mikveh (gathering together of the waters) called He Seas; and Elohim saw that it was tov.
11 And Elohim said, Let the earth bring forth vegetation, the herb yielding zera (seed), and the fruit tree yielding pri (fruit) after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth vegetation, and herb yielding zera (seed) after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind; and Elohim saw that it was tov (good). 13 And the erev and the boker were Yom Shlishi (Day Three, the Third Day).*
14 And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the raki'a of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for otot (signs), and for mo'adim (seasons), and for yamim (days), and shanim (years); 15 And let them be for lights in the raki'a of the heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so. 16 And Elohim made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the kokhavim (stars) also. 17 And Elohim set them in the raki'a of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and Elohim saw that it was tov. 19 And the erev and the boker were Yom Revi'i (Day Four, the Fourth Day).
20 And Elohim said, Let the waters bring forth an abundance of living creatures, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open raki'a of heaven. 21 And Elohim created great sea creatures, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth in abundance, after their kind, and every winged fowl after its kind; and Elohim saw that it was tov.
22 And Elohim blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the erev and the boker were Yom Chamishi (Day Five, the Fifth Day).
24 And G-d said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind; and it was so. 25 And G-d made the beast of the earth after its kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and G-d saw that it was tov.
26 And G-d said, Let Us make man in Our tzelem, after Our demut: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon ha'aretz (the earth).
27 So G-d created humankind in His own tzelem,
in the tzelem Elohim (image of G-d) created He him;
zachar (male) and nekevah (female) created He them.
28 And G-d blessed them, and G-d said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And G-d said, Hinei, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of kol ha'aretz (all the earth), and every etz (tree), in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food; and it was so.
31 And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was tov me'od (very good). And the erev and the boker were Yom Shishi (Day Six, the Sixth Day).
+ 1:1 Ps 51:10 + 1:3 Ps 33:6,9 + 1:5 Mk 16:2 * 1:13 Ex 19:11,15-16; Josh 1:11; Num 19:11-16; Jon 2:1; Hos 6:2; 2Kgs 20:5,8; Ezra 6:15; 1C 15:4,20; Notice on Yom HaShlishi (The Third Day, Gn 1:13) is Yom HaBikkurim of the Bria HaOlam, the Firstfruits of the Creation of the World; just as Hos 6:2 indicates Yom HaShlishi is the time marker of the Techiyas HaMesim (Resurrection of the Dead), so Yom HaBikkurim fell on Nisan 16, and became a time marker delineating the countdown from the Resurrection of Moshiach Nisan 16, 3793 (33 C.E.) to Shavuos, 3793 and the Matan HaTevilah BeRuach Hakodesh. Lv 23:11.