Thursday, Tishrei 25, 5779 / October 4, 2018

This Shabbat we read Parshat Breishis, the first Parsha of the Torah, beginning the new Torah reading cycle for the year 5779.

Parshat Breishis begins with the story of creation. The Parsha describes what was created on each day of the Six Days of creation. The Torah tells us, “G-d completed on the seventh day the work which He had done and He rested on the seventh day from all the work which He had done.”

The above verse seems contradictory. If G-d completed His work on the seventh day (Shabbat), then He didn’t really rest the full day of Shabbat? Our sages explain that G-d indeed finished all of creation in six days. However, there was one thing missing; the creation of the concept of rest. G-d created that on Shabbat through His resting on Shabbat. For this reason, the Torah says that G-d finished all His work on Shabbat. His resting on Shabbat created rest, thus, completing the work of creation.   

The Torah tells us that on each day of creation, except for the second day, “G-d saw what He created and it was good.” But, for His creation on the second day, it doesn’t say that it was good.

Q.Why doesn’t it say, “G-d saw what He created and it was good” on the second day?

A. Our sages explain: On the second day of creation, G-d said, “Let there be a firmament (sky) and let it separate between the upper waters and the lower waters.” On the second day G-d created separation. Although it was necessary to create a separation between the waters above and below, G-d didn’t say, “It was good.” Because separation and division cannot be described as good.

In this Parsha we read about the creation of Adam and Eve and their children, Kayin and Hevel.

The Torah describes how Eve and Adam ate from the forbidden fruit, which resulted in them being expelled from the Garden of Eden.

The story of Kayin murdering his only brother Hevel and Kayin’s punishment, is also in this Parsha. Later in the Parsha the Torah tells us that at the age of one hundred and thirty Adam and Eve had another son whom he named, Sheit.

Although Adam later had more sons and daughters, the Torah does not relate their names.

Adam lived to the age of 930!

The Parsha ends with the birth Of Noach (Noah). Noach was the tenth generation from Adam.

At the age of five hundered Noach had the first of his three sons, Shem, Cham and Yafet.  

Thus, Parshat Breishis covers a span of about 1500 years.

HAVE A GOOD, HEALTHY, HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY