In times of loss, many Jews find solace and spiritual power in prayer and study. It is in this spirit that we share this study companion for Parashat Bereshit, the first parashah (weekly portion) of the new Torah cycle. We dedicate our learning to the memory of those whose lives have been lost and to the safety of all those affected by the ongoing violence in Israel.
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(ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃
(3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Summary
Parashat Bereshit ("in the beginning") describes the beginning of the world. After God creates the earth and all its creatures, the first people, Adam and Eve, eat from the Tree of Knowledge and are banished from the Garden of Eden. The parashah ends with their elder son, Cain, being destined to a life of wandering after killing his brother Abel.
Going Deeper
The Value of a Single Human
In this parashah, Adam is created alone and then becomes the progenitor of all humankind. From this the rabbis of the Talmud glean lessons about the value of a single life — and the gravity of its loss.
Divine Point of View
Each act of creation is followed by God’s appraisal that it is "good.” But if all of creation was good, how did human suffering and evil come to be? Joseph B. Soloveitchik proposes an explanation in Kol Dodi Dofek.
Connecting the Haftarah
The usual haftarah (reading from Prophets) for Parashat Bereshit (Isaiah 42:5-21 in the Sephardi tradition; Isaiah 42:5-43:10 in the Ashkenazi tradition) parallels the discussion of creation in Genesis.
This year, however, the Shabbat of Parashat Bereshit occurs the day before Rosh Chodesh (the new Hebrew month), and Ashkenazi communities instead read a special Rosh Chodesh haftarah, Samuel I 20:18-42. This part of the story involving David, Jonathan, and King Saul begins on the day before Rosh Chodesh.
Questions for Reflection
- What can the creation story of Genesis teach us about the relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world?
- Genesis 1:27 says that humans were created in the “image of God.” What do you think this means, and how might this idea shape our understanding of human dignity and worth?
- According to a chasidic teaching, Reb Simcha Bunem carried two slips of paper, one in each pocket. On one was the talmudic passage, “The world was created for me”; on the other was the biblical verse, “I am but dust and ashes.” How do you see these phrases being useful in balancing individual significance and humility?
Looking for more guidance on how to study the weekly parashah on your own? Get the study guide.