The Hebrew
language is characterized by remarkable conciseness, which allows information
to be conveyed in very succinct forms.
Along with that, it is also a very picturesque language, and often
content and form (in the Tanach, especially) are congruous. Thus, this first
Parasha, being as it is, a narrative of the origins, is replete with
information, eternal patterns and principles, yet all are communicated very
briefly, with matching terminology. In
fact, the latter deserves individual attention.
Although this time we will not cover the full gamut of terms included in
Parashat (“Parasha of”) B’resheet, in the weeks to come some of them will show
up in other Parashot (Parasha in plural form), and it is then that we will try
to do them justice.
God’s
name appears here as the composite “Elohim,” of the root “el” meaning “strong,
mighty, powerful.” Elohim is in the plural form, a fact which
lends the word much greater dimensions. But in addition to that, Elohim not
only includes “El,” but also “Eloha,” yet one more word, of the same root, for the
Almighty, both forming the plural “Elohim.”
B’resheet is both the name of the first Parasha, and
the name of the book of Genesis. “B’resheet bara Elohim…” At the first,
beginning –b’resheet - created - bara – Elohim - God. The meaning of r’sheet
is “first, beginning, start and prominence” and it
stems from the root r.o.sh (resh, alef, shin) - “head.” (Notice the
river in 2:10 that comes out of Eden
and divides into four streams. The latter - i.e. the “streams” - are also
called here “heads”). The usage of this phraseology, therefore, establishes a
foundation that the prime and first cause is Elohim, who is the initiator of
everything. In Colossians 1:16, 18 it says
of Messiah Yeshua: “For by Him all things were created, in the heavens and on
earth… He is also the head of the Body… and He is the beginning…
so that He might come to have first place in everything” (italics
added). This above passage indeed exhausts
“r’sheet” to its fullest. Interestingly,
the very first 3 letters which constitute the Bible’s opening word, “b’re(sheet)”
are also the same as the ones that make up the next word, “bara,” which
is “created” (the letters being bet, resh, alef). Thus, “created”
appears twice in a row in the very beginning of the Holy Writ, as if to add an
extra emphasis to the fact that Elohim is truly the Creator. Note that the verb
“bara,” to “create,” refers exclusively to the Creator, and never to man. The
adjective for “healthy” or “fat” – “bari
The initial and
foundational act of creation culminates with, “And Elohim called the light day,
and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning,
one day” (v. 5). This “one day,” rather
than “first day,” is “yom echad” unlike the rest of the days, which are termed,
“second, third…” etc. Since “echad” -
unity of plurality – is such a significant term, and is attached to
Elohim’s nature (“hear Oh Yisrael, YHVH our Elohim is ‘one’) its usage here underscores
the Presence of Elohim in the creation process, emphasizing the fact that the
“one day” will continue to accompany the creation of each of the subsequent days.
A “latter day” passage in Zechariah
14:6-9, which appears to take us full circle, states the following: It
shall come to pass in that day that there will be no light; the lights will
diminish. It shall be one day which is known to YHVH -- neither day nor
night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light.
And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem … And YHVH shall
be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be that YHVH will be one
and His name one” (literal translation, italics added. Also notice the
creation ‘elements’ of water and light).
The act of
creation involved processes of separation.
Elohim separated light from darkness (Gen. 1:4); water from water (vv.
6, 7). He created the lights in the
heaven to separate the night from the day (v. 14-16, 18), and the seasons one
from the other. He also distinguished
between the different types of flora and fauna (vv 11, 12), between man and
woman, and finally between the weekdays and the Shabbat. The verb used for separating is “havdel”
(of the root b.d.l, bet, dalet, lamed), to “divide or separate,” but
also to “distinguish.” One word about the
light and darkness: The word for darkness is choshech (ch.sh.ch
- chet, shin, kaf). The verb for deprive or withhold (as it appears in Genesis
39:9, for example) shares a very similar root - ch.s.ch (chet, sin, kaf). Thus
the small vowel change, of the letter "shin" into a "sin,"
reveals that "darkness" is simply a condition in which light is being
withheld and is therefore only a "default state."
But when He separated
the water from the land (or brought forth the land from the water), Elohim
said: “Let the water under the heavens be gathered - yikavu - to one
place” (1:9). A “mikveh” is therefore a
place of the gathering of water and stems from the root, k.v.h.(kof, vav, hey),
which is also the word for “hope.". Each
time we read in English “wait for the Lord,” the verb in Hebrew is “kaveh.”
Thus, our hope is found while we are being gathered to Him who is our Mikveh:
“Oh YHVH, the hope ("mikveh," here, rather than the standard
"tikva") of Israel …
“ is the cry of the prophet Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) in 17:13. According to Romans 6:3-5, we have been immersed
into Him, which makes Him the mikveh (place of immersion), “for in hope
we have been saved” (Rom. 8:24 italics added). Our hope, then, lies in the fact
that we are in Him, and He is in us, and therefore we walk now in new life (see
Rom.
6:4) as a new creation. Thus the
"mikveh" stands for a place of being gathered to and for 'immersion
in hope,' seen both in the act of creation and in the act of the spiritual
re-birth.
The progressive
process of creation renders each day's accomplishment a preparation for the one
that will follow. And whereas above we
touched on the 'separation' aspect of creation, here we see its integrative
aspect. Separation and integration,
though seemingly mutually exclusive, actually work hand in hand and are typical
of the Hebraic mind and character, and nowhere is this better exemplified than
in the first and second chapters of the Bible.
Although each
day's creative work was different from the next, the days were separated one
from the other in an identical manner, by an evening and a morning. This ‘feature’ set the pattern for the days
that were to come, which unlike the days of creation, would be identical or
similar one to the other. The day began
in the evening - erev - and it is interesting to note that among
its many meanings, “erev” also means a “pledge” or a “guarantee.” Thus, the promise of the day to come is found
in the twilight of its predecessor. “Boker,”
"morning," is another word rich in diverse meanings, one of
which is to “inquire, frequent or visit,” connoting
concern and care (see Ezk. 34:11,12). Once again, there is an assurance for
things hoped for from the One who is in charge of Time and who operates within
it (e.g. Jer. 33:25, Lam. 3:22-23). One example of YHVH regarding Time is made apparent
in 2:2, where He is seen “resting” (after having completed His work),
while the word in Hebrew is “sha’vat” of the root sh.b/v.t* meaning to “"cease,” and is similar to the root y.sh.v. - to "sit.”
It is this root which also forms the word “Shabbat.”
As for the
pinnacle of creation, man and woman, they were created "in the image and
likeness" of their Creator (1:26).
“Image” is "tzelem" - from the root “tzel” which
is a “shadow.” At best a human being may reflect the Almighty in the same way a
two dimensional shadow 'represents' (as a shadow) a three-dimensional object. “Likeness”
is “d'moot,” which contains the word “dam” – "blood" (from which are derived
words such as “adama” for “earth,” “adom” for “red”
and “adam” - “man”). Here
we see a clear connection to the Messiah, who incarnated in a flesh and blood
body as the “Last Adam.” Man and woman
were created different and at different times, yet “in the image (tzelem) of Elohim
created He him, male and female created He them” (v. 27). Once again we see
differentiation and oneness together. He
- man - was created both male and female, and likewise the male and the female
together reflect the "tzelem" of the one Elohim. In 2:24 we read that
they were to become “one flesh,” and yet that could only take place after woman
was taken out (separated) from man’s own body (ref. 2:21). The woman’s
formation was totally different than that of the man’s. Not only was she formed
from the rib taken out of Adam’s side, but that act of formation is called “building”
– va’yiven – literally, “and He [Elohim] built the rib which He took
from the man, into a woman…” (2:22).
One more point
concerning this union: In 2: 18, 20 the woman, the "help suitable"
(as translated in most versions) for man, is described literally as a help “contrary
or opposite” to him – “ezer ke’negdo” (“neged” being “in front
of” or “opposite to”).
Originally, Chava* (Eve) was to be Adam’s counterpart, compatible to
him. The two were to complement one another as two opposite forces do,
attracting and polarizing at the same time.
In the last verse of chapter 2 we read: ”And they were
both naked ("aroomim"/plural), the man and his wife, and were
not ashamed” (v. 25). In 3:7 a major change
takes place: “And the eyes of the two of them were opened, and they knew that
they were naked, and they sewed for themselves girdles of fig leaves.” The man
and his wife made for themselves coverings from the leaves of a fig tree. The
latter alludes to their attitude, as the word for “fig” - t'ena –
is closely related to “to'ana” which is a “pretext” or “looking for excuses.”
In Shoftim (Judges) 14:4 Shimshon (Samson) is seen looking for such a pretext
or “an occasion against the Philistines.” In 3:21 we are told that Elohim “clothed
them - va’yalbishem,” the root being l.v.sh, which is the verb for to “dress”
and also forms the word for “clothes, garment ” – l’vush or
malbush. We just noted that, “the man and his wife were naked and not ashamed,”
(plural) “lo yit’boshashu” of the root b.o.sh (bet, vav, shin). Thus, although
of no etymological connection, because of the similarity of consonants some
rabbinical interpretations connect “l’vush” - garment - to “bosh” - “shame”
(remember the b and v sounds are interchangeable), as indeed the garment’s
purpose was to meet the need awakened by the shame of being naked.
In the last
episode depicting our protagonists, we see them being sent
("expelled" in Hebrew) out of the Garden, but not without a hint of a
hope. East of Eden, Elohim placed the
Cherubim and the two-edged ("revolving") sword to guard the way to
the Tree of Life (ref. 3:24). This image
conjures up another - one in which Cherubim were also placed above a
"sword," that is the sword of the Word (see Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12), in
the form of the tablets written by Moshe (Moses). These tablets were placed in
the ark, above which an image of two Cherubim was installed. Is this a subtle picture, inserted into the
somber scene of the expulsion, of a future Holy of Holies where atonement
(covering) was to be made? Once the Holy of Holies (through the ultimate
atonement) became accessible to all, so did the way to the Tree of Life,
through Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
The post-Edenic
life was very different from that which Adam and Chava had experienced prior to
their act of disobedience – this is evidenced by the life of their progeny. The
story of Kayin and Hevel demonstrates the immediate results that followed the
great transformation which took place in man’s disposition. In fact, the
description of the events in chapter 4 is replete with linguistic connections
to the previous chapter, a fact which illustrates the direct link that the
parents’ actions and attitudes had on their posterity. Let us follow a little
chart of such comparisons, in literal Hebrew translation. But just prior to
that, let’s pause to ponder Chava’s reason for naming her firstborn as she did.
“I have acquired a man from YHVH” (4:1), were her words. “Acquired” – “kaniti”
(k.n.h – kof, noon, hey) – to buy or purchase. Was she under the
impression that her suffering at child birth was the price she was paying for
having a son? Purchasing is also a function of a redeemer (who buys back his
next of kin who has been taken captive, for example). Was Chava mistakenly
seeing herself as a “redeemer” of her firstborn? If so, did the birth of the next
son bring with it disillusion, and thus he was named “Hevel” – “futility”
(literally the “mist that comes forth from one’s breath”)?
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Chapter 4
v. 2 Cain was a tiller of the ground
v. 7 If you do well you will be
‘carried’ but if you do not do
well sin crouches at the opening and to you
is its desire but you will rule it
v. 9 Am I my brother’s keeper?
v. 10 The voice of your brother’s
blood is crying to Me from the ground
v. 12 When you work [till] the ground
it shall no longer yield its strength to you
v. 14 You have driven me out today from the
face of the ground/earth and I shall be hidden from Your face
v. 16 And Cain went out from the presence
of YHVh and dwelt in the
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Chapter 3
v. 19 By the sweat of the your face you
shall eat bread till you return to the ground from which you were
taken
v. 13 And the woman said, the serpent has
caused me to be ‘carried’ [in sin] and I ate
v. 16 and to him [your husband] is your desire
and He will rule you
ch. 2:15 And YHVH Elohim took man and put
him in the garden to till and keep it
v. 10 I heard your voice in the
garden and was afraid
Back to Chapter 3
v. 17 Cursed is the ground for your
sake, in sorrow you shall eat of it
v. 23 And YHVH Elohim sent him out of the
garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken
v. 8 And the man and his wife hid
from YHVH Elohim
V. 10 And I was afraid, because I was naked
and hid myself
v. 24 And He drove out the man and He
placed the cherubim east of the garden of Eden
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Finally, let us
follow the genealogy of the forefathers as listed in chapter 5. The names form
the following: Man (Adam) is appointed (Shet) mortal
(Enosh) sorrow (Keinan).
One who praises EL (M’halal'el) will come
down (Yared), teaching (Chanoch) that His death
will send (Metushelach), the hidden king (Lemech,
whose name contains the three letters for king, but not in the right order),
and rest (No’ach).
* B and V sound are denoted by the same
letter – bet
* The “ch” consonant sound is the same as the
“ch” in the Scottish “Loch .”
Hebrew Tools for Everyday Use
The opening word of the Tanach and of our
Parasha, b’resheet, is of course “in the/a beginning”. “B’resheet” stems from
“rosh” – “head”. In verse 16 (of chapter 1) we encounter “govern”, which
although translated as a verb, is actually here in a noun form - “memshala” –
government. The “head” of the “government” is the “prime minister”. Above we
observed that “bara” – created – also yields the adjective “bari ” – healthy, a useful word and a desired
condition. In 2:15
we read: “Then YHVH Elohim took the man
and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it” – “le’ovda
ule’shomrah”. The Modern Hebrew rendering would be: “La’avod ve’lishmor”.
“Oved” – tend, work – is also related to Kayin, who was a “tiller of the
ground” – “oved adama”, which reminds us of the “avoda” (toil, work) that was
also assigned to his father, Adam, regarding the Garden. But unlike his father, he was not willing to
be a “keeper” – “shomer”, when he asked Elohim, “am I my brother’s keeper?”
(4:9).
Prime
Minister
Rosh Memshala
(lit. head of government)
The Prime
Minister is healthy
Rosh
ha’Memshala bari
Are you
working? (m.)
Ata oved?
Are you
working? (f.)
At ove’det?
Yes, I am a
guard (m.)
Ken, ani
shomer
Ken, ani
shomeret (f.)
To work is
healthy
La’avod ze bari
Recording: http://vocaroo.com/i/s1X9mPBwuKYd
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