BERESHIT_GENESIS I:1-VI:8
From the point of view of Jewish tradition, the creation of the universe represents the Divine action of placing man in the cosmos for the purpose of transcending into Kedusha, holiness, which is a property of God. This is how David Flatto interprets, for example, the clear division that exists with the third book of the Tora, Vayikra.
The great critic of the Bible, Julius Wellhausen, in the early nineteenth century challenged Jewish exegetes with his theories about the primary origin of the biblical text. Wellhausen took pains in a careful study of the text, a fact that in turn forced the Parshanim, the Jewish interpreters, to investigate the same text in greater depth in order to refute his claims.
Wellhausen pointed out that the syllabus of the first part of Vayikra, Leviticus, was totally different in the first part of the text when compared to the second part and, therefore, suggested that it was the integration of two different original texts into a single book. The first part concludes with the Acharei Mot section which is Chapter XVIII.
The second part begins with Kedoshim and corresponds to the text from chapter XIX to the last chapter of the book, chapter XXII. Reading Vayikra leads to the conclusion that Wellhausen may have been right. The first part refers to the sacrifices that will be offered in the Beit HaMikdash and the role the Kohanim would play. Torat Kohanim is the rabbinic designation for the book Vayikra.
The second part basically consists of ethical norms, agricultural laws that must govern the Promised Land and the norms for the celebration of the different holidays. Flatto argues that the first part of Vayikra refers to the closeness that a person should yearn for with regard to Kedusha, holiness. God is the absolute Kadosh and sacrifices are a way to approach Him, as alluded to by the word Korban, sacrifice, which in Hebrew comes from the root Karov, which means closeness.
The tragic death of Nadav and Avihu, sons of Kohen Gadol Aharon, occurs Bekorvatam, when they inappropriately approached the Kedusha, God. The second part of Vayikra begins with Kedoshim, whose first instruction is Kedoshim tih’yu, each must be Kadosh. While the first part of Vayikra speaks of the approach to the source of Kedusha which is God, the second part commands every individual to become Kadosh.
How can a person become Kadosh? Here is the answer: refrain from stealing, be in solidarity with others, help the poor, pay the worker’s wages on the day that the work is done, love your neighbor in the same way as you love yourself. And so on. The concept of Kedusha gives a logical sequence to the two parts of Vayikra. The verse that insists on the need to obtain Kedusha is followed by the phrase: “A person should fear his father and mother and keep my Shabbat, I am your God.”
Exegetes interpreted this instruction as a warning not to obey parents if they instigate noncompliance. That is, although a person owes obedience to his parents, there is a limit to that obligation: when the father orders a violation of the law. In that case, a son or daughter must disobey him. Shabbat, God’s law, takes precedence to respect or fear for parents. Combining fear for parents and obedience to God may serve a different purpose. Even in the Ten Commandments, the fourth commandment to observe Shabbat is followed by the commandment to honor one’s parents.
In Bereshit we read how God created the universe in six days and “rested” on the seventh day, that is, ceased to create. Then comes the story of the first couple, Adam and Eve, who will be the fathers of Humanity. Perhaps the fundamental lesson of Bereshit is that God ceased to create and now it is humanity’s turn to create. God continues to observe the Shabbat of creation. From that moment on it is up to man to be the promoter of scientific, moral and social development. Man is now the creator
The weekly Shabbat serves to “recharge the batteries” and start again with other days of creation, while God “observes” the behavior of his last creation: the human being. God intervenes in History when man irretrievably errs, as in the case of the Mabul, the flood that destroyed all but one family, so that everything could begin again. He forced the Egyptians to free the Hebrews from slavery. Finally, he manifested His will on Mount Sinai through the Tora, with a written document that shows with precision what is the path that leads to Kedusha, the fundamental purpose of Bereshit, the creation of the universe.
Bereshit was God’s hour. History is humanity’s hour.
MITSVA: TORA ORDINANCE IN THIS PARSHA
CONTAINS 1 POSITIVE MITSVA
1. Genesis I:28 Procread and multiply (human beings)
