Beginning of a Journey

For years now, I have been meaning to add a blog to my website, to share my thoughts on the the weekly Torah portion for others to read and share. This year, I am going to do it.

This week's Torah portion is Bereishit, the first reading of the Torah. Seems like the perfect time to start. Here is my first reflection on the weekly Torah portion, or Parashat Hashavua, for the year:

Parashat Hashavua: Bereishit

Genesis 1:1-6:8

“Bereishit bara Elohim ... At the beginning God created.” These words bring us back to the very start of the universe. The world is unformed and chaotic; with each passing day, God creates order and organization. It is easy to look at the description of God’s process in creating the world and to view it as perfect. And it is ... almost.

There is one small moment that is often overlooked; a moment that shows us that, even before humans came on to the scene, Creation had a little imperfection in it. The moment happens in the third day of creation:

“And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees bearing fruit with the seed in it, of all kinds on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants of every kind, and trees bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that this was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.” (Genesis 1:11-13)

Did you catch it? The difference is slight, but significant. God called for “fruit trees bearing fruit”, yet the Earth, in its limited capacity, is only able to create “trees bearing fruit”. Despite this change from the original plan, God still saw the goodness in what the Earth was able to produce.

This is a lesson all of us need to learn. We all know that nothing ever goes exactly to plan, and it is important that we still see the good that we help create. This Shabbat, may we see the good around us and the good that we help create.