“B'reishit bara Elohim et Hashamayim v’et ha’aretz...”
In the beginning God created the Heavens (the waters above) and the earth (the land)…
A majestic summary of the story of Creation: God is the beginning, nay, the Cause of all things.
“Created,” Hebrew, bara–this term is used uniquely for the Divine. God alone can CREATE something from nothing. Man makes or forms from substance already in existence. To God alone is ascribed the ability to “bara” –to create substance.
“Let there be light.” A sublimely simple phrase to express a sublime fact. THIS LIGHT IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT RADIATED LATER FROM THE SUN, FOR IT DISPERSES THE DARKNESS THAT ENSHROUDED THE DEEP. The old question, where did the light issue before the sun was made, is answered by the nebular theory! The great astronomer Halley wrote: “These nebulae reply fully to the difficulty which has been raised against the Mosaic description of creation, in asserting that light could not be generated without the sun.”
“…that it was good.” In the very beginning we find the Creator’s definition of what “good” is: IT FULFILLS THE WILL OF THE CREATOR. Simple? “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was GOOD…” –Gen. 1:3-4
“And God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fruitful and multiply…’” –Gen. 1:22
“And God said: ‘Let us make man in our image…and let them have dominion over…all the earth, and over every creeping thing.’ And God created man in His own image…male and female created He them. And God blessed them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply…and subdue the earth and have dominion over it…’” –Gen. 1:26-28
No blessing was bestowed upon vegetation or land, only upon living things. The living creatures were blessed, as were man who were made in God’s own image and given dominion over all. (The subservience of man to the [mother] earth and the “green” movement is little more than rebellion to God’s crowning glory of creation and express order of dominion.
“And on the seventh day God finished His work…and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it…” –Gen. 2:2
The Hebrew word here literally translates to DESISTED from creating rather than rested from creating. God deliberately stopped His own labors…and then blessed this island of deliberate ceasing from labors for US, who are made in His image!
Note: Many references/commentary from the Soncino Press Pentateuch and Haftarahs, Dr. J.H. Hertz, 1938
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment