By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
SAN DIEGO — As we learn from “The Parsha Song” from Torah Island by Suki and Ding, “With Bereishit we begin learning Torah, How precious we hold our Mesorah, Bereishis, Noach, Lech Lecha, Vayeira, Chayei Sarah, Sarah lived for 127 years…” And on we go.
Yes, new beginnings often combine excitement with fear, positive anticipation with distress, success with failure, and smiles with frowns. Nobody knows the future, of course. So, the wise, instead, adopt a curious mindset. Instead of predicting, they wonder what they may learn from the coming new year. Bereishit brings this opportunity for renewed learning, a divine gift of transformation, to sculpt our lives in new, better, healthier, more successful ways. Our Rabbis said: “The stance which a person adopts on Shabbos Bereishit determines the manner in which he will proceed throughout the coming year.”
On Shabbat Bereishit we are reminded that we are in a new year, with a fresh page in the book of life. Yes, we get a new chance to build a better cheshbon ha’nefesh (spiritual accounting) with our deeds. The holidays behind us, from Rosh Hashana through Simchat Torah, have been filled with opportunities for us to take a genuine accounting of our souls and of our lives. And now it’s time to begin building on this cheshbon ha’nefesh. But, where to start?
In this week’s parasha, we begin with chaos and void, “V’haaretz hayta tohu va’vohu v’choshech all pnei tehom…And the earth was chaos and void, and darkness fell on the face of the deep.” In as few as 31 verses and 469 words, we see how Hashem takes confusion and emptiness tohu v’vohu and creates a delicate balance of order and beauty.
“The earth was unformed and void darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of Hashem hovered over the surface of the water.” In this parasha, the Ruach Elohim (The Spirit of Hashem) hovers over the waters (mayim) as Hashem separates the light from the darkness and land from the water. He creates vegetation and creatures — fish of the sea and birds of the air, as well as land animals.
Sound familiar? Seems our world is also in chaos. What does Hashem do when confronted with the situation in the heaven and the earth that he created? “Vayomer Hashem, Vayehi Or, Vayehi Or… And Hashem said let there be light and there was light.” Hashem turns on the lights, and then creates order by separating light from dark, the sea from the sky, categorizing animals and then creating humans, recognizing the good in each of His creations. Perhaps we can learn the value of taking a moment to “turn on the lights” in our own thinking, to understand rationally and healthily respond to the chaos in our own lives and to discover the boundless depths of our souls with strength.
Hashem uses words to create, and this teaches us to value the words we use in our own thinking and those we share with others, to be sure that what we are creating in the coming year will be good, beautiful, and wonderful.
The words in this week’s parasha instruct us to see the dignity in all humanity, and the way in which we think about and treat one another is anchored in these words, And Hashem said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and they shall rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heaven and over the animals and over all the earth and over all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.” The Maharal, Yehuda Aryeh Löwe of Prague, teaches, “that we are called to deal kindly with all humanity and certainly not to cause harm to anyone’s physical being, financial welfare, or personal dignity, nor to disgrace or diminish the Divine image in our fellow.” The diversity of humanity is a crucial component of this understanding. After all, we learn that Hashem created mankind b’tzelem Elohim, “in [the divine] image.” Contemporary society, from politics to entertainment including news media, has much to learn in terms of the importance of words.
The Targum Onkelos, the Aramaic translation of the Bible, has an interesting approach to the words we read, “and man became a living being.” Onkelos, translates the word חַיָּה (chayah – living) as מְמַלְּלָא (m’malah – speaking). And man became a speaking being. In this reading, speech becomes the essential force of life. It is the key difference that distinguishes humanity and inclines us towards a more meaningful life.
We act in ways that suggest that words are disposable. Even in our fast-paced world, though, the impact of words remains profound.
As the new year begins with Bereishit, we can begin anew, with a renewed sense of commitment to act in all ways “b’tzelem Elohim.” One essential responsibility we have is to value and unite with every member of our dynamic and diverse community of humanity. We are taught to look beyond the outside of fellow humans and to see that which lies within – and ultimately to be grateful for being created in Hashem’s image. Not better than another, not beneath another…but “b’tzelem Elohim.”
And what is that image? The first attribute that is highlighted in the Torah reading is the attribute of Anava (modesty, humility). On this, Rashi explains, that the Torah gives us an important lesson about our words and the value of modesty. The text did not say, “I, Hashem, will make man,” though He did not make man alone. “Let us make man in our image,” is what it says. We are to foster modesty, humility, restraint. After all, Rashi teaches, Hashem did not need any advice, but He turned to His angels for counsel.
In our society we have elevated power over others and Bereishit tells us this is a mistake and with the beginning of a new year, tells us we have another chance. A valued leader is one who can turn to and who leans on others, one who has Anava. This is a leader who exercises power in a proper way. Imagine what our society would be like if modesty and humility were authentically valued instead of a dangerous, harmful, unquenchable quest for power. Let’s ponder the well-known phrase from the Ethics of the Fathers: “Who is wise? He who learns from every man. Who is honorable? He who honors his fellow men.”
Humility. Self-effacement. Humbleness. Modesty. We weren’t first in the list of creation. We were the last. Even behind snakes. As R’ Saadiah Gaon in Sanhedrin 38a teaches, He created us “like a person builds a palace and having furnished and decorated it, ushers in its owners so it is ready for immediate dwelling.” Genesis Rabbah 8:6 justifies how the creation of humanity was one of Hashem’s end-goals for creation. After all, He first created all the plants and animals for humans to eat. It was not until after human food was ready-to-go that He created humans.
We entered the world with everything He thought we needed. Do we need more?
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com