BEREISHITH 1988

In the Torah portion BEREISHIS we learn about creation.  According to the Jewish view, the only thing that is important is that G-d created the universe.  The means that He used to create the universe is up to Him.  According to Rav Cook, evolution is the best way to explain creation according to the Kaballah.  The Talmud said there were 974 generations of man even before Adam, and in the Medrash we learn how G-d created worlds and destroyed worlds.  

The world, according to the Kaballah, is billions of years old.  There is no conflict between evolution and the account in BEREISHIS.  The only conflict that could be is with those people who say that the world was created by chance.  We say, no, G-d created the world.  The method that He used to create the world was up to Him. When G-d finished creating the world it says, "And they were completed the heaven and the earth and all their hosts."

The rabbis ask, what does it mean "all their hosts"? They explain that the hosts meant the unfolding infinite possibilities that came from this creation, that G-d began the creation and then He imbedded within creation many possibilities.  Later it says, "And G-d blessed the seventh day and He sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which G-d created to do." This is a difficult sentence because what does it mean "from all His work which He created to do"? It should just say, "He rested from all His work which He created".  What is this "to do"? What's more, why does it say, "And G-d blessed the seventh day and sanctified it"? According to Rashi, this refers to the fact that G-d gave manna to the Jewish people in the desert.  He blessed them by giving them a double portion on Friday and He sanctified the Sabbath by withholding manna on the Sabbath.

According to the rabbis, the Sabbath signifies two things.  In fact, this is enunciated clearly in the Ten Commandments.  In the first set of the Ten Commandments we learn that the Sabbath commemorates creation, while in the second set of the Ten Commandments we learn that the Sabbath commemorates the exodus from Egypt.  The Rambam, Maimonides says, that these are actually two different concepts, that we on the Sabbath thank G-d for creating the world.  

We recognize our obligations to Him because He is the Creator.  We also acknowledge the fact He has given us freedom, that we do not have to work all the time, that just as He rested we can rest.  We are not like other animals that must continuously work.  We can devote time to spiritual activity and growth.  The Rambam, on the other hand, Nachmonides, says that actually the Sabbath celebrates only the creation, that what it mentions the exodus from Egypt that is only to emphasize the fact that G-d created the universe and that G-d has not departed from the universe.  We do not believe, as theists believe, that G-d created the universe and then went on vacation to Miami, that G-d is not a watchmaker who makes a watch and then sells it and has no other contact with it.  G-d creates the world and is connected and involved with the world.  G-d can suspend any of the natural laws that He sees fit.  The exodus merely confirms that fact that G-d created the world and that G-d can suspend natural law when He wants to. He does not very often, but He can if He wants to.

In fact, Nachmonides goes on to say that the holiday of Succos, too, commemorates the creation.  That is why there are seven days of Succos and that is why we go out into the field to show that there are infinite possibilities ahead of us in helping G-d create the world.  That is why it says, "And G-d rested from the work which He created to do." G-d created it, but there are many things yet to do in this world, that G-d has made us His junior partner in creation and it is up to us to help perfect this world.  That is also why Nachmonides says we take the lulav and esrog.  

According to the rabbis, the esrog was the forbidden fruit.  Man ate the forbidden fruit and, because he ate the forbidden fruit, he was expelled from the Garden of Eden.  Yet, we can still in this world make this world a Garden of Eden.  We need not despair.  If we act properly in the correct way we can recover Eden by making this world a Garden of Eden. There are actually two concepts involved here.  There is the concept that G-d is the creator and, because G-d is the creator, therefore, we cannot do anything we want.  We owe responsibility to Him.  The world is given to us as a steward, and we must take care of it environmentally.  We also must take care that we preserve relationships, that there are certain things that we cannot do even though G-d gave us the command to be His partner in creation and told us to conquer the world and perfect it and make it into a better place.  Succos teaches us that we are to fulfill our job as G-d's partner in creation.  We are to go forward and to work.  Shabbos tells us that there are certain things that we cannot do.

This point is further illustrated in the story of Cain and Abel.  Cain means "to acquire".  "I have acquired a man with G-d." In other words, Cain was an acquirer.  All his energy was set forward to conquer the world, to make the world in the shape that he wanted to make it.  He was following G-d's command to conquer the world.  On the other hand, Abel was a man of the spirit.  Abel means "breath".  He was interested in the spiritual things, in human relations. That is why he was called a shepherd.  Shepherd also means "a spiritual leader". He was interested in music and the arts, etc.  Inevitably there was a conflict between them.  Cain said, "The land is mine.  We must perfect it.  Abel, you are wasting time and you are getting in my way." Nowhere does it say that Cain does not recognize that Abel is his brother.  Even after he kills him, he said that he is still his brother, but he is getting in his way of making things and perfecting the world and making the world in an image that he wants it to be.  Therefore, they quarreled.  

The rabbis say they quarreled over three things.  One is, they say that Cain acquired all the land, all the immovable objects, and Abel had all the movable objects.  Cain said to Abel, "Get off my land.  Fly." And Abel said to Cain, "Take off your clothes.  They are all mine." They were arguing over what was right and what was proper, material things or spiritual things.  

The second thing the rabbis say they were arguing over was where the altar should be placed.  That is why is says "Adomo", that  they were arguing over the ground of the altar.  They had a religious argument. Cain said it should be on his area and Abel said it should be on his area.

Finally, the rabbis say that they were arguing over sex, that according to the rabbinic tradition Abel was born with a twin sister.  Cain said she should be his and Abel said she should be his.  Even today we argue about the same things.  We argue about land, money, power, religion, and sex.  This, unfortunately, is still the lot of man.  The reason these arguments get out of hand is that people forget that we need to have both spiritual things, relationships, and you also have to have ambition in the world, that both these things are necessary.

Cain was not bad because he had ambition.  He was bad because he did not limit his ambition.  He did not learn the lesson of Shabbos, that there are certain things that you just cannot do.  You have to take into account other human beings.  You also have to develop your spiritual side.  Abel, too, had to recognize the holiday of Succos, that we are commanded to go out into nature and to perfect it and make it better and create houses and cities and civilizations.  Abel did not understand that either.  Their fight was unfortunately inevitable. We are enjoined to remember that we need spiritual values as well as material values.  When we are building apartment projects it is good to have an environmental study even though it may put us back a few years.  

We have to consider the effects of our project on other fellow human beings. When we pursue spiritual projects we also have to make sure there is a material base to support them, that in life we have to make sure that we are fulfilling both Shabbos and Succos, that we are following the charge of Succos to go out into nature and to perfect it and make it liveable for man and, on the other hand, we must also make sure we do not destroy each other, that we guard spiritual values.

I am reminded of the story they tell of a woman who was visiting a friend she had not seen for a long time. She came to the house and the woman said, "Oh, please be very careful of my dining room table.  It goes all the way back to Louis IV." The woman replied, "Don't feel bad.  If I don't make my payment this Friday, my whole dining room set goes back to Sears on the 16th." Yes, we cannot just build and build and build without concern for our fellow human beings, that G-d takes back our charge.  G-d takes back our responsibilities and duties from us and turns the world back into chaos unless we not only build but also remember there are certain things we cannot do when we build.  We need both Shabbos and Succos.  Let us hope and pray that we will always remember this.