Back to Home -> Bereishis -> 5755

There is an interesting Midrash relating to this pasuk. Man was created on the last day. If a person is worthy, he is told, “You came before the entire creation,” since he was the reason for the creation of the world. On the other hand, if he is not worthy, he is told, “Even a gnat preceded you, an earthworm preceded you.” Horav Boruch Sorotzkin z.l., explains this Midrash in the following manner: If man merits to fulfill his purpose in this world, if he is virtuous and carries out Hashem’s mandate, then he precedes creation. The purpose gave way…

Rashi explains that Hashem saw that the light was good, but He did not want the light to rule together with or over the darkness. He let the darkness subsist, separating it from the light. This seems enigmatic. Why would Hashem create darkness and light together only to separate them afterwards? Why not simply create two separate entities completely distinct from one another from the beginning? Horav E.M. Bloch z.l., infers an important lesson from this pasuk. From the beginning of creation, Hashem instituted the important principle of separation.  Differentiation between two entities does not necessarily occur because they are…