5770

And Hashem Elokim said to the woman, “What is it that you have done!” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (3:13)

Sforno interprets Hashem’s query of Chavah as a rhetorical question. Clearly her actions were obvious. She ate from the tree. Hashem was not seeking information; rather, He wanted to present her with an opening, an opportunity to express remorse and begin the process of teshuvah, repentance. Ben Ish Chai writes in his drashos/Od Yosef Chai that we may derive from Hashem’s dialogue with Chavah a powerful lesson concerning Hashem’s goodness, His love and kindness to us. He wanted Chavah to provide some form of justification for her sin. Thus, He asked, “What is it that you have done?” This really…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

And Hashem Elokim said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

In much the same way that Creation was not complete until Adam, man, was created, and Hashem declared him to be the crown of Creation, Hashem did not pronounce His “tov,” good, until woman, man’s corresponding helpmate, was created. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, notes that the Torah does not write, lo tov l’adam l’heyos levado, “It is not good for man to be alone,” but, rather, “this is not good; man being alone.” The emphasis is on Creation. As long as Man stands alone, it is altogether not yet good. The goal of perfection which the world is to attain…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

“Let us make man in Our image and in Our likeness.” (1:26)

Adam, man, is the yetzir kapav shel Ha’kadosh Baruch Hu, fashioned by the hands of Hashem. He is the ultimate creation, exceeding all that preceded him. This is reason enough to reflect upon what it is that distinguishes Adam from all other creations. The commentators focus on various human attributes, which enable man to soar far beyond Hashem’s other creations. Let us focus on one of these attributes. Horav Simcha Bunim, zl, m’Peshischa traces the root of the word adam to damah, compare and contrast, distinguish and differentiate, analyze and understand. Man is gifted with the power to think and…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

With darkness upon the surface of the deep…and G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3)

The darkness about which the Torah speaks is not merely the absence of light, but a specific creation, as we find in Yeshayah 45:7: Yotzeir ohr u’borei choshech, “He Who fashions the lights and creates darkness.” Chazal teach us that until light and darkness were separated by Hashem, they functioned b’arvuvya, in a mixture, implying that patches of light and darkness were intertwined with one another. Ultimately, the wonderful light that originated during Creation was of too great an intensity. Its spiritual quality was too pristine for the wicked of this world to enjoy. They were simply not worthy. Thus,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

Clearly, one’s interest is piqued when he notes that the Torah begins with the letter bais, the second letter of the alphabet, rather than the first letter, aleph. Why? This question has not eluded the commentators, who offer their varied explanations. The simplest and most straightforward explanation offered by the Midrash is that bais is the language of brachah, blessing, while aleph is the vernacular of arrur, curse. Upon commencing any endeavor, one wants to infuse it with blessing. Creation is certainly no different. How do we define blessing in contrast to curse? If we were to take the Midrash…

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YEARS

And Hashem Elokim said to the woman, “What is it that you have done!” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (3:13)

And Hashem Elokim said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

“Let us make man in Our image and in Our likeness.” (1:26)

With darkness upon the surface of the deep…and G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3)

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

BOOK OF BEREISHIS

BOOK OF SHEMOS

BOOK OF VAYIKRAH

BOOK OF BAMIDBAR

BOOK OF DEVARIM

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