The Talmud teaches that “All beginnings are arduous.” (Mechilta Yitro) The beginning Torah Portion, B’reishit; our world’s Beginning; our Beginning; the Beginning of our relationship with God – all certainly “arduous” (as well as wondrous) on many levels. From the first resoundingly simple seven Hebrew words, B’reishit bara Elohim et ha shamayim v’et ha-aretz,we recognize […]
Verse Per Verse Episode One: Breshit
The annual cycle of the reading of the torah is beginning again, as it has for thousands of years. In the first episode of Verse Per Verse, Amichai Lau Lavie explores two verses from the first parsha (section) of the first book of the torah. In Breshit (Genesis) Chapter 2, Verse 20 and 21, the torah tells the story of the creation of Sela and the creation of woman. But why do three different versions of the same text read soo differenet? Was the first woman created from just any rib, from the 13th rib on the right side, or just from the side of man? And, perhaps we should reconsider taking the idea of the rib so literally, perhaps it is just a metaphor.
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Two Bereshit Limericks
The Cycle Begins again. God creates – not once but twice – in 6 days and in the Garden. We are tested. We fail. So what else is new? Preceding the act of Creation There was darkness and desolation The Divine spirit hovered Over depths that were covered By the promise of new population “just […]
Words of Wisdom for Shabbat – B’reishit
We enter the new cycle of Torah reading with B’reishit, the Creation Story. The words of the Torah are unchanging, but we can never remain the same. As we begin a new year of Torah study, we strive for greater understanding, deeper commitment, and active fulfillment of Mitzvot. The following is my translation from Hebrew […]