BEREISHIS 5773

‘Parsha Growth Spurts’

Rabbi Dani Staum

Parshas Bereishis 5773

 “G-d blessed the seventh day and He sanctified it…” (Bereishis 2:3)

The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh writes that Hashem created the world with energy to only exist for six days. When Hashem created Shabbos, the soul of the world, it infused the world with energy to exist for another six days. [This is what the pasuk means that Hashem completed His work of creation on Shabbos even though he didn’t create anything new on Shabbos. On Shabbos he gave everything that was already created the ability to exist for another week.]

Ohr Hachaim continues that in order for the blessing of Shabbos to take effect there must be those who observe Shabbos and accept its sanctity upon themselves. Since the world was created there has always been at least one person who observed Shabbos – Adam, Shes, Mesushelach, Noach, Avrohom, etc. This pattern of the world being renewed and reinvigorated each Shabbos has repeated itself every single week since the beginning of creation, and continues to do so.

This is what Chazal mean, “Whoever recites ‘Vayichulu’ becomes a partner with Hashem in creation”. By accepting upon one’s self the sanctity of Shabbos one gives the entire universe an infusion of energy to exist for another week. In that sense he has partnered with the Creator Himself who is only able to renew the world if we accept the kedusha of Shabbos.

The words of the Ohr Hachaim are absolutely mind-boggling. When we sit at our Shabbos tables each week singing zemiros and relating divrei Torah in the glow of the Shabbos licht and its hallowed aura, we are literally elevating the entire world and giving all of creation the ability to exist for the coming week! 

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“And the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden” (Bereishis 2:9)

Onkelos emphasizes the fact that the Tree of Life was situated precisely in the middle of the garden. Why is that significant?

The Chofetz Chaim explained that something is centrally located so that everything surrounding it is equidistant to it and can receive nurturance from it. This is why the heart which pumps blood to every part of the body is in the center of the body. Torah is the spiritual heartbeat of a Jew and therefore it must be accessible to every Jew on his/her level and in his/her way. Every person can reach the Torah which is the Tree of Life. It was placed in the center to symbolize that there are many pathways to get there.  

The Gemara (Taanis 31a) writes that in the future tzaddikim will dance in a circle surrounding the Shechina.  This symbolizes that there are variant approaches in serving Hashem. As long as the honor of Hashem is the center focus, they are part of that circle.

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 “Hashem G-d commanded Adam saying ‘From all the trees in the garden you shall eat.” (Bereishis 2:16)

If you were to ask the average person what was the first mitzvah instructed to Adam, they would respond that it was the commandment that Adam not partake of the fruit of the Eitz Hada’as. One who reads the pesukim carefully however, will realize that before Hashem instructed Adam not to eat from the Eitz Hada’as he instructed him to enjoy the fruits of all other trees.

The Meshech Chochma notes that Chava was informed about the negative commandment regarding the Eitz Hada’as, but she was not aware of Hashem’s initial command to Adam that they enjoy all other fruits.

Chava’s lack of knowledge had fatal consequences. One who does a mitzvah unaware that it is a mitzvah does not merit the protection that the mitzvah affords. Had Chava known she was fulfilling a mitzvah it would have given her the fortitude to withstand the temptation to partake of the Eitz Hada’as. Instead, the snake found her vulnerable and exploited her weakness.

This Meshech Chochma contains an invaluable insight: If Yiddishkeit is conveyed and taught foremost as a religion of restrictive prohibitions, replete with things one cannot do, it will become overbearing and distasteful. Similarly, if Shabbos is presented as a day of “no! no! no!” we can hardly expect our children to be excited about Shabbos.

We have to instill in our children that “its ways are ways of pleasantness.” We must present the uplifting beauty of Yiddishkeit. There are indeed many laws but they are within a framework which teaches us how to live a meaningful – and enjoyable – life.

Adam shouldn’t have taught Chava about the prohibition before he instructed her about what there was for her to enjoy meritoriously.     

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