Torah Teachings  Org. & Kollel Headed By - Rabbi Yoram Dahan  י"ד התלמיד  -  רבי יורם דהן

Parashat Beresheet בְּרֵאשִׁית

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The first word in the Torah is Beresheet “בראשית“ a Divine word that encompass many acronyms and hidden celestial concepts within its letters. Our Sages say that all 613 Mitzvot derive from this one, single word. Here are few examples of such hidden and Godly insight:

“בראשית”

“ירא שבת - Respect the holy Shabbat”

“בראשונה ראה אלוהים שישראל יקבלו תורה” - First HaShem saw that Israel will receive the Torah”

“בן ראשון אחרי שלושים יום תיפדה” - First son after thirty days you shall redeem”

“א בתשרי” - First day of the month of Tishri’e is the completion of creation”

“ישר אבת “- HaShem kept his promise to our Forefathers”

“ב ראשית” - Two creations (Heaven and Earth)”

“אב ישרת” - Hashem (our Father) provides”

“בראש יהוה תורה” - First was HaShem, then the Torah”

“ראש בית” - World’s (household) Headmaster is HaShem”

“שתבריא” - So you will heal (when keeping the Torah and Mitzvot)”

“שא ברית” - Carry-out the oath & Mitzvah of Brit-Milah (circumcision)”

“שבת יאר” - The Shabbat will illuminate”

“ישראל”

One must truly accept with all his/her heart that Beresheet “בראשית“ is the one and only world beginnings of all that in our realm and ourselves. There are many more hidden concepts in the word בראשית Beresheet. The word בראשית Beresheet also has the words “ברא שתי” (created two) alluding to the two Torahs, written and oral. There are many other words hidden in the  word “בראשית” Beresheet as Shabbat, Rav (teacher), Av (parents), Brit Milah (circumcision), Sa (marriage), Eishet (woman nidah), Ish (man), Ya’ear (respect) Bat/Bar (Kids Mitzvah) and many others. The word Beresheet also means: ברא (created) “ש” (“Shin” for Shisha Mishnah Sedarim), “י” (“Yod” for Ten Commandments), and  “ת” (“Taf”) for Torah. The word בראשית has 6 letters as the 6 days of creation. The first thing HaShem created was the “Cell” “תא”, which is D.N.A in Hebrew “אדוני”.

 

As the Torah writes “בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת”. The words “בְּרֵאי ת” is 613 in gematria alluding to 613 parts in our body as each cell encompass all parts.  We know that HaShem created all worlds (ours and the next world to come) for Bnei-Yisrael and intended to give them the Torah from day one of creation. We learn about this Divine purpose as the first word in the Torah is Beresheet (“בראשית”) and the last word is Yisrael (“ישראל”). The entire purpose of creation was created to and for the people of Israel. The Midrash states that there are 620 letters in the Ten Commandments; 613 letters refer to the 613 commandments and 7 for the seven Noah laws, given to non-jews as morality laws.

 

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 100a) teaches us that a righteous person who loves HaShem will receive 310 worlds (in the heavens) as the word “Yesh” (“יש"), “LeHanchil Ohavai Yesh”"להנחיל אוהבי יש" “To cause those who love Me to inherit substance”. The word “בראשית” has the two words “בראת” and “שי” created 310. “בראשית” in numerical value is 913 just as the words “בחר ישראל בעמים”, Israel are the chosen people amongst the world's nations.

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The first word in our Torah “Beresheet” (”ב.ר.א.ש.י.ת") also represents an acronym of six jewish heroes, who kept their secret in order to save entire Bnei-Yisrael in their time.

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1. The letter “ב- Beit” is for “בנימין” - BenYamin (who kept the secret of the goblet)

2. The letter “ר - Reish” is for “רחל” - Rachel (who kept the secret of the codes she gave Leah)

3. The letter “א - Alef” is for “אסתר” - Ester (who kept the secret of being Jewish from the king)

4. The letter “ש - Shin” is for “שאול” - Shaul (who kept the secret of his kingship from his father)

5. The letter “י - Yud” is for “יוסף” - Yosef (who kept the secret of being a king from his father)

6. The letter “ת - Taf” is for “תמר” - Tamar (who kept the secret of Yehuda being the father)

 

The book of Beresheet lays out the foundation of our world and provides a glimpse into HaShem’s astonishing powers and awe-inspiring abilities. Moshe Rabinu transcribed all five books except for the last eight verses in the last book of Devarim  ("דברים"), also known as "משנה תורה” Mishne Torah (referring to another Moshe - and  the Ramba”m). The Midrash brings few opinions as to who wrote the last eight verses; according to the first opinion Yohoshua (“יהושע “ - Joshua) wrote about Moshe’s passing; the second opinion is that HaShem wrote the last eight verses in the Torah. Another Midrash says that Moshe wrote these words in a non-orderly way (since he was sorrowful) and Divine powers rearranged them to read properly. In my humble opinion I believe that since Moshe died eight verses before the end of the Torah, Hashem gave him the merit of speaking eight commandments on Mount Sinai to Bnei-Yisrael (after HaShem spoke the first two and their souls left them). The book of Beresheet spans on a time period of about 2400 (a bit less) years and Parashat Beresheet spans about 1440 years period.

 

The first word in the Torah is בראשית, meaning in the beginning or with a beginning. Its Gematria is 913, which alludes to many terms of the same equal value, acts, Mitzvot, prophecies, and events in the Torah all are 913. For example “Otzar HaTorah” ("אוצר התורה”), “Hodi’ea HaShem YeShua’to” ("הודיע ה' ישועתו”), “VeYshtachavu LeCha’a LeUmim” ("וישתחוו לך לאומים”), “Yardu BemeTzolot Kemo Even” ("ירדו במצולות כמו אבן”), “Chazut Chasidit” ("חזות חסידית”), “Yehi Mamon Chavercha Chaviv Alei’cha KeShelcha” ("יהי ממון חברך חביב עליך כשלך"), “Yesh Mamash Be’Devarei’ha” ("יש ממש בדבריה”), “Al HaTalmud VeYotzrav” ("על התלמוד ויוצריו"), “Shalosh Regalim” ("שלש רגלים”), “Shenie LuChot Avanim” ("שני לוחות אבנים”), “Sifteie Chachamim” ("שפתי חכמים”) and many more words combinations in our holy language.

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The first verse “בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ” has seven words, alluding to the Divine structure of the week as seven days, Sunday through Saturday. Each word represents a day of the week. We also notice that the first letter in our Torah is “Beit” (“ב”) the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet and not “Alef” (“א”) which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The letter “Beit” represents the subsequent origin and order of creation; first comes HaShem, as the letter “Alef” is used for “Adonai” (אדוניּ) as it starts with the letter “Alef” and then “Beit” (“ב”) for “Beri’ah” “בריאה” (creation). The letter Alef was reserved for “Ani Adonai Elohechem Amet” ("אני אדוני אלוהיכם אמת”) meaning I am HaShem your true God, as each word begins with the letter “Alef”. It is also reserved for the term “Eheye Asher Eheye” (“אהיה אשר אהיה”) meaning “I will be as I shall be” in all places, forms, times, and anything in all realms. As HaShem conveyed to Moshe in the Burning Bush prophecy on Mount Sinai. The seven words also allude to the seven “Laws of Noach” the laws given to sustain the principles of a moral system among the non-Jewish nations. The first three words last letters “בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים” spells the word “אמת" “Emet” (truth).