ץ ֶר ָא ָה וְ אֵ ת םִי ַמ ָּׁש ַה אֵ ת אֱלֹקים א ָר ָּב בְ רֵ אשִׁ ית ְ םִי

‫אשית ָּב ָרא אֱ ל ֹקים ֵאת ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם וְ ֵאת ָה ָא ֶרץ‬
‫ְב ֵר ׁ ִ‬
‫הום וְ ר ּו ַח אֱ ל ֹקים ְמ ַר ֶח ֶפת ַעל ּ ְפנֵי ַה ּ ָמיִ ם‪:‬‬
‫חש ְך ַעל ּ ְפנֵי ְת ֹ‬
‫וְ ָה ָא ֶרץ ָהיְ ָתה תֹה ּו וָ בֹה ּו וְ ׁ ֶ‬
‫אור‪:‬‬
‫אור וַ יְ ִהי ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים יְ ִהי ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫חש ְך‪:‬‬
‫אור ּו ֵבין ַה ׁ ֶ‬
‫טוב וַ ּי ְַב ֵּדל אֱ ל ֹקים ּ ֵבין ָה ֹ‬
‫אור ִ ּכי ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ָה ֹ‬
‫חש ְך ָק ָרא לָ יְ לָ ה וַ יְ ִהי ֶע ֶרב וַ יְ ִהי ב ֶֹקר ֹיום ֶא ָחד‪:‬‬
‫אור ֹיום וְ לַ ׁ ֶ‬
‫וַ ִּי ְק ָרא אֱ ל ֹקים לָ ֹ‬
‫יהי ַמ ְב ִ ּדיל ּ ֵבין ַמיִ ם לָ ָמיִ ם‪:‬‬
‫תו ְך ַה ּ ָמיִ ם וִ ִ‬
‫יע ְּב ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים יְ ִהי ָר ִק ַ‬
‫ו ּי ֶ‬
‫יע וַ יְ ִהי ֵכן‪:‬‬
‫יע ּו ֵבין ַה ּ ַמיִ ם אֲ ׁ ֶשר ֵמ ַעל לָ ָר ִק ַ‬
‫יע וַ ַ ּי ְב ֵּדל ּ ֵבין ַה ּ ַמיִ ם אֲ ׁ ֶשר ִמ ּ ַת ַחת לָ ָר ִק ַ‬
‫וַ ּי ַַע ׂש אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ָה ָר ִק ַ‬
‫יע ׁ ָש ָמיִ ם וַ יְ ִהי ֶע ֶרב וַ יְ ִהי ב ֶֹקר ֹיום ׁ ֵשנִ י‪:‬‬
‫וַ ִּי ְק ָרא אֱ ל ֹקים לָ ָר ִק ַ‬
‫קום ֶא ָחד וְ ֵת ָר ֶאה ַה ּי ַָּב ׁ ָשה וַ יְ ִהי ֵכן‪:‬‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים יִ ָ ּקו ּו ַה ּ ַמיִ ם ִמ ּ ַת ַחת ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם ֶאל ָמ ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫טוב‪:‬‬
‫וַ ִּי ְק ָרא אֱ ל ֹקים לַ ּי ַָּב ׁ ָשה ֶא ֶרץ ּולְ ִמ ְקוֵ ה ַה ּ ַמיִ ם ָק ָרא י ִַּמים וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ִ ּכי ֹ‬
‫בו ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ וַ יְ ִהי ֵכן‪:‬‬
‫עו ֹ‬
‫ינו אֲ ׁ ֶשר ז ְַר ֹ‬
‫יע ז ֶַרע ֵעץ ּ ְפ ִרי ע ֶֹׂשה ּ ְפ ִרי לְ ִמ ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים ּ ַת ְד ׁ ֵשא ָה ָא ֶרץ ֶּד ׁ ֶשא ֵע ֶׂשב ַמזְ ִר ַ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫טוב‪:‬‬
‫בו לְ ִמינֵה ּו וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ִ ּכי ֹ‬
‫עו ֹ‬
‫יע ז ֶַרע לְ ִמינֵה ּו וְ ֵעץ ע ֶֹׂשה ּ ְפ ִרי אֲ ׁ ֶשר ז ְַר ֹ‬
‫וַ ּת ֹוצֵ א ָה ָא ֶרץ ֶּד ׁ ֶשא ֵע ֶׂשב ַמזְ ִר ַ‬
‫ישי‪:‬‬
‫וַ יְ ִהי ֶע ֶרב וַ יְ ִהי ב ֶֹקר ֹיום ׁ ְשלִ ׁ ִ‬
‫מועֲ ִדים ּולְ י ִָמים וְ ׁ ָשנִ ים‪:‬‬
‫יע ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם לְ ַה ְב ִ ּדיל ּ ֵבין ַהי ֹּום ּו ֵבין ַה ּ ָליְ לָ ה וְ ָהי ּו לְ אֹתֹת ּולְ ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים יְ ִהי ְמאֹרֹת ִּב ְר ִק ַ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫יע ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם לְ ָה ִאיר ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ וַ יְ ִהי ֵכן‬
‫אורֹת ִּב ְר ִק ַ‬
‫וְ ָהי ּו לִ ְמ ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ַַע ׂש אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ׁ ְשנֵי ַה ְּמאֹרֹת ַה ְ ּגדֹלִ ים‬
‫אור ַה ָ ּקטֹן לְ ֶמ ְמ ׁ ֶשלֶ ת ַה ּ ַליְ לָ ה וְ ֵאת ַה ּכ ֹו ָכ ִבים‪:‬‬
‫אור ַה ָּגדֹל לְ ֶמ ְמ ׁ ֶשלֶ ת ַהי ֹּום וְ ֶאת ַה ּ ָמ ֹ‬
‫ֶאת ַה ּ ָמ ֹ‬
‫יע ַה ּ ׁ ָש ָמיִ ם לְ ָה ִאיר ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ‪:‬‬
‫ו ִּי ּ ֵתן א ָֹתם אֱ ל ֹקים ִּב ְר ִק ַ‬
‫טוב‪:‬‬
‫חש ְך וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ִ ּכי ֹ‬
‫אור ּו ֵבין ַה ׁ ֶ‬
‫וְ לִ ְמ ׁשֹל ּ ַבי ֹּום ּו ַב ּ ַליְ לָ ה ּול ֲַה ְב ִ ּדיל ּ ֵבין ָה ֹ‬
‫יעי‪:‬‬
‫וַ יְ ִהי ֶע ֶרב וַ יְ ִהי ב ֶֹקר ֹיום ְר ִב ִ‬
‫יע ַה ּ ׁ ָש ָמיִ ם‪:‬‬
‫עו ֵפף ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ ַעל ּ ְפנֵי ְר ִק ַ‬
‫עוף יְ ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים יִ ׁ ְש ְרצ ּו ַה ּ ַמיִ ם ׁ ֶש ֶרץ נ ֶֶפ ׁש ַח ּיָה וְ ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫עוף ָּכנָ ף‬
‫ֵהם וְ ֵאת ָּכל ֹ‬
‫וַ ִּי ְב ָרא אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ַה ּ ַת ִּנינִ ם ַה ְ ּגדֹלִ ים וְ ֵאת ָּכל נ ֶֶפ ׁש ַה ַח ּיָה ָהר ֶֹמ ֶׂשת אֲ ׁ ֶשר ׁ ָש ְרצ ּו ַה ּ ַמיִ ם לְ ִמינ ֶ‬
‫לְ ִמינֵה ּו‬
‫טוב‪:‬‬
‫וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ִ ּכי ֹ‬
‫עוף יִ ֶרב ָּב ָא ֶרץ‪:‬‬
‫וַ יְ ָב ֶר ְך א ָֹתם אֱ ל ֹקים לֵ אמֹר ּ ְפר ּו ּו ְרב ּו ּו ִמלְ א ּו ֶאת ַה ּ ַמיִ ם ּ ַב ּי ִַּמים וְ ָה ֹ‬
‫ישי‪:‬‬
‫וַ יְ ִהי ֶע ֶרב וַ יְ ִהי ב ֶֹקר ֹיום חֲ ִמ ׁ ִ‬
‫תו ֶא ֶרץ לְ ִמינָ ּה וַ יְ ִהי ֵכן‪:‬‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים ּת ֹוצֵ א ָה ָא ֶרץ נ ֶֶפ ׁש ַח ּיָה לְ ִמינָ ּה ְּב ֵה ָמה וָ ֶר ֶמ ׂש וְ ַחיְ ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫טוב‪:‬‬
‫וַ ּי ַַע ׂש אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ַח ּיַת ָה ָא ֶרץ לְ ִמינָ ּה וְ ֶאת ַה ְּב ֵה ָמה לְ ִמינָ ּה וְ ֵאת ָּכל ֶר ֶמ ׂש ָהאֲ ָד ָמה לְ ִמינֵה ּו וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ִ ּכי ֹ‬
‫עוף ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם ּו ַב ְּב ֵה ָמה ּו ְב ָכל ָה ָא ֶרץ ּו ְב ָכל ָה ֶר ֶמ ׂש‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים נַ עֲ ֶׂשה ָא ָדם ְּב ַצלְ ֵמנ ּו ִ ּכ ְדמ ּו ֵתנ ּו וְ יִ ְר ּד ּו ִב ְדגַ ת ַה ּיָם ּו ְב ֹ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫ָהר ֵֹמ ׂש ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ‪:‬‬
‫ֹתו זָ ָכר ּונְ ֵק ָבה ָּב ָרא א ָֹתם‪:‬‬
‫מו ְּבצֶ לֶ ם אֱ ל ֹקים ָּב ָרא א ֹ‬
‫וַ ִּי ְב ָרא אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ָה ָא ָדם ְּב ַצלְ ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר לָ ֶהם אֱ ל ֹקים ּ ְפר ּו ּו ְרב ּו ּו ִמלְ א ּו ֶאת ָה ָא ֶרץ‬
‫וַ יְ ָב ֶר ְך א ָֹתם אֱ ל ֹקים וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫עוף ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם ּו ְב ָכל ַח ּיָה ָהר ֶֹמ ֶׂשת ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ‪:‬‬
‫וְ ִכ ְב ׁ ֻש ָה ּו ְרד ּו ִּב ְדגַ ת ַה ּיָם ּו ְב ֹ‬
‫ֹאמר אֱ ל ֹקים ִה ּנֵה נָ ַת ִּתי לָ ֶכם ֶאת ָּכל ֵע ֶׂשב ז ֵֹר ַע ז ֶַרע אֲ ׁ ֶשר ַעל ּ ְפנֵי ָכל ָה ָא ֶרץ‬
‫וַ ּי ֶ‬
‫וְ ֶאת ָּכל ָה ֵעץ אֲ ׁ ֶשר ּב ֹו ְפ ִרי ֵעץ ז ֵֹר ַע זָ ַרע לָ ֶכם יִ ְהיֶה לְ ָא ְכלָ ה‪:‬‬
‫רו ֵמ ׂש ַעל ָה ָא ֶרץ אֲ ׁ ֶשר ּב ֹו נ ֶֶפ ׁש ַח ּיָה ֶאת ָּכל י ֶֶרק ֵע ֶׂשב לְ ָא ְכלָ ה וַ יְ ִהי ֵכן‪:‬‬
‫עוף ַה ּ ׁ ָש ַמיִ ם ּולְ כֹל ֹ‬
‫ּולְ ָכל ַח ּיַת ָה ָא ֶרץ ּולְ ָכל ֹ‬
‫טוב ְמאֹד וַ יְ ִהי ֶע ֶרב וַ יְ ִהי ב ֶֹקר ֹיום ַה ּ ׁ ִש ּ ׁ ִשי‪:‬‬
‫וַ ּי ְַרא אֱ ל ֹקים ֶאת ָּכל אֲ ׁ ֶשר ָע ָ ׂשה וְ ִה ּנֵה ֹ‬
A Fresh Look at Genesis
Professor Joseph S. Bodenheimer
Abstract
In an approach differing from those of Professors Nathan
Aviezer, Gerald Schroeder, the late Benjamin Fain, and
others who have written about Genesis from a scientist’s
perspective, we propose an interpretation of the Creation
chapters that follows the Torah text very closely and finds
within it a dialogue between G-d and nature, as suggested by the commentary of Naħmanides. Three acts of
creation were performed ex nihilo, where natural substance could not develop into a higher form. These acts
of creation, yesh me’ạyin, occurred on Day One, Day Five, and Day Six: the
first appearance of the universe itself, the first appearance of living creatures,
and the appearance of Adam and Eve in the image of G-d.
Ten Divine Utterances
T
he first chapter of Genesis divides naturally into six days. The seventh day is part of the second chapter only because the chapter
divisions commonly used today are not Jewish divisions. Mishnah
tractate Avot (known also as Pirkei Avot, or the Ethics of Our Fathers)
gives us another type of division for the Creation: ten statements.
‫ַ ּב ֲעשָׂ ָרה ַמ ֲא ָמרוֹ ת נִ ְב ָרא ָהעוֹ לָ ם‬
The world was created by ten [Divine] Utterances.
Mishnah Avot 5:1
G-d created the world by means of ten proclamations or commands.
Presented at the Tenth Miami International Conference on Torah and Science, December
13–16, 2013
29
30 B ’ OR HA’ TOR AH 23 5775 (2014–2015)
The Babylonian Talmud tractate Rosh Hashanah 32a asks, “What are
these ten statements?” and answers: “Wherever it is written ‫ויאמר אלקים‬
[va’yomer Elokim (and G-d said)], those are the ten statements.” The
Talmud solves the problem that va’yomer Elokim appears only nine
times in the account of Creation by deciding that Genesis 1:1 is itself
one of the ten Divine proclamations (Utterance #1).
‫אשית ָ ּב ָרא ֱאל ֹקים ֵאת ַה ׁ ּ ָש ַמיִ ם ְו ֵאת ָה ָא ֶרץ‬
ִ ׁ ‫ְ ּב ֵר‬
In the beginning G-d created heaven and earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Indeed, we can see in the text (on page 28) that there are nine appearances of va’yomer Elokim in the first chapter of Genesis. These plus the
first verse give us the ten Divine statements. (Va’yomer la’hem Elokim
in verse 1:28 is not counted, since that is part of G-d’s blessing, rather
than a command.) Careful examination of the text reveals an interesting pattern. On Day One, G-d commands (Utterance #2): “Let there be
light,” and there was light. G-d commands, and nature responds. On
the second day, G-d commands (Utterance #3): “‘Let there be a rakiạ [a
sky or a firmament to separate water from water]’” and the Torah text
says, va’yehi-khen (and it was so).
On the third day, G-d orders (Utterance #4) that the water under
the heavens be gathered to one area and that dry land be seen, va’yehikhen, and it was so. Then on the third day, G-d makes an additional
command (Utterance #5), that “‘the earth bring forth vegetation, seedbearing plants, and fruit trees that produce their own kind of fruits
with seeds shall be on the earth,’ va’yehi khen, and it was so.” Nature
responds to G-d’s command.
On the fourth day, G-d says (Utterance #6): “‘Let there be luminaries
in the firmament of heaven to divide between the day and the night…
and let them be luminaries in the firmament of heaven to give light
upon the earth,’ and it was so.”
On the fifth day, G-d proclaims (Utterance #7):
“The water shall teem with swarms of living creatures. Flying creatures
shall fly over the land, on the face of the heavenly sky.” G-d [thus]
created the great sea monsters, along with every particular species of
thing that crawls, with which the waters teem, and every particular
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
A FR ESH LOOK AT GENESIS 31
species of winged flying creatures. G-d saw that it was good (Genesis
1:20–21).
Here, on the fifth day, after creating the sea and air animals, the
Torah text does not say va’yehi-khen. Did nature not respond to the
A-lmighty’s command?
On the sixth day (Genesis 1:24), G-d creates the land animals
(Utterance #8): “‘The earth shall bring forth particular species of living
creatures, particular species of livestock, land animals, and beasts of the
earth,’ and it was so.” Here the Torah does say va’yehi-khen.
Next, on the sixth day, comes the pinnacle of Creation in Utterance
#9: “G-d said, ‘Let us make mankind with our image and likeness. Let
him dominate the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock animals, and all the earth — and every land animal that walks the earth.’
G-d [thus] created Man in His image, in the image of G-d [be’tselem
Elokim] He created him, male and female He created them.” G-d blesses
the male and female that He created, but there is no va’yehi-khen.
Finally, on the sixth day, G-d commands (Utterance #10): “‘Behold I
have given you all vegetation that produces seed that is on earth… And
to all living creatures…all vegetation to eat,’ and it was so.”
Three acts of creation
We observe that only in three places does the text use the term bara,
created. The first is “In the beginning G-d created heaven and earth”
(Genesis 1:1). The second time follows G-d’s proclamation on the fifth
day that the waters should swarm with living creatures, and birds
should fly upon the earth: whereupon “G-d created the great reptiles
and all the living creatures that roam which swarmed the waters, and
all species of winged birds.” The third time is on the sixth day, following
the proclamation “Let us make mankind.” “Then G-d created Man in
His image, in the image of G-d He created him, male and female He
created them.”
We have already observed above that seven of the ten Divine
Utterances are followed by va’yehi-khen, and the other three are not
followed by va’yehi-khen.
Indeed, these three acts of creation correspond exactly to those three
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
32 B ’ OR HA’ TOR AH 23 5775 (2014–2015)
places in the text that there is no va’yehi-khen. Each command that is
not followed by va’yehi-khen is instead followed by an act of creation,
including the first Utterance, “In the beginning.” The seven other statements are followed by various action verbs such as va’yavdel (He separated), va’yaạs (He made), va’yitser (He constructed), and va’yiten (He
put), but not va’yivra (He created). These observations link together
to give us an insight into understanding the first chapter of Genesis.
When G-d commands nature to do this or do that, nature has
no other option. As we say in our morning prayers, “Blessed Be He
Who spoke and the world came into being.” G-d speaks, and nature
responds. Nature develops in the way that G-d tells it to develop. We
could call this guided development. Science calls it Evolution. But there
are certain stages when nature is not able to carry out the development
that G-d requires. In these cases, there can be no va’yehi-khen because
nature cannot make it be so.
We now consider the three acts of Creation ex nihilo as they appear
in the text, and the absence of va’yehi-khen for each of them.
creative step one — the big bang
The first verse of Genesis is Bereishit bara Elokim et ha’shamayim v’et
ha’arets (“In the beginning G-d created heaven and earth”).
This refers to Creation ex nihilo, or yesh me’ayin. There cannot be
va’yomer Elokim here, because there is nothing there yet for G-d to
address. Va’yomer would imply that G-d is speaking to someone or
something. At this point there was no nature to respond to a Divine
Utterance. So we can understand why Bereishit bara counts as the first
of the ten Divine Utterances, even though it does not say va’yomer
Elokim.
We also understand why there is no vayehi-khen. The first statement
is telling us: initially G-d commanded the universe to appear. But there
was nothing there to respond to G-d’s command until He created what
we now call the Big Bang. Bereishit bara Elokim et ha’shamayim v’et
ha’arets means that something came into being where there was previously nothing. There cannot be va’yehi-khen here: the physical world
cannot create itself.
In the second statement, yet on the first day, “G-d said, ‘Let there
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
A FR ESH LOOK AT GENESIS 33
be light,’ and there was light [va’yehi-or].” The response va’yehi-or is
effectively the same as va’yehi-khen. For the next three days, everything develops under G-d’s guidance and command. On the second,
third, and fourth days, minerals and vegetation and luminaries develop
from the initial Creation ex nihilo of the first day, via statements three
through six.
creative step two — Nefesh ĦayYah
On the fifth day G-d calls for living creatures to swarm in the water
and the air. But here nature lacks something necessary to fulfill the
command. G-d has to add a new ingredient to the natural world in
order to create living creatures. This is nefesh ħayyah, a term which
perhaps is best translated as “living soul.” Note that G-d did not have
to create animal life entirely from scratch because there were already
atoms and advanced molecules in existence, but only G-d can add the
nefesh ħayyah ingredient. Nature cannot produce this by itself; it has
to be created.
What is unique about nefesh ħayyah? Fish, birds, and other animals all have a brain center, a center of information that enables them
to guide themselves. The brain is what differentiates animal life from
vegetable life: a center of information control.
Then on the sixth day, nature is called upon to produce additional
forms of nefesh ħayyah — animals that roam the land. This did not
require Creation ex nihilo, since certain forms of nefesh ħayyah already
existed. G-d guided the development of nature so that new and different species of animals could appear in the world. The call for these life
forms to appear is followed by va’yehi-khen.
creative step three — b’ tselem elokim
The third exception to the va’yehi-khen pattern represents the pinnacle
of Creation — the emergence of human life on the sixth day. Bara, the
yesh me’ayin verb that so far has been used only twice, is used here
no less than three times. Va’yivra Elokim et ha’adam b’tsalmo, b’tselem
Elokim bara oto, zakhar u’nikavah bara otam. “G-d created man in His
image, in the image of G-d He created him, male and female He created
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
34 B ’ OR HA’ TOR AH 23 5775 (2014–2015)
them.” Producing a life form b’tselem Elokim, in the image of G-d,
is obviously a major creative step. There has to be an extraordinary
ingredient here that cannot come from nature, not even from animal
life itself.
However, human life did not emerge totally separate from nature.
The Torah text says Na’ạseh adam, “Let us make man.” Who is us?
There is a midrash (in Talmud Sanhedrin 38b) that explains that the
Holy One consulted with His beit din, with the angels of His heavenly
court. Naħmanides (Genesis 1:26) suggests another meaning that
is very much in line with our approach. According to Naħmanides,
na’aseh adam means ani ve’ha’arets — G-d and the earth. G-d utilized
the forces of nature to produce humankind. G-d did not have to create
Adam and Eve from scratch because much of the raw material existed
already. Animals, including apes and hominids, had already appeared.
According to Naħmanides, G-d says: together you (nature) and I (the
A-lmighty), are going to make mankind. We shall use many ingredients
that already exist in animal life, and add a crucial component. The
unique ingredient that was missing was tselem Elokim, the image of
G-d.
Now this is the point where Torah departs from science, because
science does not consider homo sapiens as fundamentally different
from other species. Except for those scientists who believe in the
Bible, the science community considers man nothing more than an
advanced kind of animal. The believer, however, understands that if
the image of G-d were missing from homo sapiens, the result would
be a very sophisticated and intelligent, versatile animal but would not
be a human being.
in g-d’s image
Inevitably the question arises: What exactly is tselem Elokim? Is it
creativity, innovation? Is it the ability to think in abstract terms? Is it
the gift of speech? Other species definitely have certain cognitive and
communication abilities, but only humans can think about G-d and
communicate abstract thoughts. Free will is another uniquely human
attribute derived from our tselem Elokim, as is our potential to develop
moral values such as honesty and justice. These are meager reflections
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
A FR ESH LOOK AT GENESIS 35
of some of the attributes of the A-lmighty Infinite G-d. In a small way,
mankind endeavors to do things similar to what G-d does.
Another dimension of tselem Elokim is our ability to harness nature.
G-d gave us a mandate to control and improve nature when He commanded us, “Be fruitful, and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue
it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air,
and over every living being that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1: 28). In
the second chapter of Tiferet Yisrael, the Maharal illustrates this mandate by relating a conversation in Midrash Tanħuma, Parashat Tazriạ,
Chapter 5, between Rabbi Akiva and Turnus Rufus, the Roman governor of Judea. When Turnus Rufus remarks that the Creator’s deeds are
surely greater than those of mankind, Rabbi Akiva responds that this is
not so. Through nature G-d makes wheat grow for us, but we process it
into flour to make bread. G-d makes flax grow for us, but we process it
into thread to make clothing. Whatever we produce in order to sustain
ourselves is an improvement upon nature. The discussion with Turnus
Rufus quickly turns to the mitsvah of circumcision, which Rabbi Akiva
explains as an example of our mission to improve upon nature.
As the Maharal explains, mankind’s mission is to improve upon what
nature provides, thus demonstrating that G-d created human beings in
His Image. Of course, in many ways we are limited by nature, but we
are commanded to master nature and advance ourselves.
communication with g-d
Later chapters of Genesis elaborate on what we learn about Creation
from the first chapter.
Genesis 2:7 tells us that initially, Man was formed as nefesh ħayyah
— a living creature, a term familiar from Chapter 1. His unique tselem
Elokim was still latent. Then (Genesis 2:16–17) G-d speaks with Adam,
and humankind becomes an actuality. Va’ytsav Ha’Shem Elokim ạl
ha’Adam leimor… The term va’ytsav is used exclusively to denote communication with mankind.
The fact that G-d can communicate with us is a distinctive feature
of our tselem Elokim. True, there are instances in the Bible of G-d
speaking to animals, such as Bilạm’s ass and Yonah’s fish. But these are
not cases of communication; they are rather orders that the animal has
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
36 B ’ OR HA’ TOR AH 23 5775 (2014–2015)
no choice but to obey. On the other hand, when G-d tells Adam not to
eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, He allows Adam the freedom of
choice to obey or disobey this command.
There is no material or rational reason for the command not to eat
from the Tree of Knowledge. The fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was
good. It was fragrant and appealing. Why shouldn’t man be allowed
to eat this fruit when all other animals were allowed to? We cannot
understand why, but the very communication of G-d’s command was
possible because of the tselem Elokim that G-d implanted in us. At the
same time, G-d’s communication to Adam and this exercise of his free
will brought humankind from latency into actuality.
The second chapter of Genesis does not talk about creation, but
rather describes how the created world of Genesis 1 was initially activated by G-d.
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik wrote that in the Biblical account
of creation, man is portrayed at three progressive levels: at first, as a
simple natural being — Natural Man. At the second level, man discovers himself and views his environment as if he were an outsider. At this
stage, he is confronted by G-d and commanded to take dominion over
the world of nature — Confronted Man. The third and highest level
is the introduction of Adam to Eve and the personal communication
between them as human beings — Social Man (Soloveitchik 1964).
Our creation in the image of G-d is also the conduit that enables us
to pray. Animals cannot pray. When we pray we are communicating
with G-d, thus demonstrating our recognition that G-d is our Maker,
that He rules the world and He has the infinite ability to respond to our
prayers if it pleases Him to do so.
The divine spark within us opens for us the entire natural world in
its relationship to G-d. When G-d graciously communicates with us
through His commandments or by speaking with our prophets, then
we are forever differentiated from the animals.
human terminology
It must be emphasized that neither the first nor subsequent chapters of
Genesis give us a scientific description of the development of nature.
We need not establish a one-to-one correspondence between the Torah
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
A FR ESH LOOK AT GENESIS 37
text and scientific cosmogony. Maimonides explains at length in The
Guide for the Perplexed (Part 1, Chapters 26, 33, 46, 59) that “the Torah
text speaks in the language of humans.” In order to communicate with
us, G-d has to use terminology that we mortals can understand. Thus
Genesis is described in terms that a human observer might have used
had he been on Earth at the time of Creation.
This could explain a puzzling chronology in the Creation account
of Genesis 1. According to all scientific evidence, the sun, moon, and
stars existed a long time before vegetation sprouted on the Earth. The
Torah, on the other hand, tells us how things would have looked from
the vantage point of the Earth. While plant life emerged on Day Three,
the sun, moon, and stars were not seen until Day Four.
In the early days of planet Earth, sunlight was blocked out by the
vast amounts of dust in the atmosphere. Any light impinging on the
atmosphere was either absorbed or scattered repeatedly in all directions. Visibility on the Earth’s surface was practically non-existent, as
if in a heavy haze.
In an article published by the Association of Orthodox Jewish
Scientists, Dr. Eric Freudenstein explained the scientific importance
of the fourth day in the narrative of Creation. Plants cannot develop
without light, and at a low level of sunlight penetration onto the Earth,
only a low level of photosynthesis was able to take place. Therefore,
only the most primitive plants were able to develop. But this primordial
vegetation absorbed carbon dioxide and released oxygen, thus gradually increasing the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. The increased
clearing of the atmosphere accelerated the penetration of sunlight and
enabled higher forms of plant life to develop (Freudenstein 1971).
As the dust settled and the atmosphere cleared, from the vantage
point of the Earth, the sun and moon and stars became visible. These
luminaries had already been formed, but had been hidden from view
like the sun on a very foggy day. Suddenly, on Day Four, solar, lunar,
and stellar light became visible. In human terms, the sun, moon, and
stars appeared only after vegetation developed.
The Torah text of the fourth day says:
And G-d said, “Let there be luminaries in the firmament of heaven to
divide between the day and the night; and let them be for signs, and
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home
38 B ’ OR HA’ TOR AH 23 5775 (2014–2015)
for seasons, and for days, and years. And let them be luminaries in the
firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth;” and it was so. And
G-d made the two great luminaries, the greater luminary to dominate
the day, and the lesser luminary to rule the night, and the stars. And
G-d set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth.
And to dominate by day and by night, and to divide between the light
and the darkness; and G-d saw that it was good (genesis 1:14–18).
G-d did not create the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day. They
were already there. His Divine Utterance on Day Four caused light
from the celestial bodies to reach the Earth directly. G-d guided the
development of nature by creating vegetation on Day Three, followed
by the emerging visibility of the luminaries on Day Four. This illustrates
in the deepest possible sense how the Torah speaks in human language.
No human being would ever dream of writing such an account, first
creating plant life and then causing the sun, moon, and stars to appear.
Such an account would seem totally implausible. Only a Divine Creator
could plan and execute the chain of events that caused vegetation to
precede the appearance of the greater light and the lesser light, and only
a Divine Author could write such a sequence.
conclusion
We have proposed an understanding of the Creation chapters of Genesis
that follows the Torah text closely. Following upon the initial creation
in Chapter 1, the second and third chapters describe the activation
of the created world, rather than presenting an alternative account of
Creation. Finally, we have explained the surprising sequence of Day
Three and Day Four.
references
Freudenstein, Eric. 1971. “The Fourth Day of Creation.” Intercom. Aug,
vol. 12, no. 2, p. 5.
Soloveitchik, Joseph B. 1964. “Confrontation.” Tradition: A Journal of
Orthodox Thought. vol. 6, no. 2, p. 5.
w w w.jct.ac.il/en/bor-hatorah-home