Why does the Torah begin with the Creation story?

Yes. I am returning to a theme discussed many times before. And yes, one could object and say that this week is really meant to be a new beginning as we commence a new Torah reading cycle – so why return to previously discussed themes? But then the very point of this week’s beginning is that we begin again what we have read in the past. Repetition is crucial to prevent forgetting, so let us revisit a theme that has implications that repeat themselves – of which we need to remind ourselves again and again particularly in light of attitudes being expressed worldwide regarding our connection to our land and sites therein.

Just last Shabbat in many shules we heard the words of Kohelet who said, “Et lachashot ve’et ledaber – there is a time to be silent and a time to speak.” This week, as we proceed with the first parasha of Sefer Bereshit which we first read on Simchat Torah, I turn to the initial verse and the commentaries thereon.

Open practically any Chumash that has more than the basic text and what you will find at the bottom of the page, perhaps in a less familiar font, is the famous commentary of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki – Rashi. Ironically he is sometimes referred to as “Parshandata” – the name of the first of the 10 sons of Haman – because that name actually means “the one who explains ‘dat’ – the law”. And that is what his commentary generally is – elucidation of the “simple, plain” meaning of the verses, the “p’shat” – albeit that careful study soon reveals that the content of the verses and his comments are often far from simple. (Hence the multitude of super commentaries devoted to the commentary of Rashi himself, and of course contemporary writings based on the famous question: “What’s bothering Rashi?”)

But you only have to read his opening comment on the very first verse of the Torah – “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth”– to find a comment that at first glance seems far removed from what we might believe is the simple world of p’shat:

“Rabbi Yitzchak said: The Torah should really have begun with Hachodesh hazeh lachem (Shemot 12:2 – the law establishing Nissan as the beginning of the year) for it is the first command given to Israel as a nation. And why did it begin with Bereshit – the story of Creation? Because, according to Psalm 111:6, ‘He declared the might of His deeds to His people in order to give them an inheritance among the nations.’ For if the nations will say to Israel, you are ‘listim’ – armed robbers – in that you conquered the land of the seven nations, they (Israel) shall say to them, all the earth belongs to the Holy One Blessed be He, He created it and gave it to the appropriate one in His eyes. His will (originally) gave it to them, and in accordance with His will He took it from them and gave it to us.”