Parshat Shabbat Beraishis

                                 27 Tishrei 5753

              Saturday, October 24, 1992

Sponsored by UMB Bank and Trust Company -- America's only Shomer Shabbat Bank

Guest Rabbi:

Rabbi Elias Schwartz

Young Israel of Bensonhurst, New York

                  Torah starts with "G-d created the heaven and the earth."  It is a most important statement.  This first statement lays the foundation for our lives on this world and the next.

We must know that the world belongs to G-d

and so do we belong to G-d

G-d created the world for a purpose.

WE ARE THE PURPOSE!

                  We are to bring G-dliness down to the world in which we live.  We are to endow everything we do with a spirit of G-dliness.  We are to bring a ruchnius element into this material world that surrounds us on all sides.

                  But why must we have a detailed account of each day of creation?  Let us examine carefully and learn as much as we can.

                  There are two expressions constantly repeated throughout the first chapter of Beraishis.  They are       (1"And G-d saw that it was good."

                                                (2 "And thus it became." or "And it was so."

                  Sometimes, both expressions are used when speaking about the same day; at other times one is omitted.  Keep these two expressions uppermost in your mind as we go through the entire six days of creation.

FIRST DAY:

                  On the first day, G-d created the light.  "G-d saw that it was good" is stated; "and it was so" is omitted.

SECOND DAY:

                  On the second day, G-d made the firmament, ra-ke-ah.  There was a division between the waters above this ra-ke-ah and the waters below this ra-ke-ah.  Nothing could be seen because the waters filled the entire universe.  This seems to be an unfinished process.  We find the expression, "and it was so", but "G-d saw that it was good", is omitted.

THIRD DAY:

                  On the third day, G-d finished the work of the second day.  All the waters below the division receded and formed oceans, rivers, seas, and lakes.  Dry land was seen for the first time.  This, in reality, was the purpose of the division on the second day.  Both expressions "it was so", and "it was good" are found in pesukim (sentences) nine and ten.

                  As soon as dry land was seen, G-d created grass, trees, flowers, etc.  Once again we find both expressions repeated in pesukim eleven and twelve.  In this third day, we find two elements of creation and both parts are blessed with the words, "and G-d saw that it was good" and "it was so".

                  I remember my mother saying, "it is mazeldik to move on a Tuesday because G-d blessed that day with two expressions of good."

FOURTH DAY:

                  On the fourth day, G-d created the sun, moon and stars.  Both expressions are quoted.

FIFTH DAY:

                  On the fifth day, G-d created fish and fowl.  The expression "and it was so" is omitted.

SIXTH DAY:

                  On the sixth day, G-d created the animal kingdom and man.  In sentences twenty-five and twenty-six, referring to the animals, both expressions are stated.  When G-d created man, the words, "and G-d saw that it was good" are omitted.

                  Man is the most important part of creation.  Man is the very purpose of creation.  Man is to be imbued with a G-dly spirit.  Yet, on man there is no stamp of approval by HaShem.  Why?

[see NCYI Divrey Torah book: Words of Torah, Aronson, (1999) for Rabbi Schwartz's chart on this]                 

                  Let us try to understand all these varied differences:               

                  The second expression "and it was so" is missing only in the first and fifth days.

                  The second expression "and it was so", means it must be so forever.  Once G-d has imprinted his words "and it was so", this part of creation can never, never change.

                  These words were omitted on the first day, because the special, beautiful, light of the first day was put away for the future world.  The light of the first day was "too good" and it could not stay with us forever.  We must strive to be worthy of that light that was created on the first day.  This light was taken away from our world.  The lights for our world are the sun and the moon, which were created on the fourth day.

      On the fifth day, G-d created the Tanim- huge whale type, Sea Giants.  These Sea Giants could destroy our world, and so G-d took away one of them so that they could not multiply.  Thus, this part of creation could not be forever and could not be stamped with the words "and it was so".

                  Now, let us understand why "and G-d saw that it was good" is omitted on the second and sixth days.

                  On the second day, the act of creation, was not yet completed (as is stated above) so it could not be stamped with the words  "and G-d saw that it was good".

                  We can learn two important lessons:  We can learn that "division" is not always good.  Unity and togetherness is generally better.  Particularly is this so when the same element "water" is divided.

                  Chazal tells us - Torah is compared to water.

                  If there is a division in the Torah World between different Torah Orthodox groups, this can never be "good".  Let Torah views, ideals and goals speak with one strong powerful voice and, I am sure, G-d will stamp this with His words "and G-d saw it and it is good".

                  We may also learn that when you start something and don't finish it, it cannot be good.  In Parshat Akev (8:1), Rashi tells us that a mitzvah is considered done, is counted and credit given, only when the mitzvah is fully completed (learn this Rashi at the source).  There are many "starter-uppers" in the world but they leave the finish for others to accomplish.

                  Man:  Man is different than all other creations; trees are the same today as when they first appeared on this world.  Animals, fish, fowl and birds are the same today as when they were first created.

                  "G-d saw that it was good" stamped all of them with their characteristics forever and approved of them as well.

                  Why was man not blessed with "and G-d saw that it was good"?

                  The Meshech Chochma says:  G-d did not give man His approval of "goodness".  Had G-d said "and it was good", then man could never do anything wrong,  man would not have "Bechirah", would lose his power of choice.  Man could never transgress or violate a mitzvah of the Torah.  We would not be worthy of Gan-Eden and reward.  We must strive to be good, to do mitzvot, to serve HaShem properly and spiritually, because we decided to do so.

                  We, man, must weather the storms of problems that beset us as we grow.

                  We, man, must elevate ourselves to be what G-d wants us to be.  This is why G-d gave us the Torah.

                  We must put a stamp of approval upon ourselves.  We are starting Torah all over again.  We are at Beraishis.  We are at the beginning.  Start now!  Not only will our beginning of the year be good; our end of the year will also be good.

                  When we fulfill all the mitzvot of the Torah, when we learn Torah regularly, daily and intensely, then, subconsciously, we will hear G-d's voice whispering to us.

            "And G-d saw that it was good."

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