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Contributed by: Yosef, 2000
This week, we begin the study of the Torah anew. Each year, at the chag or yom tov (holiday) of Simchat Torah, we roll the Torah scroll back from Its end to Its beginning. The word “b’ereshit” means “In the beginning…” I am reminded of something I learned a few years ago when I first participated in Chumash classes. The word Chumash is from the root of chamesh meaning five, as in the Five Books of the Torah. Rabbi Yohushuah Harlig of Chabad of Las Vegas mentioned that in the first three Parashot (weekly readings - plural) of the Torah, the entire foundation is set. In this first Parashah (weekly reading – singular), Bereshit, God attempts to establish a link with mankind through a couple – Adam and Chava (Eve). As we know, this didn’t quite work out. In the second Parashah, Noach, God attempts to once again establish a link through a family, the family of Noach. We also see that this doesn’t seem to have the desired results. Then, as we see in the third Parashah Lech Lecha, God tries to generate this link through a people, a Nation founded through the Patriarchs of Klal Yisrael (the Nation of Israel) – Avraham, Yitzchak (Isaac), Yaakov (Jacob), and the 12 sons of Yaakov who were the 12 Tribes. With this relationship came the rest of the story that is found in the Torah and which we will study over the next twelve months. For the newcomer, I would like to explain that the study of Torah is so complex, it is impossible in these weekly thoughts and commentaries to do more than focus on points of interest. For example, the focus for this week’s Parashah will be on the serpent. I heartily recommend purchasing a Chumash in order to learn more on one’s own. The three Chumashim (plural) that I would recommend are The Stone Edition Chumash or the Chumash with Rashi – both published by Art Scroll, or The Pentateuch – Translation and Commentary by Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch published by Judaica Press. So let’s begin… Parashat Bereshit begins in Sefer Bereshit (the Book of Genesis) at Perek Aleph (Chapter One) and continues through and includes Perek Vav, pasuk zayin (Chapter Six, verse 7). For those who don’t know the story, this covers the steps involved when God created the world and everything in it through the introduction of Noach (Noah) into history. In particular, this week I will discuss a key point of the story namely when Chava ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, an act that God had specifically forbidden, and then induced Adam to eat as well. The third character in this little piece of the drama was the serpent who told Chava that this really wasn’t a problem. Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch translates the key verses in Perek Gimel (Chapter Three) as follows:
Rav Hirsch makes some truly beautiful points in all of this and draws a wonderful conclusion. First, he points out that animals are, by acting through the nature given them by God, good. They do not have the capacity for evil in and of themselves. This includes the serpent. The serpent was merely acting in its nature. The word that Rav Hirsch translates as subtle in the first pasuk can also be translated as cunning or devious. In any event, the serpent was merely acting within the parameters of its nature as God established that nature. Man, on the other hand, has the capability of acting with choice, in most cases knowing that there can be positive or unpleasant consequences to those choices. Such was the case here. Chava and Adam were called upon to use their higher nature to respect God and what they had been told to do. Instead they chose to ignore that higher nature which led, in this case and in many cases for all of us, to disastrous consequences. Rav Hirsch points out that originally the serpent did not crawl upon its belly – that God altered its form following this episode. As well, He altered its nature. Rav Hirsch goes on to explain that these last two pasukim (14
and 15) tell far more than appears at a glance.
These two points also establish our situation with the
Yetzher HaTov (the Good Inclination) and Yetzher HaRa (the
Evil Inclination).
The words that are used in these commentaries are lust and
passion. In this instance, the intention is not sexual although that
may form a part of the picture.
Rather, lusts and passions can focus on many levels –
money, power, honor, possessions, or position.
The point that is made is two fold.
First, it is up to us to recognize when we are lusting
for something and that so long as we do not become passionate
in that lust, we are in control of the situation and can still
“stamp out” the lusts.
The analogy used is that the serpent has not awakened.
Second, however, the moment we become passionate in our
lusts and arouse the Yetzher HaRa, arouse the serpent, we can
no longer so easily stamp out the danger and protect ourselves
from peril.
THE TORAH: THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
RECOMMENDED READING
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