Session 1 The Infinite Value of the Individual Themes of Sefer Bereshis Through the Commentary of Rav ALIT 2021 • Sarah Lipman

Please note: These source sheets are intended for educational purposes and designed for this class only. Please do not share or print beyond what you will need for this class.

The complete Commentary of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch (2002 Edition) was translated by Daniel Haberman and published by Feldheim Publishers with Judaica Press. https://www.feldheim.com/authors/hirsch-rabbi-samson-raphael/the-hirsch--complete-set.html

The 1963 edition of the Commentary was translated by Isaac Levy and published by Judaica Press.

The source sheets are Sheimos and should be treated with the same respect as a chumash.

1 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis • Feldheim-Judaica, pp XV-XVI

2 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis • Judaica Press, pp XV-XVI

3 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:1 • Feldheim-Judaica, pp 1-3

4 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:1 • Feldheim-Judaica, pp 1-3

5 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:20 • Feldheim-Judaica, pp 31-32

6 Bereshis 1:26-28 • Translation from Hirsch Chumash, Feldheim-Judaica

(כו) (26) God said: Let Us make an Adam (a deputy) וַיֹ֣אמֶר אֱלק֔ים נַֽעֲשֶ֥ה אָד֛ם בְצַלְמֵ֖נו כִדמותֵ֑נו וְיִרדו֩ ,in a form worthy of Us, in keeping with Our image בִדגַ֨ת הַיָ֜ם ובְע֣וף הַשָמַ֗יִם ובַבְהֵמָה֙ and they shall exercise dominion over the fsh of the sea and the birds of the sky and over animals and ובְכׇל־הָאָ֔רץ ובְכׇל־הָר֖מֶש הָֽרמֵ֥ש עַל־הָאָֽרץ׃ over the whole earth and over all creeping things (כז) .that creep on the earth וַיִבְר֨א אֱלק֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדם֙ בְצַלְמ֔ו בְצֶ֥לֶם אֱלק֖ים בָר֣א God created man in an image worthy of (27) אֹת֑ו זָכָ֥ר ונְקבָ֖ה בָר֥א אֹתָֽם׃ ;Himself; He created him in a form worthy of God He created them male and female. (כח) (28) God blessed them and God said to them: וַיְבָ֣רְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלקים֒ וַיֹ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלק֗ים Be fruitful פְר֥ו and multiply ורב֛ו and fll the earth ומִלְא֥ו אֶת־הָאָ֖רץ and subdue it *וְכִבְשֻ֑הָ and exercise your dominion over the fsh of the sea, ורד֞ו בִדגַ֤ת הַיָם֙ ובְע֣וף הַשָמַ֔יִם ובְכׇל־חַיָ֖ה הָֽרמֶ֥שֶת the birds of the sky and every living creature that עַל־הָאָֽרץ׃ .moves upon the earth

7 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:26 • Feldheim•Judaica, pp 38-40

8 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:26 • Feldheim•Judaica, pp 38-40

9 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:28 • Feldheim•Judaica, pp 43-46

10 The Hirsch Chumash, Bereshis 1:28 • Feldheim•Judaica, pp 43-46

11 The Mission How the Sphere Quality- (Free-willed Mission is of Where we are Levels of Menorah Tree Characterist Self moral Fulfilled Activity Functioning Creation ic development) (Avodah) (Bracha)

גביעים כפתורים Full וכבשה הר הבית ופרחים Acquisition and עולם חוץ גוף ,and exercise realization 1 transformation Earth Almond- Fruits Temple העשיה שבחוץ control over independent Body of property shaped cups, Mount it growth knobs and flowers

ומלאו את Extending Motivation עולם עזרה פנים רגש קנים blessing to Society Branches and הארץ 2 היצירה Courtyard שבחוץ and fill the Branches Emotions others diversification earth

ראש-שכל Forming and עולם היכל חוץ Strength and קנה ורבו 3 Educating Home Trunk Head הבריאה Sanctuary שבפנים and multiply Shaft focus Children

קדש ,Immutable עולם הקדשים פנים נשמה ירכה Development פרו 4 Marriage Rootstalk enduring, האצילות Holy of שבפנים Be fruitful of self Base Soul source Holies

The Infinite Value of the Individual: Themes of Sefer Bereshis Through the Commentary of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch ALIT 2021 © Sarah Lipman

12 Bemidbar 8:1-4 • Translation from Hirsch Chumash, Feldheim-Judaica

וַיְדבֵ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶ֥ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (א) :God spoke to Moshe, saying (1)

דַבֵר֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲר֔ן וְאָמַרתָ֖ אֵלָ֑יו בְהַעֲלֽתְָ֙ (ב) Speak to Aharon and say to him: When you light (2) up the lights, the seven lights shall shine toward אֶת־הַנֵר֔ת אֶל־מול֙ פְנֵ֣י הַמְנור֔ה יָאִ֖ירו שִבְעַ֥ת ”.the [center of] the Menorah הַנֵרֽות׃ (3) Aharon did so; he lit up its lights toward the וַיַ֤עַש כֵן֙ אַהֲר֔ן אֶל־מול֙ פְנֵ֣י הַמְנור֔ה הֶעֱלָ֖ה (ג) center of] the Menorah, as God had commanded] נֵרתֶ֑יהָ כַֽאֲשֶ֛ר צִוָ֥ה ה' אֶת־מֹשֶֽה׃ .Moshe (4) And this is the workmanship of the Menorah: וְזֶ֨ה מַעֲשֵ֤ה הַמְנֹרה֙ מִקשָ֣ה זָהָ֔ב עַד־יְרכָ֥ה ד hammered out of one piece of gold, to its ( ) עַד־פִרחָ֖ה מִקשָ֣ה הִ֑וא כַמַראֶ֗ה אֲשֶ֨ר הֶראָ֤ה ה' .rootstock, to its blossom, it is of beaten work אֶת־מֹשֶ֔ה כֵ֥ן עָשָ֖ה אֶת־הַמְנֹרֽה׃ Like the vision that God had let Moshe behold, so did he make the Menorah.

13 The Hirsch Chumash, Bemidbar 8:4 • Feldheim-Judaica, pp 31-32

14 Preface — Additional reading:

A • “derive the meaning of the words from the lexicon of the Holy Scriptures”:

‣ Commentary on Bereshis 10:10. ‣ Commentary on Bereshis 11:7. "What are the elements to the formation of language?" ‣ The Nineteen Letters, second letter (page 16 in the Feldheim 1995 edition), “Furthermore, we must read the in Hebrew…”

B • “out of the Halachic and Aggadic traditions handed down to us from the early days of our nation along with the Biblical text”

תורה and תורה שבכתב Commentary on Shemos 21:2 (new edition, page 364), "The relationship between ‣ "...שבעל פה

C • “the Commentary on Bereshis forms the foundation for the interpretation of the entire Chumash”

‣ Commentary on Bereshis 1:1 (new edition, page 7) beginning with:

“With this frst verse the Torah has already revealed the principal and fundamental truth, the principal and fundamental reality, that totally transforms our view of the world and of ourselves. This single verse would have sufced to teach us to view the world as God's world and ourselves as God's creatures, and to recognize the world and ourselves — created by God — as God's own sacred possessions. This single verse would have sufced to teach us our duty: to do God’s Will in God's world with all our energies — which also belong to Him. …”

15 Bearers of Light — Additional reading:

”ויכלו השמים והארץ“ ,A • Commentary on Bereshis 2:1

‣ “…The ending of creation, the cessation of formation of new relations — in a word: the present Sabbath of creation — is a greater revelation of the Creator than the very existence of heaven and earth … a moral work of a Creator endowed with supreme wisdom, free will and unlimited power.”

B • Commentary on Bereshis 1:31

good beyond ,״וירא אלקים וגו׳...הנה...כל...ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום הששי״ ‣ all expectations

16 :Additional reading — אדם Creation of

”וירדו“ ,A • Commentary on Bereshis 1:26

conditional, partial control רדה on the diference between humanity’s ‣ total, transformational use of the כבש over living creatures and inanimate world

”מזבח אדמה“ ,B • Commentary on Shemos 20:19-21

C • The Hirsch , pg 50, commentary on “Baruch”: “But what leads the Jew to God…”

”מזבח אדמה תעשה לי“ D • Commentary on Shemos 20:19-21

17 Development Over Time — Additional reading:

A • The Collected Writings, Volume III, (tree, wood) עץ pg 182, on

B • Commentary on Shemos 25:39, “The Menorah”, on the Menorah as a golden tree

18