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Home , Bereshit (parashah)

Kehilat Kol Simcha October 14, 2017 Gainesville, Florida Teaching

Bereshit of Creation Six things preceded of the ; some of them were actual, while the creation of the others was already contemplated: The and the Throne of Glory were created ... The creation of the Patri- archs was contemplated... The creation of was contemplated... The creation of the Temple was con- templated... The name of the was contemplated ... and repentance, too. (Bereshit Rabbah 1:4) Introduction The Hebrew term for the first book of the Bible is Bereshit, (,hatrc). It is also the first word of the book in the Hebrew text, as well as the name for the first parasha. Bereshit is actually a compound word comprised of two Hebrew words: c the preposition meaning ‘in’ and atr the root which means ‘begin- ning.’ Hence, the title for this first book of the Torah means ‘in the beginning’ and, thus, indicates to us that the book describes the beginnings of things.

Another ancient Hebrew name for the first book of the Torah is Sefer Maaseh Bereshit, the "Book of Creation." The English name, “Genesis,” is derived from the Septuagint (LXX), which is the first known translation of the into another language, in this case Greek. It was finished around 250 BCE by a committee of seventy in Egypt. The LXX employs the Greek word “genesis” which literally means “origins” as the title for this book. Hence the Greek/English title also speaks of creation or beginnings. This is the first book of the Torah, which is called the Pentateuch from penta (which is Greek for five) and teuchos (which means tools). The Torah was written by Moshe Rabbeinu ( our Teacher).

Biblical scholars have noted a pattern within Bereshit itself that apparently Moshe intended to use to indicate his own divisions within the book. These indications usually take the form of the phrase “these are the generations of” which in Hebrew is the word (,usku,). This word suggests a movement from starting point to a finishing point, from a cause to an effect, from a progenitor to a progeny (a key individual in ’s plan). 1. Everyone and everything Has a Beginning – Everyone Except . Elohim (a Hebrew plural masculine word literally meaning “unique ” which is only used in the context of the Eternal vuvh) did not come from anything. He has always been (John 1:1-2; Gen. 1:1- 2). He is completely self-sufficient depending on no one outside of Himself. Yet He chose to create. In His Sovereignty He chose to create the world, He chose to create us. We did not choose to be born. He gave the command…that is ultimately why we are here!

2. Bereshit – The Book of Four Events and Four People The following comes from Walk-Thru-the-Bible giving a concise & memorizable summary of Genesis.

FOUR EVENTS FOUR PEOPLE Creation Fall Flood Nations Ch. 1-2 Ch. 3-5 Ch. 6-9 Ch. 10-11 Ch. 12-25 Ch. 26-27 Ch. 28-36 Ch. 37-50 The beginning of the race Beginnings The beginning of the chosen race Confusion and scattering Result Bondage in Egypt Primeval history History Patriarchal History Over 2,000 years Chronology Approximately 300 years “The seed of the ” Emphasis Melchizedek, Berit, Bethel, Azazel, Deliverer 1:1 5:1 6:9 10:1 Keys 11:10 11:27 25:12 37:2

1 Kehilat Kol Simcha October 14, 2017 Gainesville, Florida Shabbat Teaching

3. The Toledot Breakdown of the Book Genesis 1:1-2:4 The history/origin of the universe Genesis 2:5-5:2 The history/origin of /mankind Genesis 5:3-6:9a The history/origin of Genesis 6:9b - 10:1 The history/origin of Noah’s sons Genesis 10:2-11:10a The history/origin of Genesis 11:10b-27a The history/origin of Terah Genesis 11:27b - 25:12 The history/origin of Ishmael Genesis 25:13-19a The history/origin of Isaac Genesis 25:19b - 26:1 The history/origin of Esau and Jacob 4. A Basic Two Point Thematic Outline of Bereshit Genesis 1:1-11:32 The Beginning of Mankind I. The Beginning of Creation, Chapter 1 II. The Beginning of People, Chapter 2 III. The Beginning of , Chapter 3 IV. The Beginning of Human Conflict, Chapter 4 V. The Multiplication of Mankind, Chapter 5 VI. The Judgment Against Sinful Mankind, Chapters 6-8 VII. The Covenant with , Chapter 9 VIII. Division into Nations and Languages, Chapter 10-11 Genesis 12:1-50:26 The Beginning of Our Jewish People A. Abraham ⎯ Chapters 12-20 B. Isaac ⎯ Chapters 21-26 C. Jacob ⎯ Chapters 27-36 D. Joseph ⎯ Chapters 37-50 5. A Basic Geographical Outline of Genesis Genesis 1:1-50:26 I. Gan Eden ⎯ Chapters 1-3 II. Mesopotamia ⎯ Chapters 4-11 III. Canaan ⎯ Chapters 12-36 IV. Egypt ⎯ Chapters 37-50 6. The Hidden Messages in the Hebrew Name of the First Book of the Torah The name of the second letter of the is Beit (,hc), which means ‘house.’ This word is found in several Hebrew names, such as kt-,hc (Bethel, ‘House of El’), and ojk-,hc (Bethlehem, House of bread). Even the shape of the letter depicts a floor, ceiling, wall and doorway of a house. Since the name and form of Beit represent a house, in several ways in it symbolizes a dwelling place: (1) Ye- shua, in Whom the fullness of Elohim dwells, (2) The Bible, in which dwells Elohim's Word to man- kind, and (3) The creation itself, the present dwelling place of mankind. Notice how the first Beit is printed oversized – the only oversized Beit in the entire Torah. It is as if Elohim was saying “I am hous- ing for you something very special, Torah, the words of life itself.” Indeed, Torah is life and a (Etz Chayim). If we divide the Hebrew word Bereshit into its root rosh then what is left is the word Beit. Rosh lit- erally means head and, of course, Beit we know means house. Bereshit is thus, the House of the Head, or the Head of the House. We know Torah is the House of the Wisdom of El and we also know Yeshua is the Head of the House. Do you see the connection? Since Beit follows aleph in the Hebrew alphabet, notice the pointed nature of the letter in the Torah (C). One points toward t the other points toward . Beit is the house of Aleph, which is in heaven, the house of Yeshua, the Word made flesh.

2 Kehilat Kol Simcha October 14, 2017 Gainesville, Florida Shabbat Teaching

7. The key verse “Enmity between Satan & Yeshua, born of a woman” – Redemption/Future Hope “I will put animosity between you and the woman—between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel” (Gen 3:15). 8. The key attribute of Elohim: Our Elohim is a Sovereign Adonai Where is man in the beginning? Man does not appear on the scene until the 6th day. Does the Al- mighty really need man? In His own words: “If I were hungry, I would not tell you—for the world is Mine and all it contains!” (Ps 50:12) What then does He expect from us? His own words answer the question for us: “12‘So now, O Israel, what does Adonai your God require of you, but to fear Adonai your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 to keep the mitzvot of Adonai…” (Deut. 10:12-13) He reminds us: “14Offer God a sacrifice of thank offerings, then fulfill your vows to Elyon. 15Call upon Me in the day of trouble. When I rescue you, you will honor Me.” (Ps 50:14-15) 5. The key attribute of humanity: Ruin & rebellion through sin Was it necessary to sin (Gen 3:8-19)? Is it necessary now? Is it necessary for you to ‘experience’ sin in your life? (After all we the adults are now “old” and we did experience it and look what God has done for us today. But are there any guarantees?) Is man’s curiosity about sin justified? What did God say? “Then Adonai Elohim said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. So now, in case he stretches out his hand and takes also from the Tree of Life and eats and lives forever,”” (Gen 3:22). It is clear from this account that God did not intend (then and now) for man to become knowledgeable in both good and evil. He only wants us to know good! By the way the word translated to know is the Hebrew infinitive verb (,g©sk) LaDa-at, which means to be intimate or to have sexual relations. The Lord does not want us to be intimate with Satan or with sin! 6. The Law of First (and Last) Mention (A Law of Beginnings) In Gen 14:18-23 we have the first mention of (sharing of bread and wine) and since Kid- dush is an integral part of Shabbat, a beginning of the revelation of Shabbat. The Law of First mention is that there is a special revelation and blessing associated with the first (or last) mention of any principle in Scripture. Please note that Abraham had won a great battle. After a great victory we prone to be weak! Also note that immediately after receiving the revelation of Kiddush, the first thing that our father Abraham did was to invest his tithe in Melchizedek (from Malchi- my king and tzedek - the righteous). So it should be with us. Are we ready to invest a tenth of all we own in His kingdom? Also note that immediately the king of Sodom (a type of Satan himself, a sodomite!) comes to offer his “gifts” unto Abraham our father. But his response was to not mix his blessings from the servant of the Almighty with the gifts of the king of the Sodomites! We should not look for the gifts of Satan when we already receive the gifts from Yeshua, the Priest of the Most High. Hebrews 4:15, 5:5-6 states: “15For we do not have a kohen gadol who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all the same ways—yet without sin…5So also Messiah did not glorify Himself to be made Kohen Gadol; rather, it was God who said to Him, “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.” 6And He says in a different passage, “You are a kohen forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” What was the gift that Yeshua gave us? Would you trade what the world (the world of the sodomites) has to offer for what Yeshua gave us?

Genesis is loaded with examples of the Law of First Mention. As we read in the next few months, let us strive to glean from His Word and obtain greater revelation. Scripture states: “Where there is no divine vision people cast off restraint, but blessed is the one who keeps Torah” (Proverbs 29:18). Divine vision is rev- elation and it does not mean foresight or has anything to do with goal setting⎯it has to do with divine knowledge. It is the same Hebrew word used in 1:1: “The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and …” Scripture said that without divine knowledge, people become immor- al (cast off restraint) and commit acts of fornication and adultery. But happy and blessed is he that keeps Torah! Shabbat Shalom! 3