THE FAMILIAR AND THE FOREIGN

Even though on Simchat Torah we complete the annual reading of the Torah and immediately start the new cycle with only a short pause in between, the two readings could not be more different. The Torah concludes with parshat V’zot Haberacha, Moshe’s blessings to the Tribes shortly before his passing. It is the 11^th and final parsha of the book of Devarim. The Torah begins with parshat Bereishit, the first of 12 portions of the book with the same name, Bereishit. Parshat Bereishit includes the creation of the universe; the sin of the first human beings; the story of Cain and Abel and the ten generations from Adam to Noach. Both of these events – Moshe’s blessings and the Creation – are integral parts of the Torah, but they are worlds apart.

By the time we get to V’zot Haberacha, we are very familiar with all of the characters, after all, we have been with them since the book of Shmot. There is Moshe, the great leader, law-giver, judge and prophet of the Children of Israel. There are the Twelve Tribes of Israel who we first met in parshiot Vayeitzei and Vayishlach. The location of the parsha and all of the book of Devarim is Arvot Moav, the plains of Moab, east of the river Jordan. It was there that Moshe delivered his final address to the Children of Israel which makes up the subject matter of Devarim. The topics he raises with them are many and varied. By and large, they are matters that we can easily relate to. These include: the history of the Israelites since leaving Egypt; the great Revelation at Mt Sinai; the sin of the spies; the rules for setting up a just society under God in the Land of Canaan; appointment of leaders, including judges, law enforcers, priests and prophets; agricultural laws; dietary restrictions; the pilgrimage festivals; marriage and divorce; raising children; laws of warfare; one’s relationship with parents; welfare, such as charity and extending loans; prohibitions against idolatry; proper treatment of animals; death and burial; clothing; housing; mezuzah; tefillin and a host of other precepts and laws that make up Jewish life. Devarim is a relatable text because it addresses issues that are familiar, understandable and relevant. After all, Moshe was preparing them for their new existence, as a people under God, in their sovereign land. There are no miracles in the book of Devarim – these are reserved for Shmot and Bamidbar. Devarim is a description of Jewish society as it ought to be. It discusses real issues and provides concrete rules for how to live a Jewish life in Israel and in the diaspora.

As clear and lucid as Devarim is, parshat Bereishit is as mysterious, vague and almost indecipherable. Here there is nothing familiar. The book begins by telling us that God created the heavens and the earth. But what was there before creation? Who is God and what are His attributes? The primordial universe is described as “empty and void”. It is completely dark and covered in water. And then God creates light. But He does so without implements or machines. His method of creation is with speech. But how does one create with words alone? This is something utterly out of the realm of human experience. And what of the original light created on the first day? It cannot be the sun, as that great heavenly body was created on the fourth day. If so, what was the nature of this light? Where is it today? We read that “God made the firmament and He separated between the waters that are under the firmament and between the waters that are above the firmament and it was so.” Where and what is this firmament? If it is the sky and the waters below it are the seas, lakes and rivers, then where are the waters above the sky?

On the fifth day, God made the “great sea creatures” (taninim). What are these massive beasts? Are they whales? And if so, why does the Torah single them out, something it does not do when referring to the birds and land animals? And then there is man. This pinnacle of creation is made b’tzelem Elokim, “in the image of God.” But does God have an image? Does Moshe not say later (Devarim 4:12), “The Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; the sound of words alone you were hearing, but an image you were not seeing, only a sound”? This man, later to be joined by a woman, has no parents of flesh and flood. He and his helpmate are told to enjoy all the fruits and greenery of the mysterious Garden of Eden, except the fruit of a certain tree.   It is a tree whose fruits impart knowledge of good and evil. But how is it possible to gain such insight from the act of eating? What was this tree? And even more puzzling is the serpent. He speaks and he tempts. We have no experience of animals that can communicate with human beings using their language. And what of his motive? Why does he tempt the woman? And when the first couple do consume the fruit and are then sought by God, they try to hide. But is this not foolish? Can they hide from the Being that created them and everything else? 

Unlike the Israelites in the book of Devarim, the first generations of mankind seem to have no guidance.  There are no obvious references in the text to any laws and yet, Cain is punished for killing his brother Abel.  Is the knowledge that murder is wrong somehow intuitive? By the time of Noach, civilisation is corrupt. But which prophet told them what is right and what is wrong? How are they expected to know how to behave? I am reminded of a comment of Rashi (Devarim 11:17) on the verse, “The wrath of the Lord will be enflamed against you, and He will curb the heavens and there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield its produce; and you will be quickly eradicated from upon the good land that the Lord is giving you.” Rashi notes: “You will be quickly eradicated” – I will give you no respite. But if you ask: Was not respite given to the generation of the flood, as it is said (Bereishit 6:3), “His days shall be (i.e. a respite shall be given him for) one hundred and twenty years”? Then I reply: The generation of the flood had no one from whom to learn, but you have someone from whom to learn (Sifrei Devarim 43:31).” One wonders why they were punished at all.

These, and other questions, reveal a narrative that is bewildering, foreign and very difficult to understand.  Bereishit describes a reality that is completely alien to us in every way. And that is what makes it so compelling and so exciting. The simple Bible stories we learned as children are no longer sufficient. We must analyse and delve deeply into the words of this parsha if we are to unlock its secrets.  

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Liebenberg.

Rabbi’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/lV81MrFNDt8?si=GxFjE5TfsEr-V46E

*Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 October – Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan

The month of Cheshvan is associated with the beginning of the rainy season in the Land of Israel. The month is also referred to as Marcheshvan, where the word ‘mar’ means a drop of water. The Great Deluge in the times of Noah began in Cheshvan. Others explain that the word ‘mar’ means ‘bitter’ and that Cheshvan is a bitter month because it contains no festivals. The Molad (appearance of the new moon) for Cheshvan is on Wednesday 22 October at 00h54 and 8 chalakim (a chelek, literally a “portion”, is a Talmudic measure of time equal to one-eighteenth of a minute, or 3 and 1/3 seconds).