Partners In Creation - Sample Chapter

A new and dazzling interpretation of The Creation

Sample Chapter

By
Rabbi David Lapin

Chapter 1

 

Intellect Transformed

“In the Beginning, G-d created the Heavens and the Earth.” Bereishit 1:1

Embedded in the narrative of the world’s genesis lies the origin of every force and the secret of every energy that has shaped the world’s history or that will propel its future.  G-d imparts to humankind the secret of creativity in a gesture that challenges us to create.  G-d infuses man with the ability to create and mandates us to emulate Him in the Divine activity of Creation.  Mastering the narrative of the Genesis and disclosing the enclosed enigmas of Creation, it is our mission to utilize these discoveries in our own acts of Creation, thereby designing our futures and shaping our destinies.

Perhaps because of the widespread familiarity of the first line of the Bible, we have come to treat the story of Creation in a somewhat cursory fashion.  It should rather be treated with the depth and probing that it truly demands.  Our perfunctory reading of the text may also be due to the fact that, from as early on as we can remember, the above verse expressed merely a simple truth: that G-d created the heavens and the earth.  Even when we do attribute depth and meaning to the narrative of the Creation, we generally regard it as a metaphysical account shrouded in mystery.

The story of Creation communicates more than just the recognition of G-d as the all-powerful Master of the Universe.  The account of the Genesis, enigmatic as it seems, comes to teach us something, not merely to tell us something.  Indeed, the word Torah itself is derived from the word lehorot - to teach.  Through the accounting of the Creation of the world, G-d imparts to mankind the knowledge of HOW to create!  Moreover, G-d invites us to join Him in a partnership as co-creators.  We, as humankind are mandated to create!  And the first few verses of our G-d-given handbook serve us as the manual, teaching us how to do so.  It contains the core of creativity.  Once we understand that we are created to create, we come to examine the Torah with a new approach.  Now, we can scrutinize the story of Creation and extract from it the guidelines that G-d divulges to us in His anticipation that we will make use of our discoveries in our own acts of Creation.

The word that G-d has chosen to begin His communication with us exudes significance.  Since the Torah is addressed to us as a manual for living, G-d assists us in writing the Torah with the dramatic dimension required to communicate its messages to us.  With the assistance of the Ta’amei Hamikrah – the punctuation of the Torah, we can hear G-d speaking to us and understand the voice behind the verse.  In examining the first word of the Torah – Bereishit– we notice a tipcha (a pause) beneath the word.  This pause emphasizes the word, beckoning scrutiny.

The word Bereishit connotes far more than its conventional translation, “In the Beginning.”  If the word were simply to denote the meaning, “In the beginning,” then the alternative Hebrew word ‘betchilla’ would have been preferable.  To understand G-d’s choice of the word ‘Bereishit’ over  ‘betchilla’ we should discern two different processes of beginnings.  One process of beginning is that of a linear process: one incident initiates another, and a chain of events follows.  This process can be illustrated by the growth of a plant.  Rain falls and begins the process of germination.  The rain initiates the chain of events but is not involved after its initial input, even though the plant continues to grow. 
The second process of beginning requires the continued involvement of the initiator throughout the process.  An object that requires an electrical outlet needs continual input from the source of electricity in order to function.  The role of the head in the body also exemplifies this process.  Constant input from the head to the body is required in order for the body to operate.  In this case of beginning, the initiation remains constantly essential.  The word ‘Bereishit’ has within it the root for the word ‘head’ in Hebrew – “rosh.”  The beginning referred to by this term represents an ongoing sustenance of a procedure, without which continued development would cease.  It is for this reason that we refer to the New Year as Rosh Hashana – the headof the year, as opposed to ‘hatchalat hashana’ – the beginning of the year.  Our New Year is the head of the whole year.  It serves as a day that sustains the rest of the year.  The quality of the Rosh Hashana experience will impact each day of that year.  The entire year draws on Rosh Hashana, as the body constantly draws on the input of the head.  According to this understanding of the word‘Bereishit’ – “In the Beginning,” we can relate to the story of Creation not merely as a historic event, but rather as a process that remains eternally significant each day of the world’s existence.

In the word Bereishit, lies the kernel to our understanding of the whole Genesis.  Through in-depth examination of the word, we become privy to the Divine formula of the Creation itself.  The term‘Bereishit’ is composed of two parts, namely, ‘be’ and ‘reishit.’  The component ‘be’ holds two meanings, that of ‘in the’ and that of ‘with.’  The term ‘bereishit’ can thus also be translated as ‘with reishit’ or‘using reishit.’  We already observed that the word ‘reishit’ contains the Hebrew word for head – ‘rosh’ In fact, the Targum Yerushalmi [1]translates the first sentence of the Torah as “With / using wisdom, G-d created the Heavens and the Earth.”  His translation revolutionizes our entire interpretation of the first verses of the Torah.  “Using wisdom, G-d created the Heaven and the Earth,” implies that something in fact did exist before Creation.  Wisdom existed before Creation!  This is a notion that is also demonstrated by themidrash[2] that states that the Torah existed before the Creation of the world. [3]  So, indeed, it is evident that thought and concepts existed before Creation.  “In the beginning G-d created Heaven and Earth,” could now also be understood as the fact that “using (the raw material of) wisdom G-d created the Heaven and Earth.”  G-d fashioned His wisdom into matter.  We, as humankind, can relate to the idea of transforming our ideas into matter only when we can use existing material as a vehicle.  An artist may use paints and canvass to transform her thoughts into matter.  A musician will use musical instruments; an author, pencil and paper.  However, it is difficult for us to fathom the direct conversion of wisdom into matter when no matter whatsoever existed at that time!  Directly through G-d’s thinking, He created matter! 

It is a little easier to comprehend if we insert the step of energy in between wisdom and matter.  Let us say that G-d converted His wisdom into energy.  Now that is easier to comprehend.  Often, when we grasp a difficult idea or innovate a new concept, we jump out of our seats, we are filled with energy no matter how tired we were only moments before.  Our wisdom became the fuel for our energy.  The idea that wisdom can be converted into energy is no more absurd than it was a hundred years ago to think that energy could convert into matter.  To take something as intangible as energy and to create with it something as tangible as matter sounded inconceivable and required an Einstein to teach us.

Einstein’s discovery taught us much more than a theory of physics.  It served as a major leap forward in understanding the connection between the physical and the spiritual.  Energy does not exist merely as a different form of matter, but rather, as an entirely different concept.  Energy functions in a wholly different fashion than does matter.  Indeed, Einstein’s linkage of energy to matter is an even more difficult link to comprehend than understanding the linkage between wisdom and energy, since thought and energy are more closely aligned to each other than energy is aligned to matter.  One who is intellectually inspired is energized.  As we have shown, the connection between energy and insight is not an entirely foreign one to us: the mastery of an insight releases energy.  So we can understand that ‘Bereishit’ – ‘Using intellect,’ G-d created the world.  The force itself with which G-d created the energy that formed the world is His own wisdom.

Interestingly, wisdom, or intellect, distinguishes animal from man.  Evidently, G-d endows humankind with exactly the property that He uses to create the world: precisely that feature which the act of Creation most requires—the intellect.  Thus, granting us wisdom, G-d intimates that He Created man to create.

Once we understand that all of G-d’s Creations are composed of the same substance - wisdom - we also realize that superficial distinctions between sacred and secular disintegrate.  This is because every molecule of all matter consists of the wisdom of G-d.  The material that fashions the world is G-d’s intellect transformed.  All matter, therefore, whether sacred or secular, contains within it the potential spiritual energy of sanctity.  Accordingly, in action alone can man deem something holy or secular, for it is the same substance that comprises all matter alike.  Man has within his power to sanctify or make profane an object.  This power of mankind creates polarity within the world.  For, without man’s capacity to view the same object from different viewpoints, there would be no discrepancies between each person’s outlook on reality.  Only objective clarity would exist, and ambiguity and disagreement would be foreign to the human experience.  G-d introduces us to the polar tension of the spiritual and the physical immediately.  Verse 1 narrates the Creation of Heaven and Earth, spiritual and physical, infinite and finite.  Every detail following will be devoted to understanding and managing this polarity.  The tension of polarity fuels creativity.  Navigating it and resolving it is the harmony of Creation.

Now, we can understand that G-d, having created physical energy from His wisdom, proceeds to form matter.  Verse 3 informs us of the Creation of energy: “and G-d said ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.”  Surely, the light mentioned here cannot refer to the sun, as G-d creates the sun only later.  The light that G-d creates is energy!  G-d transforms His wisdom into spiritual and physical energy, from which He will form matter.

This explains a foundational midrash:  Rabbi Yehuda argues with Rabbi Nechemiah as to what G-d creates first.  R’ Yehuda [4] claims that just as a king who builds a palace needs light in order to build it, so too, G-d creates light before He creates the world.  R’ Nechemiah maintains, on the other hand, that just as a king first builds a palace and then adorns it with light, so G-d creates the world and then creates light.  The basis of their argument lies in their two differing readings of the first three verses of the Torah.  R’ Nechemiah understands the verses as ‘in the beginning G-d created the Heavens and The earth…  And He said ‘Let there be light…’ implying that G-d first creates the world, and then creates light.  R’ Yehuda’s slightly different reading of the text results in an alternative thesis: “In the beginning, when G-d created the Heavens and the Earth…He said ‘Let there be light’   Thus, R’ Yehuda asserts that G-d begins Creation with the Creation of light, of energy.

It is so enlightening that both authorities, living nearly 2000 years before Einstein, already assume that energy and matter are interchangeable substances.  The essence of their argument, in fact, lies in the question whether G-d forms matter from energy, or energy from matter.  While R’ Yehuda maintains that G-d first creates energy, from which He forms matter, R’ Nechemiah believes that G-d creates matter first.  The Ramban, [5] in his commentary on the Torah, [6] further develops the idea of the evolution of all atomic and molecular material from one single element.  He states that G-d does not create everything from nothing; He creates one atom from which everything else evolves.  This hypothesis of the Ramban results from his interpretation of the words in Verse 2, “and the world was tohu vavohu.”  The words tohu vavohu are commonly translated as “chaos.”  The Ramban asserts that the term means “an element in which everything is contained.”  The element from which the world originated was something so fine and indivisible that it was almost nothing.  Yet, from this astoundingly delicate element, the entire world evolves.  Perhaps the Ramban unwittingly discovered the power and primacy of the hydrogen atom so many years ago.

The Ramban’s principle that there was only one act of Creation reinforces the theory that either G-d creates energy and matter evolves from energy or G-d forms matter and energy evolves from matter.  Many years before Einstein, R’ Yehuda and R’ Nechemiah were aware of the relativity of matter and energy, arguing only as to which preceded the other.  The strong view that G-d creates energy first provides us with the equation that G-d uses His wisdom to form energy, from which matter evolves.  And the world continues to evolve and advance under G-d’s direction.

The realization of this process demands, for our recognition, that with our wisdom and energy, we, too, are required to create.  It is indeed our duty, and G-d’s expectation, that we utilize the very same materials that G-d uses in His acts of Creation.  Through our employment of these materials, namely wisdom and energy, we graciously undertake our honorable mandate to generate, construct, contribute, and create.

 

Chapter 1 Principles

(i) Parents:

• Have your child keep a journal for a few days, tracking the relationship between the quality and success of days begun with positive energy compared to those begun with negative energy.  The contrast will make the case!
• Coach your child in the use of positive verbs at the point of initiation: “I intend to,” rather than, “I must,” “I am thankful for,” rather than, “I wish that,” “I am,” rather than, “I would like to be.”
• Exercise extreme caution to use positive words when communicating with your children, even when you criticize them.  “Be on time,” rather than, “Don’t be late, “Tidy your room,” rather than, “Your room is a mess.”  A negative statement initiates the project and continues to feed it with negativity.  A positive statement energizes the project or task.
• Respond with visible excitement and energy to every innovative idea that your child expresses.  This affirms to the child that innovation generates energy.  The energy you demonstrate will nourish the child further.  Providing your children with positive energy is no less important than feeding them with the food that their bodies will convert to energy.

 

(ii) Educators:

• To transmit the energy of inspiration to your students, you need to bring wisdom to the class, not just information.
• Bring a new angle into every class.  Your innovation should excite you: a new insight, a new example by which to convey your idea, a new textual source or a life experience with which you can shed light on the teaching moment.  When you add your own wisdom to the material that you teach, your energy will inspire your students.  The outcome can be permanently transferable.

 

 

(iii) Business Leaders:

• The humility and value system established at the outset should be sustained, even in the face of huge success and wealth.
• Material success is the outcome of an enormous output of human energy.  Inertia inhibits success.  Energy converts into matter, into wealth.  Business leaders should generate and manage the human energy within their businesses at least as carefully as any other asset.
• Businesses should build cultures that inspire innovation.  Ideas generate energy and material value.