בראשית
Dedicate a Shiur in Parshas Bereishis
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28 shiurim for Parshas Bereishis
Why does the Midrash call death itself 'tov meod' (very good)? Death functions as the mechanism for bodily perfection - like a seed that rots to produce new life, the body must die to emerge perfect for techiat hameitim. This transforms death from punishment into hope, ensuring no sin permanently taints us beyond repair.
Why does the Torah stress that vegetation produces "seed" rather than focusing on the plants themselves? The emphasis on seeds over finished products appears throughout Torah - even Seder Zeraim focuses on seeds despite most of its laws governing fruits and grains. This pattern suggests seeds represent something fundamental about how Hashem designed creation to function.
Why did Adam need permission to kill animals for meat, but Noah received that permission? The shiur contrasts two approaches: the Ramban sees meat as spiritually gross food unsuitable for Adam's refined soul, while Tosafos views the prohibition as about killing rights, not food quality. This connects to deeper questions about why Hashem designed creation to require annual seed replanting rather than self-perpetuating vegetation.
Why does Jewish law require natural decomposition instead of preserving bodies in sealed caskets? The shiur develops the concept that death is not divine punishment but God's loving mechanism for re-embracing humanity after we disconnected ourselves from eternal life. Burial becomes like planting a seed - beginning the process of recreation for resurrection rather than disposal.
Why did Adam separate from Chavah for 130 years after the sin, yet immediately return to her when Lemech's wives challenged him? The separation stemmed not from the decree of death, but from Adam's fundamental misunderstanding of what a wife is meant to be—an ezer, not an equal decision-maker. Only when correcting Lemech's wives did Adam grasp his error: Chavah was always his true zivug, and his failure to appreciate her proper role had been his own fault all along.
Why did Hashem switch from strict judgment to mercy at creation itself, before any sin? The shiur explains that divine mercy isn't about changing how Hashem judges, but about how He created us. By breathing His essence into Adam, He established a parent-child relationship that makes mercy the natural response to our failings.
Why does Rashi give two different formulations for lifnei iver — "giving bad advice" in Kedoshim versus "persuading with bad advice" in Behar? The distinction reveals that manipulative persuasion constitutes an "action" that takes control over another person. This explains why the nachash received an arur — he didn't merely advise Chava but manipulated her into sin.
Why does the Torah write 'Bereishis bara Elokim' when it could have written 'Elokim bara Bereishis' to avoid misunderstanding? A Midrash reveals that Hashem demonstrates true leadership by first acting and only then accepting kingship. This model contrasts with typical kings who demand power before they serve.
Why does the Torah prohibit accepting ransom for a murderer - couldn't this benefit destitute families? The Cain and Abel narrative reveals that murder attacks not just the victim but God Himself, since humans bear the divine image. Since God cannot accept compensation for this cosmic offense, only execution suffices.
Why did Hashem give specifically brit milah and korban pesach before the Exodus? Yechezkel's description of Klal Yisrael as "erom v'eryach" reveals two types of shame: external shame from others' perceptions and internal shame about ourselves. Brit milah addressed the internal emptiness by marking our covenant with Hashem, while korban pesach's mesirus nefesh demonstrated worthiness of respect.
Why did Adam blame the woman God gave him for his sin? The shiur builds on the Maharal's reading that Adam's complaint revealed he saw God's gift of woman as a limitation, not a kindness — the ultimate failure of hakaras hatov. Real gratitude means recognizing that God made man incomplete precisely to give him the capacity for relationship and eternity. Without that recognition, no avodas Hashem is possible.
Why does God require mortality and Jewish burial? The shiur argues that death is not punishment but God's loving mechanism for re-embracing humanity and enabling eternal recreation. Jewish burial in the earth—rather than hermetic sealing—initiates the spiritual recreation process: the body as a seed planted in the womb (kever) of the earth. This is why man was formed from all four corners of the earth (Rashi on Bereishis)—so burial anywhere can recreate the body. Resurrection becomes the cardinal principle that transforms death from God's wrath into re-union.
Why does the Torah begin with creation rather than the first mitzvah? Bereishis bara Elokim means God is reflected in creation—not merely that He created it. This establishes that Eretz Yisrael is God's domain where His presence dwells, and no nation can own it; only those who maintain a relationship with Him may live there.
Why does burial require the body to decompose rather than be preserved? The shiur argues that death is not divine punishment but God's embrace — an opportunity for the soul to reunite with Him. Burial mirrors planting: the body becomes a seed from which the perfected resurrected form will grow. This understanding transforms our relationship with mortality and with God.
What is true comfort after losing someone close? The shiur redefines nachama through Noach's agricultural innovation after the cursed earth - true comfort means using strength to carry forward the deceased's mission, not just feeling better. This explains why comfort requires being a gibor and why Yaakov couldn't be comforted for the living Yosef.
Why does Parshas Noach repeat the flood narrative already told in Bereishis? The shiur distinguishes two decrees: Bereishis describes punishing the wicked while saving the righteous; Noach describes destroying the Earth itself—a reversal of creation. Noach's mission in the ark was not mere survival but restoring cosmic order through discipline and covenant, enabling Hashem to rebuild a world capable of fulfilling His original creative purpose.
Why does the Mishna define wisdom as "learning from everyone" while the Gemara says "seeing the future"? The shiur traces this to the fundamental battle between Greek wisdom (seeking mastery for human perfection) and Jewish wisdom (requiring humility before divine truth). This explains why the Chanukah miracle required pure oil rather than accepting communal tumah - conceding impurity would have validated the Greek view that holiness is unnecessary.
Why are the 39 melachos forbidden on Shabbos specifically those used for building the Mishkan? The shiur develops that both Creation and the Mishkan were accomplished through divine speech, not physical labor. Shabbos thus commemorates both God's transcendent creative power and His immanent presence through Torah, making it a taste of the messianic era when divine presence will fill the world.
Why does the Torah first mention 'soul' when describing fish and birds, not humans? The Ramban's framework reveals that animal souls differ from human souls - they're physical matter given life-form through sensitivity to divine reality. This explains why animals can teach us values like modesty, and why dead land animals create tumah while fish don't.
Why did Hashem create vegetation with seeds rather than having the earth continuously produce crops? The shiur develops a yesod that Hashem designed creation to give man independence - one may only take from the world to the extent that one contributes to it. This principle explains both the agricultural laws and why Adam could eat plants but not animals.
Why was the earth punished only after Adam's sin for failing to make tree wood taste like fruit? From 'Tatzeh ha'aretz desheh' onward, God embedded responsiveness into creation rather than directly willing everything into existence. This explains why nature should respond to righteous people fulfilling divine will, and why Eretz Yisrael uniquely reflects the spiritual state of its Jewish inhabitants.
Why does the Torah describe water's creation spanning both the second and third days, rather than completing it on one day? The shiur develops a fundamental distinction between 'eretz' (place) and 'yam' (sea) as opposing spiritual states. Earth represents being centered and grounded, while water forces us outside ourselves to achieve objectivity - necessary for recognizing God as the true center of existence.
Why did creating the firmament on the second day require God's 'powerful shout' and such extraordinary effort, unlike other days of creation? The separation of fire and water in the heavens established two types of opposition in the world. Destructive hatred seeks mutual annihilation, but productive disagreement stems from recognizing fundamental unity while struggling over who dominates that connection.
Why does Rashi say God was alone on day one, yet the Midrash claims God always wanted partners? Angels, despite their abilities, serve primarily for self-expression and might claim partnership with God. Humans with genuine free choice can act purely for God's sake rather than self-fulfillment, making them safe partners worthy of receiving divine authority.
Why did Hashem need to separate light from darkness if both existed anyway? The separation created fixed day-night cycles that allow humans to fully access both physical vitality (through sight during day) and spiritual connection (through darkness at night). This explains why Shabbos begins with sublime Friday night zemiros but continues with substantial daytime meals, and why holidays start at night with inner feeling before outward expression.
Why does creation begin with 'tohu v'vohu' - emptiness and confusion? The shiur argues that this emptiness wasn't just on day one but continued until man gained da'as, since without awareness of purpose, existence is meaningless. Creation necessarily includes this void because only by sensing our incompleteness do we become driven to discover our true destiny and achieve divine awareness.
Why does Rashi read "Bereishis" as "When God began creating" rather than "In the beginning God created"? The shiur develops the distinction between "rishon" (first in sequence) and "reishit" (origin/source) to show that Bereishis establishes God's personal investment in creation. This transforms how we understand mitzvos and sin—we're not just following commands but maintaining God's personal property.
Why does the Torah begin with creation rather than the first mitzvah? Rashi's answer that it establishes our divine right to Eretz Yisrael seems ineffective since non-Jews reject theological arguments. The Torah's extensive historical narrative teaches us internally that meaningful action requires understanding our purpose, transforming us from mechanical performers into people who relate to God through mitzvos.
