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Why does the Torah (תורה) begin with creation rather than the first mitzvah (מצוה)? 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.
Rabbi Zweig addresses Rashi (רש"י)'s fundamental question: why does the Torah (תורה) begin with Bereishis bara Elokim rather than with the first mitzvah (מצוה) given to the Jewish people, "Hachodesh hazeh lachem"? The conventional understanding—that the opening teaches God created the world and therefore has the right to give Eretz Yisrael to whomever He chooses—is inadequate. We would know God created the world from the philosophical definition of God as Ein Od Milvado, so why must the Torah explicitly state it? The shiur develops the principle that Torah is not merely a book of mitzvos, but rather a description of the relationship between God and the Jewish people. Every narrative included in the Torah—and every narrative excluded—reflects what contributes to understanding this ongoing relationship. Stories of the Avos disappear from the Torah once they cease to shape the infrastructure of this relationship. Sarah disappears after Yitzchok takes leadership; Rivka disappears after Yaakov receives the brachos. The Akeida appears prominently because it remains relevant to our relationship with God through all generations, while Avrohom's earlier sacrifice in the furnace of Ur Kasdim—though perhaps a greater test since he had no children and his entire legacy was at stake—is omitted because it does not define the ongoing covenant structure.
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Up Next in this Series
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.
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Bereishis 1:1
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Why does the Torah open with "Bereishis bara Elokim" rather than using God's name of mercy? The shiur develops a yesod that God created the concept of divine kingship to solve a paradox: humans need independence to have a real relationship with God, but independence requires the ability to genuinely serve rather than just receive gifts. This framework makes mitzvos authentic service that actually affects God rather than mere rule-following.
