Parshat Beresheit ~ Genesis 1:1-6:8
Baruch She'emar V'ha'ya ha'olam — Blessed is the One who spoke, and the world came into being.
We chant these words each morning, but do we fully understand their meaning in our sleepy, pre-coffee selves?
What power there is in the ability to create with words! Every day we acknowledge that our Creator has this power, but do we realize we possess a similar gift? Created b'Tzelem Elokim (in the image of God), we strive to emulate divine attributes—mercy, justice, forgiveness, and kindness. Just as God rested after creation, we too observe Shabbat. And just as God created the world with words, we also create through speech, though on a smaller scale. Our words can nurture and build or wound and destroy.
There are many stories about the creation of the world. One of my favorites comes from the Zohar, a foundational Kabbalistic text. It explores not only the power of words but also the very building blocks of those words—letters.
In Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Creation), it says, “With 22 letters, God embossed, chiseled, weighed, changed, refined, and shaped all beings that exist or will come to exist.” This passage highlights the active, creative potential of each letter. Not only do words have power, but individual letters also carry immense creative energy. They are like master artisans, shaping the essence of our reality. When we speak, we too are artisans, crafting thoughts and utterances that shape the world around us.
A midrash in Bereshit Rabbah teaches that the Torah existed 2,000 years before the world, and during that time, God played with the letters. Let’s imagine the moment when God was ready to create the world. According to the Zohar, each letter appeared before God and made a case for why the world should be created with it. God considered each letter carefully, offering reasons for rejecting them, until reaching the one destined to be chosen.
The Hebrew alphabet contains 20 letters. The letters pled their case in reverse order, with Taf going first. When almost all the letters had been rejected, Bet appeared and said, “Create the world with me because I am the first letter of beracha (blessing).” God agreed, saying, “Indeed, by you, I will create the world.”
Interestingly, Aleph remained silent. After Bet was chosen, God asked Aleph why it had not appeared. Aleph responded that there was no point—it was clear from Bet’s expression that it had been chosen. God then reassured Aleph, promising it would be first of all letters, symbolizing unity (achdut). “With you,” God said, “all counting begins, and every deed in the world starts.” Thus, Bet and Aleph together begin the first 4 words of creation, Bereshit Bara Elohim Et.
Bereshit represents God’s blessing in creation, while Bara represents our role in continuing that creation. Elohim reflects God’s attributes of justice and might, while Et—the simple preposition—represents us, humans, and the endless possibilities that follow.
This week’s parasha reminds us of the power of words, both divine and human. From the beginning, God created with words. Later, destruction also came through words. We see how blessings can be bestowed or harm caused through speech, vows, and promises. Just as the world was created through powerful, active letters, so too are our lives shaped by the words we choose.
As we begin this new year of 5785, may we learn to choose our words carefully, crafting them with the same intention and care that went into the creation of the world. May our words build a world of peace and understanding.
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