This week’s parsha, Bereshit, describes, among other things, the creation of the world. The creation story is partly confusing, sometimes repetitive, and seemingly missing information. Thus it makes sense that according to many classical commentaries the Torah’s creation story is not literal, but rather its purpose is to teach us important lessons and foundational concepts,…

We have just completed the pathway of the Tishrei holidays whose purpose is to provide us with a strong foundation for the coming year. The process of Teshuva fixes and strengthens our relationships with others and with God, and Sukkot gives us an appreciation for all that we have, including – in agricultural times –…

“In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the land.”  Rashi (11 century) comments, “…The Torah is not attempting to describe the order of the creation…for if it was how could the Torah say, ‘the spirit of G-d hovered over the water,’ before it has spoken of the creation of the waters…thus it must be…

Beginnings are a very powerful time in Judaism.  I guess the best place to learn about them is at THE BEGINNING.  When the Torah describes God creating human beings God says something strange: “Let us make humans”.  The classic Jewish commentaries ask: “Why us?”  Clearly the Torah sees God as only One.  Who is God…

In this week’s Torah portion, Berashit, the first humans, Chava and Adam are created.  The story of their creation is told twice in the Torah, the first in chapter 1 and the second in chapter 2, with many differences.  In the first story Adam and Eve are created at the same time in the image…