Beresheit - October 11, 2026 / 29 Tishrei 5787
We have come full circle and we start the 5787 Torah reading cycle with the first parsha of Bereishis by recounting the story of creation. I’m a Rabbi, not an astronomer, but one question always gets me so I’m going to share it with you. So here goes. On the first day of creation Hashem creates darkness and light…and there was evening and morning, one day.
Let’s fast forward to day four when Hashem creates the sun, moon, and stars…and there was evening and morning, fourth day. So here is my question. Everything we know about science tells us that the Earth’s rotation around the sun is what makes it a day. So how were there any days before the sun is created? Maybe even a better question is where did the light on day one come from?
The easy answer that solves much of our scientific questions is that Biblical time is not geologic time nor should it be read and interpreted literally. This solves our problem of how the world is only 5787 years old as well as demonstrating Hashem’s superiority over the heavenly bodies that were worshipped in ancient times. But is that enough of an answer? It explains what we cannot learn out but then what is the Torah really trying to tell us?
I am going to take us back to the Talmud in Tractate Chagigah (12a) just like I did for last year’s parsha power (which I am sure you remember). Rabbi Elazar asked this same question around 1,500 years ago, when many of the people hadn’t decided yet if the Earth was flat (and yes, I know some still think so) and also gave us an answer. He stated that the heavenly light of the first day enabled man to see from one end of the world to the other. But after the evil generations of the flood and the dispersion, Hashem hid that light and reserved it for the righteous people of the future, as it says in the Torah – Hashem saw the light was good.
This answer still needs some further explanation. In the earlier times before the evil generations, man could not see the world in a conventional sense (well maybe Pangea or something, I’m not a geologist either) but rather they could see the presence of Hashem in all things. The influence of Hashem in all things was as obvious as daylight. But once man ignored the obvious and continued to sin, only the righteous could achieve that level of clarity. This is our lesson on the light. We too can achieve that light that comes from within, not from the sun. But we can only find it by channeling our inner goodness and sharing it with the world.
As we just marked Rosh Hashanah as the birthday of the world, we are reminded to be a “light unto the Nations” (Isaiah) demonstrating our common humanity with others through acts of Torah and works of kindness. Whether you mark this coming week as Colombus Day, Indigenous People’s Day, or Monday please remember that only by looking with our inner light can we see from one end of the world to the other!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Josh
Let’s fast forward to day four when Hashem creates the sun, moon, and stars…and there was evening and morning, fourth day. So here is my question. Everything we know about science tells us that the Earth’s rotation around the sun is what makes it a day. So how were there any days before the sun is created? Maybe even a better question is where did the light on day one come from?
The easy answer that solves much of our scientific questions is that Biblical time is not geologic time nor should it be read and interpreted literally. This solves our problem of how the world is only 5787 years old as well as demonstrating Hashem’s superiority over the heavenly bodies that were worshipped in ancient times. But is that enough of an answer? It explains what we cannot learn out but then what is the Torah really trying to tell us?
I am going to take us back to the Talmud in Tractate Chagigah (12a) just like I did for last year’s parsha power (which I am sure you remember). Rabbi Elazar asked this same question around 1,500 years ago, when many of the people hadn’t decided yet if the Earth was flat (and yes, I know some still think so) and also gave us an answer. He stated that the heavenly light of the first day enabled man to see from one end of the world to the other. But after the evil generations of the flood and the dispersion, Hashem hid that light and reserved it for the righteous people of the future, as it says in the Torah – Hashem saw the light was good.
This answer still needs some further explanation. In the earlier times before the evil generations, man could not see the world in a conventional sense (well maybe Pangea or something, I’m not a geologist either) but rather they could see the presence of Hashem in all things. The influence of Hashem in all things was as obvious as daylight. But once man ignored the obvious and continued to sin, only the righteous could achieve that level of clarity. This is our lesson on the light. We too can achieve that light that comes from within, not from the sun. But we can only find it by channeling our inner goodness and sharing it with the world.
As we just marked Rosh Hashanah as the birthday of the world, we are reminded to be a “light unto the Nations” (Isaiah) demonstrating our common humanity with others through acts of Torah and works of kindness. Whether you mark this coming week as Colombus Day, Indigenous People’s Day, or Monday please remember that only by looking with our inner light can we see from one end of the world to the other!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Josh
