Embodied Pardes Worksheet B'reishit/Genesis 1:1-19 | Voices on Sefaria

Embodied Pardes Worksheet B'reishit/Genesis 1:1-19

This worksheet was created for a workshop offered at Gather and Grow, a retreat for practitioners and guides of Embodied Jewish Wisdom in 2019. The methodology presented is designed and created by Julie Emden - see more on the Embodied Pardes method at www.embodiedjewishlearning.org

When bringing forth Jewish wisdom teachings from primary text sources, at Embodied Jewish Learning we employ a method we call Embodied Pardes. We take one moment or line in Torah, liturgy or other source texts and apply the Pardes פרדס method, a traditional method of Torah Study where each letter of the word Pardes (orchard) represents a layer of Torah.

We employ this method through the lens of the body and kinesthetics:

Pey= Pshat =פשט Simple body parts or actions

Resh = Remez =רמז Hints at body elements or movements

Dalet = Drash= דרש Interpretations that can relate to the body's structure, functions, or movements

Samech = Sod=סודSecretreadings that reflect or relate to embodied practices

STEP 1: Identify key words

One person reads line 1 in Hebrew (if Hebrew is known), then second person reads line 1 in English. Or alternate reading lines in English, one line at a time.

Slowly take your time and pay attention to each word.

Discuss and circle or highlight words that refer to the body on any level of Pardes. (Body parts, elements, movements, or hints to bodily movements)

Write in the space after each line what you see.

Move on to line 2, and repeat this method.

STEP 2: Choose one or two of these words and move your body

Review your words circled on the sheet and select one or two key words to experience, play with, practice with movement modality of your choice together with your partner. Take yourselves through an entire movement sequence- movement-related, dance-related, yoga-related, breema, pilates, or other, and keep this concept in mind the entire time. Talk and share about what you notice in the body as you are moving - allow your imagination to flow, connect to other parts of the creation story or Torah. Take notes, capture all that you discover about where this word/idea/theme shows up in your body, in the movements as you go.

בראשית א׳:א׳

(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(1) When God began to create heaven and earth—

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ב׳

(ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

(2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water—

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ג׳

(ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃

(3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ד׳

(ד) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

(4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ה׳

(ה) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃ (פ)

(5) God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ו׳

(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יְהִ֥י רָקִ֖יעַ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַמָּ֑יִם וִיהִ֣י מַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין מַ֖יִם לָמָֽיִם׃

(6) God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, that it may separate water from water.”

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ז׳

(ז) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

(7) God made the expanse, and it separated the water which was below the expanse from the water which was above the expanse. And it was so.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ח׳

(ח) וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שֵׁנִֽי׃ (פ)

(8) God called the expanse Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ט׳

(ט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִקָּו֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם מִתַּ֤חַת הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶל־מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וְתֵרָאֶ֖ה הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

(9) God said, “Let the water below the sky be gathered into one area, that the dry land may appear.” And it was so.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י׳

(י) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

(10) God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering of waters He called Seas. And God saw that this was good.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״א

(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֔שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

(11) And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״ב

(יב) וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

(12) The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that this was good.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״ג

(יג) וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שְׁלִישִֽׁי׃ (פ)

(13) And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״ד

(יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיּ֖וֹם וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים׃

(14) God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years;

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ט״ו

(טו) וְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

(15) and they serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:ט״ז

(טז) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃

(16) God made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״ז

(יז) וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(17) And God set them in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״ח

(יח) וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

(18) to dominate the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that this was good.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

בראשית א׳:י״ט

(יט) וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם רְבִיעִֽי׃ (פ)

(19) And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

Key words in this line:

Where they appear in the body/movement:

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