Parashat B'reshit Oct 26, 2019 ~ 5780 Tishrey 27
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Shabbat Shalom –
This week we begin again with Parsha B’reishit. In the beginning... one of the most infamous of stories around the seven days of creation where Hashem created the heavens and the earth, Hashem said let there be light and created the day and night, and then Hashem said let there be firmament which Hashem called the heavens, and then Hashem created the earth in all of its glory along with the sweetness of the fruits of the earth. On the fourth day, the sun, the moon and the stars, on the fifth day, Hashem created birds to fly free and sea creatures on the 6th day Hashem created the creatures and inhabitants of our land and fellow human beings in his image and on then as we know on the 7th day he rested. And it is said “All was good”
But what if Hashem had created the world in reverse? What if perhaps Eve came first, then came Adam, and our lands other inhabitants. Then came the sun, the moon and the stars, then the earth and all of its fruits, and then heaven?
Well, Director David Fincher and a star studded cast the most handsome Brad Bitt and Kate Blanchett on Christmas day of 2008 offer us a possible look into such a scenario in the movie entitled “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and in this movie, Brad Britt plays Benjamin Button and Kate Blanchett plays Daisy. The movie begins where we’re presented with an infant that has the resemblance of an aged senior, frail, fragile, and is accepted in the community and viewed as this anomaly, creature created by G-d. Eventually Benjamin and Daisy meet. Daisy, a normal child and the movie takes us onto a journey with time moving in reverse for Benjamin and time moving forward for Daisy. As it presents various crossroads and challenges for each of them individually as well as a coupled pair where together they yearn to be able to be together, to find that middle of the road where they can relate to one another on the same wave lengthen spiritually, physically and mentally. Eventually the movie takes us through seeing them through a variety of role reversals.
Now perhaps if you’ve seen this movie, one might be encouraged by the idea of a bit of reversal in the order in which Hashem created the world as is presented in this week’s portion. Heck, the idea of Eve coming first before Adam, might certainly have created for a world where men had to persevere and fight for the right to vote, for the right to work, for the right to be an equal partner in this world.
But in all seriousness, this movie provides us with I believe a very profound lesson that connects and compliments some of the teachings and values that emerge from this week’s parshah.
And that is, that every beginning has an ending and every ending has a new beginning.
Just as we are born into the world, one might look at this as the beginning / start of life for the baby brought into the world, but in fact it is the end of the gestation period and the beginning of the conscious physical existence. And even at the end of that conscious physical existence, it is the beginning of what is promised to be an eternal spiritual existence in the Hashem’s Garden of Eden with that tree of knowledge that Eve in fact defied G-d. gave into temptation and ate of that Tree of Knowledge the forbidden fruit.
Now I’m not sure there’s a lesson necessarily to be derived from the fact that it was in fact Eve, not Adam that defied Hashem, perhaps because Eve evolved from Adam’s rib and not by Hashem himself, or if perhaps men are more obedient than women, but I believe much can be derived by the purpose and order of the way in which Hashem created the world, its order of creation, and even the fact that Hashem brought forth Eve from the Rib of Adam.
Who here has ever had the opportunity of being present for the birth of an infant?
And when the baby is born, what is the baby normally doing?
If we take a step back, and we think a little bit about times in our lives when we clench our fists, it’s typically an act / action directly correlated to one’s own self. I want, I need, I demand.
But have you ever noticed once our physical existence here on earth has come to an end, how are our hands those fists?
We physically are in capable of ever making that fist, that demand, expressing that desire, that need, that want because the muscle and nerves in our hands are now dead.
It is also at that juncture, that crossroad, that intersection that we are then promised a life ever lasting, to roam free, free of sickness, free of ailments, free of sadness, back in that Garden of Eden, with that great Tree of Knowledge.
The Midrash interestingly enough has an legend, a twist of the story line if you will, which is also referenced as well in Plato’s symposium and in other ancient traditions, and that legend speaks of the first human being as actually being human beings… a pair of twins attached and connected to one another, one male and one female. And it is said that Hashem divided them and commanded them to reunite, to find that other person which will make each of them complete again, in order to obtain wholeness and that sense of completion.
Now this stands in stark contrast to the belief that Eve was brought forth, created from the rib of Adam, that he had to give and offer of himself to obtain that sense of wholeness, of completeness.
But I believe either story line speaks to element that perhaps is that secret to returning to a where Hashem declared “all was Good” in the world. Both the story we are well acquainted with and this plot twist and legend of the Midrash each rely on having to give of one’s self.
In the story we are all familiar with, Adam had to give of himself, a rib in order for Eve to have been created, in the Midrash, conjoined twins had to forgo the other while dependent on the other to be whole. Both legends require and are dependent of having to give of one’s self.
So, as we begin and go forward in this new year, let us do so not in looking for what we can take, what it is we so desire, and not giving in to all the temptations and noise around us, but rather, let us do so in examining what we can do to give a bit more of ourselves, what can we contribute and do for the world Hashem has created around us to bring us closer to that Garden of Eden as we continue on our own life’s journey until the end of this beginning, and that start of its ending.
Shabbat Shalom!
This week we begin again with Parsha B’reishit. In the beginning... one of the most infamous of stories around the seven days of creation where Hashem created the heavens and the earth, Hashem said let there be light and created the day and night, and then Hashem said let there be firmament which Hashem called the heavens, and then Hashem created the earth in all of its glory along with the sweetness of the fruits of the earth. On the fourth day, the sun, the moon and the stars, on the fifth day, Hashem created birds to fly free and sea creatures on the 6th day Hashem created the creatures and inhabitants of our land and fellow human beings in his image and on then as we know on the 7th day he rested. And it is said “All was good”
But what if Hashem had created the world in reverse? What if perhaps Eve came first, then came Adam, and our lands other inhabitants. Then came the sun, the moon and the stars, then the earth and all of its fruits, and then heaven?
Well, Director David Fincher and a star studded cast the most handsome Brad Bitt and Kate Blanchett on Christmas day of 2008 offer us a possible look into such a scenario in the movie entitled “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and in this movie, Brad Britt plays Benjamin Button and Kate Blanchett plays Daisy. The movie begins where we’re presented with an infant that has the resemblance of an aged senior, frail, fragile, and is accepted in the community and viewed as this anomaly, creature created by G-d. Eventually Benjamin and Daisy meet. Daisy, a normal child and the movie takes us onto a journey with time moving in reverse for Benjamin and time moving forward for Daisy. As it presents various crossroads and challenges for each of them individually as well as a coupled pair where together they yearn to be able to be together, to find that middle of the road where they can relate to one another on the same wave lengthen spiritually, physically and mentally. Eventually the movie takes us through seeing them through a variety of role reversals.
Now perhaps if you’ve seen this movie, one might be encouraged by the idea of a bit of reversal in the order in which Hashem created the world as is presented in this week’s portion. Heck, the idea of Eve coming first before Adam, might certainly have created for a world where men had to persevere and fight for the right to vote, for the right to work, for the right to be an equal partner in this world.
But in all seriousness, this movie provides us with I believe a very profound lesson that connects and compliments some of the teachings and values that emerge from this week’s parshah.
And that is, that every beginning has an ending and every ending has a new beginning.
Just as we are born into the world, one might look at this as the beginning / start of life for the baby brought into the world, but in fact it is the end of the gestation period and the beginning of the conscious physical existence. And even at the end of that conscious physical existence, it is the beginning of what is promised to be an eternal spiritual existence in the Hashem’s Garden of Eden with that tree of knowledge that Eve in fact defied G-d. gave into temptation and ate of that Tree of Knowledge the forbidden fruit.
Now I’m not sure there’s a lesson necessarily to be derived from the fact that it was in fact Eve, not Adam that defied Hashem, perhaps because Eve evolved from Adam’s rib and not by Hashem himself, or if perhaps men are more obedient than women, but I believe much can be derived by the purpose and order of the way in which Hashem created the world, its order of creation, and even the fact that Hashem brought forth Eve from the Rib of Adam.
Who here has ever had the opportunity of being present for the birth of an infant?
And when the baby is born, what is the baby normally doing?
If we take a step back, and we think a little bit about times in our lives when we clench our fists, it’s typically an act / action directly correlated to one’s own self. I want, I need, I demand.
But have you ever noticed once our physical existence here on earth has come to an end, how are our hands those fists?
We physically are in capable of ever making that fist, that demand, expressing that desire, that need, that want because the muscle and nerves in our hands are now dead.
It is also at that juncture, that crossroad, that intersection that we are then promised a life ever lasting, to roam free, free of sickness, free of ailments, free of sadness, back in that Garden of Eden, with that great Tree of Knowledge.
The Midrash interestingly enough has an legend, a twist of the story line if you will, which is also referenced as well in Plato’s symposium and in other ancient traditions, and that legend speaks of the first human being as actually being human beings… a pair of twins attached and connected to one another, one male and one female. And it is said that Hashem divided them and commanded them to reunite, to find that other person which will make each of them complete again, in order to obtain wholeness and that sense of completion.
Now this stands in stark contrast to the belief that Eve was brought forth, created from the rib of Adam, that he had to give and offer of himself to obtain that sense of wholeness, of completeness.
But I believe either story line speaks to element that perhaps is that secret to returning to a where Hashem declared “all was Good” in the world. Both the story we are well acquainted with and this plot twist and legend of the Midrash each rely on having to give of one’s self.
In the story we are all familiar with, Adam had to give of himself, a rib in order for Eve to have been created, in the Midrash, conjoined twins had to forgo the other while dependent on the other to be whole. Both legends require and are dependent of having to give of one’s self.
So, as we begin and go forward in this new year, let us do so not in looking for what we can take, what it is we so desire, and not giving in to all the temptations and noise around us, but rather, let us do so in examining what we can do to give a bit more of ourselves, what can we contribute and do for the world Hashem has created around us to bring us closer to that Garden of Eden as we continue on our own life’s journey until the end of this beginning, and that start of its ending.
Shabbat Shalom!
