When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week I learned about Parashat Bereishit (בְּרֵאשִׁית), the first weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Bereishit (בְּרֵאשִׁית), Genesis 1:1 to 6:8, contains 7,235 Hebrew letters, 1,931 words, 146 verses and makes up 241 lines of the Torah scroll. Bereishit is the cornerstone of the Torah; God creates light and darkness, the heavens and Earth, the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve and Sabbath. Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge and G-d expels them from the Garden of Eden. Their son Cain murders his brother Abel. The descendants of Adam and Eve populate the Earth, however each generation becomes more and more degenerate until G-d decides to destroy humanity with a great flood. Only one person, Noah, finds God’s favor.
This week I also learned that the Shabbat before the start of a Jewish month (Rosh Chodesh) is known as “Shabbat Mevarchim” or “the Shabbat when we bless.” On this day during the synagogue service, we recite a special blessing for the new month and announce the timing of Rosh Chodesh.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Shabbat Torah reading, Genesis, for October 14, 2023 aka the 29th of Tishrei, 5784:
“As we read this, we are horrified by the dastardly attack on our beloved Israel and the brutal slaughter of our fellow Jews that occurred on Simchat Torah. Of the many aspects of this week’s Torah reading, probably the most difficult is understanding how and why evil exists in the world. We are introduced to evil with the story of Cain and Abel.
The Torah relates that G-d was more accepting of Abel’s offerings and as a result Cain became enraged and murdered his brother. Perhaps, upon realizing that his actions were an abomination, he tries to hide from G-d. When confronted, and asked, “where is Abel, your brother?”, he replies, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
There is no logical answer to why evil exists and why it is so powerful that so many people are drawn to follow it. All that we know is that the good people of the world cannot sit idly and indifferently in response. Further, we cannot attempt, as Cain attempted to do, hide from the face of evil.
We will bury our dead brethren and comfort their families. We will support Israel with all our power and courage and resources. Above all, we will bring to justice the murderous, evil individuals and their leaders. More than that, we can never become complacent and we must constantly be on guard and identify and confront evil in all of its manifestations. One of the abiding lessons taught to us in Bereishit is that we are and should always be our “brothers keeper”.
Questions to Consider:
- Why does the Torah relate the story of creation three separate times?
- How are the three narratives of Creation different?
- Why does G-d not punish Cain by taking his life?
- Who were the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis Chapter 6?
- Who were the Nephilim?“
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his shicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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