Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6.8
Bereshit (‘In the beginning’)

We are nearing the end of the month of Tishrei; Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot are behind us once more. Most recently on the Jewish calendar has been Simchat Torah – rejoicing over the Torah as God’s gift to His people – when the Torah scroll is held aloft and carried around a synagogue, to the rejoicing of all.

The word Tishrei means 'new beginning' – it is a season of new beginnings, and brings us around once more to the beginning of the Torah cycle of readings. This week's portion is Bereshit – ‘in the beginning’. The portion is all about beginnings - of this universe and of Covenant history. There is so much of new beginnings in the Book of Genesis that some Bible teachers say that all of God's teaching begins here.

Annual Cycle?

Yet we are also in a cycle: a yearly cycle of weeks, months and annual Feasts into which our Torah reading cycle fits. In a way this reminds us of what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:7, that there is “nothing new under the sun”, that everything can seem to go perpetually round and round – “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.”

But this is not the context of our beginning again the cycle of Torah readings. Solomon was considering the way human philosophy alone can take us. If we try to search out beginnings by our own observations within the created order, without belief in the God of Creation, we cannot find starting points or eternal meaning. Our own logic takes us round in circles like the rivers that seem to have no beginning or end.

But it is through eyes of faith, not philosophy, that we must read the scriptures and remind ourselves year by year of what God has done through His creative acts from outside our created order. Only there will we find beginnings on which to build our lives – beginnings which lead somewhere, rather than just going round and round in vain.

Eyes of Faith

The important passage in the Book of Ecclesiastes is right at the end. The philosopher goes round in circles of human logic with no beginning or end. But the person of faith begins with God and His Creation and builds this solid ground: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all” (Ecc 11:13).

Likewise, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding”, God said to Job (Job 38:4).

So, as we begin our Torah studies again let us rejoice that our foundations of life will be strengthened, but let us study through eyes of faith - faith in the God of Creation, who is also the God of Covenant, the Covenant which is still being fulfilled in our day and in our lives.

Author: Clifford Denton