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Torah Portion
Torah And Man:
New Insights Each Year
Shabbat Bereshit:
Genesis 1:1-6:18;
Isaiah 42:5-43:10.
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His will known to man. Beyond those
two statements, we have little else.
But the question with which the
Bible grapples on every page is a dif-
ferent one — "What is humanity?"
The Torah, which begins with the
story of God's creation, quickly moves
his Sabbath, Shabbat
onward to the climax of that creation
Bereshit, has a special place
in the composition of man. And with
in the calendar of the
his origin on the sixth day, the Bible
Jewish people.
never loses concern about its involve-
The entire reading of the
nient with the question of
five books is completed on
"What is man?"
Simchat Torah and we com-
The way we answer
mence the Torah reading
affects the society in which
anew. Thus, the cycle of the
we live, the nature of our
year is identical with the
conduct, the moral choices
cycle of its weekly Torah
we
make, and the develop-
readings.
ment of our character. What
Something very remark-
is man?
able needs to be noted about
The Torah says man is a
the study of Torah. The text
child
of God. Each person is
RABBI IRWIN
always remains the same.
born
with
a dignity that
GRONER
One is not allowed to change
cannot
be
denied
or reject-
Special to the
one line, one dot, in the
ed. No power on earth, no
Jewish News
written Torah. Yet, in the
organization or group, has
eyes of the reader, the text
the right to deprive any
never seems old or repetitious. Every
human being of the dignity that
year, it looks new and fresh. There are
inheres in him. Man is the only mas-
always new insights to be found.
terpiece to which the Divine Artist
Each time we read the Torah, we
appended his signature.
are a year older; we have learned more
From this perspective, the rabbis
about life; we have, hopefully, grown
ask a profound question. Why was
in understanding and experience.
one man created? God created swarms
The rabbis compare the Torah to a
of living creatures, the fish in the sea,
letter from a loved one who has gone
the beasts, the animals and all that
on a long journey. The letter is God's
moves. God took dust, created one
letter, and He presented it to us many,
man, why one?
many centuries ago. But we haven't
And they answer because one per-
heard from Him lately. And we long
son is equal in value to the whole uni-
for Him and our hearts are filled with
verse and carries, in his existence, the
the desire to feel His presence. Our
meaning of all that God has brought
only way to be with Him is to read
into being. What more graphic, com-
and re-read the letter.
pelling, vivid way to tell us about the
The Torah has an element of para-
sanctity, the kedushah, holiness, of
dox. It is generally considered the
each person.
book of God. Indeed, from the very
Every human being is a world in
first sentence, God is the central fig-
himself/herself
ure. "In the beginning, God created
..." And yet, this book tells us far
more about humanity than it does
about God.
We cannot answer the question,
Why do you think God created k
"What is God?" Even rhe most eru-
the
animals? Why did God ask
dite, the greatest philosopher reaches
Adam
to name the animals?
the end of his inquiry and encounters
How
did
life change from the
the presence of mystery. The Torah
time God pronounced all as
never yields the final answer, but
"good" till His decision to erase
offers, instead, a fragment of a frag
human
and animal lives from the
menr. God exists and He has made
earth in the great flood?
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
T
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