בְּרֵאשִׁית‎

BeReishit

Genesis

CHAPTER 1

With Commentaries

“And ELOHIM created man in His image, in the image of ELOHIM He created him; male and female He created them.”

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Ch. 2 ►

Speaking the Name of God

The Four-Letter personal Name of God, which it’s spelled, [ י-ה-ו-ה/Y-H-V-H ] indicates that God is timeless and infinite, for the letters of His Name are those of the words היה ,היה ,ויהיה, He was, He is, and He will be. When in prayer, or when a blessing is recited, or when a Torah verse is read, the Four-Letter Name should be pronounced as if it were spelled (Yodh, He, Vav, He, or say, אדני/Adonai, (which means, Lord, or My Lord), God’s personal Name identifies Him as the Master of All. At other times, it should be pronounced השם; HaShem, which means "The Name."
There are many reasons given in Judaism as to why the name of God should not be spoken out loud. From His Name being too Holy to be spoken, or to the Name being the same as the essence of God, regardless of the reason, His Name should be treated with the utmost respect. Rabbinic Judaism teaches that the name is forbidden to all except the High Priest of Israel, who should only speak it in the Holy of Holies of the Temple in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur. He then pronounces the Name "just as it is written." since there is no temple until Mashiach comes, Jewish people don't say God’s name.
Rabbi Tovia Singer gives another reason or explanation, and it is the one I like the best. He explains it like this. When you refer to your father or mother, you do not say his or her name. You usually say my mom or dad, but you would never say, for example, “Oh yes, Mike the other day.” No, you would not, and you do not say his or her name unless someone asks you for his or her name. Rabbi Tovia Singer goes on to explain that children do not use their parent's names, not even when they argue. He further explains, imagine that your sister always has arguments with your dad, and you are used to such arguments, but one time they go at it screaming at each other, and suddenly, your sister says, “Look, Mike!” To that, I am sure that the room would go silent in disbelief. To do that would mean that the daughter had had enough, and using her father’s name would be like something broke in the relationship. If she meant it, that would be like the daughter divorcing herself from the father-daughter relationship. She has gone too far, and this would be an emotional scar too deep to heal from. This reminds me of the verse from Malachi that says, and God is speaking;

Malachi 1:6

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? Says YHVH of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’.

Elohim is another Name/describer to refer to God, and today, this Name/describer is only used to refer to the God of Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), the Creator. In biblical times, this Name/describer was used to refer to more than just God our Creator. It was also used for other false gods and powerful men, kings, or men of power. So, a few times as you read the Bible, you will encounter this name/describer, and it will not mean God our Creator, but it could be any person or people of power, an angel, even. An interesting fact about the personal name of God, Y-H-V-H, is that you can find it in the Hebrew Bible over 6,828 times, and the Name Elohim appears more than 2,000 times.

Elohim translates to English as “gods” in “plural” form but is commonly said as God in singular. Before someone gets too excited, let me explain something. First, you must know what this Name/descriptor of our God means. Let us break down the plurality in this Name/Descriptor, Elohim.

Elohim means “Powers” because that is what El in Elohim means. El translates to Power and is also used to say God (in singular). In ancient times, the early people of the world could not comprehend the powers of nature, and as an example, they worshiped the sun as a god, they had a god of rain, a god for the rivers, a god of fertility, a god of the ocean, a god for death, and so on and so forth. Whenever they encounter a power or need a power to justify the unknown, they call it El, which once again was the word for god or power, making the two words synonyms. Now, back to our Creator Y-H-V-H God. He is the real power behind every power ever created. He created all the powers of Heaven and Earth. He created the sun, moon, stars, and earth with all its wonders. He gives life and takes it away. Y-H-V-H God is the Power behind all creation. That means that since He created all powers, He is all the Powers in the universe in one single entity. He is all the Powers of this world and the power of the heavens and beyond. He is everything. ONE single being behind all the POWERS. This is why Elohim means Gods/Powers in plural even though we refer to the ONE single God, our Creator.

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Ch. 2 ►

Day 1: Heaven, Earth, Light, and Darkness

In the beginning, ELOHIM/God created the heavens and the earth.

1 בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ׃

א

Every “i” will have the sound “ee” like in the word bee.

Adonai HaShem, our God, created everything at once, all combined. All the substances needed for creation were created simultaneously, and the heavens and earth occupied the same space. All the materials required to create the heavens and the earth were present; nothing was missing. It was all there, but it was all mixed like recipe ingredients. We will see this in the next verse.

הַשָּׁמַיִם/HaShamayim

This word means "The Heavens" in the plural; there is no singular form of the word Heaven. HaShamayim comprises the word Shamayim/heavens and the prefix Ha, which means the. In the Hebrew language, the prefixes and suffixes are not separated from the word but put together with the word, making it look like one word instead of one, two, or three.

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים/In the beginning of Elohim’s creating

This phrase is commonly rendered: In the beginning, Elohim created. This would indicate that the Torah is giving the sequence of Creation - that HaShem created darkness, then light, water, heaven, earth, and so on. However, according to Ramban (1194–1270) and most other commentators, the verse is chronological. It begins with a general statement: At the very first moment - from absolute nothingness - Elohim created the heaven and the earth, i.e., the basic substance from which He then fashioned the universe as we know it, as expounded in the following verses. The chapter continues the day-to-day process until it reaches its climax in the Creation of Man — the prime goal of Creation. As new parents-to-be, we prepare everything for a new child before birth. Buying a crib, blankets, clothes, getting a room ready for the new arrival, everything that is needed for a baby before it arrives. In the same manner, HaShem created everything that we need to thrive on this earth. Homiletically, the word בְּרֵאשִׁית, [In the beginning], can be rendered ראשית בשביל [the world was created] for the sake of [the things that are called] "beginning," meaning that Elohim brought the world into being for the sake of the things that are of such basic importance that the Torah calls them ראשית first or beginning.

And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was upon the face of the abyss. And spirit of ELOHIM/GOD hovered over the face of the waters.

2 וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם׃

ב

תֹהוּ/Tohu

Tohu means formless/confusion/unreality/emptiness/nothingness/empty space/place of chaos.

In verse two, the Torah described the state of the earth when it was formed, saying that it had no form, was full of confusion, was nonexistent, and so far, it was nothing, empty of anything, and a place of chaos. All these words that תֹהוּ/Tohu means describe its beginning.

וָבֹהוּ/VaVohu

The meaning of this word is emptiness, void, waste
This word appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible. One is here, translated as void; the other is in Issaih 34:11, translated as emptiness; and the last is Jeremiah 4:23, a direct quote of this chapter, Genesis 1:2 translated as void once again. So basically, it should be said that it is only mentioned twice because of the direct quote to this verse.

תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ/Tohu VaVohu

This phrase appears only two times in the Hebrew Bible, once originally in this verse and again in Jeremiah. It is a direct quote from this verse. So, it only appears once. I found a website called Jerusalem Prayer Team. In this website, it has an interesting explanation. Quoting from the site:

“to-hu va-vo-hu” could be associated with a group of words named onomatopoeia. These words mimic the sounds in nature with which these words are associated.

It goes on to explain that this means that it is like the word Hizz. Hizz is the actual sound of the hizzing sound the word describes. So, what does Tohu Va-Vohu sound like to you? To me, it sounds like boiling water or boiling lava. Additionally, the website also says something that is unrelated to the topic at hand, but I like it, so I will once again quote the website.

Today, “to-hu va-vo-hu” is a flowery and somewhat humorous expression, used to characterize a messy area, such as a house or a room or something very disorganized.

חֹשֶׁךְ - Darkness

This is not merely the absence of light but a specific creation, as is clearly stated in Isaiah 45:7 אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֹשֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂה He Who forms the light and creates darkness. This is also indicated by the Sages' [or scholars, or Chazal] characterization that until light and darkness were separated, they functioned "in a mixture," implying that patches of light and darkness were intermixed.

“And darkness was upon the face of the abyss.”

Darkness dominated everywhere in this new creation of HaShem, our God. It is written in this verse that the darkness created in verse one, along with everything else, was in the abyss. The word “תְהוֹם/Tehom” means deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, or sea. It seems that it refers to the deepness of water, which is true of this chapter of Creation, as we will find out in a verse or two.

רוּחַ - ruakh/wind/ breath/spirit

What is a ruakh? The word רוּחַ/ruakh means wind/breath/spirit. Ruakh is each of them and all of them. A ruakh is another creation of Hashem. We know wind, and we know what breath is, and they are both interchangeable. But is a spirit interchangeable with wind and breath? We know the wind; we can feel and see it by the things it moves around us, but it can not be seen. Similarly, our breath cannot be seen unless it is cold outside, but we can not see it under normal circumstances. Spirits in the same manner also can not be seen; they are like wind or breath but differ. Ruakh, in the meaning of a spirit, is a living thing with thoughts and purpose. How do I know this?

1 Kings 22:21-22

Then a Ruakh/wind/breath/spirit came forward and stood before HaShem/YHVH, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And HaShem/YHVH said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’

You will see me refer to this passage many times in my studies as it is a perfect example of what a Ruakh as meaning a spirit, is, and that is a Non-corporeal being capable of thought and reasoning of its own. HaShem, our God, uses these spirits for all sorts of jobs, as well as angels and men. We will find out as we study how spirits, angels, and men do most things in this world for our God, HaShem. However, as we see in this passage (1 Kings 22:21-22), the spirit did not act on its own but by God’s will. Only after God said he could do it did the spirit go out and do his job. You will find out in our studies that spirits and angels will not do anything that HaShem will not let them do.

This subject, which may open questions to you, is the subject or question of spirit possession, now known as demons. The word demon did not come into existence until the year 825 CE. First used in Greek writings. In the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), this word does not exist and has no meaning, and had no meaning until the Greeks invented it. Spirits are Non-corporeal wind spirits that do God’s will to help or hinder people by invoking feelings and putting thoughts into your mind. Spirit’s power does not limit itself to just this. They hold other powers, as we will see. An example of spirit possession is in

1 Samuel 16:13

“And the Ruakh/wind/breath/spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.”

God sent a spirit into King Saul to provoke anger in him.

Now, let’s go back to our verse. A spirit of Elohim/God went out and hovered over the waters, for what purpose though? To answer this question, you have to go back to the beginning of this verse, where it says, “And the earth was תֹהוּ/Tohu/formless and בהוּ/Vohu/void.” Now, you have to remember that Tohu also means a place of chaos. These waters were chaotic like a storm. So, the spirit was calming the waters to make way for the following days of Creation. You may ask how do I know that the spirits of HaShem (God) have this power.

Bereshit/Genesis 8:1

“And ELOHIM (God) remembered Noakh and all the animals and all the cattle that were with him in the ark, and ELOHIM (God) made a Ruakh/Spirit/Wind/Breath pass upon the earth, and the waters subsided.”

As the Ruakh/wind/breath/spirit of God calmed and evaded the water in the Great Flood in Noah’s time, in this same manner did this spirit calm these chaotic waters of Creation. One thing that you will read in my studies repeatedly is that you have to remember everything you have read and that you can not skip or read random verses out of context because if you do or do not remember what you have read. You will not understand anything about Scripture or God. If you want an example, it is like trying to solve an algebra problem without knowing how to add, subtract, divide, or multiply.

ELOHIM said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

3 וַיּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי־אוֹר׃

ג

Vayomer | ELOHIM | YeHi | Or | VayeHi-Or

Commentary Verse 3

No scientific information is found in the Creation Narrative because that is not what is important, and it is information that we do not need, especially to the people of the time when the Torah was given. The only important thing to know from this narrative is who the Creator of all is and who does everything and everyone belongs to.

ELOHIM said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

We will see later that when Adam was created, only when the breath of HaShem/God entered Adam through his nostrils was it said of him to be alive, so it is the same here. By the breath of ELOHIM/GOD, or by His voice, was the light created, and so will all things created in the six days of Creation. Everything will be created only by the breath of HaShem, our God and Creator. All things created by ELOHIM/GOD/ADONAI/HASHEM come from Him, by His breath that gave life to all in existence.

יְהִי/Yehi

This word means to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out. When God voiced the word Yehi, the light came into existence, and ever since then, light has been a permanent creation that has never, since then, has not departed; ever since then, it has always been.

ELOHIM saw that the light was good, and ELOHIM separated the light from the darkness.

4 וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ׃

ד

“ELOHIM/GOD saw that the light was good.”

What does the word טוֹב/Tov/good mean in the Hebrew language? It means to be good, pleasant, agreeable pleasant, agreeable (to the senses), excellent (of its kind), good, rich, valuable in estimation, glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature), kind, benign, and/or right (ethical). This, to some, can be minor, but is it? HaShem used this word to call all His creation Tov/good. To use this word for evil or malignant purposes is not a Tov thing to do. As an example, to see a person you do not particularly like go through rough times and say “good,” being glad that it happens to him or her this is evil. Your heart is not aligned with God. You should not spend time and energy on such emotions. Emotions are very important, and as we continue, we will see how important they are. Knowing where they come from and knowing how to listen to them and how to act on them is a teaching of Scripture that we must learn.

ELOHIM called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, ONE day.

5 וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד׃

ה

וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר - And there was evening and there was morning.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: The first day is now complete. Scripture uses the cardinal number אֶחָד/Ekhad/ONE, one day, instead of the ordinal number ראשון, first day, to indicate that on this day, Adonai HaShem/יְהֹוָה was One [because this phrase can be rendered the day of the One and Only]. HaShem God was alone on this day of creation, for the angels were not created until the second day.

Day 2: Separation of the Waters, by the Expanse

ELOHIM said, “Let there be a Rakia/expanse in the midst of the mayim/waters, that it may separate mayim/waters from mayim/waters.”

6 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם׃

ה

And ELOHIM made the rakia/expanse/firmament/sky/heavens, and it separated the mayim/waters which was below the rakia/expanse from the mayim/waters which was above the rakia/expanse. And it was so.

7 וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ וַיְהִי־כֵן׃

ז

And ELOHIM called the Rakia/expanse Shamayim/Skies/heavens/visible heavens. And there was evening and there was morning, second day.

8 וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם שֵׁנִי׃

ח

“Let there be a Rakia/expanse in the midst of the mayim/waters, that it may separate waters from waters.”

רָקִיעַ/Rakia

The meaning of this word is complex, and explaining its meaning or grasping the concept eludes me. This word only appears in Scripter 17 times. Nine of those times are in this chapter alone. If we take its meaning from this chapter alone, its meaning is the sky that we can see. Where was this Rakia made? Verse six says, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters that it may separate waters from waters,” in verse seven, it reads, “And it separated the waters which was below the rakia/expanse from the waters which was above the rakia/expanse.” So, the Rakia is somewhere inside the waters, not on top, not on the bottom, but in the midst of them, and this Rakia/expanse separated the waters; there is water on top and on the bottom of this Rakia. In my mind, it sounds like a bubble inside a liquid, that liquid being the waters.
Verse eight says that God called this Rakia, that He made, שָׁמָיִם/Shamayim, which translates to Skies, heavens, or visible heavens, which means that the sky that we see every day is this Rakia, and its name is sky or heaven, but in plural form.
I do not like to skip ahead, but for the sake of knowing more about this word, we will do so. Elohim/God said, “Let there be lights in the Rakia/expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night,” “And God set them in the Rakia/expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,” also, “And let them be lights in the Rakia/expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” The word used here for Rakia is בִּרְקִיעַ/BiRekia, which is the same word as Rakia but with a prefix attached to the word, which means in or inside. This is where Elohim/God set the sun, the moon, and the stars. Meaning that these lights are set inside the Rakia that Elohim/God made, inside the “bubble” within the waters. Verse twenty of this chapter says, “Let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So even the birds fly inside this bubble, which is the Rakia, which God called skies, heavens, or visible skies.
So what is the Rakia? The Rakia is where we live, and inside this Rakia also houses the space in which birds fly and the clouds float (is that the right word?), and where the sun, the moon, and all the stars are set by HaShem our God, all inside this Rakia/expanse. So if you wanted to know what is beyond the stars, well, that would be water, but also remember that the Ruakh/Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the waters, meaning there is a surface to the water. However, I think that you already know that we as human beings can never prove that, but if you are a person of faith and believe and love God, you will take this as truth.

You will find another verse interesting from the time of the Great Flood.

BeReshit/Genesis 7:11

“In the six hundredth year of Noakh’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the fountains of the abyss burst fully open, and the windows of the heavens opened.”

What did we learn of the Rakia? That God named it Shamayim/heavens/skies. So, God opened a way for the waters from below and the waters from above the Rakia to come in from outside of the Rakia. The same Rakia in which we live, the same Rakia where the birds fly, and the same Rakia where God placed the sun, the moon, and all the stars. So the waters of the Great Flood were not just rain but water from outside this Rakia. Knowing all this makes anyone think of what Rakia really is and how big it really is.

The following verses will be from the book of Ezekiel, which I must forewarn you. This book is very advanced Scripture and will be hard to understand as the book of Ezekiel is mostly poetic, and if you have read any poems, you will know what I mean.

Ezekiel 1:22-23

“Over the heads of the living creatures, there was the likeness of a Rakia/expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. And under the Rakia/expanse, their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body.”

Ezekiel 1:25

“And there came a voice from above the Rakia/expanse over their heads.”

Ezekiel 1:25

“And above the Rakia/expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire.”

Ezekiel 1:25

“Then I looked, and behold, on the Rakia/expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire, in appearance like a throne.”

These passages are from a dream, a vision, that Ezekiel had, but we are not concerned with the context of the vision. What we are concerned with is the meaning of the word Rakia. I must point out that the first verse says that the Rakia was “the likeness of a Rakia,” and it was over the heads of the Cherubim. So, even Ezekiel did not know, he only said that, to his eyes, that is what it looked like. It kind of makes me think of a portal to another Rakia that was on top of the Cherubim, but not like our Rakia/expanse. This Rakia, Ezekiel said, it was very bright and it had the appearance of crystal. Definitely a different looking Rakia/expanse then ours. So, I do not know if Ezekiel’s vision help me understand our Rakia/expanse in which we live on, but onward we go.

Psalms 19:2

“The Shamayim/heavens/skies declare the Glory of God and the product of His hand tell/make known the Rakia/expanse.”

Psalms 150:1

“Praise HaShem/YHVH! Praise God in His holiness, praise Him in Rakia/heaven/sky/expanse, His strength!”

Daniel 12:3

“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the Rakia/heavens/skies above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Psalms use the Rakia to exalt God in His great power, and Daniel uses the Rakia to exalt wise men who are wise in the Scriptures and those who turn other people to the path of good.
This is all there is to say about the Rakia, and I made my own conclusion. Now is the time for you to read and draw your own thoughts as to what the Rakia is. Remember, though, that the Creation chapter is not for us to understand how all created was made but to convey that HaShem, our God, is the owner and Creator of all in existence.

Second day. Unlike the first day, scripture does not use the cardinal number Two as on the first day but uses the ordinal number on the second day. Also, as mentioned, the heavens, the earth, light, and darkness had been created on the first day, but they were still in flux. On the second day, at HaShem’s command, "Let there be a Rakia/expanse, " they solidified, creating a division between the waters above and below (Rashi: 1040–1105). According to Ramban (1194–1270), however, the separation mentioned in this verse is between the wholly spiritual, [heavenly realm], extraterrestrial aspects of Creation and the tangible world that is within the province of Man [earthly realm, which would include even the furthest reaches of the solar system]. He states, "Do not expect me to write anything about [the creation of the second day] since Scripture itself did not elaborate upon it. . . The verses in their literal sense do not require such an explanation." Ramban's (1194–1270) implication is clear: The "firmament" and the "upper and lower waters" are among the mysteries of Creation that are either unknowable to Man or must be limited to those qualified to know them.

Since there is no solid dome encircling the earth, the commentators, including in Ezra (480–440 BCE), Malbim (1809 – 1879), and R' Hirsch (1808 – 1888), discuss the meaning of the word "firmament." Generally, they comment that the term refers to the atmosphere that encircles the world.

This is the only day regarding which the Torah does not say כִּי־טוֹב: it was good. Rashi (1040 - 1105) explains that this term is used only for a finished creation, but the waters, which were begun on the second day, were not completed until the third day.

Rabbeinu Bachya (1255–1340) also comments on why the Torah does not state that the achievements of the second day were good. He states that this is because the creation of the angels on the world above or the waters above the firmament, though momentous, was not the prime purpose of Creation. Rather, the prime purpose of Creation is the "lower world, [waters]," the world where Man does his work of bringing God's plan to fruition. Only when Man's interests are served do the heavens and the heavenly beings justify their existence; "the righteous are greater than the ministering angels" (Sanhedrin 93a)

Day 3: Gathering of the Waters and Vegetation

And ELOHIM said, “Let the waters collect from under the shamayim/heavens/kies to ONE place/location/region, and you may see the dry land.” And it was so.

9 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל־מָקוֹם אֶחָד וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה וַיְהִי־כֵן׃

ט

Let us remember that Shamayim/heavens/skies is what the Rakia is called, which means that the waters under the Rakia were gathered together to make the land appear.

And called ELOHIM, the dry land Earth, and the gathering of waters He called Seas. And ELOHIM saw that this was good.

10 וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב׃

י

Commentaries Verse 9-10

I noticed that the word waters (מַּיִם /mayim) is also present in the word skies (שָּׁמַיִם/shamayim, [the mayim part is waters, plural]), both waters, but different, [as if to mean two different places]. God split the waters by the creation of the Rakia, and on the water below, HaShem, God made the Earth. The bottom water was turned into the earthly human realm, but what about the water above? If I examine the word Shamayim and split it into two, like a prefix and the main word, being water. It does not work, as the prefix שׁ/Sh means that, which, who, or whom. But this does not make sense, not only in terms of meaning but also because Shamayim is a complete word to which you can add a prefix or suffix. However, I searched for the word Sha in Hebrew, and it says that this word alone means nothing, but if used in conjunction with another word, it could mean quiet or calm. Well, that brings interesting images to my mind. Like a sky devoid of clouds on a sunny day. What does that sky look like to you? Blue and clear and calm. Even the color of the sky is called sky-blue, blue like water. Sorry, my mind runs away from me sometimes. Welcome to my thoughts.

וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה - And let the dry land appear

The earth had been created on the first day, but it was neither visible nor dry until the waters were commanded to assemble in their designated areas (Rashbam: c.1085-c.1158). אֶרֶץ - Earth. This name is from רצה, to desire, i.e., it desired to do God's will. God began by creating one rock, which rushed to expand to fulfill His desire (Bereishis Rabbah 5:7, [a book probably written between 300 and 500 CE).

And ELOHIM 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.

11 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע עֵץ פְּרִי עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ עַל־הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי־כֵן׃

יא

Commentaries Verse 11

עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע - Herbage yielding seed

Adonai HaShem made all Creation self-sustaining. God's intercession is unnecessary unless a change is needed for His plan. Plants were created with the ability to reproduce and spread throughout the world, therefore not needing constant assistance from God.

God commanded that the vegetation grow its own seed within itself to be planted and spread elsewhere (Rashi: 1040 - 1105).

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

12 וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע לְמִינֵהוּ וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה־פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב׃

יב

And there was evening and there was morning, third day.

13 וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי׃

יג

Vay’Hi-Erev | Vay’Hi-Voker | Yom | Sh’Lishishi

Day 4: Constellations and Time as We Know It

And ELOHIM said, “Let there be lights in/inside the Rakia/expanse, the skies/heavens, to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years;

14 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים׃

יד

and they will be for lights in/inside the Rakia/expanse, the shamayim/heavens/skies, to shine/light upon the earth.” And it was so.

15 וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי־כֵן׃

טו

HaShem God, again, created the lights by His breath like he has created everything so far. God spoke it, and they were. Where did He create them? Inside the Rakia. Elohim/God said, “Let there be lights inside the Rakia, the skies/heavens.” So, the lights are not outside the Rakia; therefore, they are not in the waters above the Rakia. What were they made for? “to separate the day from the night; they would serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years.” So, before the sun, the moon, and the stars, there was day and night, but we would have no concept of time because we are earthly beings, and we tell time by these lights that we see every day. As we know, every calendar in existence is based on these lights. The calendars use these light cycles to tell the days, months, and years. If these lights had not been created for these purposes, we would have to depend on God to tell time. But HaShem wants us to be independent of Him. He wants us to stand on our own and make our decisions. You know, free will.
One thing we know of the lights in the sky is that they have been constant since the beginning of time. The sun, the moon, and even the stars have been shining down on us and staying consistent in the sky. The star Polaris has not moved, and the stars around it have been going around it for as long as we have known. We have the same constellations, making their endless cycle in our skies since ancient times.

And ELOHIM made the two great lights, the biggest light to dominate the day and the small light to dominate the night, and the stars.

16 וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים אֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַגָּדֹל לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים׃

טז

God did not name the lights in the Rakia; mankind did. God says He only created the biggest light and small light, and also the stars. Meaning that they should not be treated as entities; they serve a purpose, and that is it. These lights are tools for us and nothing else. Apart from their purpose (written in Scripture), we should not care or wonder how they were made, only what they serve us to do. These lights were made for us and to serve us in their purpose. To differentiate day from night and to tell time, no more. Well, at least so far.

Commentaries Verse 16

"Great" cannot refer literally to size, for the stars are larger than the moon. Instead, the luminaries are described as “Great” in relation to the visible intensity of their illumination and their proximity to Earth, and since the moon is closer to the Earth than the stars, its light is stronger than theirs (Radak 1160–1235; Malbim 1809-1879).

And ELOHIM set them in/inside the Rakia/expanse, the heavens/skies, to light/shine upon the earth,

17 וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃

יז

to rule the day and in the night, and to separate between light and the darkness. And ELOHIM saw that this was good.

18 וְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה וּלְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב׃

יח

Commentaries Verse 18

This verse defines the functions of the two luminaries. Their dominion consists of causing a distinction between the darkness and the light. The great luminary, the sun, will dominate by day and its light will be everywhere - even in places where its direct rays do not reach. The smaller luminary, the moon, will dominate by night - although it will do no more than relieve the darkness (Rambam 1138–1204).

And there was evening and there was morning, fourth day.

19 וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם רְבִיעִי׃

יט

Vay’Hi-Erev | Vay’Hi-Voker | Yom | R’Vii

The way I read it, on this fourth day, time as we know it started. The way I read it, HaShem created the sun, the moon, and the stars all to shine down on us and said that it would be to tell the set times, the passing of days, weeks, months, and years. To me, this sounds exactly like the passing of time.
So, time started on this fourth day. At least the way we terrestrial beings could tell, because without a sun, a moon, and the constellations going around us to tell the passing of time, how could we tell if all the days seem the same? We would go from day to day without being able to predict when summer ends, and winter begins until we reach it, or would there even be any seasons to a non-existent year? Would we even be able to crop without knowing the year's seasons? We, as earthly bound people, without the movement of the constellations around us, how would we know that is almost seeding time? How would we have grasped the concept of time passing, to begin with? I am not saying that time did not exist before the fourth day, but to us, it did not. Again, putting all our dependence on God and inability to stand on our own. Taking away our free will. God wants you to see up at the stars and see in it His greatness and the love He has for us in making a world in which we can work without Him. Does that mean that we should not depend on God? In a way, yes. We should cling to God because we love Him, not because we need Him. Yes, we need Him, but He also made it so we do not. Would you say that a husband can not survive without a wife or a wife without a husband? Of course, they can, but that would be too lonely, and there would be no love that only a life companion would offer. It would be a lonely existence and without love.

Day 5: Sea Creatures, and Birds

ELOHIM said, “Let the swarming waters swarm with nefesh/soul/living life/creatures, and birds will fly opun the face of the earth, upon the face of the Rakia/expanse, the shamayim/heavens/skies.”

20 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם׃

כ

נֶפֶשׁ/nefesh

Nefesh means soul, self, life, creature, person, living being. It is the word used to convey a living creature, whether an animal or a person. If it is alive, it is called nefesh.

“Let the swarming waters swarm with nefesh/soul/living live/creatures.”

Would you say that the seas and the rivers are still? No, they are not. They swarm with living creatures, have currents, and move all the time without stopping. As we look at the waters and the rivers, they are constantly in motion, and we look upon them, and we can only imagine how much life there is in them. So much so that until this day, we still find new marine life that we have not discovered yet; we do not even know the depth of the sea. It has not entirely been explored in depth.

“And birds will fly opun the face of the earth, upon the face of the Rakia/expanse, the shamayim/heavens/skies.”

I know that your Bible, with one hundred percent, certainly words this verse differently, but I try to word my translations as closely to the original as possible. I will only rephrase if absolutely necessary. I will not rephrase this part because it is full of imagery. Just think about it. “And birds will fly upon the face of the earth” if you are looking from above, and “upon the face of the Rakia” if you are looking from the ground to the heavens. God is telling us where birds fly and the viewpoint from both perspectives. HaShem God also affirms that the Rakia, where birds fly, is the shamayim/heans/skies we see.

And ELOHIM created the great sea creatures and all the creeping nefesh/living that swarm in the sea to their kind, and all wing birds to their kind. And ELOHIM saw for it was Tov/good.

21 וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים וְאֵת כׇּל־נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב׃

כא

And ELOHIM blessed them, for He said, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the waters in the seas, and the birds multiply in the earth.”

22 וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת־הַמַּיִם בַּיַּמִּים וְהָעוֹף יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ׃

כב

וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים - Elohim blessed them

These creatures needed a special blessing because so many are intentionally reduced in number - hunted down and eaten. The land animals created on the sixth day needed such a blessing, too, but ELOHIM did not give one to them to avoid including the serpent, which was destined to be cursed (Rashi: 1040 - 1105).

And there was evening and there was morning, fifth day.

23 וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי׃

כג

Vay’Hi-Erev | Vay’Hi-Voker | Yom | Khamishi

Day 6: Land Creatures and Man (male and female)

The sixth and final day of creation is at hand. Animal life was created first, then Man, whose performance for choosing good or evil would determine the universe's destiny. This sequence implies that HaShem was telling Adam, in effect, that the complete world is now placed in your hands. Your task is to make it function properly.

And ELOHIM said, “Let nefesh/live come out of the earth to their kind: animals, and creeping things to live on the land to their kind.” And it was so.

24 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ־אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי־כֵן׃

כד

When HaShem God created the sea creatures, He said to let the waters swarm, but when He created the land mammals and the other land creatures, He said, “Let nefesh/life come out of the earth/ground/land.” A distinction between the two, or three, as the birds were created on the same day as the sea creatures. And is it not curious how similar the fish look like they are flying when you see them in the water, especially in the sea in deep waters? It may be nothing but an observation that popped into my mind. I mean, even the rakia imagery applies. How so? Well, if you are scuba diving on top of the water and you look down and see some fish, you are looking down on them, and if you are on the ocean floor and look up at them, you see them in the other direction, just like the birds that fly in the Rakia/skies. If it were not that fish swim upright, they would mirror themselves to the birds that fly in the sky. Ok, back on topic. It would seem that sea creatures and birds are not like land animals because HaShem God spoke them into existence, but the land creatures were created by being commended to come out of the ground.

תּוֹצֵא - Bring forth

This term implies that a concealed, dormant presence was being brought into existence (Ahavas Yonasan; 1690 – 1764). For, as explained earlier, the potential for everything was created on the first day; it was necessary only to bring them forth (Rashi: 1040 - 1105). So, the ocean creatures and the birds came from the seas, and the cattle, creeping things, wild and beasts, came from within the earth.

נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה - Living creatures

These were independently living, breathing beings capable of reproducing their own species... The term could also include any living thing not explicitly mentioned, such as, for example, germs (R' Munk; 1900–1981).

And ELOHIM made life on earth/land/ground to their kind, the animals to their kind, and all that creep in the land to their kind. And ELOHIM saw for it was Tov/good.

25 וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל־רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב׃

כה

That it was good, as noted above; this expression of approval always applies to a facet of Creation after it is complete. Animals, vegetables, and minerals existence were complete and good as soon as they were created because they had neither the ability nor the requirement to develop themselves further. Man, us, mankind, we are in a different category. Our creation, which is about to be recounted, is not followed by a similar declaration of approval because mankind’s creation is never complete; we must always strive to better ourselves and our world.

And ELOHIM said, “We will make Adam/Man/Mankind in our image, like us, and to rule the fish in the sea with the birds in the Shamayim/heavens/skies, and with the animals within all the earth, and with all the creeping that creeps upon the earth.”

26 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכׇל־הָאָרֶץ וּבְכׇל־הָרֶמֶשׂ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃

כו

I know that the Rabbis say that God created heaven and the angels on the second day when God created the Rakia and separated the waters from the waters, but…I am not so sure. I mean, God created the earth on the waters beneath the Rakia, so it stands to reason that God created something else above the waters, right? Heaven, where the angels live. However, no mention of this is given. Plus, in verse two, the spirit belonging to God hovered above the waters, meaning that spirits had already been created on the first day or before. Additionally, and I am not sure if I want to go into this explanation right now, Elohim, the word that means God, is not only strictly used to convey HaShem, the real God, but is also used to convey an angel, angels, and even some men, like Moses was called God by HaShem God Himself. This I will explain in detail later. Right now, we only need to know that anyone who does God’s will is called Elohim or sent by HaShem to do a job is called Elohim. Even some powerful men, not angels or men of God, might be called Elohim, as we will see later.
This verse is very telling. First, God was talking to someone to say, “We will make Adam/Man/Mankind in our image, like us.” But this is known already. God was talking to the angels, which also participated in creation. This means that we, humankind, were created in their image, God and the angels. The angels are also made in the image of God because God did not say, we will make Adam/man in my image. So, as I see it, the reason why, throughout this chapter, the word Elohim/God is given in all creation, and not the Holy Name of HaShem. This is because God was using spirits and angels to create the world. Spirits and angels were the tools through which HaShem made this world. HaShem gave power to the spirits and angels to make this world. When HaShem spoke, “Let there be,” the spirits and the angels got to work on the newly created creation. When was the first time the words “Let there be” was used? On the first day of Creation, when God said, “Let there be light.” Given a command through His voice to be so. The describer word to convey that it was God working through angels and spirits to create the world is Elohim.
As we continue with this verse, not only are we made in the image of God, but we were also given the power to rule all the living creatures that have been created on earth so far. This is a power that we share with God, the angels, and maybe the spirits as well because the verse does not stop and continues saying, “and to rule the fish in the sea with the birds in the Shamayim/heavens/skies, and with the animals within all the earth, and with all the creeping that creeps upon the earth.” As humankind, we are partners with God and the angels in caring for the animals of all creation. Later, we will learn of commandments that order us not to make any animal suffer—teaching us how we are to rule over these animals.
So, make no mistake, there is only one Creator, one God, only HaShem, but He uses spirits, angels, and men to assist with the world’s affairs. This we will see as we progress.

Abarbanel (1437-1508) Commentary: Let us make Man. This preamble indicates that Man was created with great deliberation and wisdom. God did not say, “Let the earth bring forth,” as He did with other creatures; instead, Man was brought into being with the deepest involvement of Divine Providence and wisdom.

Targum Yonasan paraphrases: “And God said to the ministering angels who had been created on the second day of Creation of the world, ‘Let us make Man.’”

In the Midrash, it is written: When Moses wrote the Torah and came to this verse (let us make), which is in the plural and implies that there is more than one Creator, he said: Moses asked God, “Sovereign of the Universe! Why do You thus furnish a pretext for heretics to maintain that there is a plurality of divinities?” God replied, “Write!”. He went on, “Whoever wishes to err will err … Instead, let them learn from their Creator Who created all, yet when He came to create Man He took counsel with the ministering angel, messengers in Hebrew.” Thus, God taught that one should always consult others before embarking upon major new initiatives. He was not deterred by the possibility that some might choose to find a sacrilegious implication in the verse. The implication of God’s response, “Whoever wishes to err,” is that one who sincerely seeks the truth will see it; one who looks for an excuse to blaspheme will find it.

Rashi (1040 - 1105) Commentary: After Our likeness. With the power of understanding and intellect.

Ramban (1194-1270) Commentary: In His image, in the image of God. Among all living creatures, Man alone is endowed, like his Creator, with morality, reason, and free will. He can know and love God and hold spiritual communion with Him, and Man alone can guide his actions through reason. In this sense, the Torah describes Man as having been created in God’s image and likeness.

How can we prove this? Let us take gorillas or monkeys. These animals have been categorized as very smart animals. To be very close to mankind. Still, as smart as they are, they have not made themselves any smarter or have grown to make improvements for themselves. They have never made tools or techniques that have been improved upon to show a sense of reasoning as mankind does. No harvesting to improve their food guarantee for the future. No communities with permanent dueling. They have not developed speech and no sign of a god they worshiped as a community or as a single one. Scientists try to see how far these animals can go by teaching them sign language and even trying speech. Yet, these animals learn some sign language, but is it learning a language or more like training a dog to do tricks? Is it not just teaching them to communicate what they already know differently? But they have not improved on this new language they have learned. And why don’t these monkeys or gorillas, once they learn, not teach them to other monkeys or gorillas?

All animals were created to be what they are and can’t change. Yes, they can adapt to a new environment, but they stay within the limits of their intellect. Never improving to be a Creation like mankind.

And ELOHIM created the Adam/Man in His image, in the image of ELOHIM He created him; male and female He created them.

27 וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם׃

כז

This verse clarifies more about which image we are created in. The verse says that we are created in the image of God using the word בְּצַלְמוֹ/BeTzalMo, which is the word image with the prefix in and the suffix his. This single word means “In His image.” Word for word would be “in image His.” In the possessive singular.

אָדָם/ADAM

We all know Adam is the first man created, but this name is also what God calls mankind. When HaShem, in Scripter, wants to say mankind, He uses the word or name Adam. This is why, at the end of the verse, it is written, “male and female He created them,” even though the name Adam is used for the creation of mankind. The reason for this is complicated, but in short, we all came from the man called Adam.

And ELOHIM blessed them, and ELOHIM said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish in the sea, and the birds in the Shamayim/heavens/skies, and all life that roam upon the earth.”

28 וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁהָ וּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְכׇל־חַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃

כח

And ELOHIM said, “See, I give to/for you all vegetation that scatters its seed upon the face of the earth, and all the trees that scatter its seed to you to be for food.

29 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת־כׇּל־עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי כׇל־הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ פְרִי־עֵץ זֹרֵעַ זָרַע לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאׇכְלָה׃

כט

Some may get excited at these words, saying we can live off of just plants. However, everything changed after the Great Flood, and this will be explained later. See, plants before the Great Flood were unlike today's plants, and even humanity was different before the Great Flood. Because of the reasons explained in a later chapter, God will change the whole world, making plants weaker, and the need for eating animals will be needed. This is a perfect example of why reading verses without knowing Scripture or out of context is not good. Some may take this verse to argue that we can live off only plants when a later chapter changes everything.

And to all the living (animals) of earth/land, and all birds of the Shamayim/heavens/skies, and to everything that roams on earth, which is nefesh/alive and lives, all the green vegetation is their food.” And it was so.

30 וּלְכׇל־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וּלְכׇל־עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְכֹל רוֹמֵשׂ עַל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֶת־כׇּל־יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב לְאׇכְלָה וַיְהִי־כֵן׃

ל

נֶפֶשׁ/Nefesh

soul/self/life/creature/person/a living being

This word confused me a lot; it made me believe that all animals had a soul like us because this word means soul, but animals do not have a soul like us. It doesn’t help that it gets translated differently depending on which Bible translation you read. To us nowadays, the word soul means the spirit given to us people from HaShem God, but with this word, it just means that the subject is alive. Whether it be a person or an animal. As long as it is alive, it has a nefesh, or to say it has life. If it has flowing blood in its veins, and all the parts of it are functional, it is considered a nefesh, a living soul, or a living being. Not to be confused with HaShem’s breath blown into Adam’s nostrils. What HaShem God blew into Adam’s nostrils is another word. The word is נִשְׁמַת (Nish’Makh) - breath, spirit, or breath (of God). In other words, in Bereshit 2:7, HaShem blew breath (of God)/נִשְׁמַת/Nish’Makh into his nostrils, and in the same verse, it says, “and man became a living being, (nefesh),” using the word נֶפֶשׁ/nefesh, for the person, (as it is referring to Adam. Like Rabbi Tovia Singer says, “An animal does not have the soul as people do, an animal does not have the innate belief that there is a God, they just act on their emotions. We people believe in God instinctively”. Why? Well, that is because the soul in us came from HaShem Elohim/God Himself. We are made in the image of Adam, who was made in the image of God, and so, like Adam, we all are created in the image of God like Adam, we all have a Soul that came directly from HaShem Almighty Himself. Our souls are in tune to sense God, some more than others, but we all do.

And ELOHIM beheld all He accomplished and saw it was very Tov/good. And there was evening, and there was morning, sixth day.

31 וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה־טוֹב מְאֹד וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי׃

לא

Commentaries

The Vilna Gaon (1720 – 1797) notes that the creations of the first three days and those of the next three days (so days 1&4, days 2&5, and days 3&6) paralleled and complemented one another. The light was created on the first day, and the luminaries were placed on the fourth. The waters were separated on the second day, and aquatic and bird life were created on the fifth. The dry land and vegetation were created on the third and populated on the sixth by animals, one man and one woman. The Midrash (composed between 400 and 1200 CE) notes this phenomenon and comments that the Sabbath did not have a mate but that the Jewish people would be its mate because Israel would accept the commandment to observe the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath, the one day that HaShem said “enough.” Enough, or sufficient, is what one of HaShem God’s names means. El Shaddai is the name HaShem told to Av’raham in [B’reshit 17:1]. El Shaddai (Enough) has more than one meaning. First meaning, all we need is HaShem God in our lives. El Shaddai provides what we need as long as we walk with Him (follow his rules). You don’t have to pray for anything; He knows what you need and what you don’t. Meaning number two, as HaShem was creating the heavens and the earth, each day, each new creation, HaShem was hiding Himself behind the creation. But at the end of day six and at the beginning of the seventh day, he said, “Enough.” If HaShem had continued to create, He would have been so hidden that no one would be able to find Him, but He is now hidden just “Enough” that all who look for Him will find Him.

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