Renewal from Bereshit

Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald

The Parasha in our everyday life – Parashat Bereshit - 5782

There is nothing in the world that can make us happier - than renewal, something new and refreshing that paints our lives with a new color, stimulating and exciting, instilling hope. On the other hand, only stability, permanence and certainty can calm the soul and instill confidence. How can these two be bridged?

There is nothing like Israel’s Torah in its eternity and in its resistance to all the changes that have taken place in the world. On the other hand, you have nothing more dynamic and vibrant in the world than the study of the Torah in the Beit Midrash. The principles, the roots and the commandments are the framework of life, they do not change:

אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁזֹּאת הַתּוֹרָה לֺא תְהֵא מֻחְלֶֽפֶת וְלֺא תְהֵא תוֹרָה אַחֶֽרֶת מֵאֵת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ:

“I believe with complete faith that this Torah will not be exchanged, and that no additional Torah [will be given] by the Creator, blessed is His Name.”

Therefore, every year we read the same passages from Bereshit again. And thus, we feel that our solid foundations of 3500 years continue to guide our conduct and lives. But here, too, there is space for renewal, in the repetition itself, since every year there is reading anew the Parashiot of the year, and a new meaning for us:

לפי הפשטות המתחדשים בכל יום.

“…he would need to produce other commentaries according to the plain meanings that renew each day.” (Rashbam on Bereshit 37:2)

Every year you can find new things in the events narrated in the Torah, which took place a long time ago, from the שבעים פנים לתורה"” (70 ways to interpret the Torah). (Bamidbar Rabbah and Zohar).

Every detail, mitzvah or description of an event that is narrated in the Torah, has different aspects, and therefore it is said:

הפוך בה. והפוך בה. דכולה בה

“Turn it over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein”.

Every time you read the Torah you can come up with new insights, and see a different side of what you saw before. The sages said:

וְאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה שׁוֹנֶה פִּרְקוֹ מֵאָה פְּעָמִים לְשׁוֹנֶה פִּרְקוֹ מֵאָה וְאֶחָד

 “…one who reviews his studies one hundred times is not comparable to one who reviews his studies one hundred and one times”. (Chagigah 9b)

The "Sefat Emet" makes it clear that in addition to the special meaning that everyone has in reading the Torah again, it has an objective significance.

וכן שמעתי מפי אא"ז מו"ר ז"ל פ' הפסוק בינו שנות דור ודור שיש בכל שנה ושנה הבנה חדשה בתורה:

Every year there is a unique, renewed understanding in the week's Parashat Hashavua (Sefat Emet, Devarim, Sukkot 9).

כי בכל שנה מתחדש סדר הבריאה… וכמו שהמדה בשמים כך למטה… ובאמת בכל דור מתגלה דרך חדש עפ"י התורה. וז"ש מורשה קהלת יעקב שהוא ירושה המתגלה בכל דור ודור ובכל שנה ושנה. וחז"ל דרשו אל תקרי מורשה אלא מאורסה. פי' שיש דרכים חדשים בתורה שעדיין לא יצאו מכח אל הפועל. עד שיבוא הזמן והדור אשר ביגיעתם בתורה יתגלו הדרכים הנ"ל. וזהו בחי' ארוסה ולא נשואה:

And he also explains in detail elsewhere: "Every year the order of creation is renewed... and the virtues from Heaven are like the ones below... and indeed in every generation a new way is revealed according to the Torah. And when it states:

מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה קְהִלַּ֥ת יַעֲקֹֽב

“As the heritage of the congregation of Yaacov” it refers to an inheritance that is revealed in every generation, year after year. Sages said not to read it as ‘inheritance’ [morasha]; rather, read it as betrothed [me’orasa]. (The Torah is compared to the betrothed bride of the Jewish people until one studies it and thereby consummates his marriage with it). There are new ways in the Torah that have not yet come to fruition. Until the time comes and that generation aspires to the Torah, the above ways will be revealed. Therefore, we read it as betrothed and not married” (Sefat Emet, Devarim, Sukkot)

The way that is revealed in each generation is related to a special Divine leadership:

וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן: אַל תִּקְרֵי אָמוֹן, אֶלָּא אוֹמֵן.

However, you do not read the word as amon (“nursling”), but as uman (“artisan”), since it was with the assistance of the Torah that G-d stretched out the heavens and established the earth. And the writing ואהיה (I in the present tense) for every year a new Torah leadership is renewed:

עֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה

“Hashem your G-d keeps His eyes on it continuously, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year”.

With the Torah, the Creator will supervise Bnei Yisrael. And the year is renewed according to the strength of the Torah found within the children of Israel. (ibid)

Hence, starting every year from Bereshit means gaining new insights that we had not seen so far. Precisely the eternal Torah that does not change should be in our eyes as new and fresh:

הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה ה' אֱלֹקיךָ מְצַוְּךָ֧ -בְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ חֲדָשִׁים כְּאִלּוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם נִצְטַוֵּיתָ עֲלֵיהֶם

This day Hashem Thy G-d commandeth thee — This suggests: each day they (G-d’s commandments) should be to you as something new (not antiquated and something of which you have become tired), as though you had received the commands that very day for the first time” (Rashi Devarim 26:16)

And he added:

וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם

“[These words] which I command thee this day — this day— they should not be in thine eyes as an antiquated דיוטגמא*¹ which no one minds, but as one newly given which everyone gladly welcomes”. (Rashi Devarim 6:6)

The renewed commentaries every day help us renew ourselves in the regular Avodat HaShem (service of G-d).

הַמַּשְׂבִּ֣יעַ בַּטּ֣וֹב עֶדְיֵ֑ךְ תִּתְחַדֵּ֖שׁ כַּנֶּ֣שֶׁר נְעוּרָֽיְכִי׃

“He satisfies you with good things in the prime of life so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s”. (Psalms 103:5)

*1 The word דיוטגמא in this Midrash signifies: a royal command committed to writing.