Under the Sun - Parshat Bereishit

26 Tishrei, 5783

October 21, 2022

Parshat Bereishit

Biblical scholars, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, have struggled for centuries with the contradictions between the first and second perakim of Sefer Bereishit, chapters which seemingly tell two different versions of the creation of the world.

While traditional Jewish commentators, such as Rashi, claimed that the second version of the creation story was really an expansion of the first, other modern Jewish scholars believed that internal contradictions and repetitive Biblical stories are actually intentional. These contradictions teach us competing values that we are meant to juggle and struggle with as Jews and humans alike, concluding that they do not actually compete against each other, but rather complement each other. In an ideal world, Hashem would have taught these two values simultaneously, similar to the Gemara’s comment that zachor et yom haShabbat and shamor et yom haShabbat were said at Har Sinai b’dibbur echad, in one utterance, but human language does not allow that, therefore requiring the two values to be taught sequentially.

Upcoming Events:

October 21 - Early Friday Dismissal Begins

October 23 - Sunday Morning Tefillah in the Kohelet Yeshiva Middle School Beit Midrash at 9:00 am

October 29 - Motzei Shabbat Destination Scavenger Hunt for 8th Graders from 7:45 - 10:15 pm

November 6 - Kohelet Yeshiva Lab School Open House Tours from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

See what else is coming up at Kohelet Yeshiva here.

Visit Our Website

Support Kohelet Here

One of these modern scholars was Rav Mordechai Breuer. Each story of creation represents a different world that we live in. Perek Alef represents the world of survival. The goal of this world is to preserve our species at all costs. It is governed by Elokim, the name of God representing din, justice. This represents a God that is more removed from His creations – even the verbs used to describe God’s acts of creation are abstract, such as va-yomer and va-yivra. There is an almost evolutionary development of species, with humans being the last creation. Humans are created b’tzelem Elokim, in the image of God, and are tasked with a mission of survival – “be fruitful and multiply...fill and conquer the world!" Man was created with woman – zachar u’nekeiva bara otam – highlighting the practical nature of the relationship between man and woman – pru u’rvu – the survival of our species.

Perek Alef, the world of survival, is a world we all live in. We need to make a living, to make money, to do what we need to do to survive in this world. It is a robotic world; an almost endless cycle of paying bills, changing diapers, doing laundry and shopping for groceries. It is a necessary part of existence, but it is a world where it is harder to find God.

Rav Breuer explains that the world of Perek Bet is a world where a person’s mission is to find meaning, spirituality and beauty in the world. It is a world governed by Hashem Elokim, a God of rachamim, mercy. It has a God that is close to His creations and Who creates as a human: molding things, planting gardens and having setbacks. Humans are the first creation, and it is humans who give and find meaning in the rest of God’s creations. Humans are molded by God from the ground and life is breathed into them – there is an intimate close connection between God and humanity. Our mission in the world is l’ovda u’le’shomra – to work and protect the world; not just to survive, but to find meaning as well. Man was created alone because he needs to search for meaning alone, and relationships are not just practical, but innately meaningful, with the relationship between man and woman focusing on love and connection.

The world of Perek Bet sounds like a wonderful world to live in, and we should strive to live in this world. But similar to the danger of living only in the world of Perek Alef, we cannot live in Perek Bet’s world of meaning and spirituality disconnected from the practical world of Perek Alef. As humans, and as Jews, we must try to oscillate between both worlds, finding meaning and spirituality in every moment of our lives.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Jonny Gordon

Are you a Kohelet Yeshiva or Stern Hebrew High School graduate? If so, do we have your current contact information?

Do you have a family member or friend who is a Kohelet or Stern graduate? If so, do we have their current contact information?

Alumni information can be sent to Amanda Kohn, Director of Development, at akohn@koheletyeshiva.org.

Please join us as we grow our alumni network and begin planning special events for Kohelet and Stern alumni!

Kohelet Yeshiva Open Houses

Click here to register for a one-hour private tour of Kohelet Yeshiva Lab School. (This event is for parents only.)

Click here to register for a one-hour semi-private tour of Kohelet Yeshiva High School. (This event is for prospective parents and students.)

Coming Up:

High School Happenings

News from Kohelet Yeshiva

Our middle school students enjoyed sukkah parties during Chol Hamoed featuring fun and food. The girls gathered in Mrs. Twersky's sukkah where they made challah for Shabbat and played in the yard, while the boys got together in Rabbi Wilensky's sukkah and enjoyed delicious waffles made by Moshe Wilensky.

Mazal tov to Sheridan Seyfried (KYMS and KYHS Music) who recently had two of his original compositions performed for the first time!

Click on the video below to see his compositions played by amazing musicians.

Updates from the Kohelet Beit Midrash

Parnas HaYom

Sponsor a day or a week of learning at Kohelet Yeshiva. Contact Miriam Gowar at mgowar@koheletyeshiva.org for details or click here to sign up.

Thank you to this past week's Parnas HaYom Sponsors!

October 21st

Irit, David, Leora Malka, Ella Aviva, Matan Ephraim, and Netta Bracha Goldman

In memory of our beloved brother and uncle, Ilan Moshe Rasooly, whose yahrtzeit is the 27th of Tishrei.

Kohelet Yeshiva | www.koheletyeshiva.org | 223 North Highland Ave, Merion Station, PA 19066