Torah · Weekly Parasha VideoParashat BereishitRabbi Uri Nahum · June 19, 2017 · Bereishit · בראשית · 15 Min Parasha RoundupSave⌄ShareParasha class with Rabbi Uri Nahum, from BSD Productions’ 15 Min Parasha Roundup.Transcript0:06Parashat Bereshit. This week’s parasha is the first parasha of the Torah,0:11146 pesukim, and it’s always exciting to begin the Torah from the beginning.0:15Unfortunately, almost every year we have a very hard time to understand the0:20parasha, since usually the parasha comes out right after Simchat Torah,0:23and we don’t have so much time, especially when Simchat Torah falls out on a Friday,0:26and therefore we’re jumping straight into Shabbat and we just finished Zot0:30HaBerachah. We don’t have the time to really delve into the0:33parasha. This class will only provide us with 15 minutes of a summary of the0:37parasha, and be’ezrat Hashem we hope to accomplish it within 15 minutes.0:40Let’s begin by introducing the topics of this0:45week’s parasha. We’ve divided the parasha into five topics.0:47The beginning, the first part of the parasha, Torah tells us about creation, Maaseh Bereshit.0:52Second part of the parasha, Torah tells us about the creation of mankind, of Adam, the human being.0:59Third part of this week’s parasha, Torah tells us about the sins of the first generation of humans.1:05The fourth part of this week’s parasha, Torah lists for us the ten generations from Adam until1:11Noach. And finally, the last part of this week’s parasha, a very short part,1:14the Torah tells us about the sins of Dor1:17HaMabul, where Torah refers to it as1:22Rabbah ra’at ha’adam, great is the evil of man, and that will be discussed, be’ezrat Hashem, in depth.1:26We have the first mitzvah in this1:29week’s parasha. According to Sefer HaChinuch, this week’s parashat Torah commands us,1:32peru urvu, to be fruitful and multiply,1:35and that’s the first mitzvah of this1:37week’s parasha, obviously numbering number one in Sefer1:40HaChinuch. The topics in depth, be’ezrat Hashem.1:44Let's begin with the first part of the parashah. Torah tells us about the creation of the world,1:47and very quickly we can go through the days and exactly what was created on each day.1:51On the first day of creation, Torah tells us Hashem created the light, yehi or.1:56But in fact, the pasuk says,2:01Vayotzer or uvorei choshech. Hashem didn't just create or; He also created darkness as well.2:05So light and darkness were created in the first day of2:08creation. The second day of creation, Hashem divided between the waters, the high waters and low waters.2:14The whole world used to be water. Hashem made a division,2:17and that division that He made is what we refer to as shamayim, as the sky,2:21which Chachamim explained, shamayim, the water that was divided and was raised above the sky,2:26there is the water, and that's the sky.2:29Third day of creation, Hashem allowed the dry land to be seen,2:33and that's when the plantations were created, the trees and everything in the plant life.2:38The fourth day of creation, Hashem created the luminaries in the sky:2:42the sun, the moon, the stars were all created on the fourth day,2:45and their purpose was for two purposes.2:48Number one is what we all know, to give light,2:51leha'ir al ha'aretz. Number two is that they should serve as times;2:54they would set the times.2:55For example, how do we know 24 hours in a day?2:58Based on the sun.2:59When we have the sun rotating one full circle around, that's when we know it's a full day.3:04How do we know there's a year?3:05365 days.3:07Why is it 365 days in a year?3:09Because that's how long it takes for the Earth to orbit, to circle around the sun.3:14One full circle, that is the length of a year.3:18And we go to the fifth day of creation,3:21where Hashem created the water creatures and the flying creatures.3:24We know as fish and birds are only just some examples.3:27The sixth day of creation, Hashem began with the creation of the rest of the land and the animals on land,3:33and finally... The climax of creation, the purpose of all creation,3:38Hashem created mankind, the human being, Adam Harishon was created on the sixth day,3:43and finally on Shabbat, Hashem created the concept of Shabbat, of resting.3:48It wasn't just he could have just rested without telling us, but Hashem created it.3:51He created the concept of Shabbat, which is the source of blessing throughout the whole year.3:56We move on to the second part of this week's parasha,3:59the creation of the human being.4:01The Torah now focuses its attention and elaborates on the creation of the human being.4:05The Torah tells us how Adam Harishon was created,4:08how Hashem collected the dirt and how He blew inside of him his spiritual life.4:12And then Torah comes to describe Gan Eden.4:14Now everybody understands Gan Eden is the Garden of Eden.4:17You should know there's a place called Eden, Eden,4:19and the Ramban says that this place, Eden, nobody knows about it.4:23Nobody has ever seen it, and nobody will see it until the end of time.4:27From there, there's like a garden, which is like a front yard, and that's the Gan Eden.4:31That's where Adam Harishon would live in this first day of being created.4:38And the Torah tells us about Gan Eden that really nothing grew yet.4:41In fact, it seems like the whole world nothing grew yet.4:43Even though God commanded there should be plants and food,4:48nothing grew because Hashem was waiting for it to rain.4:51How come He didn't bring rain?4:52He wanted Adam to come and realize that there's rain missing,4:55and for Adam to request it, to pray to Hashem, and then He would bring about rain.5:00And then Torah tells us the irrigation system.5:03The Torah tells us about this river that would start from this place called Eden5:07and would go and water the Gan Eden, the Garden of Eden,5:11and from there would split into four gigantic rivers that basically encompassed the whole world.5:17And then the Torah tells us that Hashem told Adam about5:21Etz Hadaat. He warned him, you can eat from everything you see in the Gan Eden,5:25just one tree you're not allowed to eat from.5:26And what is that?5:27That's the5:28Etz Hadaat. That's why I command you not to eat from it.5:30And different opinions5:31in Gemara, what was exactly that tree?5:33Some say it was an etrog,5:34some say it was a grape,5:35some say it was wheat, which is fresh bread,5:37and some say it was figs.5:39In any case, Adam is warned,5:41and Adam now, Hashem sees that he needs to be created,5:45he needs to have a mate,5:46he needs to have a wife.5:47So Hashem puts all the animals to walk in front of5:50Adam. When Adam sees that none of the animals are a match for him,5:55Hashem puts a heavy sleep on Adam.5:58And Adam wakes up and he sees Chava, which he names her6:03Chava because she was the mother of all living things,6:05from the word chaya, living, life.6:07We go on now to the third part of this week's6:10parashah. Torah tells us about the sins of the first humans,6:12and we all know the sins of the6:15Etz HaDaat. Adam and Chava eat from the6:17Etz HaDaat, and that's the first sin that's discussed in this week's6:19parashah. What is that sin?6:21The background to the sin: the snake was jealous.6:25The snake was able to walk.6:26The snake was the closest thing to a human being,6:28was able to walk, was able to talk, was able to communicate,6:31and he saw that such a beautiful creation as Chava was given to6:35Adam, and he wanted to have the same thing.6:37So therefore, he decided that he's going to get them to sin,6:41and/or maybe that he'll throw away Adam.6:44And the snake deceives Chava into eating from6:47Etz HaDaat, and Chava, in turn, when she realized the mistake that she did,6:51she was scared that she would die and Adam would find a different mate,6:54so therefore she made Adam eat from it as well.6:56After Adam and Chava eat from6:59Etz HaDaat, they realize that they've fallen spiritually.7:01They realize that they were not dressed properly,7:04so they covered themselves with fig leaves,7:07and Hashem comes and gives them the rebuke.7:09Hashem rebukes Adam and Chava for eating from7:13Etz HaDaat, and then He hands out the punishment to the three people who were involved in the sin:7:18first the snake, then Chava, and then Adam.7:21The punishment of the snake, the Torah tells us7:23that first the snake was cursed more than any other animal.7:27It will not have any more legs. It will not have to crawl on the earth.7:31It will not be able to walk anymore.7:34Every food that the snake eats will taste like dirt,7:36and Hashem created an everlasting hostility between the snakes and humans.7:42To Chava, Hashem tells her that she will have pains in pregnancy,7:47in childbirth, and raising children.7:49In fact, before this sin,7:51a woman would get pregnant and give birth on the same day without any pain.7:56Now, after eitza dat, a woman will have to take her.8:00Nine months until she is able to deliver her baby after her pregnancy.8:06Adam was cursed last, and he was told that the land which he came from will be cursed.8:12He must work to earn his livelihood. He'll have difficulty in earning his livelihood,8:17and finally, the inevitable death and returning to dirt was the punishment of Adam Rishon. And8:23then the Torah tells us about the sin of the other humans who were alive at the time,8:28the children of Adam and Chava who were Cain and Hevel. They were not twins.8:33Cain was born first, and then Hevel was born.8:36Cain, we know, kills Hevel. But what happened? How did it come to kill8:39Hevel? And the answer is that Cain and Hevel both brought a korban, both brought an8:45offering. Hashem accepted Hevel's offering and not Cain's, because Hevel brought a much more befitting korban.8:51So when Cain got jealous of Hevel, he decided to get in an argument with8:55him, and after an argument, a fight broke out, and Cain turned on his brother Hevel and he killed him.9:02He killed him by stabbing him, and he stabbed him many, many times because he didn't know exactly how to kill.9:07So he kept on stabbing until he saw that Hevel's body would not move anymore, and then he buried him.9:13Hashem comes and rebukes Cain, and He tells him, Where is your brother9:17Hevel? Cain, at first, instead of admitting his sin, he denies it.9:21Eventually, he realizes his mistake, so God gives him a half punishment. He meets him halfway.9:27Tells him that his punishment is that he'll never be able to settle. He'll always be moving from place to place,9:33na v'nad tihyeh ba'aretz. And Hashem says that I'll spare you the death punishment immediately.9:37You'll be spared for seven generations. I'll give you a sign to spare you for seven generations.9:41After seven generations later, one of the descendants of Cain, named Lamech,9:47who was blind, ended up killing his great-great-great-grandfather Cain,9:51and at the same time, Lamech also killed his son Tuval-Cain, which caused his two wives, Adah and Tzillah, to separate from him.9:59And now we move on to the fourth part of this week's parasha.10:03Torah tells us that there were ten generations from Adam to Noah,10:06and Torah lists for us all the generations and how they all had children.10:11And we're going to list them now, the ten generations, who were the leaders of the generations10:16and how long they lived. Adam lived for 930 years. His son Shet, 912 years.10:22Enosh, the third generation, was 905 years. The fourth generation was led by Kenan; he lived for 910 years.10:29The fifth generation, Mahalalel, 895 years. The sixth generation, Yered, lived for 962 years.10:35The seventh generation, who was a big tzaddik, Hanoch, he lived for 365 years, and he did not die.10:40He was taken up by God. And then his son, the eighth generation, Metushelach, who lived the longest from all of them, he lived 969 years.10:49The ninth generation, Lemech—not the Lemech who killed Kayin, this is a different10:53Lemech—lived for 777 years. And finally, Noach, who was the one which we'll discuss, be'ezrat Hashem, next week's parasha, he lived for 950 years.11:02And now we finally move on to the last part of this week's parasha,11:05where the Torah tells us about the sins of Dor Hamabul. This is more an introduction to the next week's parasha.11:11The Torah concludes with this part and telling us,11:15Rabah ra'at ha'adam. The evil of men was too great. And how did it start, and what happened?11:20And actually, point out that it really started by the leaders of the11:24generation, the judges, the ones who were supposed to administer justice.11:27They themselves were corrupt, and they were doing all types of sins and bad things,11:32which obviously the people just followed, and they went along.11:36Nobody was administering any justice, and therefore the world became corrupt.11:41The two sins that prevailed the land was immorality as well as stealing.11:47And then Hashem... In a way, the Torah tells us He regretted creating Adam.11:51Very difficult to understand. It needs much more time. What does it mean that Hashem regrets creating Adam?11:56But Hashem decided that He wanted to destroy mankind.11:59Finally, Torah tells us in last week's pasuk, in this week's parasha,12:03Noach matza chen b'einei Hashem. Noach found favor, and12:05Hashem decided, Noach, I'll give him an extension in the merit of Noach. I'll give a 120-year extension.12:10Maybe they'll repent, they'll fix their ways, and I won't have to destroy mankind.12:14And that's how we finish12:16parashah, Noach matza chen b'einei Hashem. And we get to the lesson in this week's parasha.12:19A beautiful idea I heard in the name of Rabbi12:21Foyer, Rabbi Avraham Foyer, a rabbi living now in Eretz Yisrael, the time used to live in12:26Muncie, said a beautiful idea.12:27So if you look at this week's parasha, it feels very disappointing.12:31A lot of chaos going on.12:33Hashem created this wonderful, beautiful world12:35in order to give mankind the greatest gift, a relationship with Him,12:39the greatest pleasures of this world.12:40And what happens? Right from the beginning of creation, Adam already sins.12:44Then his kids also sin,12:45and generation after generation, there's just sin and sin and sin,12:48and the world seems to be falling apart.12:50Everything looks chaotic. Everything looks like it's being destroyed.12:53Everything looks horrible.12:54And finally the Torah concludes,12:57V'Noach matza chen b'einei Hashem. Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem. Noach was a good person.13:01Noach was righteous. Noach was a13:04tzaddik, and he alone made the whole world worth it.13:08Hashem was about to destroy the world, but because of Noach, Hashem spared the whole world.13:11True, He got rid of the evil people, but the world was spared because of13:16the merit of Noach. And Rabbi Foyer says that's exactly how Hashem looks at us, the Jewish people, every single day.13:22The world seems to be13:23corrupt. All the leaders of government and the whole world,13:26everybody's trying to kill each other, trying to steal from each other.13:29They're trying to do all the types of sins.13:32And who is really trying to have a relationship with God?13:34God looks down and He sees the shuls, the batei midrash, the shiurim, the people listen to,13:39the men listen to, and the women, the mitzvot that they try to do,13:42and the children, how they're learning Torah,13:45and matza chen b'einei Hashem. And those are the people that find the favor in the eyes of Hashem,13:48and they're the ones that keep the world going,13:51and in their merit, in their zechut, and we have to know it, not believe it, we have to know it,13:57that this zechut is what keeps us around and what keeps us alive14:01and what keeps really not only just us, but keeps the whole world going.14:31Shabbat shalom.