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Every beat, pasuk and source from the seven days of creation, in the order they appear in the scene. This is the same library the scene reads, so it cannot drift from it.Back to the scene.

בראשית Before

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֑ים Bereishis 1:1

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

בְּקַדְמִין בְּרָא ה׳ Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:1

בְּקַדְמִין בְּרָא ה׳ יָת שְׁמַיָּא וְיָת אַרְעָא

In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

ברא אלקים Justice joined to mercy

summary Rashi notes that the pasuk says the Name of judgment and not the Name of mercy, because at first the thought was to create the world under strict justice, and seeing it could not last that way Hashem put mercy first and joined it to justice.

ברא אלקים וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּרָא ה', שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה עָלָה בְמַחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרֹאתוֹ בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּם, הִקְדִּים מִדַּת רַחֲמִים וְשִׁתְּפָהּ לְמִהַ"דִּ, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה' אֱלֹקִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם:

ברא אלקים GOD [AS JUDGE] CREATED — It does not state 'ברא ה “The Lord (the Merciful One) created, because at first God intended to create it (the world) to be placed under the attribute (rule) of strict justice, but He realised that the world could not thus endure and therefore gave precedence to Divine Mercy allying it with Divine Justice. It is to this that what is written in (Genesis 2:4) alludes — “In the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven”.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

בראשית Why the Torah opens here

summary Rashi brings Rabbi Yitzchak, who asks why the Torah does not open with the first mitzvah given to Yisrael, and answers that Hashem told His people the strength of His works so that Yisrael could answer the nations that the whole earth is His and He gave it to whom He wished.

בראשית. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק לֹֹֹֹֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא מֵהַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בָּהּ יִשׂרָאֵל, וּמַה טַּעַם פָּתַח בִּבְרֵאשִׁית? מִשׁוּם כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָהֶם נַחֲלַת גּוֹיִם (תהילים קי"א), שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְיִשְׁרָאֵל לִסְטִים אַתֶּם, שֶׁכְּבַשְׁתֶּם אַרְצוֹת שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם, הֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם כָּל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה הִיא, הוּא בְרָאָהּ וּנְתָנָהּ לַאֲשֶׁר יָשַׁר בְּעֵינָיו, בִּרְצוֹנוֹ נְתָנָהּ לָהֶם, וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ נְטָלָהּ מֵהֶם וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ:

בראשית IN THE BEGINNING — Rabbi Isaac said: The Torah which is the Law book of Israel should have commenced with the verse (Exodus 12:2) “This month shall be unto you the first of the months” which is the first commandment given to Israel. What is the reason, then, that it commences with the account of the Creation? Because of the thought expressed in the text (Psalms 111:6) “He declared to His people the strength of His works (i.e. He gave an account of the work of Creation), in order that He might give them the heritage of the nations.” For should the peoples of the world say to Israel, “You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the seven nations of Canaan”, Israel may reply to them, “All the earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whom He pleased. When He willed He gave it to them, and when He willed He took it from them and gave it to us” (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 187).

למה נברא העולם בבית Why the world was made with a beis

summary Rabbi Yona in the name of Rabbi Levi asks why the world was created with the letter beis, and answers that just as the beis is closed on its sides and open only in front, one may not ask what is below, what is above, what came before and what comes after, but only from the day the world was created and onward.

רבי יונה בשם ר' לוי אמר למה נברא העולם בב' אלא מה ב' זה סתום מכל צדדיו ופתוח מלפניו כך אין לך רשות לומר מה למטה מה למעלה מה לפנים מה לאחור אלא מיום שנברא העולם ולהבא. בר קפרא אמר (דברים ד, לב): "כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ [לְמִן הַיוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים]" למן היום שנבראו אתה דורש ואי אתה דורש לפנים מכאן (שם) אתה דורש וחוקר ואי אתה חוקר לפנים מכאן. דרש רבי יהודה בן פזי במעשה בראשית בהדיה דבר קפרא למה נברא העולם בב' להודיעך שהן שני עולמים העוה"ז והעוה"ב. ד"א ולמה בב' שהוא לשון ברכה ולמה לא באל"ף שהוא לשון ארירה. ד"א למה לא באל"ף שלא ליתן פתחון פה לאפיקורסין לומר היאך העולם יכול לעמוד שהוא נברא בלשון ארירה אלא אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא הרי אני בורא אותו בלשון ברכה והלואי יעמוד .ד"א למה בב' אלא מה ב' זה יש לו שני עוקצין אחד מלמעלה ואחד מלמטה מאחוריו אומרים לב' מי בראך והוא מראה בעוקצו מלמעלה ואמר זה שלמעלה בראני ומה שמו והוא מראה להן בעוקצו של אחריו ואומר ה' שמו. א"ר אלעזר בר חנינא בשם ר' אחא עשרים וששה דורות היתה האל"ף קורא תגר לפני כסאו של הקדוש ברוך הוא אמרה לפניו רבש"ע אני ראשון של אותיות ולא בראת עולמך בי אמר לה הקב"ה העולם ומלואו לא נברא אלא בזכות התורה שנאמר (משלי ג, יט): "ה' בחכמה יסד ארץ וגו'" למחר אני בא ליתן תורה בסיני ואיני פותח תחלה אלא בך שנאמר (שמות כ, ב): "אנכי ה' אלהיך" רבי הושעיא אומר למה נקרא שמו אל"ף שהוא מסכים מאֶלֶף שנאמר (תהלים קה, ח): "דבר צוה לאלף דור":.

Rabbi Yona said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Why was the world created with the letter beit?³³It is the first letter of “bereshit – in the beginning.” It is because just as the beit is closed on all [three of] its sides but open in its front, so, you do not have permission to ask: What is below, what is above, what was before, and what is after,³⁴Ḥagiga 2:1. One should not ponder what is above the firmament and what is below the earth, what was before Creation, and what will be after the end of the world. but only from the day when the world created and onward. Bar Kapara said: “For ask now of the early days that were before you, from the day [that God created man upon the earth]” (Deuteronomy 4:32) – from the day they were created, you may inquire, but you may not inquire what was before that. “From one end of the heavens to the other end” (Deuteronomy 4:32), you may inquire and investigate, but what is beyond that you may not investigate. Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi expounded regarding the act of Creation together with bar Kapara: Why was the world created with the letter beit? It is to inform you that there are two worlds,³⁵The numerical value of beit is two. this world and the World to Come.
Another matter, why with a beit? Because it alludes to an expression of blessing [berakha]. And why not with an alef? Because it alludes to an expression of curse [arira]. Another matter, why not with an alef? It is to avoid giving recourse to the heretics to say: How can the world endure, as it was created with an expression of curse? Rather, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Behold, I will create it with an expression of blessing, and there is hope that perhaps it will endure.’
Another matter, why with a beit? It is because just as the beit has two protrusions, one above it and one below and behind it, if one says to the beit: ‘Who created you?’ It points with its upper protrusion, saying: ‘That One who is above created me.’ ‘And what is His name?’ It points with its rear protrusion and says: ‘The Lord [Adonai] is His name.’³⁶It points to the letter that is behind it, the alef, which is the first letter of Adonai, one of God’s names.
Rabbi Elazar bar Ḥanina said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: For twenty-six generations³⁷This is the number of generations that passed from Creation to the giving of the Torah. the alef complained before the throne of the Holy One blessed be He. It said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I am the first of the letters, but You did not create Your world with me.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘The world and all its contents were created only for the sake of the Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom…”³⁸See earlier, section 4. (Proverbs 3:19). Tomorrow, I will be coming to give the Torah at Sinai, and I will open it at its beginning only with you, as it is stated: “I [anokhi] am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). Rabbi Hoshaya says: Why is it called alef? It is because He consented concerning a thousand, as it is stated: “The word that He commanded for one thousand [elef] generations” (Psalms 105:8).³⁹The Torah was originally supposed to be given to the thousandth [elef] generation (Bereishit Rabba 28:4). The first letter of that Torah was therefore given the name alef.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

אמון The Torah as the plan

summary The Midrash reads amon in Mishlei as uman, a craftsman, and says that just as a builder works from sheets and tablets rather than from his own head, Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world.

רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה רַבָּה פָתַח, (משלי ח, ל): "וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים יוֹם יוֹם וְגוֹ'". "אָמוֹן", פַּדְגּוֹג. "אָמוֹן", מְכוּסֶּה. "אָמוֹן", מוּצְנָע. וְאִית דְּאָמַר: "אָמוֹן", רַבְּתָא. "אָמוֹן", פַּדְגּוֹג – הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (במדבר יא, יב): "כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאֹמֵן אֶת הַיֹּנֵק". "אָמוֹן" מְכוּסֶּה – הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (איכה ד, ה): "הָאֱמֻנִים עֲלֵי תוֹלָע חִבְּקוּ אַשְׁפַּתּוֹת". "אָמוֹן", מוֹצְנָע – הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (אסתר ב, ז): "וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת הֲדַסָּה". אמון, רבתא – כמה דתימא: (נחום ג, ח): "הֲתֵיטְבִי מִנֹּא אָמוֹן", ומתרגמינן: "האת טבא מאלכסנדריא רבתא דיתבא בין נהרותא?"דבר אחר: אמון – אומן. התורה אומרת: אני הייתי כלי אומנותו של הקב"ה. בנוהג שבעולם, מלך בשר ודם בונה פלטין, אינו בונה אותה מדעת עצמו אלא מדעת אומן, והאומן אינו בונה אותה מדעת עצמו, אלא דיפתראות, ופינקסאות יש לו, לדעת היאך הוא עושה חדרים, היאך הוא עושה פשפשין, כך היה הקב"ה מביט בתורה, ובורא את העולם, והתורה אמרה בראשית ברא אלקים, ואין ראשית אלא תורה, היאך מה דאת אמר (משלי ח, כב): "ה' קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ".

Rabbi Hoshaya the Great began: “I¹The speaker is Wisdom (the Torah) personified. was with Him as an amon, a delight day after day…” (Proverbs 8:30) – amon means a child’s caretaker, amon means covered, amon means hidden, and some say amon means greatness. Amon means a child’s caretaker, as it says: “As a caretaker [omen] carries a nursing child” (Numbers 11:12). Amon means covered, as it says: “Those covered [ha’emunim] in scarlet…” (Lamentations 4:5). Amon means hidden, as it says: “He was omen²This is expounded to mean that Mordekhai hid Esther from the emissaries of Aḥashverosh. Hadassa” (Esther 2:7). Amon means great, as it says: “Are you better than No Amon [which sits in the rivers]?” (Nahum 3:8), which we translate in Targum as: Are you better than the great city of Alexandria,³No (or No Amon) is the name of a city in Egypt. Targum identifies this city as Alexandria, and explains Amon to mean great. which is located among the rivers?
Another matter, amon means artisan [uman]. The Torah is saying: ‘I was the tool of craft of the Holy One blessed be He.’ The way of the world is that when a flesh-and-blood king builds a palace he does not build it based on his own knowledge, but rather based on the knowledge of an artisan.⁴A professional builder. And the artisan does not build it based on his own knowledge, but rather, he has [plans on] sheets and tablets by which to ascertain how he should build its rooms, how he should build its doors. So too, the Holy One blessed be He looked in the Torah and created the world. The Torah says: “Bereshit God created” (Genesis 1:1), and reshit is nothing other than the Torah, as it says: “The Lord made me at the beginning of [reshit] His way” (Proverbs 8:22).⁵Be-reshit is interpreted as ‘by means of the Torah.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

ברא What bara means

summary Ibn Ezra records that most commentators take bara to mean bringing something out of nothing, and objects that the same verb is used for the sea creatures and for man, who were formed from what already existed. He suggests the root carries a sense of cutting and setting a boundary.

ברא רובי המפרשים אמרו שהבריאה להוציא יש מאין, וכן "אם בריאה יברא ד'" (במדבר ט"ז ל'), והנה שכחו "ויברא אלקים את התנינים" (בראשית א כא), ושלש בפסוק אחד, "ויברא אלקים את האדם" (בראשית א כז), "ובורא חושך" (ישעי' מ"ה ו') שהוא הפוך האור שהוא יש, וזה דקדוק המלה ברא לשני טעמים זה האחד, והשני "לא ברא אתם לחם" (ש"ב י"ב י"ז), וזה השני אל"ף תחת ה"א, כי כמוהו "ויבוא כל העם להברות את דוד" (ש"ב ג' ל"ה), כי הוא מהבנין הכבד הנוסף, ואם היה באל"ף, היה, כמו "להבריאכם מראשית כל מנחת ישראל (ש"א ב' כ"ט), ומצאנו מהבנין הכבד, "ובראת לך שם" (יהושע י"ז ט"ו), ואיננו כמו ברו לכם איש (ש"א י"ו ח'), רק כמו "וברא אותהן" (יחז' כ"ג מ"ז), וטעמו, לגזור ולשום גבול נגזר, והמשכיל יבין:

CREATED. Most Biblical commentators explain that the word bara (created) indicates creation ex nihilo. But if the Lord make (yivra) a new thing (beri’ah) (Num. 16:30) is similar. However, they have overlooked And God created (va-yivra) the great sea monsters¹⁴God obviously did not create the sea monsters ex nihilo, for the verse concludes, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, which shows that the sea monsters were created out of the water. Also, it is absurd to assume that on the fifth day of creation God would create sea monsters ex nihilo. (Gen. 1:21) and the three times the word created is used in one verse, viz., And God created (va-yivra) man in His own image, in the image of God created (bara) He him; male and female created (bara) He them (Gen. 1:27). They also failed to consider I form the light, and create darkness (Is. 45:7) wherein darkness, which is the opposite of light, an existing entity, is described by the prophet as being created.¹⁵Darkness is the absence of light. Thus Isaiah uses the term created in the opposite sense of creation ex nihilo. In Isaiah it means the creation of nothing out of something (Krinsky). Hence bara does not necessarily imply creation ex nihilo. The following is the precise explanation of the word bara. Bara has two meanings, one of which has been noted above.¹⁶That is, to create or make. The second¹⁷That is, to eat. is found in the verse neither did he eat (bara) bread with them (II Samuel 12:17). However, in the latter case, an alef has been substituted for a heh.¹⁸Most of our manuscripts of the Bible have barah with a heh. However, Ibn Ezra’s manuscript must have had bara with an alef. See also Jacob ben Haim’s edition of the Hebrew Bible, 1524, which has the same reading as Ibn Ezra. There is some difficulty in understanding this comment as the printed text is corrupt. We have followed Vat. Ebr. 38 as suggested by Weiser. For a different rendering see Filwarg. The reason is that bara (in I Sam. 12:17) is similar to le-havrot (to urge to eat) in And all the people came to cause David to eat (le-havrot) bread (II Sam. 3:35). The verb le-havrot appears in the hifil (and its root ends with heh), for if it ended with an alef, Scripture would have read le-havri, as in to make yourselves fat (le-havri’achem) with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel (I Sam. 2:29). We also find bara conjugated in the pi’el, as in and cut down (u-vereta) for thyself (trees) (Joshua 17:15). This is not like the similar word beru in choose (beru) you a man for you (I Sam. 17:8) but rather like bare (hack, dispatch) in and dispatch them (u-vare) with their swords¹⁹Ibn Janah, The Book of Roots, root bet, resh, alef, explains bara in Josh. 17:15 to mean chose, as in I Sam. 17:8. Ibn Ezra disagrees. The point of I.E’s comment is that bara spelled bet, resh, alef primarily means to cut. It is encountered with this meaning in both the kal and pi’el. Bara also means to eat. However, in the latter case its root is bet, resh, heh, although it is found spelled bet, resh, alef in I Sam. 17:8. In the latter instance, however, we treat it as if there were an interchange between the heh and alef. (Ezekiel 23:47). The meaning of bara is to cut or to set a boundary. The intelligent person will understand what I am alluding to.²⁰I. Husik, A History of Medieval Jewish Philosophy, p. 190, notes, “The Hebrew word bara, ordinarily translated “created,” which implies to most people the idea of creatio ex nihilo, Ibn Ezra renders, in accordance with its etymology, to limit, to define, by drawing or incising a line or boundary. Having said this, Ibn Ezra, in his wonted mysterious manner, stops short, refusing to say more, and preferring to mystify the reader by adding the tantalizing phrase, ‘The intelligent will understand.’ He means apparently to indicate that an eternal matter was endowed with form.” Nahman Krochmal, More Nevuche Ha-zeman (quoted by Krinsky), suggests that Ibn Ezra’s belief is similar to that of the Kabbalists; i.e., the world was created out of an emanation from God. See also C. Sirot, Philosophy in the Middle Ages (Hebrew), p. 112. Ibn Ezra was a neo-Platonist. According to neo-Platonism the world came about by emanation from God. Ibn Ezra is apparently saying that at the creation spoken of in the first chapter of Genesis, God gave final form to what had previously emanated from Him.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

אין דורשין Where the learning stops

summary The Mishnah rules that maaseh bereishis is not expounded before two, and that whoever looks into four things, what is above, what is below, what came before and what comes after, it would have been better for him not to have come into the world.

אין דורשין בעריות בשלשה. ולא במעשה בראשית בשנים. ולא במרכבה ביחיד. אלא אם כן היה חכם ומבין מדעתו. כל המסתכל בארבעה דברים. ראוי לו כאילו לא בא לעולם. מה למעלה מה למטה. מה לפנים. ומה לאחור. וכל שלא חס על כבוד קונו. ראוי לו שלא בא לעולם:

They may not expound upon the subject of forbidden relations in the presence of three. Nor the work of creation in the presence of two. Nor [the work of] the chariot in the presence of one, unless he is a sage and understands of his own knowledge. Whoever speculates upon four things, it would have been better had he not come into the world: what is above, what is beneath, what came before, and what came after. And whoever takes no thought for the honor of his creator, it would have been better had he not come into the world.

בראשית Created out of nothing

summary Ramban writes that Hashem brought everything into being out of absolute nothing, and that the only word in lashon hakodesh for making something from nothing is bara. He explains that what was made from nothing was a very thin substance with no body, fit to receive form, from which everything else was then shaped.

בְּרֵאשִׁית כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית א':א'): וְאִם בָּאתָ לְפָרְשׁוֹ כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ: בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיַּת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ, וַיֹּאמֶר הקב"ה יְהִי אוֹר. אִם כֵּן, הַכֹּל נִמְשַׁךְ לִבְרִיאַת הָאוֹר. וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם פֵּרֵשׁ כְּעִנְיָן זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ, אֲבָל תִּקֵּן כִּי הַו"ו בְּמִילַת "וְהָאָרֶץ" אֵינָהּ מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת, וְרַבּוֹת כֵּן בַּמִּקְרָאוֹת. וְהַטַּעַם, כִּי בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיאַת הָרָקִיעַ וְהַיַּבָּשָׁה לֹא הָיָה בָּאָרֶץ יִשּׁוּב, אֲבָל הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ מְכֻסָּה בְּמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר. וּלְפִי דַּעְתּוֹ, לֹא נִבְרָא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן רַק הָאוֹר. וְהַקֻּשְׁיָא לְרַבֵּינוּ שְׁלֹמֹה בַּפֵּרוּשׁ הַזֶּה, כִּי אָמַר, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְהוֹרוֹת סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה בְּאֵלּוּ לוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם קָדְמוּ – הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה", שֶׁאֵין "רֵאשִׁית" בַּמִּקְרָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ סָמוּךְ. וְהִנֵּה "מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית" (ישעיהו מו י). וְאִם יִסְמֹךְ אוֹתוֹ לְ"דָּבָר", גַּם זֶה תִּסְמֹךְ אוֹתוֹ. וְעוֹד, "וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ" (דברים לג כא). וְטָעַן בָּזֶה עוֹד טְעָנוֹת. וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע פֵּרוּשׁ הַמִּקְרָא עַל פְּשׁוּטוֹ נָכוֹן וּבָרוּר. הקב"ה בָּרָא כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים מֵאֲפִיסָה מֻחְלֶטֶת. וְאֵין אֶצְלֵנוּ בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּהוֹצָאַת הַיֵּשׁ מֵאַיִן אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן "בָּרָא"; וְאֵין כָּל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה – תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אוֹ לְמַעְלָה – הוֹוֶה מִן הָאַיִן הַתְחָלָה רִאשׁוֹנָה. אֲבָל הוֹצִיא מִן הָאֶפֶס הַגָּמוּר הַמֻּחְלָט יְסוֹד דַּק מְאֹד, אֵין בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, אֲבָל הוּא כֹּחַ מַמְצִיא, מוּכָן לְקַבֵּל הַצּוּרָה וְלָצֵאת מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל. וְהוּא הַחֹמֶר הָרִאשׁוֹן, נִקְרָא לַיְּוָנִים "הִיּוּלִי". וְאַחַר הַהִיּוּלִי לֹא בָּרָא דָּבָר, אֲבָל יָצַר וְעָשָׂה, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ הִמְצִיא הַכֹּל וְהִלְבִּישׁ הַצּוּרוֹת וְתִקֵּן אוֹתָן. וְדַע, כִּי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם – חֹמֶר אֶחָד, וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ – חֹמֶר אֶחָד. והקב"ה בָּרָא אֵלּוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מֵאַיִן, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לְבַדָּם נִבְרָאִים, וְהַכֹּל נַעֲשִׂים מֵהֶם. וְהַחֹמֶר הַזֶּה, שֶׁקָּרְאוּ הִיּוּלִי, נִקְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ "תֹּהוּ", וְהַמִּלָּה נִגְזְרָה מִלְּשׁוֹנָם (קידושין מ ב): "בְּתוֹהֶא עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת". מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאִם בָּא אָדָם לִגְזֹר בּוֹ שֵׁם, תּוֹהֶא וְנִמְלָךְ לְקוֹרְאוֹ בְּשֵׁם אַחֵר, כִּי לֹא לָבַשׁ צוּרָה שֶׁיִּתָּפֵשׂ בָּהּ הַשֵּׁם כְּלָל. וְהַצּוּרָה הַנִּלְבֶּשֶׁת לַחֹמֶר הַזֶּה נִקְרֵאת בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ "בֹּהוּ", וְהַמִּלָּה מֻרְכֶּבֶת, כְּלוֹמַר "בּוֹ הוּא", כְּמִלַּת "לֹא תוּכַל עֲשֹׂהוּ" (שמות יח יח), שֶׁמְּחֻסַּר הַו"ו וְהָאָלֶ"ף, עֲשׂוֹ הוּא. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיהו לד יא): "וְנָטָה עָלֶיהָ קַו תֹהוּ וְאַבְנֵי בֹהוּ", כִּי הוּא הַקַּו אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ יְתַחֵם הָאֻמָּן מַחְשֶׁבֶת בִּנְיָנוֹ וּמָה שֶׁיְּקַוֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת, נִגְזַר מִן "קַוֵּה אֶל ה'" (תהלים כז יד), וְהָאֲבָנִים הֵם צוּרוֹת בַּבִּנְיָן. וְכֵן כָּתוּב: "מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ לוֹ" (ישעיהו מ יז), כִּי הַתֹּהוּ אַחַר הָאֶפֶס, וְאֵינֶנּוּ דָּבָר. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בְּסֵפֶר יְצִירָה: "יָצַר מִתֹּהוּ מַמָּשׁ וְעָשָׂה אֵינוֹ יֶשְׁנוֹ". וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ בְּמִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה (ספר הבהיר): אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, מַאי דִכְתִיב: "וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ"? מַאי מַשְׁמַע "הָיְתָה"? שֶׁכְּבָר הָיְתָה תֹּהוּ. וּמַאי "בֹּהוּ"? אֶלָּא תֹּהוּ הָיְתָה, וּמַאי "תֹּהוּ"? דָּבָר הַמַּתְהֶא בְּנֵי אָדָם, וְחָזְרָה לְבֹהוּ. וּמַאי "בֹּהוּ"? דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, דִּכְתִיב "בּוֹ הוּא".

IN THE BEGINNING. Rashi wrote: “If you wish to explain it [the word bereshith] in accordance with its plain meaning, explain it thus: at the beginning of the creation of the heaven and earth, and the earth was formless and void and there was darkness, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, Let there be light.” If so, the whole text leads into the creation of light.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained it in an identical way. However, he established that the letter vav in the word veha’aretz (and the earth) does not şerve [as a connecting letter as it normally does and which would mean “and,” but it serves rather as the word “when.”] There are many such examples in Scripture. The meaning then according to Rabbi Abraham would be: at the beginning of the creation of heaven and dry land, there was no habitable place on earth; rather, it was unformed and void and covered with water, and G-d said, Let there be light. According to Abraham ibn Ezra’s opinion, only light³²According to Rashi in Verse 6 (also 2:4), the sun, etc., was also created on the first day. was created on the first day.
The difficulty which Rabbi Shlomo [Rashi] had which led him to the above interpretation is, as he said: For if Scripture intended to teach the order in which the acts of creation took place, it should have written barishonah [instead of bereshith], since wherever the word reshith occurs in Scripture it is in the construct state. But there is the verse, Declaring the end ‘mereshith’ [from the beginning].³³Isaiah 46:10. Here the word reshith is not in the construct state. And if one will connect it with the missing word davar [thing — thus making the verse read: “Declaring the end of a thing from the beginning of a thing”—] here too it could be connected to a missing word.³⁴Thus reading: Bereshith kol, (In the beginning of everything [G—d created]). There is also the verse, And he chose ‘reshith’ (a first part) for himself.²⁷Deuteronomy 33:21. Reference here is to Moses who took the territory of Kings Sihon and Og as he knew that his grave was to be therein. (See Rashi, ibid.) It was thus for the sake of this meritorious person, of whom reshith was said, that the world was created. [Here again the word reshith is not used in the construct state.] And Rashi raised other objections.
Now listen to the correct and clear explanation of the verse in its simplicity. The Holy One, blessed be He, created all things from absolute non-existence. Now we have no expression in the sacred language for bringing forth something from nothing other than the word bara (created). Everything that exists under the sun or above was not made from non-existence at the outset. Instead He brought forth from total and absolute nothing a very thin substance devoid of corporeality but having a power of potency, fit to assume form and to proceed from potentiality into reality. This was the primary matter created by G-d; it is called by the Greeks hyly (matter). After the hyly, He did not create anything, but He formed and made things with it, and from this hyly He brought everything into existence and clothed the forms and put them into a finished condition.
Know that the heavens and all that is in them consist of one substance, and the earth and everything that is in it consist of one substance. The Holy One, blessed be He, created these two substances from nothing;³⁵Such is also the theory of Rambam: “All things on earth have one common substance; the heavens and the things in them have one substance different from the first” (Moreh Nebuchim II, 26). they alone were created, and everything else was constructed from them.
This substance, which the Greeks called hyly, is called in the sacred language tohu, the word being derived from the expression of the Sages:³⁶Kiddushin 40b. “betohei (when the wicked bethinks himself) of his doings in the past.” If a person wants to decide a name for it [this primordial matter], he may bethink himself, change his mind and call it by another name since it has taken on no form to which the name should be attached. The form which this substance finally takes on is called in the sacred language bohu, which is a composite word made up of the two words bo hu (in it there is [substance]). This may be compared to the verse, Thou art not able ‘asohu’ (to perform it),³⁷Exodus 18:18. in which case the word asohu is missing a vav and an aleph [and is a composite of the two words] aso hu. It is this which Scripture says, And he shall stretch over it the line of ‘tohu’ (confusion) and the stones of ‘bohu.’³⁸Isaiah 34:11. “The stones,” which are forms in the building (as explained later on by Ramban), thus constitute substance as expressed in the Hebrew bohu. [The tohu in Hebrew or hyly in Greek] is the line by which the craftsman delineates the plan of his structure and that which he hopes to make. This is derived from the expression, Kavei (Hope) unto G-d.³⁹Psalms 27:14. The stones are forms in the building. Similarly it is written, They are accounted by Him as nought and ‘tohu,’⁴⁰Isaiah 40:17. as tohu comes after nothingness and there is nothing yet in it.
So the Rabbis have also said in Sefer Yetzirah:⁴¹2:6. Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation) is one of the earliest Hebrew books of the Cabala tradition. (See introduction to Bereshith, Note 56.) Some of the profoundest mystic commentaries have been written on this book. See my Hebrew work, Kithvei Haramban, Vol. 2, pp. 451-461. “He created substance from tohu, and made that which was nothing something.”
They have furthermore said in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah:⁴²Called also Sefer Habahir (Book of the Bright Light), 2. This book too is a classic in the mystic teachings of the Cabala. It was written in the style and manner of the Midrashim. “Rabbi Berachyah said: ‘What is the meaning of the verse, And the earth was ‘tohu’ (without form) ‘vavohu’ (and void)? What is the meaning of the word “was?” It had already been tohu. And what is tohu? It is a thing which astonishes people. It was then turned into bohu. And what is bohu? It is a thing which has substance, as it is written, [bohu is a composite of the two words] ‘bo hu’ (in it there is substance).’”

וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ Bereishis 1:2

וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וְאַרְעָא הֲוַת צָדְיָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:2

וְאַרְעָא הֲוַת צָדְיָא וְרֵיקַנְיָא וַחֲשׁוֹכָא פָּרַשׂ עַל אַפֵּי תְהוֹמָא וְרוּחָא מִן קֳדָם ה׳ מְנַשְּׁבָא עַל אַפֵּי מַיָּא

The earth was unformed and desolate, and (there was) darkness [was spread] over the surface of the abyss. The breath of [from before] Elohim hovered [blew] above the surface of the water.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

על פני תהום The face of the deep

summary Rashi says that the face of the deep means the face of the water that was over the earth.

על פני תהום. עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ:

על פני תהום ON THE FACE OF THE DEEP — i. e. the waters which were upon the earth.

תהו ובהו Tohu and vohu

summary Rashi explains tohu as a word of astonishment and bewilderment, that a person would stand amazed at the emptiness in it, and bohu as a word meaning emptiness and void.

תהו ובהו. תֹּהוּ לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ וְשִׁמָּמוֹן, שֶׁאָדָם תּוֹהֵא וּמִשְׁתּוֹמֵם עַל בֹּהוּ שֶׁבָּהּ: בהו. לְשׁוֹן רֵקוּת וְצָדוּ:

תהו ובהו DESOLATE AND VOID — The word תהו signifies astonishment and amazement, for a person would have been astonished and amazed at its emptiness. בהו VOID — The word signifies emptiness and empty space.

תהו Tohu as the first matter

summary In the same comment Ramban identifies tohu with that first formless matter, which the Greeks called hyle, and bohu with the form it then takes on.

ורוח אלקים מרחפת Hovering like a dove

summary Rashi says the throne of glory was standing in the air, hovering over the face of the water by the breath of Hashem and by His word, like a dove that hovers over the nest.

ורוח אלקים מרחפת. כִּסֵא הַכָּבוֹד עוֹמֵד בָּאֲוִיר וּמְרַחֵף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם בְּרוּחַ פִּיו שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה וּבְמַאֲמָרוֹ, כְּיוֹנָה הַמְרַחֶפֶת עַל הַקֵּן, אקוב"טיר בְּלַעַ"ז:

ורוח אלקים מרחפת AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS HOVERING — The throne of Divine Glory was standing in space, hovering over the face of the waters by the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, and by His command, even as a dove hovers over its nest. In old French acoveter.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

מרחפת Touching and not touching

summary The Midrash records ben Zoma saying that between the upper waters and the lower waters there were only two or three fingerbreadths, and that the pasuk says merachefes and not nosheves, like a bird beating its wings so that they touch and do not touch.

ר"ש בן לקיש פתר קריא בגליות. "וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ" זה גלות בבל שנאמר (ירמיה ד, כג): "ראיתי את הארץ והנה תהו". "וָבֹהוּ" זה גלות מדי (אסתר ו, ד): "ויבהילו להביא את המן". "וְחֹשֶׁךְ" זה גלות יון שהחשיכה עיניהם של ישראל בגזירותיהן שהיתה אומרת להם כתבו על קרן השור שאין לכם חלק באלהי ישראל. "עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם" זה גלות ממלכת הרשעה שאין להם חקר כמו התהום מה התהום הזה אין לו חקר אף הרשעים כן. "וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת" זה רוחו של מלך המשיח היאך מה דאת אמר (ישעיה יא, ב): "ונחה עליו רוח ה'" באיזו זכות ממשמשת ובאה המרחפת על פני המים בזכות התשובה שנמשלה כמים שנאמר (איכה ב, יט): "שפכי כמים לבך". רבי חגי בשם רבי פדת אמר ברית כרותה למים שאפילו בשעת שרב רוחה שייפה. וכבר היה ר"ש בן זומא יושב ותוהא ועבר רבי יהושע ושאל בשלומו פעם ושתים ולא השיבו בשלישית השיבו בבהילות א"ל בן זומא מאין הרגלים אמר לו מעיין הייתי א"ל מעיד אני עלי שמים וארץ שאיני זז מכאן עד שתודיעני מאין הרגלים א"ל מסתכל הייתי במעשה בראשית ולא היה בין מים העליונים למים התחתונים אלא כשתים ושלש אצבעות. ורוח אלקים מנשבת אין כתיב כאן אלא מרחפת כעוף הזה שהוא מרפרף בכנפיו וכנפיו נוגעות ואינן נוגעות נהפך רבי יהושע ואמר לתלמידיו הלך לו בן זומא ולא שהו ימים מועטים ובן זומא בעולם:

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish interpreted the verses regarding the [four] kingdoms.¹²The kingdoms that subjugated Israel, as described in Daniel chapters 2 and 7, and identified by the Rabbis as Babylonia, Media, Greece and Edom (Rome was seen as the descending from Edom). “The earth was emptiness” – this is the Babylonian kingdom, as it is stated: “I have seen the land, and behold, it was emptiness and disorder” (Jeremiah 4:23). “And disorder [vavohu]” – this is the Median kingdom, [as it is stated:] “They hastened [vayavhilu] to bring Haman” (Esther 6:14). “And darkness”– this is the Greek kingdom, which darkened Israel’s eyes with their edicts, as they used to say to them: ‘Write on the horn of a bull that you have no portion in the God of Israel.’ “Upon the face of the depths” – this is the evil kingdom [Edom], which cannot be calculated,¹³Its great size and power are beyond calculation. like the depths; just as the depths cannot be calculated, so is it with [the wickedness of] the wicked.¹⁴The text was altered due to censorship. The original reading was: So, too, the evil kingdom. “And the spirit of God was hovering” – this is the spirit of the messianic king,¹⁵Who will follow triumphantly after the four kingdoms of subjugation. as it says: “The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him” (Isaiah 11:2). By what merit will it [the Messianic kingdom] come? “Hovering over the surface of the water” – by the merit of repentance, that is likened to water, as it is stated: “Pour out your heart like water [before the face of the Lord]” (Lamentations 2:19).
Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Pedat: A covenant is made with the water, that even when the weather is hot, the wind blows over it.¹⁶To cool it off. This is why the word for “hovered” is written meraḥefet, in the present tense. It happened once that Rabbi Shimon ben Zoma was sitting, entranced in thought. Rabbi Yehoshua passed and greeted him once, twice, but he did not answer him. The third time, he answered him with a start. He said to him: ‘Ben Zoma, where were your thoughts?’ He said to him: ‘I have been contemplating.’ He said to him: ‘As the heavens and the earth are my witnesses, I shall not move from here until you inform me where your thoughts were.’ He said to him: ‘I was looking at the act of Creation, and [I saw that] between the upper waters and the lower waters there were only two or three fingerbreadths. “The spirit of the Lord was blowing” is not written, but rather, “was hovering” – like a bird that flaps its wings,¹⁷As it hovers over its nest. they touch [the nest] but do not quite touch.’ Rabbi Yehoshua turned and said to his disciples: Ben Zoma is gone.¹⁸Having experienced such supernal revelations, he is no longer of this world. Not even a few days passed with ben Zoma still in the world.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

בין מים למים Ben Zoma and the gap

summary The Gemara brings ben Zoma, who was gazing at maaseh bereishis at the gap between the upper and lower waters, only three fingerbreadths, from the word merachefes, like a dove hovering over her young and not touching them. Rabbi Yehoshua said of him that ben Zoma is still outside.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד עַל גַּב מַעֲלָה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת, וְרָאָהוּ בֶּן זוֹמָא וְלֹא עָמַד מִלְּפָנָיו. אָמַר לוֹ: מֵאַיִן וּלְאַיִן בֶּן זוֹמָא? אָמַר לוֹ: צוֹפֶה הָיִיתִי בֵּין מַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לְמַיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאֵין בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה אֶלָּא שָׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״ — כְּיוֹנָה שֶׁמְּרַחֶפֶת עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְאֵינָהּ נוֹגַעַת. אָמַר לָהֶן רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְתַלְמִידָיו: עֲדַיִין בֶּן זוֹמָא מִבַּחוּץ. מִכְּדֵי ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״ אֵימַת הָוֵי — בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הַבְדָּלָה — בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי הוּא דַּהֲוַאי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם״. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: כִּמְלֹא נִימָא. וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: כִּי גוּדָּא דְגַמְלָא. מָר זוּטְרָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב אַסִּי אָמַר: כִּתְרֵי גְלִימֵי דִּפְרִיסִי אַהֲדָדֵי. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: כִּתְרֵי כָסֵי דִּסְחִיפִי אַהֲדָדֵי.

With regard to the fate of ben Zoma, the Sages taught: There was once an incident with regard to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, who was standing on a step on the Temple Mount, and ben Zoma saw him and did not stand before him to honor him, as he was deep in thought. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: From where do you come and where are you going, ben Zoma, i.e., what is on your mind? He said to him: In my thoughts I was looking upon the act of Creation, at the gap between the upper waters and the lower waters, as there is only the breadth of a mere three fingers between them, as it is stated: “And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2), like a dove hovering over its young without touching them. Rabbi Yehoshua said to his students who had overheard this exchange: Ben Zoma is still outside; he has not yet achieved full understanding of these matters. The Gemara explains: Now, this verse: “And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters,” when was it stated? On the first day, whereas the division of the waters occurred on the second day, as it is written: “And let it divide the waters from the waters” (Genesis 1:6). How, then, could ben Zoma derive a proof from the former verse? The Gemara asks: And how much, in fact, is the gap between them? Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: Like the thickness of a thread; and the Rabbis said: Like the gap between the boards of a bridge. Mar Zutra, and some say it was Rav Asi, said: Like two robes spread one over the other, with a slight gap in between. And some said: Like two cups placed one upon the other.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

בראשית ברא The pasuk does not teach the orderMachlokes

summary Rashi reads bereishis as a construct form, at the beginning of the creating, and holds that the pasuk is not telling us what was made first. He proves it from the waters, which are already there in pasuk 2 though their creation was never mentioned.

בראשית ברא אֵין הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא דָּרְשֵׁנִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדְּרָשׁוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בִּשְׁבִיל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ (משלי ח'), וּבִשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִקְרְאוּ רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתוֹ (ירמיה ב'); וְאִם בָּאתָ לְפָרְשׁוֹ כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר וְלֹא בָא הַמִּקְרָא לְהוֹרוֹת סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵלּוּ קָדְמוּ, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְהוֹרוֹת כָּךְ, הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה בָּרָא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' שֶׁאֵין לְךָ רֵאשִׁית בַּמִּקְרָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָבוּק לַתֵּבָה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו, כְּמוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית מַמְלֶכֶת יְהוֹיָקִים (שׁם כ"ז), רֵאשִׁית מַמְלַכְתּוֹ (בראשית י'), רֵאשִׁית דְּגָנְךָ (דברים י"ח, ד'), – אַף כָּאן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים וְגוֹ', כְּמוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרֹא; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ תְּחִלַּת דִּבֶּר ה' בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ (הושע א'), כְּלוֹמַר תְּחִלַת דִּבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל הוֹשֵׁעַ וְגוֹ'. וְאִ"תֹּ לְהוֹרוֹת בָּא שֶׁאֵלּוּ תְּחִלָּה נִבְרְאוּ, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית הַכֹּל בָּרָא אֵלוּ – וְֵישׁ לְךָ מִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁמְּקַצְּרִים לְשׁוֹנָם וּמְמַעֲטִים תֵּבָה אַחַת, כְּמוֹ כִּי לֹא סָגַר דַּלְתֵי בִטְנִי (איוב ג'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הַסּוֹגֵר וּכְמוֹ יִשָּׂא אֶת חֵיל דַּמֶּשֶׂק (ישעיהו ח'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי יִשָּׂאֶנּוּ; וּכְמוֹ אִם יַחֲרוֹשׁ בַּבְּקָרִים (עמוס ו'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ אִם יַחֲרוֹשׁ אָדָם בַּבְּקָרִים, וּכְמוֹ מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית (ישעיהו מ"ו), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית דָּבָר אַחֲרִית דָּבָר – אִ"כֵּ, תְּמַהּ עַל עַצְמְךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַמַּיִם קָדְמוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם, וְעַדַיִין לֹא גִלָּה הַמִּקְרָא, בְּרִיאַת הַמַּיִם מָתַי הָיְתָה, הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁקָּדְמוּ הַמַּיִם לָאָרֶץ, וְעוֹד, שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם מֵאֵשׁ וּמַיִם נִבְרְאוּ, עַל כָּרְחֲךָ לֹא לִמֵּד הַמִּקְרָא סֵדֶר הַמֻּקְדָמִים וְהַמְאֻחָרִים כְּלוּם:

בראשית ברא IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED — This verse calls aloud for explanation in the manner that our Rabbis explained it: God created the world for the sake of the Torah which is called (Proverbs 8:22) “The beginning (ראשית) of His (God’s) way”, and for the sake of Israel who are called (Jeremiah 2:3) “The beginning (ראשית) of His (God’s) increase’’. If, however, you wish to explain it in its plain sense, explain it thus: At the beginning of the Creation of heaven and earth when the earth was without form and void and there was darkness, God said, “Let there be light”. The text does not intend to point out the order of the acts of Creation — to state that these (heaven and earth) were created first; for if it intended to point this out, it should have written 'בראשונה ברא את השמים וגו “At first God created etc.” And for this reason: Because, wherever the word ראשית occurs in Scripture, it is in the construct state. E. g., (Jeremiah 26:1) “In the beginning of (בראשית) the reign of Jehoiakim”; (Genesis 10:10) “The beginning of (ראשית) his kingdom”; (Deuteronomy 18:4) “The first fruit of (ראשית) thy corn.” Similarly here you must translate בראשית ברא אלקים as though it read בראשית ברוא, at the beginning of God’s creating. A similar grammatical construction (of a noun in construct followed by a verb) is: (Hosea 1:2) תחלת דבר ה' בהושע, which is as much as to say, “At the beginning of God’s speaking through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea.” Should you, however, insist that it does actually intend to point out that these (heaven and earth) were created first, and that the meaning is, “At the beginning of everything He created these, admitting therefore that the word בראשית is in the construct state and explaining the omission of a word signifying “everything” by saying that you have texts which are elliptical, omitting a word, as for example (Job 3:10) “Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb” where it does not explicitly explain who it was that closed the womb; and (Isaiah 8:4) “He shall take away the spoil of Samaria” without explaining who shall take it away; and (Amos 6:12) “Doth he plough with oxen," and it does not explicitly state, “Doth a man plough with oxen”; (Isaiah 46:10) “Declaring from the beginning the end,” and it does not explicitly state, “Declaring from the beginning of a thing the end of a thing’ — if it is so (that you assert that this verse intends to point out that heaven and earth were created first), you should be astonished at yourself, because as a matter of fact the waters were created before heaven and earth, for, lo, it is written, (v. 2) “The Spirit of God was hovering on the face of the waters,” and Scripture had not yet disclosed when the creation of the waters took place — consequently you must learn from this that the creation of the waters preceded that of the earth. And a further proof that the heavens and earth were not the first thing created is that the heavens were created from fire (אש) and water (מים), from which it follows that fire and water were in existence before the heavens. Therefore you must admit that the text teaches nothing about the earlier or later sequence of the acts of Creation.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

בית הלל אומרים Beis Hillel: the earth firstMachlokes

summary Beis Hillel say the earth was created first and then the heavens, from the pasuk that speaks of the day Hashem made earth and heaven, and they ask Beis Shammai whether a person builds an upper storey before he builds the house.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: שָׁמַיִם נִבְרְאוּ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִבְרֵאת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ״. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: אֶרֶץ נִבְרֵאת תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם״. אָמְרוּ לָהֶם בֵּית הִלֵּל לְבֵית שַׁמַּאי: לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, אָדָם בּוֹנֶה עֲלִיָּיה וְאַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹנֶה בַּיִת?! שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַבּוֹנֶה בַשָּׁמַיִם מַעֲלוֹתָיו וַאֲגוּדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ״. אָמְרוּ לָהֶם בֵּית שַׁמַּאי לְבֵית הִלֵּל: לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה שְׁרַפְרַף, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹשֶׂה כִּסֵּא?! שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָי״. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: זֶה וָזֶה כְּאַחַת נִבְרְאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם קוֹרֵא אֲנִי אֲלֵיהֶם יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו״.

§ Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel dispute the order of Creation, as the Sages taught: Beit Shammai say: The heavens were created first and afterward the earth was created, as it is stated: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), which indicates that heaven came first. And Beit Hillel say: The earth was created first, and heaven after it, as it is stated: “On the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven” (Genesis 2:4). Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: According to your words, does a person build a second floor and build the first floor of the house afterward? As it is stated: “It is He Who builds His upper chambers in the heaven, and has founded His vault upon the earth” (Amos 9:6), indicating that the upper floor, heaven, was built above the earth. Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: According to your words, does a person make a stool for his feet, and make a seat afterward? As it is stated: “So said the Lord: The heavens are My seat, and the earth My footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). But the Rabbis say: Both this and that were created as one, for it is stated: “Indeed, My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13), implying that they were created as one.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

זה וזה כאחת נבראו The Chachamim: both as oneMachlokes

summary The Chachamim say the two were created as one, from the pasuk that My hand founded the earth and My right hand spread out the heavens, I call to them and they stand together. Reish Lakish then settles the contradicting pesukim by saying they were created heavens first and spread out earth first.

אָמְרוּ לָהֶם בֵּית הִלֵּל לְבֵית שַׁמַּאי: לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, אָדָם בּוֹנֶה עֲלִיָּיה וְאַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹנֶה בַּיִת?! שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַבּוֹנֶה בַשָּׁמַיִם מַעֲלוֹתָיו וַאֲגוּדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ״. אָמְרוּ לָהֶם בֵּית שַׁמַּאי לְבֵית הִלֵּל: לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה שְׁרַפְרַף, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹשֶׂה כִּסֵּא?! שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָי״. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: זֶה וָזֶה כְּאַחַת נִבְרְאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם קוֹרֵא אֲנִי אֲלֵיהֶם יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו״. וְאִידָּךְ, מַאי ״יַחְדָּו״? דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּלְּפִי מֵהֲדָדֵי. קָשׁוּ קְרָאֵי אַהֲדָדֵי! אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: כְּשֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ — בָּרָא שָׁמַיִם וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּרָא הָאָרֶץ, וּכְשֶׁנָּטָה — נָטָה הָאָרֶץ וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָטָה שָׁמַיִם.

Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: According to your words, does a person build a second floor and build the first floor of the house afterward? As it is stated: “It is He Who builds His upper chambers in the heaven, and has founded His vault upon the earth” (Amos 9:6), indicating that the upper floor, heaven, was built above the earth. Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: According to your words, does a person make a stool for his feet, and make a seat afterward? As it is stated: “So said the Lord: The heavens are My seat, and the earth My footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). But the Rabbis say: Both this and that were created as one, for it is stated: “Indeed, My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13), implying that they were created as one. The Gemara asks: And the others, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, what, in their opinion, is the meaning of “together”? The Gemara responds: It means that they do not separate from each other. In other words, the term “together” is referring not to the moment of their creation but to the manner of their positioning. The Gemara comments: In any case, the verses contradict each other, as heaven is sometimes mentioned first, while on other occasions earth is listed beforehand. Reish Lakish said: When they were created, He first created the heavens and afterward created the earth, but when He spread them out and fixed them in their places, He spread out the earth and afterward He spread out the heavens.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

בית שמאי אומרים Beis Shammai: the heavens firstMachlokes

summary Beis Shammai say the heavens were created first and then the earth, from the order of the words in our pasuk, and they answer Beis Hillel that a person does not make a footstool before he makes the seat.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

יום אחד Day one

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֖ים יְהִ֣י Bereishis 1:3

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃

And God said: ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יְהֵי Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:3

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יְהֵי נְהוֹרָא וַהֲוָה נְהוֹרָא

Elohim said, Let there be light. and there was light.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

אור Light before the sunMachlokes

summary The Midrash teaches that the light of the six days of creation cannot shine by day, because it would make the disc of the sun look dim, and cannot shine at night, because it was made to shine only by day, so it was stored away for the tzaddikim in the future.

תני אורה שנבראת בששת ימי בראשית להאיר ביום אינה יכולה שהיא מכהה גלגל החמה ובלילה אינה יכולה שלא נבראת להאיר אלא ביום והיכן היא נגנזה והיא מתוקנת לצדיקים לעתיד לבא שנאמר (ישעיה ל, כו ): "והיה אור הלבנה כאור החמה ואור החמה יהיה שבעתים כאור שבעת הימים" אתמהא שבעת ולא שלשה הן והלא ברביעי נבראו המאורות אלא כאינש דאמר כן וכן אנא מפקד לשבעת יומיא דמישתותי. רבי נחמיה אמר אלו שבעת ימי אבילות של מתושלח הצדיק. שהשפיע להן הקדוש ברוך הוא אורה. "ויקרא אלקים לאור יום" א"ר אלעזר לעולם אין הקדוש ברוך הוא מיחד שמו על הרעה אלא על הטובה "וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹקִים לָאוֹר יוֹם" ולחושך קרא אלקים לילה אין כתיב כאן אלא "וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לַיְלָה": "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב" רבי זעירא בריה דרבי אבהו דרש בקסרין מנין שאין מברכין על הנר עד שיאותו לאורו מן הכא "וַיַּרְא" "וַיַּבְדֵּל" רבי יהודה בר' סימון אמר הבדילו לו רבנן אמרי הבדילו לצדיקים לעתיד לבוא משל למלך שהיה לו מנה יפה והפרישה לבנו. א"ר ברכיה כך דרשו שני גדולי עולם רבי יוחנן ור"ש בן לקיש ויבדל הבדלה ממש משל למלך שהיה לו שני איסטרטיגין א' שליט ביום וא' שליט בלילה והיו שניהם מדיינין זה עם זה זה אומר ביום אני שולט וזה אומר ביום אני שולט קרא המלך לראשון א"ל פלוני יום יהא תחומך וכן לשני א"ל פלוני לילה יהא תחומך כך "ויקרא אלקים לאור יום" א"ל יום יהא תחומך ולחשך קרא לילה אמר ליה לילה יהא תחומך. א"ר יוחנן הוא שהקב"ה אומר לאיוב (איוב לח, יב ): "הֲמִיָּמֶיךָ צִוִּיתָ בֹּקֶר יִדַּעְתָּ הַשַּׁחַר מְקֹמוֹ" הידעת מקומו אי זה הוא אתמהא. א"ר תנחומא אנא אמרי טעמא (ישעיה מה, ז ): "יוצר אור ובורא חושך עושה שלום" משנבראו עושה שלום בינהן.

“God called the light, Day” – are “light” and “day” not the same thing? This is bewildering. It is taught: The light that was created during the six days of Creation cannot illuminate by day, because it would make the orb of the sun seem dim [by comparison], nor can it [illuminate] at night, as it was created to illuminate only during the day. Where is it, then?⁹Since it does not illuminate the world at any time. It was stored away, and is designated for the righteous for the future, as it is stated: “The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of the seven days” (Isaiah 30:26).
This is bewildering:¹⁰The verse just cited, which refers to the shining of the great light of Creation for seven days. “Seven [days]”? Are they not three? Is it not so, that the lights were created only on the fourth day? It is, rather, like a person who says: This and that I am preparing for the seven days of the wedding feast.¹¹He says this even if his preparations are for only one or two of the seven days. Rabbi Neḥemya said: These are the seven days of mourning for the righteous Methuselah, during which the Holy One blessed be He conferred extra light upon them.
“God saw the light, that it was good, and God distinguished between the light and the darkness” (Genesis 1:4).
“God saw the light, that it was good” – Rabbi Ze’eira son of Rabbi Abahu preached in Caesarea: From where is it derived that someone does not recite a blessing on the candle [at havdala on Saturday night] until he avails himself of its light? It is from here: “[God] saw…and [God] distinguished [vayavdel].”
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: He set it aside¹²Vayavdel (“He distinguished”) can also mean He set aside. for Himself.¹³As it is said (Daniel 2:22): “Light dwells with Him.” The Rabbis say: He set it aside for the righteous in the World to Come. This is analogous to a king who had a fine portion of food and set it aside for his son.
“God called the light, Day, and to the darkness He called Night. It was evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5).
Rabbi Berekhya said: This is what two eminent men of the world, Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, expounded: “[God] distinguished” – this refers to distinguishing in the literal sense.¹⁴Unlike the previous explanations. This is analogous to a king who had two commanders, one to be in charge by day and one to be in charge by night. They were arguing with one another. This one said: ‘I will be in charge by day,’ and that one said: ‘I will be in charge by day.’ The king summoned the first one and said to him: ‘So-and-so, the day will be your realm.’ Likewise for the second one, he said to him: ‘So-and-so, the night will be your realm.’ So, too, “God called the light, Day”¹⁵This can also be translated: “God called out to the light: Day [will be your realm].” – He said to it: ‘The day will be your realm.’ “And to the darkness He called Night” – He said to it: ‘The night will be your realm.’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said: That is what the Holy One blessed be He says to Job: “In all your days, have you commanded the morning and apprised darkness of its place?” (Job 38:12) – have you informed it of its place, where it is? This was a rhetorical question. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: I will say the source for this: “He forms light and creates darkness, He makes peace” (Isaiah 45:7) – after they were created, He made peace [between them].
“God called the light, Day” – Rabbi Elazar said: The Holy One blessed be He never associates His name with the bad, but only with the good. “God called the light, Day and to the darkness God called night” is not written here, but rather, “to the darkness He called night.”¹⁶Regarding darkness, the pronoun “He” is used instead of God’s name.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

ויאמר What saying means here

summary Ramban explains that saying here is an expression of will or of thought, and that the point is that the creation was done without labor.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר מִילַת אֲמִירָה בְּכָאן לְהוֹרוֹת עַל הַחֵפֶץ, כְּדֶרֶךְ "מַה תֹּאמַר נַפְשְׁךָ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ" (שמואל א כ ד), מָה תִּרְצֶה וְתַחְפֹּץ, וְכֵן "וּתְהִי אִשָּׁה לְבֶן אֲדֹנֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה'" (בראשית כ"ד:נ"א), כַּאֲשֶׁר רָצָה; כִּי כֵן הוּא הָרָצוֹן לְפָנָיו. אוֹ הוּא כְּגוֹן מַחְשָׁבָה, כְּמוֹ "הָאֹמְרָה בִּלְבָבָהּ" (ישעיהו מז ח); "וְאָמְרוּ אַלֻּפֵי יְהוּדָה בְּלִבָּם" (זכריה יב ה). וְהָעִנְיָן, לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּעָמָל. וְכָךְ קָרְאוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָזֶה "מַחְשָׁבָה"; אָמְרוּ: מַחְשָׁבָה – בַּיּוֹם; הַמַּעֲשֶׂה – עִם דִּמְדּוּמֵי חַמָּה. וְהוּא לְהוֹרוֹת עַל דָּבָר מְחֻשָּׁב שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ טַעַם, לֹא חֵפֶץ פָּשׁוּט בִּלְבַד. וּמִילַת הֲוָיָה – מוֹרֶה עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַזְּמַן הָעוֹמֵד, כְּמוֹ "וְאַתָּה הֹוֶה לָהֶם לְמֶלֶךְ" (נחמיה ו ו). וְלָכֵן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב, כִּי כְּשֶׁבָּרָא חֹמֶר הַשָּׁמַיִם – אָמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִן הַחֹמֶר הַהוּא דָּבָר מַזְהִיר, קְרָאוֹ אוֹר.

AND G-D SAID, ‘LET THERE BE LIGHT.’ The word “saying” here indicates Will, as in the verse, What dost thy soul say, that I should do it for thee?⁶⁵I Samuel 20:4. which means, “What do you want and desire?” Similarly, And let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Eternal hath spoken⁶⁶Genesis 24:51. means, “…as He hath willed, for such is the Will before Him.” Or, it may be [that the word “saying” here means] “thinking,” as in the verses, Thou sayest in thy heart;⁶⁷Isaiah 47:8. And the chiefs of Judah shall say in their heart.⁶⁸Zechariah 12:5. The purport is to state that the creation was not done with toil. Our Rabbis have also called this “thought.” Thus they have said:⁶⁹Bereshith Rabbah 12:14. “The thought [concerning what was to be created on a particular day] was during the day; the deed itself was at sunset.” This teaches that creation was thought out, that there is a reason for everything created, that creation was not a simple manifestation of mere Will alone.
The word “being” [Let there ‘be’] indicates a deed for the present time,⁷⁰Thus unlike Rashi and R’dak (Rabbi David Kimchi), who hold that the reference here is to the creation of the luminaries, such as the sun, moon, etc., which were not suspended in the firmament until the fourth day (see Rashi, Verse 14), Ramban explains that the light of the first day was of a special substance; hence Scripture does not say, And it was so, since that light did not remain forever in its original state. just as: And thou wouldst be their king⁷¹Nehemiah 6:6. [meaning: their king from this moment on]. Therefore Scripture says that when He created the substance of the heavens, He said that from that substance there should come forth a shining matter called “light.”

בעשרה מאמרות Ten utterances

summary The Mishnah says the world was made with ten utterances, though one would have been enough, so that the wicked who ruin such a world are held to account and the tzaddikim who uphold it are rewarded.

בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, וַהֲלֹא בְמַאֲמָר אֶחָד יָכוֹל לְהִבָּרְאוֹת, אֶלָּא לְהִפָּרַע מִן הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁמְּאַבְּדִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת, וְלִתֵּן שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁמְּקַיְּמִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת:

With ten utterances the world was created. And what does this teach, for surely it could have been created with one utterance? But this was so in order to punish the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances, And to give a good reward to the righteous who maintain the world that was created with ten utterances.

והלא תשעה הן Counting the ten

summary The Gemara counts the utterances of creation and finds only nine places where the Torah says vayomer, and answers that bereishis itself is an utterance, since by the word of Hashem the heavens were made.

רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר: כְּנֶגֶד עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: כְּנֶגֶד עֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. הֵי נִינְהוּ? ״וַיֹּאמֶר״ — ״וַיֹּאמֶר״ דִּבְרֵאשִׁית תִּשְׁעָה הָווּ! ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״ נָמֵי מַאֲמָר הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״בִּדְבַר ה׳ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ״.

Rav Yosef said: The ten verses correspond to the Ten Commandments, which were said to Moses at Sinai. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They correspond to the ten utterances through which the world was created. The Gemara asks: Which are these ten utterances? The Gemara explains: This is referring to the ten times that the phrase “And He said” appears in the story of Creation in the first two chapters of Genesis. The Gemara asks: Does it refer to the repetition of the phrase: “And He said” in Genesis? There are only nine such phrases, not ten. The Gemara answers that the phrase “In the beginning” is also considered an utterance, as it is written: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made” (Psalms 33:6), which indicates that all of creation came into existence through a single utterance, after which all matter was formed into separate and distinct entities by means of the other nine utterances.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹקִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר Bereishis 1:4

וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹקִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹקִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַחֲזָא ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:4

וַחֲזָא ה׳ יָת נְהוֹרָא אֲרֵי טָב וְאַפְרֵשׁ ה׳ בֵּין נְהוֹרָא וּבֵין חֲשׁוֹכָא

Elohim saw that the light was good, and Elohim divided the light from the darkness.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וירא אלקים את האור כי טוב ויבדל The light set asideMachlokes

summary Rashi brings the aggadah that Hashem saw the wicked were not fit to use this light and set it aside for the tzaddikim in the world to come, and adds that by the plain sense it was not fitting for light and darkness to work in confusion, so each was given its own hours.

וירא אלקים את האור כי טוב ויבדל. אַף בָּזֶה אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְדִבְרֵי אַגַּדָה, רָאָהוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְדַאי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵשׁ בּוֹ רְשָׁעִים, וְהִבְדִּילוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ, רָאָהוּ כִּי טוֹב, וְאֵין נָאֶה לוֹ וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְקָבַע לָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּיּוֹם, וְלָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה:

וירא אלקים את האור כי טוב ויבדל AND GOD SAW THE LIGHT THAT IT WAS GOOD, AND GOD CAUSED A DIVISION — Here, also, we must depend upon the statement of the Agada: He saw that the wicked were unworthy of using it (the light); He, therefore, set it apart (ויבדל), reserving it for the righteous in the world to come (Chagigah 12a). But according to the plain sense explain it thus: He saw that it was good, and that it was not seemly that light and darkness should function together in a confused manner. He therefore limited this one’s sphere of activity to the daytime, and this one’s sphere of activity to the nighttime (see Genesis Rabbah 3:6).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

אור שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא ביום ראשון From one end of the world to the otherMachlokes

summary Rabbi Elazar says the light of the first day was not the light of the sun but a light by which a person could see from one end of the world to the other, and that Hashem hid it away for the tzaddikim when He saw the generations of the flood and the dispersion.

וְאוֹר בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן אִיבְּרִי? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וַיִּתֵּן אוֹתָם אֱלֹקִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם רְבִיעִי״! כִּדְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, אָדָם צוֹפֶה בּוֹ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּסְתַּכֵּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וּבְדוֹר הַפְּלַגָּה וְרָאָה שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מְקוּלְקָלִים — עָמַד וּגְנָזוֹ מֵהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם״. וּלְמִי גְּנָזוֹ — לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב״, וְאֵין ״טוֹב״ אֶלָּא צַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב״. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹר שֶׁגְּנָזוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים שָׂמַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אוֹר צַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמָח״.

The Gemara poses a question: And was light created on the first day? But isn’t it written: “And God set them in the firmament of the heaven” (Genesis 1:17), and it is also written: “And there was evening, and there was morning, a fourth day” (Genesis 1:19), indicating that light was created on the fourth day. The Gemara answers: This should be understood in accordance with Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: The light that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created on the first day was not that of the sun but a different kind of light, through which man could observe from one end of the world to the other. But when the Holy One, Blessed be He, looked upon the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion and saw that their ways were corrupt and that they might misuse this light for evil, He arose and concealed it from them, as it is stated: “And from the wicked their light is withheld” (Job 38:15). And for whom did He conceal it? For the righteous people in the future, as it is stated: “And God saw the light, that it was good” (Genesis 1:4), and “good” is referring to none other than the righteous, as it is stated: “Say of the righteous that it shall be good for them, for they shall eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10). When the light saw that it had been concealed for the righteous, it rejoiced, as it is stated: “The light for the righteous shall rejoice” (Proverbs 13:9).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וחכמים אומרים The Rabbis: the same luminariesMachlokes

summary The Gemara records this as a machlokes of tannaim: Rabbi Yaakov says the light of the first day let a person see from one end of the world to the other, and the Rabbis say it is the very light of the luminaries, which were only hung in place on the fourth day.

כְּתַנָּאֵי: אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, אָדָם צוֹפֶה וּמַבִּיט בּוֹ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: הֵן הֵן מְאוֹרוֹת שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא נִתְלוּ עַד יוֹם רְבִיעִי.

The Gemara comments: This is like a dispute between tanna’im: The light that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created on the first day was so profound that man could observe through it from one end of the world to the other; this is the statement of Rabbi Ya’akov. And the Rabbis say: This light is the very same as the lights created on the first day, but they were not suspended in their designated places in the firmament until the fourth day.

וירא אלקים את האור כי טוב Ramban against the hidingMachlokes

summary Ramban rejects the readings of Rashi and Ibn Ezra here, since they would make it look as though Hashem changed His mind after the light already existed. He holds that seeing in these pesukim means willing a thing to endure, so the pasuk is saying that Hashem desired the light to last.

וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב כָּתַב רַבֵּינוּ שְׁלֹמֹה: אַף בָּזֶה אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה: רָאָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ רְשָׁעִים, וְהִבְדִּילוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ: רָאָהוּ כִּי טוֹב, וְאֵין נָאֶה לוֹ וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְקָבַע לָזֶה תְּחוּמוֹ בַּיּוֹם וְלָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה. וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על בראשית א':ד'): וַיַּרְא – כְּמוֹ "וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי" (קהלת ב יג), וְהִיא בְּמַחְשֶׁבֶת הַלֵּב. וְטַעַם וַיַּבְדֵּל – בִּקְרִיאַת הַשֵּׁמוֹת. וְאֵין דִּבְרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם נְכוֹנִים: שֶׁאִם כֵּן, יֵרָאֶה כְּעִנְיַן הַמְלָכָה וְעֵצָה חֲדָשָׁה, שֶׁיֹּאמַר, כִּי אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר אֱלֹקִים: "יְהִי אוֹר", וְהָיָה אוֹר, רָאָה אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, וְלָכֵן הִבְדִּיל בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, כָּעִנְיָן בָּאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יֵדַע טִיבוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר עַד הֱיוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל הַסֵּדֶר בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, כִּי הוֹצָאַת הַדְּבָרִים אֶל הַפֹּעַל יִקָּרֵא "אֲמִירָה": "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר" (כאן); "וַיֹּאמֶר... יְהִי רָקִיעַ" (בראשית א':ו'); "וַיֹּאמֶר... תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ" (בראשית א':י"א).. וְקִיּוּמָם יִקָּרֵא "רְאִיָּה", כְּעִנְיָן "וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי" דְּקֹהֶלֶת (ב יג); וְכֵן "וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל" (בראשית ג':ו'). וְהוּא כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ (כתובות קט א): "רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אַדְמוֹן", וְכָמוֹהוּ (שמואל ב טו כז): "וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן הֲרוֹאֶה אַתָּה שֻׁבָה הָעִיר בְּשָׁלוֹם". וְהָעִנְיָן, לְהוֹרוֹת כִּי עֲמִידָתָם בְּחֶפְצוֹ, וְאִם הַחֵפֶץ יִתְפָּרֵד רֶגַע מֵהֶם – יִהְיוּ לְאַיִן. וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָמַר בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם וָיוֹם: "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי טוֹב", וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁלַם הַכֹּל: "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד" (בראשית א':ל"א), כֵּן אָמַר בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן בִּהְיוֹת הָאוֹר: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי טוֹב, שֶׁרָצָה בְּקִיּוּמוֹ לָעַד. וְהוֹסִיף בְּכָאן אֶת הָאוֹר. שֶׁאִלּוּ אָמַר סְתָם: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי טוֹב, הָיָה חוֹזֵר עַל בְּרִיאַת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ; וְלֹא גָּזַר בָּהֶן עֲדַיִן הַקִּיּוּם, כִּי לֹא עָמְדוּ כָּכָה, אֲבָל מִן הַחֹמֶר הַנִּבְרָא בָּרִאשׁוֹן – נַעֲשָׂה בַּשֵּׁנִי רָקִיעַ, וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁי נִפְרְדוּ הַמַּיִם וְהֶעָפָר וְנַעֲשֵׂית הַיַּבָּשָׁה שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ "אֶרֶץ", וְאָז גָּזַר בָּהֶם הַקִּיּוּם וְאָמַר בָּהֶם: "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי טוֹב".

AND G-D SAW THE LIGHT, THAT IT WAS GOOD. Rabbi Shlomo [Rashi] wrote: “Here too⁷⁵A reference to Rashi’s similar comment on the first word of the Torah — bereshith (see above). The difficulty here in the text is twofold: (a) It is first written, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and then G—d said, Let there be light. Thus there already was a separation between light and darkness. Why then does Scripture continue by stating, and G—d divided the light from the darkness? (b) Concerning all other acts of creation, the expression “And G—d saw that it was good” is found at the completion of the act of creation, while here this phrase is written (in the beginning of Verse 4) before the completion. The Agadah, which Rashi quotes, answers: (a) vayavdel means here that He set apart the light for the righteous in the world to come. (b) ki tov (that it was good) could not have been written after the separation of the light for the righteous from the ordinary light, since the remaining light was no longer perfect. Therefore, ki tov is mentioned before the setting aside of the light. we must depend on the words of the homiletic Agadah G-d saw that the wicked were unworthy of using the light, and so He set it aside for the righteous in the World to Come. But according to the plain meaning of the verse, explain it thus: He saw that the light was good, and that it was not seemly for it and the darkness to function in a confused manner. He therefore assigned the one’s sphere of activity to the daytime and the one’s sphere of activity to the nighttime.”
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said: “The word vayar (and He saw) has the same meaning here as in Vera’iti ani (And I saw),⁷⁶Daniel 10:7. which refers to the thought in the heart. And He divided refers to His giving them different names.”⁷⁷Ibn Ezra’s opinion is thus that the division was not because it was unseemly that the light and darkness function in a confused manner, but it was for the purpose of assigning each one a separate name.
But the words of both Rashi and Ibn Ezra are incorrect for if they were, it would appear that there was on the part of G-d a change of mind and new counsel, as if to say that after G-d said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light, He saw that it was good, and therefore He divided between it and darkness just as a human being who does not know the nature of something until it comes into existence! Rather, the order followed in the process of creation is that the bringing forth of things into actual existence is called amirah (saying). Thus: And G-d said, ‘Let there be light;’ And G-d said, ‘Let there be a firmament;’⁷⁸Verse 6. And G-d said, ‘Let the earth put forth grass.’⁷⁹Verse 11. And the permanence of things called forth into existence is called re’iyah (seeing), as And I saw in Ecclesiastes,⁸⁰2:13. and similarly, And the woman saw that the tree was good for food.⁸¹Genesis 3:6. In the language of the Rabbis we also find, “I see the words of Admon.”⁸²Kethuboth 109a. Likewise, And the king said unto Zadok the priest, ‘Seest thou? return into the city in peace.’⁸³II Samuel 15:27. The purport of the word “seeing” is thus to indicate that their continuing existence is at His Will, and if that Will should for a second depart from them, they will turn into nought. Now just as Scripture says in connection with the work of each day, And G-d saw that it was good and on the sixth day when everything was completed it says, And G-d saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good,⁸⁴Verse 31. so does it say on the first day when light came into existence, And G-d saw … that it was good, meaning He desired its existence forever. The verse adds “the light” [And G-d saw ‘the light’ that it was good], because had it just said, “And G-d saw that it was good,” it would have referred to the creation of the heaven and the earth, and at that time He had not yet decreed for them permanence, as they did not remain as they were. Instead, from the substance created on the first day, the firmament was made on the second day, and on the third the waters and the dust were separated and the dry land — which He called “earth” — was formed. He then decreed for them permanence, and said concerning them, And G-d saw that it was good.⁸⁵Verse 10.

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ Bereishis 1:5

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃ (פ)

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

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּקְרָא ה׳ לִנְהוֹרָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:5

וּקְרָא ה׳ לִנְהוֹרָא יְמָמָא וְלַחֲשׁוֹכָא קְרָא לֵילְיָא וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה צְפַר יוֹמָא חָד

Elohim called the light day, and the darkness He called night. It became evening and it became morning, one day.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

יום אחד Why one day and not first day

summary Rashi asks why the Torah writes one day rather than first day as it does for the others, and answers that Hashem was then alone in His world, since the angels were not created until the second day.

יום אחד. לְפִי סֵדֶר לְשׁוֹן הַפָּרָשָׁה הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּשְׁאָר הַיָּמִים שֵׁנִי, שְׁלִישִׁי, רְבִיעִי, לָמָּה כָתַב אֶחָד? לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּבָּ"ה יָחִיד בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, שֶׁלֹא נִבְרְאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים עַד יוֹם שֵׁנִי, כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בּבְ"רַ:

יום אחד THE FIRST DAY (literally, one day) — According to the regular mode of expression used in this chapter it should be written here “first day”, just as it is written with regard to the other days “the second”, “the third”, “the fourth”. Why, then, does it write אחד “one”? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, was then the Only One (Sole Being) in His Universe, since the angels were not created until the second day. Thus it is explained in Genesis Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah 3:8).

יום אחד The one day

summary Rabbi Yudan says one day means the day on which Hashem was alone in His world, and the Midrash brings Rabbi Yochanan that the angels were created on the second day.

א"ר ינאי מתחלת ברייתו של עולם צפה הקב"ה מעשיהן של צדיקים ומעשיהם של רשעים. "וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ" אלו מעשיהם של רשעים "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר" אלו מעשיהן של צדיקים "וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹקִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ" בין מעשיהן של צדיקים למעשיהן של רשעים. "וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹקִים לָאוֹר יוֹם" אלו מעשיהן של צדיקים "וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לַיְלָה" אלו מעשיהן של רשעים. "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב" אלו מעשיהן של רשעים "וַיְהִי בֹקֶר" אלו מעשיהן של צדיקים. "יוֹם אֶחָד" שנתן להם הקדוש ברוך הוא יום אחד ואיזה זה יוה"כ. א"ר תנחום בר ירמיה שבו נבראו ארבעה דברים הרים שמים וארץ ואורה א"ר יודן שבו היה הקב"ה יחידי בעולמו שלא היה בעולמו אלא הוא אתיא כר' יוחנן ולא אתיא כרבי חנינא רבי יוחנן אמר בשני נבראו המלאכים הה"ד (תהלים קד, ד ): "המקרה במים עליותיו השם עבים רכובו המהלך על כנפי רוח" וכתיב "עושה מלאכיו רוחות" רבי חנינא אמר בחמישי נבראו מלאכים שנאמר ועוף יעופף על הארץ וכתיב (ישעיה ו, ב ): "ובשתים יעופף" רבי לוליאני בר טבראי בשם ר' יצחק אמר בין על דעתיה דר"ח בין על דעתיה דר"י הכל מודים שלא נברא ביום הראשון כלום שלא תאמר מיכאל היה מותח בדרומו של רקיע וגבריאל בצפונו והקדוש ברוך הוא ממדד באמצעיתו אלא (שם מד, כד) "אנכי ה' עושה כל נוטה שמים לבדי רוקע הארץ מאתי" מי אתי כתיב מי היה שותף עמי בברייתו של עולם:

Rabbi Yanai said: Right from the beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One blessed be He foresaw the actions of the righteous and the actions of the wicked. “The earth was emptiness” (Genesis 1:2) – these are the actions of the wicked. “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) – these are the actions of the righteous. “God distinguished between the light and the darkness” (Genesis 1:4) – between the actions of the righteous and the actions of the wicked. “God called the light, Day” (Genesis 1:5) – these are the actions of the righteous. “And to the darkness He called Night” (Genesis 1:5) – these are the actions of the wicked. “It was evening” (Genesis 1:5) – these are the actions of the wicked. “And it was morning” (Genesis 1:5) – these are the actions of the righteous.
“[It was evening and it was morning,] one day”¹⁹Why does it state “one day” rather than “the first day,” as it states “the second day” (Genesis 1:8), etc.? – the Holy One blessed be He gave to them [to Israel] one [unique] day. Which is that? It is Yom Kippur. Rabbi Tanḥum bar Yirmeya said: [It was the day] on which four items were created: Mountains, the heavens, the earth, and light.²⁰The creations on the first day were more significant than the others, and in that sense it is unique. Rabbi Yudan said: [It was the day] on which the Holy One blessed be He was alone in His world, as there was no one else in His world other than Him.²¹It was the only day on which God was truly “one,” as on the second days there were already angels. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, but it is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The angels [malakhim] were created on the second day. That is what is written: “He covers His upper chambers with water;²²This is what God did on the second day (Genesis 1:6–7). He makes clouds His chariot; He proceeds on the wings of wind” (Psalms 104:3), and it is written: “He makes the winds His messengers [malakhav]” (Psalms 104:4). Rabbi Ḥanina said: The angels were created on the fifth day, as it is stated: “Let birds fly [yeofef] over the earth…” (Genesis 1:20) and it is written: “And with two²³The seraphim had six wings, using two of them for flight (Isaiah 6:2). it would fly [yeofef]” (Isaiah 6:2). Rabbi Lulyana bar Tavrai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Both according to the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina and according to the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, everyone agrees that none were created on the first day, so people should not say: Mikhael was pulling at the south side of the heavens and Gabriel at its north side, while the Holy One blessed be straightened it out it in the middle. Rather, “I am the Lord, who made everything; who stretched out the heavens alone, who spread the earth by Myself [me’iti]” (Isaiah 44:24) – it [the last word] is written [as two]:²⁴Although the word is pronounced (keri) me’iti, in the biblical text it is written (ketiv) as two words, mi iti. “who is with Me [mi iti]?” Who was partner with Me in creation of the world?

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

ויבדל בין האור ובין החשך The darkness that is absence

summary Ramban says the darkness of this pasuk is not the darkness of the first pasuk but the absence of light, because Hashem gave the light a measure of time and decreed that it be gone until it returns.

וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹקִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ אֵינֶנּוּ הַחֹשֶׁךְ הַנִּזְכָּר בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁהוּא הָאֵשׁ, אֲבָל הוּא אֲפִיסַת הָאוֹר; כִּי נָתַן אֱלֹקִים מִדָּה לָאוֹר, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה נֶעְדָּר אַחַר כֵּן עַד שׁוּבוֹ. וְאָמְרוּ קְצָת הַמְּפָרְשִׁים, כִּי הָאוֹר הַזֶּה נִבְרָא לְפָנָיו שֶׁל הקב"ה, כְּלוֹמַר בַּמַּעֲרָב, וְשִׁקְּעוֹ מִיָּד כְּדֵי מִדַּת לַיְלָה, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן הֵאִיר כְּמִדַּת יוֹם. וְזֶה טַעַם "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר" (בראשית א':ה'), שֶׁקֹּדֶם הָיָה לַיְלָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יוֹם, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אַחֲרֵי הֲוָיַת הָאוֹר. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן כְּלָל, כִּי יוֹסִיפוּ עַל שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית יוֹם קָצָר. אֲבָל יִתָּכֵן שֶׁנֹּאמַר, כִּי הָאוֹר נִבְרָא לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְלֹא נִתְפַּשֵּׁט בַּיְּסוֹדוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים. וְהִבְדִּיל בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנָּתַן לִשְׁנֵיהֶם מִדָּה. וְעָמַד לְפָנָיו כְּמִדַּת לַיְלָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִזְרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ עַל הַיְּסוֹדוֹת. וְהִנֵּה קָדַם הָעֶרֶב לַבֹּקֶר. וְעוֹד יִתָּכֵן שֶׁנֹּאמַר, כִּי מִשֶּׁיָּצְאוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ מִן הָאֶפֶס אֶל הַיֵּשׁ הַנִּזְכָּר בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן, נִהְיָה זְמַן. כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזְּמַנֵּינוּ בִּרְגָעִים וְשָׁעוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בָּאוֹר וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ, מִשֶּׁיִּהְיֶה יֵשׁ – יִתָּפֵשׂ בּוֹ זְמַן. וְאִם כֵּן, נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְעָמְדוּ כֵן כְּמִדַּת לַיְלָה מִבְּלִי אוֹר, וְאָמַר "יְהִי אוֹר", וַיְהִי אוֹר, וְגָזַר עָלָיו שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד כְּמִדַּת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵעָדֵר מִן הַיְּסוֹדוֹת; "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר".

AND G-D DIVIDED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS. This is not “the darkness” mentioned in the first verse⁸⁶“First verse.” It is actually mentioned in Verse 2. However, in view of Ramban’s interpretation above that the first two verses tell of everything else to come, he refers to Verse 2 as “the first verse.” which, as explained above, refers to the element of fire; rather, the “darkness” mentioned here means the absence of light, since G-d gave a length of time to the light and decreed that it be absent afterwards until it returns.
Now some commentators⁸⁷Reference here is to Yehuda Halevi who, in his philosophic work Al Khazari, sets forth this theory: The first light was created at the time of sunset, and it was an illumination which soon passed away, leaving the world in darkness. The established order was then that night preceded day, as it is written, It was evening and it was morning (2:20, Hirschfeld’s translation). See also my Hebrew commentary, 2d edition, p. 547, that Ramban may also refer here to Rabbeinu Zerachyah Halevi, who was of a similar opinion. have said that this light was created in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, that is to say, in the west,⁸⁸In accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Abahu who says, “The Divine Presence is in the West” (Baba Bathra 25a). and He immediately caused it to disappear for the period of the night, and afterwards it gave light for the period of the day. This is the reason for the verse, And there was evening and there was morning, since the night came first and afterwards the day, and both of them came after the existence of the light.
But this is not correct at all, for in this way they might add a short day to the six days of creation.⁸⁹Since night and day were after the creation of light, and light was created at the time of sunset, it follows that there was a short day (that is, light without darkness) preceding the first day. Thus a short day is added to the six days of creation. It is possible, however, to say that the light was created in front of Him, blessed be He, but did not extend over the four elements mentioned [in the second verse, as explained above] and then He divided between it and the darkness by assigning to each a certain period. Light now remained before Him for the length of night, and then in the morning, He caused the light to shine upon the elements. In this way night preceded day.
It is further possible that we should say that when the heavens and the earth came forth from nought into existence, as mentioned in the first verse, time came into being, for although our time consisting of minutes and hours is measured in light and darkness, yet from the moment some substance came into existence time was already part of it. If so, after the heavens and the earth were created they so remained for the length of a night without light. Then He said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light, and He decreed that it remain the same period as the first, and that after that it be absent from the elements. Thus, there was evening, and there was morning.

יום שני Day two

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים יְהִ֥י Bereishis 1:6

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים יְהִ֥י רָקִ֖יעַ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַמָּ֑יִם וִיהִ֣י מַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין מַ֖יִם לָמָֽיִם׃

And God said: ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יְהִי Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:6

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יְהִי רְקִיעָא בִּמְצִיעוּת מַיָּא וִיהִי מַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מַיָּא לְמַיָּא

Elohim said, Let there be a canopy in the midst [middle] of the waters, and let it divide between waters and waters.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

בתוך המים Exactly in the middle

summary Rashi says in the midst of the waters means in the exact middle, since the distance from the upper waters to the rakia is the same as from the rakia to the waters on the earth, and from this you learn that the upper waters are held up by the word of the King.

בתוך המים. בְּאֶמְצַע הַמַּיִם, שֶׁיֵּש הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מַיִם הָעֶליוֹנִים לָרָקִיעַ כְּמוֹ בֵין הָרָקִיעַ לַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ, הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁהֵם תְּלוּיִים בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:

בתוך המים IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS — In the exact centre of the waters; because there is the same distance between the upper waters and the firmament as there is between the firmament and the waters that are upon the earth. Thus you may infer that they (the upper waters) are suspended in space by the command of the King (Genesis Rabbah 4:3).

יהי רקיע The rakia hardensMachlokes

summary Rashi says the heavens were created on the first day but were still fluid, and on the second day they froze at the rebuke of Hashem, which is why the pillars of heaven are described as trembling and then astonished.

יהי רקיע. יֶחֱזַק הָרָקִיעַ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם בְּיוֹם א' עֲדַיִן לַחִים הָיוּ וְקָרְשׁוּ בַשֵּׁנִי מִגַּעֲרַת הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּאָמְרוֹ יְהִי רָקִיעַ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתַב (איוב כ"ו) עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ – כָּל יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וּבַשֵּׁנִי יִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם וְעוֹמֵד מִגַּעֲרַת הַמְאַיֵּם עָלָיו:

יהי רקיע BE THERE AN EXPANSE — Let the expansion become fixed; for although the heavens were created on the first day, they were still in a fluid form, and they became solidified only on the second day at the dread command (literally, rebuke) of the Holy One, blessed be He, when he said “Let the firmament be stable” (Genesis Rabbah 4:2). It is to this that allusion is made in what is written in (Job 26:11): “The pillars of heaven were trembling” (i. e. they were unstable) — this was during the whole of the first day — and on the second (Job 26:11): “they were astonished at His rebuke”, like a man who stands immovable, amazed at the rebuke of one who terrifies him.

יקרש הרקיע The middle dropMachlokes

summary The Midrash says that when Hashem said let there be a rakia in the midst of the water, the middle drop froze and the lower and upper heavens came to be, and Rav says their substance was moist on the first day and congealed on the second.

ויאמר אלקים יהי רקיע בתוך המים - רבנן אמרין לה בשם רבי חנינא ור' פנחס ורבי יעקב בר' אבין בשם רבי שמואל בר נחמן בשעה שאמר הקב"ה יהי רקיע בתוך המים גלדה טיפה האמצעית ונעשו השמים התחתונים ושמי שמים העליונים רב אמר לחים היו מעשיהם ביום הראשון ובשני קרשו יהי רקיע יחזק הרקיע. ר' יהודה בר' סימון אמר יעשה מטלית לרקיע היך מה דאת אמר (שמות לט) וירקעו את פחי הזהב. אמר רבי חנינא יצאה האש מלמעלה ולחכה את פני הרקיע. רבי יוחנן כשהיה מגיע לפסוק זה (איוב כו) ברוחו שמים שפרה היה אומר יפה למדני. רבי חנינא א"ר יודן ברבי שמעון יצאת האש מלמעלה וליהטה פני רקיע ר' ברכיה בשם. רבי אבא בר כהנא אמר בא מעשה בראשית ללמד על מתן תורה ונמצא למד ממנה (ישעיה סד) כקדוח אש המסים אימתי חצה האש בין העליונים לתחתונים לא במתן תורה אתמהא כך היתה בברייתו של עולם:

“God said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water” – the Rabbis say it in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina, Rabbi Pinḥas, and Rabbi Yaakov bar Avin in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: When the Holy One blessed be He said: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water,” the middle drop [of water] congealed and thereby the lower heavens and the upper highest heavens came about. Rav said: Their substance on the first day¹When God “created the heavens” (Genesis 1:1). was damp, and on the second day they congealed. “Let there be a firmament” – let the firmament harden. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: Let there be a lining for the firmament [rakia], as it says: “They flattened [vayraku] the sheets of gold” (Exodus 39:3). Rabbi Ḥanina said: Fire emerged from on High and passed over the surface of the firmament.²Drying it, in accordance with the opinion of Rav. When Rabbi Yoḥanan would reach this verse: “With His wind, the heavens are enhanced” (Job 26:13), he would say: Rabbi Ḥanina taught me well. Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon said: The fire emerged from on High and burnished the surface of the firmament. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The act of Creation came to teach something about the giving of the Torah, but ultimately learned something from it. “Like [the day of] a splitting fire” (Isaiah 64:1)³The verse is speaking of the giving of the Torah, and describes that day as being like another day, one of fire splitting something in two. – when did fire split between what was above and what was below, was it not at the giving of the Torah?⁴And the verse compares that day to another day, one of a splitting fire – namely, the day of the creation of the heavens. That is a rhetorical question. So it was at the creation of the world.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִים֮ אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ֒ Bereishis 1:7

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִים֮ אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַעֲבַד ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:7

וַעֲבַד ה׳ יָת רְקִיעָא וְאַפְרֵישׁ בֵּין מַיָּא דִּי מִלְרַע לִרְקִיעָא וּבֵין מַיָּא דִּי מֵעַל לִרְקִיעָא וַהֲוָה כֵן

Elohim made the canopy, and divided the waters which were beneath the canopy, from the waters which were above the canopy, and it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

ויעש אלקים את הרקיע Making means fixing in place

summary Rashi says that making the rakia means setting it right in its place, and brings the same use of the word from a pasuk in Devarim about letting the nails grow.

ויעש אלקים את הרקיע. תִּקְּנוֹ עַל עָמְדוֹ, וְהִיא עֲשִׂיָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ וְעָשְׂתָה אֶת צִפָּרְנֶיהָ (דברים כ"א):

ויעש אלקים את הרקיע AND GOD MADE THE EXPANSE — He put it in proper condition in its place: this is the meaning of “making” it. Similarly (Deuteronomy 21:12) ועשתה את צפרניה “And she shall let grow (literally, make) her nails”.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

כבריכה של מים Like a pool with a dome over it

summary The Midrash compares the rakia to a pool of water with a dome above it, whose thick drops come down into the salt sea and do not mix with it, and says the thickness of the earth matches the thickness of the rakia.

הרקיע דומה לבריכה ולמעלה מן הבריכה כיפה ומחמת שהבריכה מזעת טיפים עבות והן יורדין לתוך מים המלוחים ואינן מתערבין א"ר יונה אל תתמה הדין ירדנא עבר בימא דטבריא ולא מתערב ביה מעשה נסים יש בדבר אדם כובר חטים או תבן בכברה עד שלא ירדו שתים ושלש אצבעות הן מתערבין ואלו מהלכין מהלך כמה שנים ואין מתערבין רבי יודן בר' שמעון אומר שהוא מורידן במדה שנאמר (איוב לו) כי יגרע נטפי מים היך מה דאת אמר (ויקרא כו) ונגרע מערכך כעוביה של ארץ כך עוביה של רקיע שנאמר (ישעיה מ) היושב על חוג הארץ וגו' וחוג שמים יתהלך וחוג חוג לגזירה שוה א"ר אחא בשם רבי חנינא כטס הזה רבי יהושע בר ר' נחמיה אמר כשתים ושלש אצבעות. רבי שמעון בן פזי אמר המים העליונים יתירין על התחתונים כשלשים כסוסטאות בין מים למים למ"ד תלתין רבנן אמרין מחצה על מחצה:

The firmament is similar to a pool of water and above the pool is a dome. Because of the pool there is condensation of thick drops, and they descend into the salt water but do not intermingle. Rabbi Yona said: Do not wonder; the Jordan passes through the Sea of Tiberias but does not intermingle [with its water].
There is miraculous process involved in this matter.¹²The matter of rainfall. When a person sifts wheat or stubble in a sieve, before they fall two or three fingerbreadths they are already intermingled, but these [raindrops] travel a distance of several years and do not intermingle with one another.
Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon says: He rains them down by measure, as it is stated: “For He deducts [yigara] drops of water” (Job 36:27), just as it says: “It will be deducted [venigra] from your valuation” (Leviticus 27:18).¹³All deduction is by measure.
The thickness of the earth is equivalent to the thickness of the firmament, as it is stated: “It is He who sits over the circuit [ḥug] of the earth…” (Isaiah 40:22), “in the circuit [ḥug] of the heavens He makes His way” (Job 22:14) – the words ḥug ḥug provide a verbal analogy.¹⁴Establishing a comparison between the earth and the heavens. Rav Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: It is like a sheet of metal.¹⁵The firmament is not as thick as the earth; rather it is extremely thin. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Rabbi Neḥemya said: It is approximately two or three fingerbreadths [thick].
Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: The upper waters contain approximately thirty kesustas¹⁶A certain measure of volume. more than the lower – “and let it divide between water and water [lamayim]” – lamed equals thirty.¹⁷The numerical value of lamayim is thirty more than the numerical value of mayim. The Rabbis say: It is half and half.

בין מים העליונים למים התחתונים How wide is the gap

summary The Gemara asks how wide the gap between the upper and lower waters is, and brings that it is like the thickness of a thread, like the space between the boards of a bridge, like two cloaks laid one on the other, or like two cups set one on the other.

מִכְּדֵי ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״ אֵימַת הָוֵי — בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הַבְדָּלָה — בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי הוּא דַּהֲוַאי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם״. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: כִּמְלֹא נִימָא. וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: כִּי גוּדָּא דְגַמְלָא. מָר זוּטְרָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב אַסִּי אָמַר: כִּתְרֵי גְלִימֵי דִּפְרִיסִי אַהֲדָדֵי. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: כִּתְרֵי כָסֵי דִּסְחִיפִי אַהֲדָדֵי.

The Gemara explains: Now, this verse: “And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters,” when was it stated? On the first day, whereas the division of the waters occurred on the second day, as it is written: “And let it divide the waters from the waters” (Genesis 1:6). How, then, could ben Zoma derive a proof from the former verse? The Gemara asks: And how much, in fact, is the gap between them? Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: Like the thickness of a thread; and the Rabbis said: Like the gap between the boards of a bridge. Mar Zutra, and some say it was Rav Asi, said: Like two robes spread one over the other, with a slight gap in between. And some said: Like two cups placed one upon the other.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹקִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ Bereishis 1:8

וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹקִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שֵׁנִֽי׃ (פ)

And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּקְרָא ה׳ לִרְקִיעָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:8

וּקְרָא ה׳ לִרְקִיעָא שְׁמַיָּא וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה צְפַר יוֹם תִּנְיָן

Elohim called the canopy heaven. It became evening and it became morning the second day.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

מעל לרקיע Hanging above, and no ki tov

summary Rashi notes the pasuk says me'al larakia and not al harakia, because the upper waters hang in the air by the word of Hashem. He then explains that ki tov is missing on the second day because the work of the waters was only finished on the third day, and what is not finished is not called good.

מעל לרקיע. עַל הָרָקִיעַ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיִין בָּאֲוִיר. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּי טוֹב בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי? לְפִי שֶׁלֹא הָיָה נִגְמָר מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם עַד יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי, וַהֲרֵי הִתְחִיל בָּהּ בְּשֵׁנִי, וְדָבָר שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמַר אֵינוֹ בִּמְלוֹאוֹ וְטוּבוֹ; וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁנִּגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם וְהִתְחִיל וְגָמַר מְלָאכָה אֲחֶרֶת, כָּפַל בּוֹ כִּי טוֹב שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים, אַחַת לִגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַשֵּׁנִי וְאַחַת לִגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַיּוֹם:

מעל לרקיע ABOVE THE EXPANSE — It is not said here על הרקיע “upon the firmament״, but מעל “hanging from above”, because they (the waters) were suspended in space (Genesis Rabbah 4:3). Why is it not stated in reference to the work of the second day “that it was good”? Because the work associated with water was not completed until the third day — He only began it on the second — and anything that is not completed is not in a state of perfection and at its best (and so cannot be termed “good”). Therefore on the third day when He completed the work associated with water and another work was commenced and finished, the words כי טוב are repeated, once in reference to the completion of the work of the second day, and again in reference to the completion of the work of that day (Genesis Rabbah 4:10).

ויקרא אלקים לרקיע שמים The name shamayim

summary Rashi reads shamayim as sa mayim, carry water, or sham mayim, water is there, or eish umayim, fire and water, which Hashem mixed together and from them made the heavens.

ויקרא אלקים לרקיע שמים. שָׂא מַיִם, שָׁם מַיִם, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, שֶׁעֵרְבָן זֶה בָזֶה וְעָשָׂה מֵהֶם שָׁמַיִם:

ויקרא אלקים לרקיע שמים AND GOD CALLED THE EXPANSE HEAVEN — The word “שמים”, Heaven, may be regarded as made up of שא מים “Carry water”, or שם מים “There is water”, or אש ומים “Fire and water”. He mingled fire with water and of them He made the heavens (Chagigah 12a).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

למה לא נאמר כי טוב בשני Why no ki tov on the second day

summary The Midrash gives two reasons why ki tov is not said on the second day: Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Chalafta says Gehinnom was made on it, and Rabbi Chanina says because separation was made on it.

ויעש אלקים את הרקיע זה אחד מן המקראות שהרעיש בן זומא את העולם ויעש אתמהא והלא במאמר הן הוי (תהלים לג) בדבר ה' שמים נעשו וברוח פיו כל צבאם למה אין כתיב בשני כי טוב רבי יוחנן תני לה בשם רבי יוסי ב"ר חלפתא שבו נבראת גיהנם שנא' (ישעיה ל) כי ערוך מאתמול תפתה יום שיש בו אתמול ואין בו שלשום רבי חנינא אומר שבו נבראת מחלוקת שנאמר ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים א"ר טביומי אם מחלוקת שהיא לתקונו של עולם ולישובו אין בה כי טוב מחלוקת שהיא לערבובו על אחת כמה וכמה א"ר שמואל לפי שלא נגמרה מלאכת המים לפיכך כתוב בשלישי כי טוב שני פעמים אחד למלאכת המים וא' למלאכתו של יום שאלה מטרונה אחת את רבי יוסי אמרה לו למה אין כתיב בשני כי טוב אמר לה אעפ"כ חזר וכללו כולו בסוף שנאמר וירא אלקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד אמרה ליה משל ששה בני אדם באין אצלך ואת נותן לכל או"א מנה ולאחד אין את נותן מנה ואת חוזר ונותן לכולם מנה אחד לא נמצא ביד כל אחד מנה ושתות וביד אחד שתות אתמהא חזר ואמר לה כההוא דאמר ר' שמואל בר נחמן לפי שלא נגמרה מלאכת המים לפיכך כתיב בשלישי ב' פעמים כי טוב אחת למלאכת המים ואחת למלאכת היום רבי לוי בשם רבי תנחום בר חנילאי אמר כתיב (שם מו) מגיד מראשית אחרית בתחלת ברייתו של עולם צפה הקדוש ברוך הוא משה קרוי טוב ועתיד ליטול את שלו מתחת ידיהם לפיכך לא כתיב בהם כי טוב רבי סימון בשם ר' יהושע בן לוי אמר משל למלך שהיה לו לגיון קשה אמר המלך הואיל ולגיון זה קשה אל יכתב שמי עליו כך אמר הקב"ה הואיל והמים הללו לקו בהם דור המבול ודור אנוש ודור הפלגה לפיכך אל יכתב בהן כי טוב:

“God made the firmament, and divided between the water that was under the firmament and the water that was above the firmament; and it was so” (Genesis 1:7).
“God made the firmament” – this is one of the verses due to which ben Zoma stirred up commotion in the world. “[God] made”? This is bewildering; for were they not [brought about] by God’s mere word? That is, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; by the breath of His mouth, all their hosts” (Psalms 33:6).¹⁸The verb “made” is employed in reference to something formed by the word of God.
Why is “that it was good” not written regarding the second day?¹⁹As it is regarding all the other days of Creation. Rabbi Yoḥanan taught it in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥalafta: It is because Gehenna was created on it, as it is stated: “For the inferno is arranged from yesterday” (Isaiah 30:33) – a day that has a yesterday, but does not have a day before yesterday.
Rabbi Ḥanina says: It is because division was created, as it is stated: “And let it divide between water and water.” Rabbi Tavyomei said: If on account of division that is for the improvement of the world and its settlement, there is no “that it was good,” division that causes turmoil in the world, all the more so.
Rabbi Shmuel [bar Naḥman] said: It is because the work of creating water was not completed.²⁰Only on the third day did the water assume its final form (Genesis 1:9). That is why “that it was good” is written twice on the third day; once for the work of creating the water, and once for the other work done on that day.
A certain noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei, saying to him: ‘Why is “that it was good” not written regarding the second day?’ He said to her: ‘Nevertheless, it ultimately returned and included everything at the end, as it is stated: “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good”’ (Genesis 1:31). She said to him: ‘This is analogous to six people who come to you and you give each one of them a maneh, but to one of them you do not give a maneh. You then give one maneh for everyone [to be divided among them] – will the result not be that they all have a maneh and a sixth in their hands, but one of them has only one sixth of a maneh in his hand?’ This was a rhetorical question. He then said to her in accordance with what Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: ‘It is because the work of creating water was not completed.’ That is why “that it was good” is written twice on the third day; once for the work of creating water, and once for the other work done on that day.
Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai: It is written: “He tells the outcome from the outset” (Isaiah 46:10) – from the beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One blessed be He foresaw that Moses would be called “good” (Exodus 2:2) and that he was destined to receive his [punishment] because of it [water].²¹Because of his wrongful actions at the Waters of Meriva (Numbers 20:12–13). That is why “that it was good” is not written regarding it.
Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: This is analogous to a king who had a ruthless legion. The king said: ‘Since this legion is ruthless, let my name not be written in association with it.’ So, too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since the generation of the Flood, the generation of Enosh, and the generation of the Dispersion were all penalized by it [water], therefore, let “that it was good” not be written in association with it.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

יהי רקיע Radak: the air, made firmMachlokes

summary Radak says the rakia already existed, since the rakia is the air, as we see from the pasuk about the birds flying on the face of the rakia of the heavens. Yehi rakia therefore means that it should become firm and able to hold the air, since until then it was wet and weak and did not let the light down.

ויאמר אלקים יהי רקיע, והרקיע כבר היה, כי הרקיע הוא האויר כמו שנאמר ועוף יעופף על הארץ על פני רקיע השמים, אלא מהו יהי רקיע? יחזק הרקיע, כלומר יהי בתכונה שיקבל האויר (האור, המ״ל) ופירושו הרקיע שהוא על שם המים שהיה צח (לח? המ״ל) ורפה ולא היה אור יורד למטה, כמו שפירש יהי אור, והרקיע לא נתחזק עד שיבשה הארץ ומצא האור מקום קשה ונהפך וחזק את הרקיע והקפיאו. והראות היבשה והעשות הרקיע היה ביום שני, ופירוש ויאמר אלקים יקוו המים וככר אמר ביום שני קודם שאמר יהי רקיע, וכמוהו רבים, וכן כתב החכם ראב״ע ז״ל, וכתב “וכאשר נתחזק האור על הארץ והרות יבש מהארץ נהפך הלהט ונעשה הרקיע,״ וכן כל דעת (דעת כל, המ״ל) חכמי המחקר על הלהט הנהפך והסוגו לאחור עד מקום המים העליונים, וכתב ״כי פרשת יקוו המים דבקה עם אשר עליה, כי הרקיע לא נעשה עד אשר יבשה הארץ, והעד ביום עשית ה' אלקים ארץ ושמים והראות דבר נסתר והקמת מפוזר איננה בריאה,״ כן כתב ונכון הוא פירושו.

ויאמר אלוקים יהי רקיע, actually this firmament, horizon, already existed, seeing that it was the atmosphere, the air, just as the Torah speaks in verse 20 of ועוף יעופף על הארץ “and the birds are to fly above the earth,” adding: על פני רקיע השמים “on the face of the firmament spanning the heavens.” What then do the words יהי רקיע mean? They mean that this רקיע should now become something substantial. It should now become capable of sustaining the atmosphere, the air. In other words, this רקיע, which up until this point had been above the waters and had therefore been very wet and weak, impeding the light from above it from properly penetrating to the earth below, should now function constructively.
This רקיע did not become “strong” until the earth itself had become dry land, i.e. on the third “day.” Only at that point did the light encounter something solid, i.e. a hard place in the globe so that it condensed into becoming as if frozen due to its proximity to this earth. The רקיע was made on the second “day,” and the words ויאמר אלוקים יקוו המים ותראה היבשה, a directive (verse 9) issued on the third “day,” refers to an existing phenomenon. There are a number of such. This is nothing unusual. This is also the view expressed by Ibn Ezra, who writes in his commentary on verse 9 that “this paragraph is inextricably linked to the one preceding it,” refuting the view that the “horizon” was not created until the second day. But as soon as the wind dried out the earth on the first day the earth became hard enough (dry), and the powerful heat was transformed into what we know as the atmosphere, heat retreating upwards to the region of the “upper” waters. Proof that the atmosphere, רקיע, had already existed before the second day is Genesis 2,1 ביום עשות אלוקים שמים וארץ, “on the day G’d had made heaven and earth.” When something is hidden, not concentrated and its particles have not been defined, it does not yet qualify for the expression בריאה, “something which has been created.” This is what Ibn Ezra wrote, and his comments are perfectly correct.

יהי רקיע Ramban: stretched like a tentMachlokes

summary Ramban says the rakia is the substance that was first brought into being from nothing, now stretched out like a tent in the middle of the waters to divide between water and water.

יְהִי רָקִיעַ הַחֹמֶר הַהוֹוֶה בַּתְּחִלָּה שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ מֵאַיִן, אָמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָקִיעַ מָתוּחַ כְּאֹהֶל בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם וְיִהְיֶה מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם. וְשֶׁמָּא לָזֶה כִּוְּנוּ בְּאָמְרָם (ב"ר ד ב), רַב אָמַר לַחִים הָיוּ שָׁמַיִם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן וּבַיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי קָרְשׁוּ, רָב אָמַר יְהִי רָקִיעַ יֶחֱזַק הָרָקִיעַ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר יֵעָשֶׂה מַטְלִית הָרָקִיעַ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות לט ג) וַיְרַקְּעוּ אֶת פַּחֵי הַזָּהָב וְגוֹ':

LET THERE BE A FIRMAMENT. G-d now said that the substance which had come into being first — that which He created from nought — should be a firmament, stretched as a tent in the midst of the waters, separating between waters and waters. It is possible that this is what the Rabbis intended by their saying,⁹⁶Bereshith Rabbah 4:1. “Rav said, ‘The heavens were in a fluid form on the first day, and on the second day they solidified.’ Rav thus said, ‘Let there be a firmament means let the firmament become strong.’ Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Shimon said, ‘Let the firmament become like a plate, just as you say in the verse, And they did beat — [vayerak’u contains the same root as raki’a, firmament] — the gold into thin plates.’”⁹⁷Exodus 39:3.

ויקרא לרקיע שמים Ramban on the nameMachlokes

summary Ramban says the name was given on the second day, when the heavens were clothed in the form of the rakia, since on the first day they were still coming into being and the name did not attach until they took this form. He reads shamayim as sham mayim, waters that congealed and were stretched like a tent between the upper and lower waters.

וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹקִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי קְרָאָם בַּשֵּׁם הַזֶּה כַּאֲשֶׁר הִלְבִּישׁ אוֹתָם צוּרַת רָקִיעַ, כִּי בָּרִאשׁוֹן הָיוּ שָׁמַיִם בַּבְּרִיאָה אֲבָל אֵין הַשֵּׁם נִתְפָּשׂ בָּהֶם עַד שֶׁלָּבְשׁוּ הַצּוּרָה הַזּוֹ. וּפֵרוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא נָקוּד בְּסֶגוֹל תַּחַת הַשִּׁי"ן. כְּמִלַּת (שיר השירים א ז) "שַׁלָּמָה אֶהְיֶה כְּעֹטְיָה", כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר שָׁמַיִם הֵם שֶׁנִּרְקְעוּ וְנִמְתְּחוּ כְּאֹהֶל בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הוֹדִיעַ בַּשֵּׁם הַזֶּה סוֹד יְצִירָתָם. וּבַגְּמָרָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת חֲגִיגָה (חגיגה י"ב) אָמְרוּ, מַאי שָׁמַיִם שֵׁם מַיִם, וְאִם כֵּן הוּא יֶחְסַר מֵ"ם אֶחָד לְהִתְחַבְּרוּת שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת שָׁווֹת כְּמִלַּת "יְרֻבַּעַל" (שופטים ו לב ועוד), וְיֹאמַר שֵׁם מַיִם, כְּלוֹמַר שֵׁם שֶׁקָּרָא לַמַּיִם בְּלָבְשָׁם צוּרָה אַחֶרֶת, וְזֶה פְּשַׁט הַכְּתוּבִים עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה שֶׁכָּתַב רַשִׁ"י, וְהוּא דַּעַת רָב שֶׁהִזְכַּרְנוּ (רמב"ן על בראשית א':ו'), וִיהִי שֵׁם "הַשָּׁמַיִם" וְ"הָאָרֶץ" בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן עַל הֶעָתִיד לִקְרֹא לָהֶם, כִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן לְהוֹדִיעָם רַק בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה. אֲבָל יוֹתֵר נָכוֹן לְפִי פְּשַׁט הַכְּתוּבִים שֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי הַשָּׁמַיִם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵם הַשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, אֵינָם מִכְּלַל הַגַּלְגַּלִּים אֲבָל הֵם לְמַעְלָה מִן הַמֶּרְכָּבָה, כְּעִנְיַן וּדְמוּת עַל רָאשֵׁי הַחַיָּה רָקִיעַ כְּעֵין הַקֶּרַח הַנּוֹרָא נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מִלְמָעְלָה (יחזקאל א כב), וּמֵהֶם נִקְרָא הקב"ה "רוֹכֵב שָׁמַיִם" (דברים לג כו), וְלֹא סִפֵּר הַכָּתוּב בִּבְרִיאָתָם דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַמַּלְאָכִים וְחַיּוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וְכָל דָּבָר נִפְרָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּעַל גּוּף, רַק הִזְכִּיר בַּשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם נִבְרָאִים, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁקַּדְמוּתָם אֶפֶס, וְאָמַר בַּשֵּׁנִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיִּתְהַוֶּה מִן הַמַּיִם הַנִּזְכָּרִים שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בְּרִיאָתָם דָּבָר מְרֻקָּע מַבְדִּיל בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְקָרָא גַּם לְאֵלּוּ הַכַּדּוּרִים שָׁמַיִם כְּשֵׁם הַשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְלָכֵן יִקְרָאֵם בַּפָּרָשָׁה (בראשית א':י"ז) "רְקִיעַ שָׁמַיִם" "וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹקִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם", לְבָאֵר שֶׁאֵינָם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּשֵׁם הַשָּׁמַיִם רַק הָרְקִיעִים שֶׁקְּרָאָם שָׁמַיִם. וְגַם זֶה דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ הִזְכִּירוּהוּ בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ד':ב'), אָמְרוּ, כָּל רַבָּנִין אָמְרִין לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בְּרַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּרַבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּרַבִּי נַחְמָן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הקב"ה "יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם" גָּלְדָה טִפָּה הָאֶמְצָעִית וְנַעֲשׂוּ שָׁמַיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, וּמַאֲמַר זֶה יִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְכַדּוּרֵי הַגַּלְגַּלִּים שֶׁבָּהֶם תַּחְתּוֹנִים וְעֶלְיוֹנִים נִקְרָאִים "שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם", כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים קמח ג-ד) הַלְלוּהוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל כּוֹכְבֵי אוֹר הַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל הַשָּׁמָיִם. אֲבָל הַשָּׁמַיִם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁשָּׁם כִּסְאוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיהו סו א) הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי, הֵם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בִּתְחִלַּת זֶה הַמִּזְמוֹר (תהלים קמח א-ב), הַלְלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הַלְלוּהוּ בַּמְּרוֹמִים הַלְלוּהוּ כָל מַלְאָכָיו. וְזֶה הַלָּשׁוֹן נָכוֹן בִּפְשַׁט הַכָּתוּב, עִם מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ עוֹד בְּשֵׁם הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְשֵׁם הַכִּסֵּא סוֹד נִשְׂגָּב וְנֶעֱלָם, כִּי יֵשׁ שָׁמַיִם לַשָּׁמַיִם וְכִסֵּא לַכִּסֵּא, וּמִזֶּה אוֹמְרִים הַחֲכָמִים (ברכות יג) כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, וְאָמְרוּ (שם ז) יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, וְהַכָּתוּב אָמַר דִּי שַׁלִּטִן שְׁמַיָּא (דניאל ד כג), וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם מִדְרָשׁ נִפְלָא (ספר הבהיר אות ק) בְּמָה שֶׁכָּתוּב וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם (מלכים א ח לב), וְכָל זֶה יִרְאֶנּוּ נִרְמָז בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן הַזּוֹכֶה לוֹ. וְהִנֵּה בֵּאֲרוּ הַכְּתוּבִים כִּי הַנִּבְרָאִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הֵם מֵאַיִן, וְהַשְּׁאָר מוֹצָאָם מִן הַחֹמֶר הָרִאשׁוֹן הַנִּבְרָא. וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ מַאֲמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל (פרקי דר"א ג) שֶׁאָמַר, שָׁמַיִם מֵהֵיכָן נִבְרְאוּ, מֵאוֹר לְבוּשׁוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה, וְכֵן הוּא בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה עוֹד, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיִּרְצוּ הַחֲכָמִים עוֹד לְהַעֲלוֹת הַחֹמֶר הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד תַּכְלִית וְלַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ דַּק מִן הַדַּקִּים, לֹא יִרְאוּ שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם גּוּף מִתְנוֹעֵעַ בַּעַל חֹמֶר וְצוּרָה הֵם הַנִּבְרָאִים מִן הָאַיִן, אֲבָל אוֹר הַלְּבוּשׁ הוּא הַנִּבְרָא הָרִאשׁוֹן וּמִמֶּנּוּ יָצָא חֹמֶר הַמַּמָּשׁ בַּשָּׁמַיִם, וְנָתַן לָאָרֶץ חֹמֶר אַחֵר וְאֵינֶנּוּ כְּדַקּוּת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְהוּא שֶׁלֶג שֶׁתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, כִּי כִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד נִבְרָא וּמִמֶּנּוּ הָיָה הַשֶּׁלֶג שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו וּמִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשָׂה חֹמֶר הָאָרֶץ, וְהִנֵּה הוּא שְׁלִישִׁי בַּבְּרִיאָה:

AND G-D CALLED THE FIRMAMENT HEAVEN. On the second day He gave them this name when He clothed them with the form of the firmament for on the first day the heavens were still in the process of creation, but the name was not attached to them until they took on this form.
The meaning of this name [shamayim — heavens] is as if it had the sign of a segol under the letter shin [the prefix shin thus voweled means “that” or “for”] just as in Shalamah (For why) should I be as one that veileth herself?¹⁰⁶Song of Songs 1:7. The letter shin there stands for asher - asher lamah (for why). Similarly in Ibn Ezra, ibid. Likewise here, the word shamayim is as if it said asher mayim (that waters), as is explained further in the text. It is thus as if He said that they [the heavens] are waters which have congealed and stretched like a tent in the midst of the upper and lower waters. By this name shamayim He has made known the secret of their creation.
In the Gemara Tractate Chagigah,¹⁰⁷12a. the Rabbis have said, “What is the meaning of the word shamayim? It means shem mayim.”¹⁰⁸“It is a name for water.” So clearly explained further on by Ramban. If so, there is one mem missing here in the word shamayim on account of the adjoining of two similar letters, just as in the word yeruba’al [which stands for yareb bo ba’al — let Baal contend against him].¹⁰⁹Judges 6:32. The word shamayim is thus as if it said shem mayim, meaning that “heaven” is the name given the waters when they took on a new form. This is the plain meaning of the verses in accordance with the way of Rashi’s writing,¹¹⁰“The word shamayim [may be regarded as made up of either of these words]: sa mayim (carries water), etc.” Rashi. and it conforms with the opinion of Rav¹¹¹Mentioned above: that the heavens were in a fluid form on the first day, and on the second day they solidified. which we have mentioned. Thus the names “heaven” and “earth” mentioned in the first verse point to the names by which they would be called in the future, as it would be impossible to make them known in any other manner. It is, however, more correct in accordance with the meaning of the verses that we say that the heavens mentioned in the first verse are the upper heavens, which are not part of the lower spheres but are above the merkavah (the Divine Chariot), just as it is stated, And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the transparent ice, stretched forth over their heads above.¹¹²Ezekiel 1:22. It is on account of these higher heavens that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called He Who rideth upon the heavens.¹¹³Deuteronomy 33:26. Scripture, however, did not relate anything concerning their creation, just as it did not mention the creation of the angels, the chayoth of the merkavah, and all Separate Intelligences which are incorporeal. Concerning the heavens, it mentioned only in a general way that they were created, meaning that they came forth from nought. On the second day He said that there should be a firmament in the midst of the waters, meaning that from the waters, the creation of which had already been mentioned, there should come forth an extended substance separating them [into two distinct waters]. These spherical bodies He also called “heavens” by the name of the first upper heavens. This is why they are called in this chapter “the firmament of the heaven” [rather than “heavens”] — And G-d set them in the firmament of the heaven¹¹⁴Verse 17. — in order to explain that they are not the heavens mentioned by that name in the first verse but merely the firmaments called “heavens.”
This likewise is the opinion of our Rabbis mentioned in Bereshith Rabbah,¹¹⁵4:1. who state, “All Rabbis say it in the name of Rabbi Chananyah the son of Rabbi Pinchas, and Rabbi Yaakov the son of Rabbi Avin says it in the name of Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rabbi Nachman: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters — the middle drop of water congealed, and the lower heavens and the highest heaven of heavens were formed.” This saying of the Rabbis refers to the spherical bodies in which there are the lower heavens and the upper ones, called “the heavens of heavens,” as it is written: Praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens.¹¹⁶Psalms 148:3-4. The heavens mentioned here in the first verse, in which is the Throne of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written, The heaven is My throne,¹¹⁷Isaiah 66:1. are the ones mentioned in the beginning of that Psalm: Praise ye the Eternal from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him, all His angels.¹¹⁸Psalms 148:1-2.
This interpretation is correct as far as the simple meaning of the verses is concerned. But there is yet a sublime and hidden secret in the name “the heaven” and in the name “the throne” for there is a heaven to the heavens, and a throne to the throne. Based on this, the Sages use the expressions, “In order that a man may first take upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven,”¹¹⁹Berachoth 13a. and “the fear of Heaven.”¹²⁰Ibid., 7a. Scripture likewise says, That the heavens do rule.¹²¹Daniel 4:23. The Sages also have a remarkable Midrash on the verse, And Thou hear in heaven.¹²²I Kings 8:32. The Midrash referred to is in Sefer Habahir, 100, and found in Zohar 2, p. 271. See my Hebrew commentary, p. 19, note 58. The worthy one will see all this alluded to in the first verse.
Thus the verses have explained that the first created things were from nought, and the rest were derived from the first created substance.
See no objection to this explanation from the saying of Rabbi Eliezer the Great,¹²³Found in Pirke d’Rabbi Eliezer, 3. See also Moreh Nebuchim II, 26, where Rambam discusses this saying of Rabbi Eliezer and concludes that he is not able to explain it sufficiently. Ramban, however, explains it further on in the text in a way which makes it consistent with the theory of creation from absolute nought. who states, “Whence were the heavens created? From the light of the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He.” [This would apparently indicate that the heavens were not created from nought but from another preceding substance.] This opinion is also found in Bereshith Rabbah.¹²⁴12:1. Since the Sages wanted to elevate the first substance to the utmost and make it ethereal, they did not find it feasible that the heavens, which are moving corporeal bodies possessing matter and form, were created from nought. Instead, they said “the light of the garment” was created first, and from it came forth the real substance of the heavens. And to the earth He gave another substance,¹²⁵This is based on the concluding statement of Rabbi Eliezer the Great: “Whence was the earth created? From the snow under the Throne of Glory.” (See Note 123.) not as minute as the first [substance from which the heavens were formed], and that is “the snow under the Throne of Glory,” for the Throne of Glory was first created, and from it came forth “the snow” under it, and from it [the “snow”] was formed the substance of the earth, which was third¹²⁶The Throne of Glory, the snow, the earth. In the case of the heavens, however, creation was completed in the second stage: ‘the light of the garment’ and then the heavens. This accords with the theory explained above (see Note 35) that the substance of the heavens is unlike that of the earth. in the order of creation.

יום שלישי Day three

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים יִקָּו֨וּ Bereishis 1:9

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים יִקָּו֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם מִתַּ֤חַת הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶל־מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וְתֵרָאֶ֖ה הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

And God said: ‘Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יִתְכַּנְשׁוּן Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:9

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יִתְכַּנְשׁוּן מַיָּא מִתְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא לַאֲתַר חָד וְתִתְחֲזֵי יַבֶּשְׁתָּא וַהֲוָה כֵן

Elohim said, Let the waters beneath the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dryness be seen. It was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

יקוו המים The waters gathered

summary Rashi says the waters were spread out over the face of the whole earth and He gathered them into the ocean, which is the largest of the seas.

יקוו המים. שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּחִין עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וְהִקְוָם בָּאוֹקְיָנוֹס הוּא הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכָל הַיַּמִּים:

יקוו המים THE WATERS SHALL BE DRAWN TOGETHER — For they were then spread over the surface of the whole earth, and He now gathered them together into what now constitutes the Ocean, which is the largest of all seas (Genesis Rabbah 5:2).

אל מקום אחד Like emptying wineskins

summary The Midrash asks how the whole world could be water and yet be gathered to one place, and compares it to a king who needed the space taken by ten inflated wineskins in his hall, untied them, let out their air and pushed them into a corner.

רבי יודן לוי ורבי ברכיה אומר כל העולם כלו מים במים ואתה אומר אל מקום אחד אתמהא משל לעשר נודות נפוחות מונחות בטרקלין נצרך המלך למקומן מה הוא עושה להן מתירן ומוציא את רוחן ומסלקן בזוית אחד כך הדרך הקדוש ברוך הוא על מי בראשית וסילקן בים אוקיינוס הה"ד (איוב יב) הן יעצור במים ויבשו וגו' (שם ט) ודורך על במתי ים:

“To one place” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon say: The world in its entirety was all water, and you say “[gathered] to one place”? This is bewildering. It is analogous to ten inflated wineskins that were located in a hall. The king needed their space. What did he do to them? He untied them, let their air out, and removed them into a corner. So, the Holy One blessed be He trod upon the primordial waters²Pushing them down. and diverted them into the ocean. That is what is written: “Behold, He halts [ya’atzor]³Ya’atzor can also mean He presses. the water and it dries…” (Job 12:15); “He treads on the crests of the sea” (Job 9:8).

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ Bereishis 1:10

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּקְרָא ה׳ לְיַבֶּשְׁתָּא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:10

וּקְרָא ה׳ לְיַבֶּשְׁתָּא אַרְעָא וּלְבֵית כְּנִישׁוּת מַיָּא קְרָא יַמְמֵי וַחֲזָא ה׳ אֲרֵי טָּב

Elohim called the dryness, earth, and the gathering of the waters, He called seas, and Elohim saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

קרא ימים Why seas in the plural

summary Rashi asks why the pasuk says seas when it is one gathering of water, and answers that the taste of a fish that comes up from the sea at Acco is not the taste of a fish that comes up from the sea at Aspamia.

קרא ימים. וַהֲלֹא יָם אֶחָד הוּא? אֶלָּא אֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה טַעַם דָּג הָעוֹלֶה מִן הַיָּם בְּעַכּוֹ לְטַעַם דָּג הָעוֹלֶה מִן הַיָּם בְּאַסְפַּמְיָא:

קרא ימים CALLED HE SEAS — But does it not form one great sea? But it speaks of seas because the taste of fish which comes up from the sea at Acco is not the same as the taste of fish which comes up from the sea at Aspamia (Genesis Rabbah 5:8).

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א Bereishis 1:11

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֔שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

And God said: ‘Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth.’ And it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ תַּדְאֵית Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:11

וַאֲמַר ה׳ תַּדְאֵית אַרְעָא דִּיתְאָה עִסְבָּא דְּבַר זַרְעֵהּ מִזְדְּרַע אִילַן פֵּירִין עָבַד פֵּירִין לִזְנֵהּ דִּי בַר זַרְעֵהּ בֵּהּ עַל אַרְעָא וַהֲוָה כֵן

Elohim said, Let the earth sprout grass, seed-yielding herbs, fruit trees bearing fruit of its own kind, with its seed within it, upon the earth. And it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

תדשא הארץ דשא עשב Deshe is not eisev

summary Rashi says deshe and eisev are not the same word: deshe is the whole covering of the ground when it is thick with growth, while each single root is called an eisev.

תדשא הארץ דשא עשב. לֹא דֶּשֶׁא לְשׁוֹן עֵשֶׂב וְלֹא עֵשֶׂב לְשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא, וְלֹא הָיָה לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא לוֹמַר תַּעֲשִׂיב הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁמִינֵי דְּשָׁאִים מְחֻלָּקִין, כָּל אֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב פְּלוֹנִי, וְאֵין לָשׁוֹן לַמְדַבֵּר לוֹמַר דֶּשֶׁא פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא הוּא לְבִישַׁת הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְמַלֵּאת בִּדְשָׁאִים: תדשא הארץ. תִּתְמַלֵּא וְתִתְכַּסֶּה לְבוּשׁ עֲשָׂבִים. בִּלְשׁוֹן לַעַז נִקְרָא דֶּשֶׁא ארבריץ, כֻּלָן בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְכָל שֹׁרֶשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב:

תדשא הארץ דשא עשב THE EARTH SHALL SPROUT FORTH SPROUTS, HERB — דשא does not mean the same as עשב nor does עשב mean the same as דשא so that it is not a correct expression in Biblical Hebrew to say תעשיב הארץ, for the species of דשא are all different, each by itself being called this or that עשב, and it would not be linguistically correct for a speaker to say this or that דשא, for by דשא is meant that which forms the covering of the ground when it is filled with herbage. תדשא הארץ THE EARTH SHALL SPROUT FORTH [SPROUTS] — Let it be filled and covered with a garment of different grasses. In old French דשא is called herbaries; English herbage, meaning all species of herbs growing together collectively whilst each root by itself is called an עשב.

תדשא הארץ A force of growth in the earth

summary Ramban says Hashem decreed a force in the produce of the earth that grows and makes seed so the species should last forever, and suggests the word earth in the first pasuk already hints at that growing force.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא גָּזַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּתוֹלְדוֹת הָאָרֶץ כֹּחַ הַצּוֹמֵחַ וּמוֹלִיד זֶרַע כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמִּין קַיָּם לָעַד. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּרְמֹז בָּאָרֶץ הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁיִּמָּשֵׁךְ מִמֶּנָּה כֹּחַ מַצְמִיחַ, וְהִנֵּה נֶאֶצְלוּ מִכֹּחָהּ הַיְּסוֹדוֹת לְמִינֵיהֶם, וּמֵהֶם צָמְחוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן דְּשָׁאִים וְאִילָנוֹת, וּמֵהֶם בָּעוֹלָם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ב"ר יא ט) בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי בָּרָא שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרִיּוֹת, אִילָנוֹת וּדְשָׁאִים וְגַן עֵדֶן. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ (שם י ו), אֵין לְךָ כָּל עֵשֶׂב וְעֵשֶׂב מִלְּמַטָּה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַזָּל בָּרָקִיעַ וּמַכֶּה אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ גְּדַל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב לח לג) הֲיָדַעְתָּ חֻקּוֹת שָׁמָיִם אִם תָּשִׂים מִשְׁטָרוֹ בָאָרֶץ, שׁוֹטֵר. וְאָמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל זֶה לְמִינֵהוּ, וְהוּא אִסּוּר הַכִּלְאַיִם, כִּי הַזּוֹרֵעַ אוֹתָם מַכְחִישׁ בְּכֹחַ מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְעוֹד אֲבָאֵר בּוֹ בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם (בויקרא יט יט). וְכָתַב רַבֵּינוּ שְׁלֹמֹה, "דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב" לֹא דֶּשֶׁא לְשׁוֹן עֵשֶׂב וְלֹא עֵשֶׂב לְשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא, שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא לְבִישַׁת הָאָרֶץ בַּעֲשָׂבִים, וְאֵין לוֹמַר דֶּשֶׁא פְּלוֹנִי, וְכָל שֹׁרֶשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב. וְאֵין דְּבָרוֹ זֶה נָכוֹן, שֶׁאִם כֵּן לְשׁוֹן "דֶּשֶׁא" לֹא יִתְרַבֶּה, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים הִרְכִּיב שְׁנֵי מִינֵי דְּשָׁאִים מַהוּ (חולין ס), וְהָרַב עַצְמוֹ מַזְכִּיר דְּשָׁאִים. אֲבָל דֶּשֶׁא הוּא הַקָּטָן הַצּוֹמֵחַ, וְעֵשֶׂב הוּא הַגָּדוֹל הַמַּזְרִיעַ, וְלָכֵן יֹאמַר "תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ", וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר "תַּעֲשִׂיב". וְכָל קָטָן הַצּוֹמֵחַ מִן הָאָרֶץ יִקָּרֵא "דֶּשֶׁא" אַף בָּאִילָנוֹת, וְלָכֵן יִמָּשֵׁךְ תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ עֵץ פְּרִי, כִּי לֹא אָמַר "תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב וְתוֹצִיא עֵץ פְּרִי", וְהִנֵּה הוּא כְּטַעַם צְמִיחָה, וְכֵן "כִּי דָשְׁאוּ נְאוֹת מִדְבָּר כִּי עֵץ נָשָׂא פִרְיוֹ" (יואל ב כב) וַאֲנִי תָּמֵהַּ אֵיךְ לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב אִילָנֵי הַסְּרָק, וְאֵיךְ צִוָּה בְּעֵץ פְּרִי לְבַדּוֹ. וְאוּלַי בְּזֶה נִתְעוֹרְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ב"ר ה ט), אַף אִילָנֵי סְרָק עָשׂוּ פֵּרוֹת. וְאִם כֵּן נֹאמַר כִּי מִקִּלְלַת "אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה" (בראשית ג':י"ז) הָיוּ סְרָק. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה פֵּרוּשׁ הַכָּתוּב תַּצְמִיחַ הָאָרֶץ צֶמַח וְעֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע וְעֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי, וְהִנֵּה בַּתְּחִלָּה גָּזַר בְּעִשְׂבֵי הַסְּרָק וּבְאִילָנֵי הַסְּרָק, וּמִמָּה שֶׁאָמַר "עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ" (בראשית א':י"ב) נִלְמֹד כִּי כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת יִצְמְחוּ מִזַּרְעָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַמִּנְהָג בְּמִקְצָתָם לִטַּע מֵהֶם הֶעָנָף:

AND G-D SAID: ‘LET THE EARTH PUT FORTH GRASS.’ He decreed that there be among the products of the earth a force which grows and bears seed so that the species should exist forever. It is possible that the name “earth” mentioned in the first verse already contains a hint that a force which causes things to grow should spring up from the earth, and it was from this force that the foundations of all vegetations according to their kinds emanated. From them sprang the grass and trees in the garden of Eden, and from them came those in the world. This is what the Rabbis have said:¹³⁴The source is not definite. See Pirke d’Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 3. “On the third day He created three creations: trees, grass, and the garden of Eden.” They have also said:¹³⁵Bereshith Rabbah 10:7. “There is not a single blade of grass below [that does not have] a constellation in heaven that smites it and says to it, ‘Grow.’ It is this which Scripture says, Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish ‘mishtaro’ (the dominion thereof) in the earth?¹³⁶Job 38:33. — [mishtaro being derived from the root] shoter (executive officer).”
And He said that all this vegetation should be after its kind. This is the basis of the prohibition of sowing mixed kinds of seeds,¹³⁷Leviticus 19:19. since he who sows them works contrary to the power of the work of creation. I will yet explain this¹³⁷Leviticus 19:19. with the help of G-d.
Now Rabbeinu Shlomo [Rashi] wrote: “Deshe essev (grass, herb). Deshe does not mean the same as esev and esev does not mean the same as deshe, for by deshe is meant that which forms the covering of the ground when it is filled with vegetation, and it is not linguistically correct to say ‘this or that deshe.’ Each by itself is called this or that esev.”
This interpretation of Rashi is not correct. For if it were so, the word deshe¹³⁸Chullin 60a. could have no plural, and yet we find the Sages saying, “If a person grafted together two kinds of deshaim, what should the law be?”¹³⁸Chullin 60a. And the Rabbi himself¹³⁹Rashi. The title Harav (the Rabbi, the Master) without specification of the name is used by Ramban only with reference to Rashi or Rambam. It is the highest mark of respect. Precedent for it is found in the Talmud where just the title Rabbi meant Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, redactor of the Mishnah, and the title Rav was a reference to Abba Arucha, founder of the Babylonian Academy of Sura. mentions deshaim.¹⁴⁰That is, when Rashi writes, “For the species of deshaim are different; each by itself called this or that esev.” Rather, deshe is the young growing plant, and esev is the mature product which produces seeds. This is why Scripture says, ‘tadshei ha’aretz’ (let the earth put forth) ‘deshe’ (young plants), and it would not be correct usage to say ta’asiv [for the word esev applies to mature products which produce seeds]. And every young thing that grows from the earth is called deshe, even trees. Therefore tadshei ha’aretz in the verse extends also to the expression etz pri (the fruit-tree). [This interpretation is necessary] since He did not say, “Let the earth put forth deshe esev and let it bring forth the fruit-tree.” The word deshe thus has the same meaning as tz’michah (growing). Similarly we find: For the pasture of the wilderness ‘dash’u’ (do spring), for the tree beareth its fruit.¹⁴¹Joel 2:22.
I wonder why Scripture did not mention the creation of fruitless trees, and how is it that He commanded only concerning fruit-trees? Perhaps this is what induced our Rabbis to say,¹⁴²Bereshith Rabbah 5:9. “Even the presently barren trees at first bore fruit.” If so, we must say that since the imprecation [which was visited upon Adam for his sin] — Cursed be the ground for thy sake¹⁴³Genesis 3:17. — barren trees came into existence. But it is possible that the explanation of the verse before us is as follows: “Let the earth bring forth growing things, and herbs which yield seed and trees which bear fruit.” Thus He decreed at first the creation of barren herbs and barren trees in general, and then He specified herbs which yield seed and trees which bear fruit. From what He said later on — bearing fruit… wherein is the seed thereof — we may derive that all trees were to grow from their seed although it is the custom with some trees to be propagated by planting a branch.

וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא Bereishis 1:12

וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וְאַפֵּקַת אַרְעָא דִּיתְאָה Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:12

וְאַפֵּקַת אַרְעָא דִּיתְאָה עִסְבָּא דְּבַר זַרְעֵהּ מִזְדְּרַע לִזְנוֹהִי וְאִילַן עָבֵד פֵּירִין דְּבַר זַרְעֵהּ בֵּהּ לִזְנוֹהִי וַחֲזָא ה׳ אֲרֵי טָב

The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed of its kind, and trees bearing fruit which has in it seeds of its kind; and Elohim saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

עץ פרי The tree that did not comply

summary Rashi says eitz pri means the wood of the tree was to taste like its fruit, and the earth did not do so but brought forth a tree bearing fruit that was not itself fruit, so when Adam was cursed for his sin the earth was called to account with him.

עץ פרי. שֶׁיְּהֵא טַעַם הָעֵץ כְּטַעַם הַפְּרִי, וְהִיא לֹא עָשְׂתָה כֵן, אֶלָּא וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי וְלֹא הָעֵץ פְּרִי, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁנִּתְקַלֵּל אָדָם עַל עֲוֹנוֹ נִפְקְדָה גַם הִיא עַל עֲוֹנָהּ וְנִתְקַלְּלָה:

עץ פרי FRUIT TREE — that the taste of the tree be exactly the same as that of the fruit. It did not, however, do this, but (v. 12) “the earth brought forth a tree yielding fruit” and the tree itself was not a fruit; therefore when Adam was cursed on account of his sin, it (the earth) was also visited (because of its sin) and was cursed also (Genesis Rabbah 5:9).

ותוצא הארץ The grasses reasoned for themselves

summary Rashi says that although lemineihu was not said to the grasses, they heard it said to the trees and applied a kal vachomer to themselves, as the aggadah in Chullin explains.

ותוצא הארץ וגו'. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לְמִינֵהוּ בַּדְּשָׁאִין בְּצִוּוּיֵיהֶן, שָׁמְעוּ שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ הָאִילָנוֹת עַל כָּךְ, נָשְׂאוּ קַ"וָ בְּעַצְמָן, כַּמְּפֹרָשׁ בָּאַגָּדָה בִּשְׁחִיטַת חֻלִּין:

ותוצא הארץ וגו AND THE EARTH BROUGHT FORTH etc. — Although the expression למינהו according to its kind, was not used when the various kinds of herbage were bidden to come forth, they heard that the trees were so commanded and they applied to themselves the argument à fortiore (ק"ו), as it is explained in an Aggadic passage in (Chullin 60a).

בקומתן נבראו Everything came out full grown

summary Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says everything made in maaseh bereishis was made at its full height, at its full mind and in its full form, reading tzivyonam in place of tzevaam.

מסייע ליה לרבי יהושע בן לוי דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל מעשה בראשית בקומתן נבראו בדעתן נבראו בצביונם נבראו שנאמר ויכלו השמים והארץ וכל צבאם אל תקרי צבאם אלא צביונם

And this supports the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All items created during the acts of Creation were created with their full stature, immediately fit to bear fruit; they were created with their full mental capacities; they were created with their full form. As it is stated: “And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1). Do not read it as: “The host of them [tzeva’am]”; rather, read it as: Their form [tzivyonam].

קל וחומר של דשאים The kal vachomer of the grasses

summary Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa teaches that the grasses reasoned that if trees, which do not grow mixed together, were told to come after their kind, then all the more so should they, and at once every kind of grass came out after its kind. The minister of the world then said the pasuk that Hashem should rejoice in His works.

דרש רבי חנינא בר פפא יהי כבוד ה׳ לעולם ישמח ה׳ במעשיו פסוק זה שר העולם אמרו בשעה שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא למינהו באילנות נשאו דשאים קל וחומר בעצמן אם רצונו של הקדוש ברוך הוא בערבוביא למה אמר למינהו באילנות ועוד קל וחומר ומה אילנות שאין דרכן לצאת בערבוביא אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא למינהו אנו על אחת כמה וכמה מיד כל אחד ואחד יצא למינו פתח שר העולם ואמר יהי כבוד ה׳ לעולם ישמח ה׳ במעשיו

§ Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa taught: “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; let the Lord rejoice in His works” (Psalms 104:31). This verse was stated by the minister of the world, i.e., the angel charged with overseeing the world. When the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree bearing fruit after its kind” (Genesis 1:11), the grasses drew an a fortiori inference with regard to themselves. They reasoned: If the Holy One, Blessed be He, wishes the mixing of species, why did he say: After its kind, with regard to the trees? And furthermore, let us draw an a fortiori inference: If with regard to trees, which do not naturally grow mixed, as they are large and distinct from one another, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “After its kind,” all the more so with regard to us, since grass naturally grows mixed. Immediately, every kind of grass emerged after its kind, as it is stated: “And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind” (Genesis 1:12). The minister of the world began to speak and said: “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; let the Lord rejoice in His works,” who do His will even when not explicitly instructed.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם Bereishis 1:13

וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שְׁלִישִֽׁי׃ (פ)

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

וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:13

וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה צְפַר יוֹם תְּלִיתָאִי

It became evening and it became morning, the third day.

טרם יצמח Stopped at the opening of the ground

summary Rashi explains that when the pasuk says the earth brought forth on the third day it does not mean the plants came out above the ground, but that they stood at the opening of the ground until the sixth day. He adds that the rain was held back because there was no man yet to recognize what rain is for, and when Adam came and understood he davened for it and it fell.

טרם יהיה בארץ. כָּל טֶרֶם שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן עַד לֹא הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן קֹדֶם, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְעָל לוֹמַר הִטְרִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הִקְדִים וְזֶה מוֹכִיחַ, וְעוֹד אַחֵר כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן (שמות ט) עֲדַיִן לֹא תִירְאוּן, וְאַף זֶה תְפָרֵשׁ עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה בָאָרֶץ, כְּשֶׁנִּגְמְרָה בְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי קֹדֶם שֶׁנִבְרָא אָדָם, וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמַח, עֲדַיִן לֹא צָמַח, וּבְג' שֶׁכָּתוּב תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ, לֹא יָצְאוּ, אֶלָּא עַל פֶּתַח קַרְקַע עָמְדוּ עַד יוֹם שִׁשִּׁי: כי לא המטיר. וּמַ"טַ לֹא הִמְטִיר? לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה, וְאֵין מַכִּיר בְּטוֹבָתָם שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם וְיָדַע שֶׁהֵם צֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְיָרְדוּ וְצָמְחוּ הָאִילָנוֹת וְהַדְּשָׁאִים:

טרם יהיה בארץ WAS NOT YET IN THE EARTH — Wherever טרם occurs in the Scriptures it means “not yet” and does not mean “before”. It cannot be made into a verbal form, saying הטרים as one says הקדים (verbal form of קדם) and this passage proves that this is the meaning and not "before" as well as another (Exodus 9:30), כי טרם תראון “that ye do not yet fear the Lord”. Therefore you must explain this verse also thus: “No plant of the field was yet in the earth” at the time when the creation of the world was completed on the sixth day before man was created, and וכל עשב השדה טרם יצמח means “and every herb of the field had not yet grown”. But as regards the third day of creation about which it is written “The earth brought forth etc.” this does not signify that they came forth above the ground but that they remained at the opening of the ground (i. e. just below the surface) until the sixth day (Chullin 60a). כי לא המטיר BECAUSE GOD HAD NOT CAUSED IT TO RAIN — And what is the reason that God had not caused it to rain? כי אדם אין לעבוד את האדמה BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MAN TO TILL THE GROUND, and there was, therefore, no one to recognize the utility of rain. When Adam came (was created), however, and he realised that it was necessary for the world, he prayed for it and it fell, so that trees and verdure sprang forth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

עמדו על פתח קרקע Waiting under the surface

summary Rav Asi sets the pasuk that the earth brought forth grass on the third day against the pasuk that no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and answers that they came out on the third day and stood at the opening of the ground and did not grow until Adam came and davened for them and rain fell, which teaches that Hashem desires the tefillos of the righteous.

רב אסי רמי כתיב ותוצא הארץ דשא בתלת בשבתא וכתיב וכל שיח השדה טרם יהיה בארץ במעלי שבתא מלמד שיצאו דשאים ועמדו על פתח קרקע עד שבא אדם הראשון ובקש עליהם רחמים וירדו גשמים וצמחו ללמדך שהקדוש ברוך הוא מתאוה לתפלתן של צדיקים רב נחמן בר פפא הויא ליה ההיא גינתא שדי ביה ביזרני ולא צמח בעא רחמי אתא מיטרא וצמח אמר היינו דרב אסי

§ Rav Asi raises a contradiction between two verses. It is written: “And the earth brought forth grass” (Genesis 1:12), on the third day of the week of Creation. And it is also written: “No shrub of the field was yet in the earth” (Genesis 2:5), on Shabbat eve, the sixth day of Creation, immediately before Adam was created. Rav Asi explains: This teaches that the grasses emerged on the third day and stood at the opening of the ground, but they did not grow until Adam, the first man, came and prayed for mercy upon them, and rain came, and they sprouted. And this is meant to teach you that the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous. The Gemara recounts: Rav Naḥman bar Pappa had a certain garden. He planted seeds but they did not sprout. He prayed for mercy, and rain came, and they sprouted. He said: This is what is meant by the statement of Rav Asi, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous.

יום רביעי Day four

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים יְהִ֤י Bereishis 1:14

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיּ֖וֹם וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים׃

And God said: ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ Bereishis 1:15

וְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יְהוֹן Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:14

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יְהוֹן נְהוֹרִין בִּרְקִיעָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא לְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין יְמָמָא וּבֵין לֵילְיָא וִיהוֹן לְאָתִין וּלְזִמְנִין וּלְמִימְנֵי בְהוֹן יוֹמִין וּשְׁנִין

Elohim said, Let there be lights in the canopy of heaven to divide between the day and the night, and they will serve for signs for seasons, [and to count] (for) days and (for) years [with them].

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וִיהוֹן לִנְהוֹרִין בִּרְקִיעָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:15

וִיהוֹן לִנְהוֹרִין בִּרְקִיעָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא לְאַנְהָרָא עַל אַרְעָא וַהֲוָה כֵן

They will be for lights in the canopy of heaven to illuminate the earth. And it was so.

להבדיל בין היום ובין הלילה After the first light was put awayMachlokes

summary Rashi says this dividing of day from night is only after the first light was stored away for the tzaddikim, since during the first days that light and the darkness served together by day and by night.

להבדיל בין היום ובין הלילה. מִשֶּׁנִּגְנַז הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲבָל בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית שִׁמְּשׁוּ הָאוֹר וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים יַחַד בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה:

להבדיל בין היום ובין הלילה TO CAUSE A DIVISION BETWEEN THE DAY AND THE NIGHT — This took place after the primeval (divine) light was conserved for the righteous; but during the first seven [another reading is “three”] days of Creation the primeval light and darkness functioned together both by day and by night.

מארת חסר The word written short

summary Rashi notes that meoros is written without the vav, and connects it to the fourth day of the week being a day on which they would fast over the illness of children.

יהי מארת. חָסֵר וָי"ו כְּתִיב, עַל שֶׁהוּא יוֹם מְאֵרָה לִפֹּל אַסְכָּרָה בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת, הוּא שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְּד' הָיוּ מִתְעַנִּים עַל אַסְכָּרָה שֶׁלֹּא תִפֹּל בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת:

יהי מארת The word is written without the ו after the א (so that it may be read מארת, cursed), because it is a cursed day when children are liable to suffer from croup. In reference to this we read (in Taanit 27b): On the fourth day of the week they used to fast to avert croup from the children (Yerushalmi Taanit 4:3).

יהי מארת Made on day one, hung on day fourMachlokes

summary Rashi says the luminaries were made on the first day and on the fourth He commanded that they be hung in the rakia, and that in the same way everything of heaven and earth was made on the first day and each thing was set in its place on the day it was commanded.

יהי מארת וגו'. מִיֹּום רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ וּבָרְבִיעִי צִוָּה עֲלֵיהֶם לְהִתָּלוֹת בָּרָקִיעַ, וְכֵן כָּל תּוֹלְדוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִקְבַּע בַּיוֹם שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו, הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ:

יהי מארת BE THERE LUMINARIES — They had been created on the first day, but on the fourth He commanded them to be suspended in the firmament (Chagigah 12a). Indeed, all the productions of heaven and earth were created on the first day, but each of them was put in its place on that day when it was so commanded. In reference to this it is written את השמים (v. 1) In the beginning God created that which was את with the heavens etc., in order to include all the productions of heaven, ואת הארץ to include all its (the earth’s) productions (Genesis Rabbah 12:4).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

עשרה דברים נבראו ביום ראשון Ten things made on the first dayMachlokes

summary Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav lists ten things created on the first day: heaven and earth, tohu and vohu, light and darkness, wind and water, the measure of day and the measure of night, and the Gemara shows each one from a pasuk.

וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ, אוֹר וָחֹשֶׁךְ, רוּחַ וּמַיִם, מִדַּת יוֹם וּמִדַּת לַיְלָה. שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ — דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ״, תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ״, אוֹר וָחֹשֶׁךְ, חֹשֶׁךְ — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם״, אוֹר — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר״, רוּחַ וּמַיִם — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״, מִדַּת יוֹם וּמִדַּת לַיְלָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד״.

§ The Gemara continues to discuss Creation: Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Ten things were created on the first day of Creation, and they are as follows: Heaven and earth; tohu and vohu, i.e., unformed and void; light and darkness; wind and water; the length of day and the length of night. All of these are derived from the Torah: Heaven and earth, as it is written: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Tohu and vohu, as it is written: “And the earth was unformed and void [tohu vavohu]” (Genesis 1:2). Light and darkness; darkness, as it is written: “And darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2); light, as it is written: “And God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Wind and water, as it is written: “And the wind of God hovered over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). The length of day and the length of night, as it is written: “And there was evening, and there was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

יהי מארת Ramban: given a body on the fourth dayMachlokes

summary Ramban says the light of the first day was blocked from the earth once the rakia was made on the second day, and that on the fourth day Hashem decreed that what had been decreed on the first day now take on a body, so that a shining body in the rakia would give light on the earth.

יְהִי מְאוֹרוֹת הִנֵּה הָאוֹר נִבְרָא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן וּמֵאִיר בַּיְּסוֹדוֹת, וְכַאֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה הָרָקִיעַ בַּשֵּׁנִי הִפְסִיק בָּאוֹר וּמָנַע אוֹתוֹ מֵהָאִיר בַּיְּסוֹדוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר נִבְרֵאת הָאָרֶץ בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי הָיָה בָּהּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא אוֹר, וְעַתָּה בָּרְבִיעִי רָצָה הקב"ה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָּרָקִיעַ מְאוֹרוֹת מַגִּיעִים אוֹר לָאָרֶץ. וְזֶה טַעַם "בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ", כִּי הָאוֹר הָיָה לְמַעְלָה מִן הָרָקִיעַ וְלֹא הֵאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ. וְעִנְיַן "יְהִי מְאוֹרוֹת", כִּי מֵחֹמֶר הַשָּׁמַיִם גָּזַר בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אוֹר בְּמִדַּת הַיּוֹם, וְעַתָּה גָּזַר שֶׁיִּתְגַּשֵּׁם וְיִתְהַוֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ גּוּף מֵאִיר בַּיּוֹם גְּדוֹל הָאוֹרָה, וְגוּף אַחֵר קְטַן הָאוֹרָה מֵאִיר בַּלַּיְלָה, וְיִתָּלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁיָּאִירוּ גַּם לְמַטָּה. וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׂם בָּאָרֶץ כֹּחַ הַצְּמִיחָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹת מִמֶּנָּה, כֵּן שָׂם בָּרָקִיעַ מְקוֹמוֹת מוּכָנִים וּמְזֻמָּנִים לְקַבֵּל הָאוֹרָה, וְהַגּוּפִים הָאֵלֶּה מְקַבְּלֵי אוֹר מַזְהִירִים כְּגוֹן הָאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאוֹת וְאַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם, וְלָכֵן יִקְרָאֵם מְאוֹרוֹת לֹא אוֹרִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקְּרָאָם הַמִּזְמוֹר כֵּן (תהלים קלו ז):

LET THERE BE LIGHTS. Now the light was created on the first day, illuminating the elements, but when on the second day the firmament was made, it intercepted the light and prevented it from illuminating the lower elements. Thus, when the earth was created on the third day there was darkness on it and not light. And now on the fourth day the Holy One, blessed be He, desired that there be in the firmament luminaries, the light of which would reach the earth. This is the meaning of the words, in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,¹⁴⁴Verse 17. for there already was light above the firmament which did not illuminate the earth.
The meaning of the words, Let there be lights, is as follows: He decreed on the first day that from the substance of the heavens there should come forth a light for the period of the day, and now He decreed that it become corporeal and that a luminous body come forth from it which would give light during the day with a great illumination, and that another body of lesser light [should come into existence] to illumine at night, and He suspended both in the firmament of the heavens in order that they illumine below as well.
It is possible that just as He endowed the earth with the power of growth in certain places thereof, so He placed in the firmament certain areas that are prepared and ready to receive the light, and these bodies which receive the light reflect it, just as window-panes and onyx stones. This is why He called them me’oroth and not orim. [Orim would imply that they have their own light; me’oroth on the other hand implies that they reflect the light which they receive], even though they are called orim, in the Psalm.¹⁴⁵Psalms 136:7. To Him that made great ‘orim’ (lights).

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י Bereishis 1:16

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃

And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַעֲבַד ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:16

וַעֲבַד ה׳ יָת תְּרֵין נְהוֹרַיָּא רַבְרְבַיָּא יָת נְהוֹרָא רַבָּא לְמִשְׁלַט בִּימָמָא וְיָת נְהוֹרָא זְעֵרָא לְמִשְׁלַט בְּלֵילְיָא וְיָת כּוֹכְבַיָּא

Elohim made the two great lights, the large light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night, and the stars

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

המארת הגדלים Two kings and one crown

summary Rashi says the two were made the same size and the moon was made smaller because she said it is not possible for two kings to use one crown.

המארת הגדולים. שָׁוִים נִבְרְאוּ וְנִתְמַעֲטָה הַלְּבָנָה עַל שֶׁקִּטְרְגָה וְאָמְרָה אִ"אֶ לִשְׁנֵי מְלָכִים שֶׁיִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בְכֶתֶר אֶחָד:

המאורות הגדולים THE GREAT LUMINARIES — They were created of equal size, but that of the moon was diminished because she complained and said, “It is impossible for two kings to make use of one crown” (Chullin 60b).

המאור הקטן Entering the other one's domain

summary The Midrash asks how the pasuk calls both of them great and then calls one greater and one lesser, and answers that one of them entered the domain of the other, and brings the sin offering of Rosh Chodesh that is called for Hashem as an atonement for having made the moon smaller.

רבי תנחום ב"ר חייא ורבי פנחס בשם ר' סימון אמר מאחר שהוא קורא אותן גדולים הוא חוזר ופוגם אותם את המאור הגדול לממשלת היום ואת המאור הקטן לממשלת הלילה אתמהא אלא על ידי שנכנס בתחומו של חבירו אמר רבי פנחס בכל הקרבנות כתיב שעיר עזים אחד חטאת ובראש חדש כתיב שעיר עזים אחד חטאת לה' אמר הקב"ה הביאו כפרה עלי שמיעטתי את הירח שאני הוא שגרמתי לו להכנס בתחומו של חבירו ומה אם זה שנכנס ברשות כך פגמו הכתוב הנכנס שלא ברשות על אחת כמה וכמה רבי לוי בשם רבי יוסי בר אלעאי אמר דרך ארץ הוא שיהא הגדול מונה לגדול והקטן מונה לקטן עשו מונה לחמה שהיא גדולה ויעקב מונה ללבנה שהיא קטנה א"ר נחמן והוא סימן טב עשו מונה לחמה שהיא גדולה מה חמה הזאת שולטת ביום ואינה שולטת בלילה כך עשו יש לו חלק בעולם הזה ואין לו חלק לעולם הבא יעקב מונה ללבנה שהיא קטנה מה הלבנה הזו שולטת בלילה וביום כך יעקב יש לו חלק בעולם הזה ובעולם הבא רב נחמן אמר כל זמן שאורו של גדול קיים אין אורו של קטן מתפרסם שקע אורו של גדול מתפרסם אורו של קטן כך כל זמן שאורו של עשו קיים אין אורו של יעקב מתפרסם שקע אורו של עשו מתפרסם אורו של יעקב הה"ד (ישעיה מ) קומי אורי כי בא אורך כי הנה החשך יכסה ארץ וגו':

Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Simon said: After He calls them [both] great, He goes ahead and diminishes them, [saying] “The greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night”? (Genesis 1:16). This is bewildering. But it is because one of them entered into the realm of its counterpart.¹⁰The moon encroached upon the realm of the sun, as it is visible at times during the day. For this reason its light was diminished. Rabbi Pinḥas said: Regarding all the [holiday] offerings it says: “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 29:5), but regarding the New Moon it is written: “One goat as a sin offering for the Lord” (Numbers 28:15). The Holy One blessed be He said [as it were]: Bring atonement on My behalf for having diminished the moon, as it is I who caused it to enter into the realm of its counterpart. Now, if this one that entered [into its counterpart’s realm] with permission was diminished by Scripture, one who enters [his neighbor’s realm] without permission, all the more so.
Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Ilai: It is only proper for the greater [older] one to count by the greater thing, and the smaller [younger] one to count by the lesser thing. Esau counts [its years] by the sun, which is the greater, and Jacob counts [its years] by the moon, which is the lesser.
Rav Naḥman said: And this is a good portent. Esau counts by the sun, which is the greater. Just as the sun has dominion during the day and has no dominion at night, so Esau has a share in this world and has no share in the World to Come. Jacob counts by the moon, which is lesser. Just as the moon has dominion during both night and day, so Jacob has a share in both this world and in the World to Come.
Rav Naḥman said: As long as the light of the greater one is in existence, the light of the lesser one is not discernible. When the light of the greater one recedes, the light of the lesser one is discernible. So, too, as long as the light of Esau is in existence, the light of Jacob is not discernible. When the light of Esau will recede, the light of Jacob will be discernible. That is what is written: “Arise, shine, for your light has come…. For, behold, the darkness will cover the earth, [and thick darkness the peoples, but upon you the Lord will shine and His glory will be seen upon you]” (Isaiah 60:1–2).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

לכי ומעטי את עצמך The moon made smaller

summary Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi sets the two great lights of the pasuk against the greater and the lesser light in the same pasuk, and brings that the moon said two kings cannot serve with one crown and was told to make herself small. Hashem offered her the day and the night, the counting of Yisrael and the names of tzaddikim, saw she was not comforted, and said to bring a korban for Him on Rosh Chodesh.

רבי שמעון בן פזי רמי כתיב ויעש אלקים את שני המארת הגדלים וכתיב את המאור הגדל ואת המאור הקטן אמרה ירח לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא רבונו של עולם אפשר לשני מלכים שישתמשו בכתר אחד אמר לה לכי ומעטי את עצמך אמרה לפניו רבונו של עולם הואיל ואמרתי לפניך דבר הגון אמעיט את עצמי אמר לה לכי ומשול ביום ובלילה אמרה ליה מאי רבותיה דשרגא בטיהרא מאי אהני אמר לה זיל לימנו בך ישראל ימים ושנים אמרה ליה יומא נמי אי אפשר דלא מנו ביה תקופותא דכתיב והיו לאתת ולמועדים ולימים ושנים זיל ליקרו צדיקי בשמיך יעקב הקטן שמואל הקטן דוד הקטן חזייה דלא קא מיתבא דעתה אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא הביאו כפרה עלי שמיעטתי את הירח והיינו דאמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש מה נשתנה שעיר של ראש חדש שנאמר בו לה׳ אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא שעיר זה יהא כפרה על שמיעטתי את הירח

§ Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi raises a contradiction between two verses. It is written: “And God made the two great lights” (Genesis 1:16), and it is also written in the same verse: “The greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night,” indicating that only one was great. Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi explains: When God first created the sun and the moon, they were equally bright. Then, the moon said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, is it possible for two kings to serve with one crown? One of us must be subservient to the other. God therefore said to her, i.e., the moon: If so, go and diminish yourself. She said before Him: Master of the Universe, since I said a correct observation before You, must I diminish myself? God said to her: As compensation, go and rule both during the day along with the sun and during the night. She said to Him: What is the greatness of shining alongside the sun? What use is a candle in the middle of the day? God said to her: Go; let the Jewish people count the days and years with you, and this will be your greatness. She said to Him: But the Jewish people will count with the sun as well, as it is impossible that they will not count seasons with it, as it is written: “And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14). God said to her: Go; let righteous men be named after you. Just as you are called the lesser [hakatan] light, there will be Ya’akov HaKatan, i.e., Jacob our forefather (see Amos 7:2), Shmuel HaKatan the tanna, and David HaKatan, i.e., King David (see I Samuel 17:14). God saw that the moon was not comforted. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Bring atonement for me, since I diminished the moon. The Gemara notes: And this is what Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: What is different about the goat offering of the New Moon, that it is stated with regard to it: “For the Lord” (Numbers 28:15)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: This goat shall be an atonement for Me for having diminished the size of the moon.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֖ים Bereishis 1:17

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה Bereishis 1:18

וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וִיהַב יָתְהוֹן ה׳ Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:17

וִיהַב יָתְהוֹן ה׳ בִּרְקִיעָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא לְאַנְהָרָא עַל אַרְעָא

Elohim set them in the canopy of the heaven to illuminate the earth,

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וּלְמִשְׁלַט בִּימָמָא וּבְלֵילְיָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:18

וּלְמִשְׁלַט בִּימָמָא וּבְלֵילְיָא וּלְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין נְהוֹרָא וּבֵין חֲשׁוֹכָא וַחֲזָא ה׳ אֲרֵי טָב

to rule in the day and the night, and to divide between the light and the darkness; and Elohim saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

ואת הכוכבים The stars as company

summary Rashi says that because Hashem made the moon smaller He increased her host, to settle her mind.

ואת הכוכבים. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּעֵט אֶת הַלְּבָנָה הִרְבָּה צְבָאָיהָ לְהָפִיס דַּעְתָּהּ:

ואת הכוכבים AND THE STARS — Because He diminished the moon, He increased its attendant hosts to mollify it (Genesis Rabbah 6:4).

ולמועדים ולשנים Seasons, days and years

summary Rashi says moadim is written with the yamim tovim in mind, which Yisrael would later fix by the moon, and that a year is the time the luminaries take to finish their course through the twelve mazalos that serve them before beginning the circuit again.

ולמועדים. עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד, שֶׁעֲתִידִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִצְטַוּוֹת עַל הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת וְהֵם נִמְנִים לְמוֹלַד הַלְּבָנָה: ושנים. לְסוֹף שס"ה יָמִים (ס"א וּרְבִיעַ יוֹם), יִגְמְרוּ מַהֲלָכָתָם בְּי"ב מַזָּלוֹת הַמְשָׁרְתִים אוֹתָם, וְהִיא שָׁנָה, וְחוֹזְרִים וּמַתְחִילִים פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה לְסַבֵּב בַּגַּלְגַּל כְּמַהֲלָכָן הָרִאשׁוֹן:

ולמועדים AND FOR SEASONS (FESTIVALS) — This is written with a view to the future when Israel would receive command regarding the festivals which would be calculated from the time of the lunar conjunction (Genesis Rabbah 6:1). ושנים AND FOR YEARS — At the end of three hundred and sixty five days [another version: 365¼] they complete their course through the twelve signs of the Zodiac that attend them, and that is one year [another version: and this makes 365¼ days]; they then begin to revolve a second time in a circle similar to their first cycle.

ואת הכוכבים An escort for the smaller light

summary Rav Acha compares it to a king with two officers, one over the city and one over the province, who decreed that the one who took the smaller post should never go out or come in without a crowd, and so Hashem decreed that when the moon goes out the stars go out with her and when she goes in they go in with her.

ואת הכוכבים א"ר אחא משל למלך שהיו לו שני אפוטרופין אחד שולט בעיר ואחד שולט במדינה אמר המלך הואיל ומיעט עצמו זה להיות שולט בעיר גוזר אני עליו בשעה שהוא יוצא תהא כל אוכלסא יוצאה עמו ובשעה שיהא נכנס תהא בולי ודימוס נכנסה עמו כך אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא הואיל והלבנה הזו מיעטה עצמה להיות שולטת בלילה גוזר אני עליה בשעה שהיא יוצאת שיהו הכוכבים יוצאין עמה בשעה שהיא נכנסת יהו הכוכבים נכנסים עמה ודכוותה (בראשית י) ושם אחיו יקטן אמר רבי אחא למה נקרא שמו יקטן שהיה מקטין את עסקיו מה זכה זכה להעמיד שלש עשרה משפחות גדולות ומה אם יקטן ע"י שהיה מקטין את עסקיו כך גדול שהוא מקטין את עסקיו על אחת כמה וכמה ודכוותה (שם מח) וישלח ישראל את ימינו וישת על ראש אפרים והוא הצעיר אמר רבי חונייא וכי מן התולדות אין אנו יודעים שהוא הצעיר אלא מה הוא הצעיר שהיה מצעיר את עסקיו מה זכה זכה לבכורה ומה אם הצעיר על ידי שהיה מצעיר את עסקיו זכה לבכורה הגדול שהוא מצעיר את עסקיו על אחת כמה וכמה אתמהא:

“And the stars” (Genesis 1:16) – Rav Aḥa said: This is analogous to a king who had two stewards, one ruled [only] over the city and one ruled over the [rest of the] province. The king said: ‘Since this one diminished himself [and consented] to be ruler over the city, I decree concerning him that whenever he goes out, a large crowd should go out with him, and when he enters, the city council and the multitudes should enter with him.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since the moon diminished itself to rule at night, I decree concerning it that when it goes out, the stars should go out with it, and when it goes in,¹¹When it sets. the stars should go in with it.’
Similarly, “the name of his brother was Yoktan” (Genesis 10:25) – Rabbi Aḥa said: Why was he named Yoktan? It is because he would minimize [maktin] his affairs.¹²He was humble. What did he merit? He merited producing thirteen great families.¹³See Genesis 10:26–29. Now, if Yoktan¹⁴Who was the younger brother (Genesis 10:25). received this because he minimized his affairs, if an important man minimizes his affairs, all the more so.
Similarly, “Israel extended his right hand, and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger” (Genesis 48:14) – Rabbi Ḥonya said: Do we not know from the accounts of the births that he was the younger? What, then, is “who was the younger [tza’ir]”? It is because he would minimize [matzir] his affairs. What did he merit? He merited the birthright. Now, if the young one merited the birthright because he minimized his affairs, an older person who minimizes his affairs, all the more so. This is astounding.¹⁵It is astounding how great the power of humility is.

שמח האור The light rejoiced

summary The Gemara says that when the light saw it had been stored away for the tzaddikim it rejoiced, from the pasuk that the light of the righteous rejoices.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹר שֶׁגְּנָזוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים שָׂמַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אוֹר צַדִּיקִים יִשְׂמָח״.

When the light saw that it had been concealed for the righteous, it rejoiced, as it is stated: “The light for the righteous shall rejoice” (Proverbs 13:9).

להבדיל בין היום ובין הלילה Ramban on what was put awayMachlokes

summary Ramban says he does not find Rashi's picture in the words of the Sages, and holds instead that the first light served for three days and that on the fourth an offshoot of it was formed into these two luminaries, since this world was not fit to be served by the first light without something in between.

לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית א':י"ד) מִשֶּׁנִּגְנַז הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲבָל בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית שִׁמְּשׁוּ הָאוֹר וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ זֶה בַּיּוֹם וְזֶה בַּלַּיְלָה. וְאֵינִי רוֹאֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֶה דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ הַמַּזְכִּירִים "גְּנִיזָה" עַל הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲבָל לְדַעְתָּם הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן שִׁמֵּשׁ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים, וּבָרְבִיעִי נֶאֱצַל מִמֶּנּוּ וְנַעֲשׂוּ בּוֹ אָז מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵי הַמְּאוֹרוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ב"ר יז ה) נֹבֶלֶת אוֹרָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, כִּי לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּאוֹר הַהוּא בְּלִי אֶמְצָעוּת, גְּנָזוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְשִׁמְּשׁוּ בַּנֹּבֶלֶת הַזּוֹ מִיּוֹם רְבִיעִי וְאֵילָךְ. כָּךְ אָמְרוּ בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ג':ו'), תָּנֵי, אוֹרָה שֶׁנִּבְרֵאת בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, לְהָאִיר בַּיּוֹם אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מַכְהָה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, בַּלַּיְלָה אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרֵאת לְהָאִיר אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם, וְהֵיכָן הִיא, נִגְנְזָה. וְהֵיכָן הִיא, מְתֻקֶּנֶת לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו ל כו) וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה וְאוֹר הַחַמָּה יִהְיֶה שִׁבְעָתַיִם כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים. שִׁבְעָה, אֶתְמְהָה! לֹא שְׁלֹשָׁה הֵן? כְּאִינָשׁ דְּאָמַר "כֵּן אֲנָא מַפְקִיד לְשִׁבְעָה יוֹמֵי דְּמִשְׁתּוֹתַי", כְּלוֹמַר לְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם הוּא שֶׁיֹּאמַר "אֲנִי מַפְקִיד וְשׁוֹמֵר זֶה הַבָּשָׂר לְשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה שֶׁלִּי", לֹא שֶׁיַּסְפִּיק לוֹ לַשִּׁבְעָה כֻּלָּם אֶלָּא שֶׁיּוֹצִיא אוֹתוֹ בְּתוֹכָם. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ "שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים", כָּאוֹר שֶׁהָיָה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בְּמִקְצָתָם. וְשָׁם אָמְרוּ עוֹד (ב"ר ג ו) וַיַּבְדֵּל, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר הִבְדִּילוֹ לוֹ, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין הִבְדִּילוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וְאִם תּוּכַל לָדַעַת כַּוָּנָתָם בְּאָמְרָם בְּבִרְכַּת הַלְּבָנָה "עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת לַעֲמוּסֵי בָטֶן", תֵּדַע סוֹד הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן וְהַגְּנִיזָה וְהַהַבְדָּלָה שֶׁאָמַר הִבְדִּילוֹ לוֹ, וְסוֹד שְׁנֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַמִּשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בְּכֶתֶר אֶחָד, כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּסּוֹף שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה אַחַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אוֹר הַחַמָּה שִׁבְעָתַיִם:

TO DIVIDE THE DAY FROM THE NIGHT. Rashi wrote: “This took place after the primeval light was concealed for the righteous, but during the six¹⁴⁶In our text of Rashi: “seven.” See my note to Berliner’s edition of Rashi (p. 436) that both texts can be explained as correct. days of creation the [primeval] light and darkness functioned, one by day and one by night.”¹⁴⁷In our text of Rashi: “functioned together both by day and by night.” However, during the seven days of creation it was the primeval light that functioned, its concealment taking place on the eve following the Sabbath (so clearly explained in Maharal’s commentary on Rashi — Gur Aryeh).
Now I do not see that this is the opinion of our Rabbis who mention concealment in connection with the primeval light. In their opinion, rather, the primeval light functioned for three days, and on the fourth an emanation took place from which was formed these two luminaries, just as the Rabbis have said,¹⁴⁸Bereshith Rabbah 17:7. “The sphere of the sun is an offshoot of the upper light.” For since this world was not deserving of being served by this primeval light without an intermediary, He concealed it for the righteous in the World to Come, and He made use of this offshoot of the upper light from the fourth day on. Thus the Rabbis said in Bereshith Rabbah:¹⁴⁹3:6. “It was taught: The light which was created during the six days of creation could not give light at daytime because it would then dim the sphere of the sun; at night it could not give light, since it was created to light only at daytime. So where is it? It was concealed. And where is it? It is prepared for the righteous in the hereafter, as it is said, And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and as the light of the seven days.¹⁵⁰Isaiah 30:26. ‘Seven?’ I wonder! Were they not three?¹⁵¹For since the present light was created on the fourth day, the primeval light functioned only for the first three days during Creation. It is like a man who says thus: ‘I am keeping this for the seven days of my wedding feast.’” That is to say, it is common parlance that one say: “I am keeping and guarding this meat for the seven days of my wedding festivity.” It is not that this would suffice him for all seven days, only that he will use it during that time. In the same way the Rabbis explained the expression seven days, meaning as the light which functioned during some of those days.
There in Bereshith Rabbah the Rabbis also said:¹⁵²3:7. “And He separated the light.¹⁵³Verse 4. Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said, ‘He separated it for Himself.’¹⁵⁴Just as the verse says, And the light dwelleth with Him. (Daniel 2:22). And the Rabbis say, ‘He separated it for the righteous in the hereafter.’” Now if you could know the intent of the Rabbis in their saying in the Blessing of the Moon,¹⁵⁵Sanhedrin 42a. “A crown of glory to those borne by Him from the birth,” you would know the secret of the primeval light, the conserving thereof, and the matter of separation mentioned [in the words of Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon] — i.e., “He separated it for Himself” — as well as the secret of “the two kings making use of one crown,”¹⁵⁶Chullin 60 b, and mentioned in Rashi here, Verse 16: “The sun and the moon were created of equal size. When the moon complained, ‘It is impossible for two kings to make use of one crown,’ G-d said to it, ‘Go and diminish thyself.’” as will indeed be the case at the end when the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun after the light of the sun shall be sevenfold.¹⁵⁰Isaiah 30:26.

וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם Bereishis 1:19

וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם רְבִיעִֽי׃ (פ)

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

וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:19

וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה צְפַר יוֹם רְבִיעָאִי

It became evening and it became morning, the fourth day.

יום חמישי Day five

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ Bereishis 1:20

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם שֶׁ֖רֶץ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֑ה וְעוֹף֙ יְעוֹפֵ֣ף עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י רְקִ֥יעַ הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

And God said: ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יִרְחֲשׁוּן Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:20

וַאֲמַר ה׳ יִרְחֲשׁוּן מַיָּא רְחֵשׁ נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא וְעוֹפָא יְפָרַח עַל אַרְעָא עַל אַפֵּי רְקִיעָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא

Elohim said, Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth, in the open canopy of the heaven.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

נפש חיה שרץ What a sheretz is

summary Rashi says nefesh chayah means a creature with life in it, and that anything living which is not high off the ground is called a sheretz, among winged things flies, among small creatures ants and beetles and worms, among larger ones the mole and the mouse, and all the fish.

נפש חיה. שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהּ חַיּוּת: שרץ. כָּל דָּבָר חַי שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָבוֹהַּ מִן הָאָרֶץ קָרוּי שֶׁרֶץ: בָּעוֹף, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים, בַּשְּׁקָצִים, כְּגוֹן נְמָלִים וְחִפּוּשִׁים וְתוֹלָעִים, בַּבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּגוֹן חֹלֶד וְעַכְבָּר וְחֹמֶט וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם, וְכָל הַדָּגִים:

נפש חיה LIVING CREATURES — Creatures that shall have vitality. שרץ Every living creature that does not rise much above the ground is called שרץ, e. g., of winged creatures — flies; of abominable creatures — ants, beetles and worms; of larger creatures — the mole, snail and others of the same kind, and all fishes.

ישרצו המים A form shaped in water

summary The Midrash says the way of the world is that a person shapes a form on dry land, but Hashem shapes a form in the water, as the pasuk says let the waters swarm with living creatures.

ויאמר אלקים ישרצו המים - כתיב (תהלים פו) אין כמוך באלקים וגו'. בנוהג שבעולם בשר ודם צר צורה ביבשה, אבל הקדוש ברוך הוא צר צורה במים, שנאמר: ויאמר אלקים ישרצו המים שרץ נפש חיה:

“God said: Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth on the face of the firmament of the heavens” (Genesis 1:20).
“God said: Let the water swarm” – it is written: “There is none like You among the gods, Lord, and nothing akin to Your deeds” (Psalms 86:8). It is the usual way of the world that a mortal human fashions a form on dry land.¹Using solids for raw material. But the Holy One blessed be He fashions a form in the water, as it is stated: “God said: Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures.”

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

מן הרקק נבראו Where the birds came from

summary An officer asked Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai how one pasuk says the birds came from the water and another says they were formed from the ground, and he answered that they were created from the mud. Some report that he answered that they were created from the water.

ועוד שאלו כתוב אחד אומר ויאמר אלקים ישרצו המים שרץ נפש חיה ועוף יעופף אלמא ממיא איברו וכתיב ויצר ה׳ אלקים מן האדמה כל חית השדה ואת כל עוף השמים אלמא מארעא איברו אמר לו מן הרקק נבראו ראה תלמידיו מסתכלים זה בזה אמר להם קשה בעיניכם שדחיתי את אויבי בקש מן המים נבראו ולמה הביאן אל האדם לקרות להן שם ויש אומרים בלשון אחר אמר לאותו הגמון ובלשון הראשון אמר להן לתלמידיו משום דכתיב על ויצר

The Gemara relates an excerpt of an exchange between a Roman government official and Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai. And furthermore, the official asked Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: One verse states: “And God said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creeping animals, and birds will fly” (Genesis 1:20); apparently birds were created from the water. And it is written: “And from the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the air and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them” (Genesis 2:19); apparently birds were created from the land. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: They were created from the mud. He saw his students looking at each other, wondering. He said to them: Does it trouble you that I dismissed my enemy with a flimsy pretext? Actually, it is from water that birds were created. And why does the verse state that they were formed from the ground and that God brought them to Adam? In other words, why are they mentioned in the second verse? It is not because they were actually formed from the ground, but only because they were brought to Adam so that he would call them names. And some say that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai spoke to that officer with a different formulation, i.e., he said to him that the birds were created from the water. And he stated the first formulation, that the birds were created from the mud, to his students, because it is written: “And from the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the air” (Genesis 2:19). According to this explanation, the birds are mentioned there not only because Adam called them names, but also because they too were created from the ground.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם Bereishis 1:21

וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה ׀ הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־ע֤וֹף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after its kind, and every winged fowl after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּבְרָא ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:21

וּבְרָא ה׳ יָת תַּנִּינַיָּא רַבְרְבַיָּא וְיָת כָּל נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא דִּרְחִשָׁא דִּי אַרְחִישׁוּ מַיָּא לִזְנֵיהוֹן וְיָת כָּל עוֹפָא דְפָרַח לִזְנוֹהִי וַחֲזָא ה׳ אֲרֵי טָב

And thus Elohim created the great whales, and every living creature that creeps, with which the waters teem, of its kind, and every winged bird of its kind; and Elohim saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

התנינם Livyasan and its mate

summary Rashi says the taninim are the great fish of the sea, and by the aggadah in Bava Basra it is Livyasan and its mate, created male and female, and He killed the female and salted her away for the tzaddikim in the future, because if they had multiplied the world could not have stood before them.

התנינם. דָּגִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבַּיָּם, וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הוּא לִוְיָתָן וּבֶן זוּגוֹ שֶׁבְּרָאָם זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה וְהָרַג אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה וּמְלָחָהּ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁאִם יִפְרוּ וְיִרְבּוּ לֹא יִתְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם בִּפְנֵיהֶם:

התנינים THE HUGE CREATURES — the large fishes that are in the sea; and according to the statement of the Agada (Bava Batra 74b) it means here the Leviathan and its consort which He created male and female. He, however, killed the female and preserved it in salt for the benefit of the righteous in the time to come, for had they been permitted to be fruitful and to multiply the world could not have endured because of them.

לויתן נחש בריח Made male and female

summary Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav says everything Hashem made in His world He made male and female, and that had the two Livyasan multiplied they would have destroyed the world, so He made the male unable to father and killed the female and salted her for the feast of the tzaddikim. The Gemara then asks why the female had to be killed rather than cooled, and answers that fish are not restrained.

״וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדוֹלִים״ – הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: אֻרְזִילֵי דְיַמָּא. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: זֶה לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ וְלִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִפְקֹד ה׳ בְּחַרְבּוֹ הַקָּשָׁה וְגוֹ׳״. (סִימָן: כׇּל, שָׁעָה, יַרְדֵּן) אָמַר רַב: יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: כֹּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹ – זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם. אַף לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ וְלִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן – זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם, וְאִלְמָלֵי נִזְקָקִין זֶה לָזֶה – מַחְרִיבִין כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. מָה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? סֵירַס אֶת הַזָּכָר, וְהָרַג הַנְּקֵבָה וּמְלָחָהּ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָרַג אֶת הַתַּנִּין אֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם״. הָתָם נָמֵי, לִיסָרְסֵיהּ לְזָכָר וְלִיצַנְּנַּהּ לִנְקֵבָה! דָּגִים פְּרִיצִי. וְלֶיעְבֵּיד אִיפְּכָא! אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: נְקֵבָה מְלִיחָא מְעַלֵּי; אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא, כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב: ״לִוְיָתָן זֶה יָצַרְתָּ לְשַׂחֶק בּוֹ״, בַּהֲדֵי נְקֵבָה לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא. הָכָא נָמֵי, לִימְלְחַהּ לִנְקֵבָה! כְּווֹרָא מְלִיחָא מְעַלֵּי, בִּשְׂרָא מְלִיחָא לָא מְעַלֵּי.

The verse states: “And God created the great sea monsters” (Genesis 1:21). Here, in Babylonia, they interpreted this as a reference to the sea oryx. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This is leviathan the slant serpent, and leviathan the tortuous serpent, as it is stated: “In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent, and leviathan the tortuous serpent” (Isaiah 27:1). § The Gemara provides a mnemonic for the following statements of Rav Yehuda citing Rav: Everything; time; Jordan. Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: Everything that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created in His world, He created male and female. Even leviathan the slant serpent and leviathan the tortuous serpent He created male and female. And if they would have coupled and produced offspring, they would have destroyed the entire world. What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do? He castrated the male and killed the female, and salted the female to preserve it for the banquet for the righteous in the future. As it is stated: “And He will slay the serpent that is in the sea” (Isaiah 27:1). The Gemara asks: There too, with regard to the leviathan, let Him castrate the male and cool the female; why was it necessary to kill the female? The Gemara answers: Fish are unrestrained, and therefore even if the female was cooled, the female would still procreate. The Gemara suggests: And let Him do the opposite, and kill and preserve the male leviathan. The Gemara responds: If you wish, say that the salted female is better; if you wish, say instead that since it is written: “There is leviathan, whom You have formed to sport with” (Psalms 104:26), the male must be left alive for sport, because it is not proper conduct to sport with a female. The Gemara asks: Here too, with regard to the beasts, let Him preserve the female in salt, instead of cooling it. The Gemara answers: Salted fish is good, but salted meat is not good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

תנינם חסר Written without the yud

summary Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Acha notes that taninim is written short, without the yud, and says this is Behemos and Livyasan, who have no mates.

ויברא אלקים את התנינים. רבי פנחס בשם רבי אחא אמר: תנינם כתיב, זה בהמות ולויתן שאין להם בן זוגות. אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש: בהמות יש לו בן זוג ואין לו תאוה, שנאמר (איוב מ): גידי פחדיו ישורגו. רב הונא בשם רב מתנא אמר: הצבוע הזה מטפה של לובן הוא, ויש לו שלוש מאות וששים וחמשה מיני צבעונים כמנין ימות השנה של חמה. רבי ירמיה כהנא שאל לר' שמעון בן לקיש: המרביע מחית הים מהו? אמר ליה: אף הן כתיב בהן למיניהם! בהדא פרס בן לקיש מצודתיה לכהנא אותיב כהנא, והלא אף הדגים כתיב בהן למיניהן, בהא פרס כהנא מצודתיה על ר' שמעון בן לקיש והיך עבידא? אמר רבי יונה: יכול אני מקיים לה משום מנהיג. מביא שני דגים חד מיירן וחד אספרון וקשרן בגמי וממשיכו בנהר, או בים ואסור לעשות כן, משום כלאים. דתנן כלאים שאמרו, הנוהג בהן אסורין לחרוש ולמשוך ולנהוג יחדו, שנאמר: ואת כל נפש החיה הרומשת אשר שרצו המים למיניהן. ואת כל עוף כנף, זה הטווס:

“God created the great serpents and every living creature that crawls, with which the water swarmed by their species, and every winged bird in its kind, and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:21).
“God created the…serpents [hataninim]” – Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Taninim is written without a yod¹²Yod being the sign of the plural. – this is Behemoth and Leviathan, that have no mates. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Behemoth has a mate, but has no desire [to mate], as it is stated: “The sinews of its testicles are knotted” (Job 40:17).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Matna: The peacock comes from a single white-colored drop,¹³Sperm. and yet it has three hundred and sixty-five colors, corresponding to the number of days in the solar year.
Rabbi Yirmeya Kahana asked Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: ‘One who crossbreeds sea animals, what is the halakha?’¹⁴It is forbidden to crossbreed animals (Leviticus 19:19). He said to him: ‘Also in their regard it is written: “By their species.”’¹⁵Alluding to the concept that different species should not be interbred. With this, ben Lakish spread out his net for Kahana.¹⁶He sought to stifle any further questions. Kahana raised an objection: ‘Is “by their species” not written regarding fish as well?’¹⁷That certainly does not allude to a halakha that they should not be interbred, as that is an impossible act. With this, Kahana spread out his net to trap Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish. How, indeed can this be done?¹⁸The mixing of two species of fish. Rabbi Yona said: ‘I can explain it regarding driving animals:¹⁹The Torah also forbids tying two different species together and forcing them to move along together (Deuteronomy 22:10). One brings two fish, a mairon and an asparon,²⁰Two different species of fish. ties them together with reed-grass, and leads them along in the river or the sea. It is prohibited to do so, due to the prohibition of diverse kinds, as we learned:²¹Kilayim 8:2. The diverse kinds that were mentioned regarding driving them [together], may not be used to plow, to haul, or to pull together. Thus it is stated: “And every living creature that crawls, with which the water swarmed by their species”’ (Genesis 1:21).²²Indicating that the prohibitions involving diverse species apply to sea life as well.
“And every winged bird” (Genesis 1:21) – this is the peacock.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֖ים Bereishis 1:22

וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֙יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָע֖וֹף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

And God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּבָרִיךְ יָתְהוֹן ה׳ Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:22

וּבָרִיךְ יָתְהוֹן ה׳ לְמֵימָר פּוּשׁוּ וּסְגוּ וּמְלוּ יָת מַיָּא בְּיַמְמַיָּא וְעוֹפָא יִסְגֵּי בְּאַרְעָא

Elohim blessed them saying, Be fruitful and multiply, fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

פרו ורבו Be fruitful and multiply

summary Rashi says pru is from the word for fruit, and that had it only said pru one could have brought forth a single one and no more, so it says urvu, that one should bring forth many.

פרו. לְ' פְּרִי כְּלוֹ' עֲשׁוּ פֵּרוֹת: ורבו. אִם לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא פְּרוּ, הָיָה אֶחָד מוֹלִיד אֶחָד וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, וּבָא וּרְבוּ שֶׁאֶחָד מוֹלִיד הַרְבֵּה:

פרו BE FRUITFUL — פרו is of the same root as פרי, and means bring forth fruit. ורבו AND MULTIPLY — Had He said “Be fruitful” only, one creature might have brought forth a single one, and no more, therefore He added ורבו “and multiply”, implying that one should bring forth many.

ויברך אתם Why these needed a berachah

summary Rashi says they needed a berachah because people hunt them and eat them and so cut down their number, and adds that the animals needed one too but were not blessed on account of the snake that was going to be cursed, so that it should not be included in the berachah.

ויברך אותם. לְפִי שֶׁמְּחַסְּרִים אוֹתָם וְצָדִין מֵהֶם וְאוֹכְלִין אוֹתָם, הֻצְרְכוּ לִבְרָכָה, וְאַף הַחַיּוֹת הֻצְרְכוּ לִבְרָכָה, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַנָּחָשׁ שֶׁעָתִיד לִקְלָלָה, לְכָךְ לֹא בֵרְכָן, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הוּא בִכְלָל:

ויברך אותם AND HE BLESSED THEM — Because people decreased their number, hunting them and eating them, they needed a blessing (Genesis Rabbah 11:2); it is true that beasts also were in need of a blessing, but on account of the serpent that was to be cursed in the future, He did not bless them, in order that it might not be included in the blessing.

כל יום שיש בו חסרון A day with loss gets a berachah

summary Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Chanina says that every day on which there is loss has a berachah written about it and lacks nothing, and gives the fifth day, on which birds and fish were made and people trap and eat them, as the example.

ברכו ביציאה, רבי לוי בשם ריב"ח אמר כל יום שיש בו חסרון, כתיב בו ברכה ואינו חסר כלום, בחמישי נבראו עופות ודגים ובני אדם שוחטין עופות ואוכלים, וצדים דגים ואוכלין וכתיבבו ברכה ואינו חסר כלום, בששי נברא אדם ובהמה, ובני אדם שוחטין בהמה ואוכלין ובני אדם מתים, וכתיב בו ברכה ואינו חסר כלום, בשביעי מאי אית לך למימר, ר' לוי בשם ר' חמא ברחנינא אמר מפני היציאה.ר"א בשם רבי יוסי אמר מפני איסטניסים.

He blessed it due to the expenditure.²¹He gave Shabbat a blessing that people should not suffer a long-term financial loss when spending money to honor it. Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: Every day on which there is reduction [among the creations of that day], blessing is written in its regard, and in fact it lacks nothing. On the fifth day, birds and fish were created, and people slaughter and eat birds and trap and eat fish, [reducing their number], but since blessing is written in its regard²²Genesis 1:22. it lacks nothing.²³The birds and fish replenish themselves through reproduction. On the sixth day, man and animal were created, and people slaughter and eat animals, and people die, but since blessing is written in its regard²⁴Genesis 1:28. it lacks nothing. But regarding the seventh day what can you say?²⁵Why was it necessary for God to give a blessing for Shabbat? Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: It is for the expenditure.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם Bereishis 1:23

וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם חֲמִישִֽׁי׃ (פ)

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

וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:23

וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה צְפַר יוֹם חֲמִישָׁאִי

It became evening and it became morning, the fifth day.

יום הששי Day six

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים תּוֹצֵ֨א Bereishis 1:24

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים תּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ נֶ֤פֶשׁ חַיָּה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ בְּהֵמָ֥ה וָרֶ֛מֶשׂ וְחַֽיְתוֹ־אֶ֖רֶץ לְמִינָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

And God said: ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.’ And it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִים֩ אֶת־חַיַּ֨ת Bereishis 1:25

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִים֩ אֶת־חַיַּ֨ת הָאָ֜רֶץ לְמִינָ֗הּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ תַּפֵּק Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:24

וַאֲמַר ה׳ תַּפֵּק אַרְעָא נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא לִזְנַהּ בְּעִיר וּרְחֵשׁ וְחֵוַת אַרְעָא לִזְנַהּ וַהֲוָה כֵן

Elohim said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures, each of its kind, animals [of pasture], creeping things, and beasts of the earth, each to its kind. And it was so.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וַעֲבַד ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:25

וַעֲבַד ה׳ יָת חֵוַת אַרְעָא לִזְנַהּ וְיָת בְּעִירָא לִזְנַהּ וְיָת כָּל רִחֲשָׁא דְאַרְעָא לִזְנוֹהִי וַחֲזָא ה׳ אֲרֵי טָב

And thus Elohim made the beasts of the earth, each of its kind, the animals [of pasture] each of its kind, and everything that creeps on the ground, each of its kind, and Elohim saw that it was good.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

ורמש What creeps low

summary Rashi says nefesh chayah means creatures with life in them, and that remes means low creeping things that look as if they are dragged along, because you cannot see how they move.

נפש חיה. שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חַיּוּת: ורמש. הֵם שְׁרָצִים, שֶׁהֵם נְמוּכִים וְרוֹמְשִׂים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְנִרְאִים כְּאִלּוּ נִגְרָרִים שֶׁאֵין הִלוּכָן נִכָּר. כָּל לְשׁוֹן רֶמֶשׂ וְשֶׁרֶץ בִּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ קונמו"בריש בלע"ז:

נפש חיה — that have vitality. ורמש — It means creeping swarms that creep low upon the ground; they appear as though they are dragged along, for how they move is not discernible. What we call רמש and שרץ in our (Hebrew) language, they call in old French mouvoir; English to move.

תוצא הארץ Drawn out on their dayMachlokes

summary Rashi refers back to what he said on the fourth day, that everything was created on the first day and all that was needed was to bring each thing out of the ground on its own day.

תוצא הארץ. הוּא שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא הֻצְרְכוּ אֶלָּא לְהוֹצִיאָם:

תוצא הארץ THE EARTH SHALL BRING FORTH — That is what I have explained (v. 14) that all things were created on the first day, and it was only necessary to bring them forth from the ground.

חסד ואמת נפגשו Chesed, Emes, Tzedek and Shalom

summary Rabbi Simon says the ministering angels split into groups over whether man should be made: Chesed said let him be made because he does acts of kindness, Emes said let him not because he is full of lies, Tzedek said let him be made, Shalom said let him not because he is full of strife, and Hashem took Emes and cast it to the earth.

אמר רבי סימון: בשעה שבא הקב"ה לבראת את אדם הראשון, נעשו מלאכי השרת כיתים כיתים, וחבורות חבורות, מהם אומרים: אל יברא, ומהם אומרים: יברא, הדא הוא דכתיב (תהלים פה): חסד ואמת נפגשו צדק ושלום נשקו. חסד אומר: יברא, שהוא גומל חסדים. ואמת אומר: אל יברא, שכולו שקרים. צדק אומר: יברא, שהוא עושה צדקות. שלום אומר: אל יברא, דכוליה קטטה. מה עשה הקדוש ברוך הוא? נטל אמת והשליכו לארץ, הדא הוא דכתיב (דניאל ח): ותשלך אמת ארצה. אמרו מלאכי השרת לפני הקב"ה: רבון העולמים! מה אתה מבזה תכסיס אלטיכסייה שלך? תעלה אמת מן הארץ, הדא הוא דכתיב (תהלים פה): אמת מארץ תצמח. רבנן אמרי לה בשם ר' חנינא בר אידי ורבי פנחס ורבי חלקיה בשם רבי סימון אמר: מאד הוא אדם, הדא הוא דכתיב: וירא אלקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד, והנה טוב אדם. ר' הונא רבה של צפורין אמר: עד שמלאכי השרת מדיינין אלו עם אלו, ומתעסקין אלו עם אלו, בראו הקדוש ברוך הוא. אמר להן: מה אתם מדיינין, כבר נעשה אדם:

Rabbi Simon said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, the ministering angels divided into various factions and various groups. Some of them were saying: ‘Let him not be created,’ and some of them were saying: ‘Let him be created.’ That is what is written: “Kindness and truth met; righteousness and peace touched” (Psalms 85:11). Kindness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of kindness.’ Truth said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of lies.’ Righteousness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of righteousness.’ Peace said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of discord.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He took Truth and cast it down to earth.²⁰Rejecting its counsel. That is what is written: “You cast truth earthward” (Daniel 8:12). The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, why are You demeaning Your very seal?²¹“Truth” is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He. Let Truth ascend from the earth.’ That is what is written: “Truth will spring from the earth” (Psalms 85:12).
The Rabbis say in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Idi, and Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya said in the name of Rabbi Simon: Meod, this refers to Man [adam].²²Adam and meod are written with the same letters. That is what is written: “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very [meod] good” (Genesis 1:31) – Man [adam] was good.
Rav Huna, the rabbi of Tzippori, said: While the ministering angels were busy deliberating with one another and engaging with one another, the Holy One blessed be He created him. He said to them: ‘Why are you deliberating? Man has already been created.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

כת של מלאכי השרת Three groups of angels

summary Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav says Hashem made a group of ministering angels and asked them whether man should be made, and when they answered with the pasuk what is man that You remember him, He burned them, and the same with a second group, until the third said the world is Yours, do as You wish.

(שָׁעָה, בַּסּוֹף, אֲרַמִּי – סִימָן.) אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְראוֹת אֶת הָאָדָם, בָּרָא כַּת אַחַת שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. אָמַר לָהֶם: רְצוֹנְכֶם נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ? אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? אָמַר לָהֶן: כָּךְ וְכָךְ מַעֲשָׂיו. אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, ״מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ״? הוֹשִׁיט אֶצְבָּעוֹ קְטַנָּה בֵּינֵיהֶן וּשְׂרָפָם. וְכֵן כַּת שְׁנִיָּה. כַּת שְׁלִישִׁית אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְפָנֶיךָ מָה הוֹעִילוּ? כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ הוּא. כׇּל מָה שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּעוֹלָמְךָ – עֲשֵׂה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְאַנְשֵׁי דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וְאַנְשֵׁי דּוֹר הַפְּלַגָּה שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶן מְקוּלְקָלִין, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לֹא יָפֶה אָמְרוּ רִאשׁוֹנִים לְפָנֶיךָ? אָמַר לָהֶן: ״וְעַד זִקְנָה אֲנִי הוּא וְעַד שֵׂיבָה אֲנִי אֶסְבֹּל וְגוֹ׳״.

The Gemara presents a mnemonic for the statements that follow: At the time, to the end, Aramaic. Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: At the time that the Holy One, Blessed be He, sought to create a person, He created one group of ministering angels. He said to them: If you agree, let us fashion a person in our image. The angels said before him: Master of the Universe, what are the actions of this person You suggest to create? God said to them: His actions are such and such, according to human nature. The angels said before him: Master of the Universe: “What is man that You are mindful of him? And the son of man that You think of him?” (Psalms 8:5), i.e., a creature such as this is not worth creating. God outstretched His small finger among them and burned them with fire. And the same occurred with a second group of angels. The third group of angels that He asked said before Him: Master of the Universe, the first two groups who spoke their mind before You, what did they accomplish? The entire world is Yours; whatever You wish to do in Your world, do. God then created the first person. When history arrived at the time of the people of the generation of the flood and the people of the generation of the dispersion, i.e., the Tower of Babel, whose actions were ruinous, the angels said before God: Master of the Universe, didn’t the first set of angels speak appropriately before You, that human beings are not worthy of having been created? God said to them concerning humanity: “Even to your old age I am the same; and even to hoar hairs will I suffer you; I have made and I will bear; and I will carry, and I will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4), i.e., having created people, I will even suffer their flaws.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה Bereishis 1:26

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

And God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ Bereishis 1:27

וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיִּיצֶר֩ ה׳ אֱלֹקִ֜ים Bereishis 2:7

וַיִּיצֶר֩ ה׳ אֱלֹקִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃

Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'LORD'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ נַעֲבִיד Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:26

וַאֲמַר ה׳ נַעֲבִיד אֶינָשָׁא בְּצַלְמֵנָא כִּדְמוּתָנָא וְיִשְׁלְטוּן בְּנוּנֵי יַמָּא וּבְעוֹפָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבִבְעִירָא וּבְכָל אַרְעָא וּבְכָל רִחֲשָׁא דְּרָחֵשׁ עַל אַרְעָא

Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, as our likeness, and let him dominate the fish of the sea, the birds of the heaven, the animals, all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וּבְרָא ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:27

וּבְרָא ה׳ יָת אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵהּ בְּצַלְמָא דַה׳ בְּרָא יָתֵהּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא בְּרָא יָתְהוֹן

And thus Elohim created man in his image. In the form of Elohim, He created him, male and female, He created them.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וּבְרָא ה׳ אֱלֹקִים Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 2:7

וּבְרָא ה׳ אֱלֹקִים יָת אָדָם עַפְרָא מִן אַדְמְתָא וּנְפַח בְּאַפּוֹהִי נִשְׁמְתָא דְחַיֵּי וַהֲוַת בְּאָדָם לְרוּחַ מְמַלְלָא

Adonoy Elohim then formed the man, dust from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life. And so man became a living [speaking] soul.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

עפר מן האדמה Dust from the whole earth

summary Rashi says his dust was gathered from the whole earth, from its four corners, so that wherever he would die the ground would take him in. He brings a second explanation, that the dust was taken from the place where the Mizbeach would later stand, so that this ground should be an atonement for him and he should be able to stand.

עפר מן האדמה. צָבַר עֲפְרוֹ מִכָּל הָאֲדָמָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּמוּת שָׁם תְּהֵא קוֹלַטְתּוֹ לִקְבוּרָה. דָּ"אַ נָטַל עֲפָרוֹ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי (שמות כ'), הַלְוַאי תִּהְיֶה לוֹ כַפָּרָה וְיוּכַל לַעֲמֹד:

עפר מן האדמה DUST OF THE EARTH — He gathered his dust (i. e. that from which he was made) from the entire earth — from its four corners — in order that wherever he might die, it should receive him for burial (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 3). Another explanation: He took his dust from that spot on which the Holy Temple with the altar of atonement was in later times to be built of which it is said, (Exodus 20:24) “An altar of earth thou shalt make for Me” saying, “Would that this sacred earth may be an expiation for him so that he may be able to endure” (Genesis Rabbah 14:8).

נעשה אדם Rashi: He consulted the angelsMachlokes

summary Rashi learns the humility of Hashem from here: because man is in the likeness of the angels and they might be jealous of him, He took counsel with them, and He does the same when He judges kings.

נעשה אדם. עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן, לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם הוּא בִּדְמוּת הַמַּלְאָכִים וְיִתְקַנְּאוּ בוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְלַךְ בָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָן אֶת הַמְּלָכִים הוּא נִמְלָךְ בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְאַחְאָב, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מִיכָה רָאִיתִי אֶת ה' יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ (מלכים א כ"ב), וְכִי יֵש יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל לְפָנָיו? אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ מַיְמִינִים לִזְכוּת וְאֵלוּ מַשְׂמְאִילִים לְחוֹבָה, וְכֵן בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא (דניאל ד'), אַף כָּאן בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלוֹ נָטַל רְשׁוּת, אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים כִּדְמוּתִי; אִם אֵין כִּדְמוּתִי בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הֲרֵי יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:

נעשה אדם WE WILL MAKE MAN — The meekness of the Holy One, blessed be He, they (the Rabbis) learned from here: because the man is in the likeness of the angels and they might envy him, therefore He took counsel with them (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 18 and see Genesis Rabbah 8). And when He judges the kings He likewise consults His heavenly council, for thus we find in the case of Ahab to whom Micha said, (1 Kings 22:19) “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left.” Has God, then, a right hand and a left hand? But it means that some stood on the right side to plead in favour of the accused and others stood on the left side to accuse; and similarly we read (Daniel 4:14), “the matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones”, — here, also, He consulted His heavenly council and asked permission of them, saying to them: “There are in the heavens beings after My likeness; if there will not be on earth also beings after My likeness, there will be envy among the beings that I have created” (Sanhedrin 38b).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Lord'.

בצלמנו כדמותנו In our image, like us

summary Rashi says betzalmeinu means in our mold and kidmuseinu means with the power to understand and to reason, and that veyirdu can mean ruling or going down, so that if a man is worthy he rules the animals and if he is not, he falls below them.

בצלמנו. בִּדְפוּס שֶׁלָּנוּ: כדמותנו. לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל: וירדו בדגת הים. יֵשׁ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּלְשׁוֹן יְרִידָה; זָכָה, רוֹדֶה בַחַיּוֹת וּבַבְּהֵמוֹת, לֹא זָכָה, נַעֲשֶׂה יָרוּד לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהַחַיָּה מוֹשֶׁלֶת בּוֹ:

בצלמנו IN OUR IMAGE — in our type. כדמתנו AFTER OUR LIKENESS — with the power to comprehend and to discern. וירדו בדגת הים AND THEY SHALL HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH … [AND OVER THE BEASTS] — The expression וירדו may imply dominion as well as descending — if he is worthy he dominates over the beasts and cattle, if he is not worthy he will sink lower than them, and the beast will rule over him (Genesis Rabbah 8:12).

ויברא אלקים את האדם בצלמו Struck like a coin

summary Rashi says man was made in the mold prepared for him, that everything else was made by word while he was made by hand, and that he was made like a coin struck with a die. On male and female he brings the drash that Adam was made with two faces and then divided, and says the plain sense is only that both were made on the sixth day.

ויברא אלקים את האדם בצלמו. בִּדְפוּס הֶעָשׂוּי לוֹ, שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בְּמַאֲמָר וְהוּא נִבְרָא בַּיָּדַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה (תהילים קל"ט); נַעֲשָׂה בְחוֹתָם כְּמַטְבֵּעַ הָעֲשׂוּיָה עַל יְדֵי רֹשֶׁם שֶׁקּוֹרִין קוי"ן בלע"ז וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם (איוב ל"ח): בצלם אלקים ברא אותו. פֵּרֵשׁ לְךָ שֶׁאוֹתוֹ צֶלֶם הַמְתֻקָּן לוֹ, צֶלֶם דְּיוֹקַן יוֹצְרוֹ הוּא: זכר ונקבה ברא אותם. וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו וגו' (בראשית ב')? מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ שְׁנֵי פַרְצוּפִים בִּבְרִיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ חֲלָקוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, כָּאן הוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי וְלֹא פֵי' לְךָ כֵּיצַד בְּרִיָּתָן, וּפֵרֵשׁ לְךָ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:

ויברא אלקים את האדם בצלמו SO GOD CREATED THE MAN IN HIS IMAGE —in the type that was specially made for him, for everything else was created by a creative fiat, whilst he was brought into existence by a creative act (literally, by hand), as it is said (Psalms 139:5) “And Thou hast laid thy hand upon me.” He was made by a seal as a coin that is made by a die that is called in old French coin. It is similarly said, (Job 38:14) “it is changed as clay under the seal” (Sanhedrin 38a). בצלם אלקים ברא אותו IN THE IMAGE OF GOD CREATED HE HIM — It explains to you that the form prepared for him was the form of the image of his Creator. זכר ונקבה ברא אותם MALE AND FEMALE CREATED HE THEM — And further on (Genesis 2:21) it is said: “and He took one of his ribs etc.” (The two passages appear to be contradictory.) But according to a Midrashic explanation, He created him at first with two faces, and afterwards He divided him. But the real sense of the verse is: here it tells you that both of them were created on the sixth day, but it does not explain to you how their creation took place; this it explains to you in another place (Genesis Rabbah 8:1 and see Eruvin 18a) .

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

ויברא ולא ויבראו The plural and the answer to itMachlokes

summary Rashi says that although the angels did not help and the plural gives the heretics an opening, the pasuk still teaches derech eretz, that the greater should ask permission of the smaller, and that the answer to the heretics is the next pasuk, which says vayivra and not vayivru.

נעשה אדם. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁלֹּא סִיְּעוּהוּ בִיצִירָתוֹ וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם לַמִּינִים לִרְדּוֹת, לֹא נִמְנַע הַכָּתוּב מִלְּלַמֵּד דֶרֶך אֶרֶץ וּמִדַּת עֲנָוָה שֶׁיְּהֵא הַגָּדוֹל נִמְלָךְ וְנוֹטֵל רְשׁוּת מִן הַקָּטָן; וְאִם כָּתַב אֶעֱשֶׂה אָדָם, לֹא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא מְדַבֵּר עִם בֵּית דִינוֹ, אֶלָּא עִם עַצְמוֹ, וּתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּינִים כָּתַב בְּצִדּוֹ, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם, וְלֹא כָתַב וַיִּבְרְאוּ:

נעשה אדם WE WILL MAKE MAN — Although they did not assist Him in forming him (the man) and although this use of the plural may give the heretics an occasion to rebel (i. e. to argue in favour of their own views), yet the verse does not refrain from teaching proper conduct and the virtue of humbleness, namely, that the greater should consult, and take permission from the smaller; for had it been written, “I shall make man”, we could not, then, have learned that He spoke to His judicial council but to Himself. And as a refutation of the heretics it is written immediately after this verse “And God created the man”, and it is not written “and they created” (Genesis Rabbah 8:9)

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

ויפח באפיו From below and from above

summary Rashi says he was made from both, the body from below and the soul from above, because on the first, third and fifth days things were made for the lower world and on the second and fourth for the upper world, so the sixth needed a creature made of both, or else one side of creation would have had a day more than the other.

ויפח באפיו. עֲשָׂאוֹ מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּמִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, גוּף מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּנְשָׁמָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, בַּשֵּׁנִי בָּרָא רָקִיעַ לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי תֵּרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, בָּרְבִיעִי בָּרָא מְאוֹרוֹת לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּחֲמִישִׁי יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הֻזְקַק בַּשִּׁשִּׁי לִבְראוֹת בּוֹ בָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּבַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאִם לָאו יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֵלּוּ רַבִּים עַל אֵלּוּ בִּבְרִיאַת יוֹם אֶחָד:

ויפח באפיו AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS — He made him of both, of earthly and of heavenly matter: the body of the earthly, and the soul of the heavenly. For on the first day were created heaven and earth, on the second, He created the firmament for the heavenly beings, on the third He said, “Let the dry land appear” — for the earthly beings, on the fourth He created the lights for the heavenly beings, on the fifth He said, “Let the waters swarm…” — for the earthly beings. Consequently on the sixth there had to be created a being composed of both, of heavenly and of earthly matter, for otherwise there would have been envy (lack of harmony) among the works of Creation, in that there would have been devoted to one class of them one day more of the Creation than to the others (Genesis Rabbah 12:8).

וייצר לנפש חיה Two yuds, and a living soul

summary Rashi says vayitzer is written with two yuds for two formings, one for this world and one for techiyas hameisim, and that although animals are also called nefesh chayah, the nefesh of man is the most alive of them all because he was given understanding and speech.

וייצר. שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִיצִירָה לִתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, אֲבָל בַּבְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת לַדִּין לֹא נִכְתַּב בִּיצִירָתָהּ שְׁנֵי יוֹדִי"ן: לנפש חיה. אַף בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה נִקְרְאוּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, אַךְ זוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חַיָּה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן, שֶׁנִתּוֹסֵף בּוֹ דֵּעָה וְדִבּוּר:

וייצר AND GOD FORMED — Here the letter yod is written twice to intimate that there were two formations — a formation of man for this world, and a formation of man for resurrection; in the case of animals, however, which will not stand after death for judgment before God the word referring to their formation— ויצר —(Genesis 2:19) is not written with two yods (Midrash Tanchuma, Tazria 1). לנפש חיה A LIVING SOUL — Also cattle and beasts are called נפש חיה (1:20, 22, 24), but the נפש of man is the most highly developed of all of them, because to him was granted understanding and speech.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

עם מי נמלך With whom did He take counselMachlokes

summary The Midrash asks with whom He took counsel and gives several answers: Rabbi Yehoshua in the name of Rabbi Levi says with the works of heaven and earth, Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman says with the work of each day, and Rabbi Ami says He took counsel with His own heart.

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם. במי נמלך? רבי יהושע בשם ר' לוי אמר:במלאכת השמים והארץ נמלך. משל למלך שהיו לו ב' סנקליטים ולא היה עושה דבר חוץ מדעתן. רבי שמואל בר נחמן אמר: במעשה כל יום ויום נמלך. משל למלך שהיה לו סנקתדרון ולא היה עושה דבר חוץ מדעתו. ר' אמי אמר: בלבו נמלך. משל למלך שבנה פלטין ע"י ארדכל, ראה אותה ולא ערבה לו על מי יש לו להתרעם, לא על ארדכל אתמהא?! הוי, ויתעצב אל לבו. אמר רבי אסי: משל למלך שעשה לו סחורה על ידי סרסור והפסיד, על מי יש לו להתרעם לא על הסרסור אתמהא?! הוי, ויתעצב אל לבו:

“And God said: Let us make Man” – with whom did He consult? Rabbi Yehoshua said in the name of Rabbi Levi: He consulted with the works of the heavens and the earth. This is analogous to a king who had two members of his council and he would not do anything without their knowledge. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: He consulted with what was made on each and every day. This is analogous to a king who had an adviser and he would not do anything without his knowledge.
Rabbi Ami said: He consulted with His heart. This is analogous to a king who built a palace through the services of an architect, but it was not pleasing for him. At whom should he be angry? Is it not the architect? This is a rhetorical question. That is, “He was saddened in His heart” (Genesis 6:6).¹⁶This could also be translated, “He became upset at His heart.” Rav Asi said: This is analogous to a king who conducted a business transaction through an intermediary, and he suffered a loss. At whom should he be angry? Is it not the intermediary? This is a rhetorical question. That is, “He was saddened in His heart.”

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

דו פרצופין Two faces, then divided

summary Rabbi Yirmeyah ben Elazar says Adam was created androgynous, and Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman says he was created with two faces and then sawn apart and given a back on each side. They asked him from the pasuk about the rib, and he answered that it means one of his sides.

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו. רבי יוחנן פתח: (תהלים קלט): אחור וקדם צרתני וגו' אמר רבי יוחנן: אם זכה אדם, אוכל שני עולמות, שנאמר: אחור וקדם צרתני, ואם לאו הוא בא ליתן דין וחשבון, שנאמר (שם): ותשת עלי כפכה. אמר רבי ירמיה בן אלעזר: בשעה שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את אדם הראשון, אנדרוגינוס בראו, הדא הוא דכתיב: זכר ונקבה בראם. אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמן: בשעה שברא הקב"ה את אדם הראשון, דיו פרצופים בראו ונסרו ועשאו גביים, גב לכאן וגב לכאן. איתיבון ליה, והכתיב: ויקח אחת מצלעותיו?! אמר להון: מתרין סטרוהי, היך מה דאת אמר: (שמות כו): ולצלע המשכן, דמתרגמינן ולסטר משכנא וגו'. רבי תנחומא בשם רבי בנייה ורבי ברכיה בשם ר"א אמר: בשעה שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את אדם הראשון גולם בראו, והיה מוטל מסוף העולם ועד סופו, הדא הוא דכתיב: (תהלים קלט) גלמי ראו עיניך וגו'. רבי יהושע בר נחמיה ורבי יהודה בר סימון בשם רבי אלעזר אמר: מלא כל העולם בראו. מן המזרח למערב מנין? שנאמר (שם): אחור וקדם צרתני וגו'. מצפון לדרום מנין? שנאמר (דברים ד): ולמקצה השמים ועד קצה השמים. ומנין אף בחללו של עולם? שנא': ותשת עלי כפכה, כמה דאת אמר (איוב יג): כפך מעלי הרחק. אמר רבי אלעזר: אחור למעשה יום הראשון וקדם למעשה יום האחרון. הוא דעתיה דרבי אלעזר דאמר רבי אלעזר תוצא הארץ נפש חיה למינה, זה רוחו של אדם הראשון. אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש: אחור למעשה יום האחרון וקדם למעשה יום הראשון. הוא דעתיה דרבי שמעון בן לקיש דאמר ריש לקיש: ורוח אלקים מרחפת על פני המים, זו רוחו של מלך המשיח. היך מה דאת אמר (ישעיה יא): ונחה עליו רוח ה'. אם זכה אדם, אומרים לו: אתה קדמת למלאכי השרת. ואם לאו, אומרים לו: זבוב קדמך, יתוש קדמך, שלושול זה קדמך. אמר רבי נחמן: אחור לכל המעשים וקדם לכל עונשין. אמר רבי שמואל: אף בקילוס אינו בא, אלא באחרונה, הדא הוא דכתיב (תהלים קמח): הללו את ה' מן השמים וגו'. ואומר כל הפרשה ואחר כך הללו את ה' מן הארץ וגו'. ואומר כל הפרשה ואחר כך אומר: מלכי ארץ וכל לאומים בחורים וגם בתולות. אמר רבי שמלאי: כשם שקילוסו אינה אלא אחר בהמה חיה ועוף, כך ברייתו אינה אלא אחר בהמה חיה ועוף. מה טעמיה? שנאמר: ויאמר אלקים ישרצו המים. ואח"כ: ויאמר אלקים תוצא הארץ וגו'. ואחר כך: ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם וגו':

“And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness, and let them dominate over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26).
“And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness.” Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “Back and front [aḥor vakedem], You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If a person merits, he partakes of two worlds, as it is stated: “Back and front, You shaped me.”¹Aḥor vakedem can be translated “the end, and that which precedes it,” – an allusion to this world and the World to Come. But if not, he will come to give an accounting, as it is stated: “You placed Your palm on me” (Psalms 139:5).²The following line should be here instead of where it appears, later in the midrash: Just as it says: “Distance Your palm from me” (Job 13:21). This verse shows that God’s “palm” refers to His punishment of man (Matnot Kehuna).
Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him androgynous. That is what is written: “He created them male and female” (Genesis 5:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him with two faces,³That is, two conjoined bodies, male and female. and [subsequently] He sawed him in two⁴Separating the female part from the male part. and made [for] him two backs,⁵Where they had previously been joined together. a back here and a back there. They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “He took one of his ribs [tzalotav] … [and the Lord God built the rib that He took from the man into a woman]”? (Genesis 2:21–22). He said to them: [It means that He took] one of his two sides, as it says: “And for the tzela of the Tabernacle” (Exodus 26:20), which we translate: “And for the side of the Tabernacle...”. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Benaya and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him in an unformed state and he was situated from one end of the world to the other. That is what is written: “Your eyes saw my unformed parts...” (Psalms 139:16).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya and Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: He created him filling the whole world. From east to west, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Back [aḥor] and front [kedem],⁶Aḥor and kedem can also mean “west” and “east.” You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5). From north to south, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “[From the day God made Adam on the earth,] and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens” (Deuteronomy 4:32). From where is it derived that he even filled the empty space of the world? It is as it is stated: “You placed Your palm on me” (Psalms 139:5) just as it says: “Distance Your palm from me” (Job 13: 21).⁷This line is misplaced here and belongs in section 1, as indicated there.
Rabbi Elazar said: [Adam was created] last [aḥor] among the acts of creation on the last⁸The Hebrew text says “first,” but Rashi emends the text. day, and first [kedem] among the acts of creation on the last day.⁹Adam’s spirit was created as the first act of the last day, and his body was created as its final act. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: “Let the earth produce the spirit of living beings by their species” (Genesis 1:24) – this is the life spirit of Adam the first man.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: [The creation of Adam was] last [aḥor] among the acts of creation on the last day, and first [kedem] among the acts of creation on the first day. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: “And the spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water” (Genesis 1:2) – this is the spirit of the messianic king, as it says: “The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him” (Isaiah 11:2). If a person is meritorious, it is said to him: ‘You preceded the ministering angels’; if not, it is said to him: ‘A fly preceded you, a gnat preceded you, this earthworm preceded you.’
Rav Naḥman said: [Adam was created] last [aḥor] of all the creations, but was first [kedem] for all punishments.¹⁰As it says regarding the Flood: “He obliterated all existence that was on the face of the earth, from man, to animal, to crawling creature, to birds of the heavens” (Genesis 7:23). Rabbi Shmuel said: Regarding praising [God] as well, he comes last. That is what is written: “Praise the Lord from the heavens…” (Psalms 148:1), and it says the rest of that passage. Then “praise the Lord from the earth, [sea creatures and all depths]” (Psalms 148:7), and it says the rest of that passage. Only after that it says: “Kings of the earth and all nations…” (Psalms 148:11), “young men and maidens” (Psalms 148:12).
Rabbi Samlai said: Just as his praising [of God] is only after the animals, the beasts, and the birds, so his creation was only after the animals, the beasts, and the birds. What is the source? It is as it is stated: “Let the water swarm” (Genesis 1:20), and then: “Let the earth produce…” (Genesis 1:24), and then: “And God said: Let us make Man in our image.”

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

נעשה אדם Ramban: I and the earthMachlokes

summary Ramban says that since Hashem made something from nothing only on the first day and afterwards formed things from what was already there, naaseh means I and the earth spoken of before, let us make: the body from the earth as with the animals, and the soul from above.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם נִתְיַחֵד בַּעֲשִׂיַּת הָאָדָם מַאֲמָר בַּעֲבוּר גֹּדֶל מַעֲלָתוֹ, כִּי אֵין טִבְעוֹ כְּטֶבַע הַחַיָּה וְהַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא בַּמַּאֲמָר הַקּוֹדֵם לוֹ. וְהַפְּשָׁט הַנָּכוֹן בְּמִלַּת "נַעֲשֶׂה" הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר הָרְאֵיתָ לָדַעַת (רמב"ן על בראשית א':א') כִּי הָאֱלֹקִים בָּרָא יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן לְבַדּוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִן הַיְּסוֹדוֹת הָהֵם הַנִּבְרָאִים יָצַר וְעָשָׂה, וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָתַן בַּמַּיִם כֹּחַ הַשֵּׁרוּץ לִשְׁרֹץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, וְהָיָה הַמַּאֲמָר בָּהֶם "יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם" (בראשית א':כ'), וְהָיָה הַמַּאֲמָר בַּבְּהֵמָה "תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ" (בראשית א':כ"ד), אָמַר בָּאָדָם "נַעֲשֶׂה", כְּלוֹמַר אֲנִי וְהָאָרֶץ הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם, שֶׁתּוֹצִיא הָאָרֶץ הַגּוּף מִיְּסֹדֶיהָ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה בַּבְּהֵמָה וּבַחַיָּה, כְּדִכְתִיב (בראשית ב':ז') "וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה", וְיִתֵּן הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ הָרוּחַ מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן, כְּדִכְתִיב (שם) "וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים". וְאָמַר "בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ", כִּי יִדְמֶה לִשְׁנֵיהֶם, בְּמַתְכֹּנֶת גּוּפוֹ לָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִמֶּנָּה, וְיִדְמֶה בָּרוּחַ לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, שֶׁאֵינָהּ גּוּף וְלֹא תָּמוּת. וְאָמַר בַּכָּתוּב הַשֵּׁנִי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ (בראשית א':כ"ז), לְסַפֵּר הַפֶּלֶא אֲשֶׁר נִפְלָא בּוֹ מִשְּׁאָר הַנִּבְרָאִים. וְזֶה פְּשַׁט הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה מְצָאתִיו לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵף הַקִּמְחִי, וְהוּא הַנִּרְאֶה מִכָּל מָה שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ בּוֹ. וּפֵרוּשׁ "צֶלֶם" כְּמוֹ תֹּאַר, "וּצְלֵם אַנְפּוֹהִי אֶשְׁתַּנִּי" (דניאל ג יט) וְכֵן "אַךְ בְּצֶלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ אִישׁ" (תהלים לט ז) "בָּעִיר צַלְמָם תִּבְזֶה" (שם עג כ) תֹּאַר מַרְאִיתוֹ, וּ"דְמוּת" הוּא דִּמְיוֹן בַּצּוּרָה וּבַמַּעֲשֶׂה, כִּי הַקְּרוֹבִים בָּעִנְיָן יִקָּרְאוּ דּוֹמִים זֶה לָזֶה. וְהִנֵּה הָאָדָם דּוֹמֶה לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְלָעֶלְיוֹנִים בְּתֹאַר וְהָדָר, כְּדִכְתִיב (שם ח ו) "וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ", וְהוּא מְגַמַּת פָּנָיו בְּחָכְמָה וּבְדַעַת וְכִשְׁרוֹן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, וּבִדְמוּת מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁיִּדְמֶה גּוּפוֹ לֶעָפָר וְנַפְשׁוֹ לָעֶלְיוֹנִים:

AND G-D SAID: ‘LET US MAKE MAN.’ There was a special command dedicated to the making of man because of his great superiority since his nature is unlike that of beasts and cattle which were created with the preceding command.
The correct explanation of na’aseh (let us make) [which is in the plural form when it should have been in the singular] is as follows: It has been shown to you that G-d created something from nothing only on the first day, and afterwards He formed and made things from those created elements.²⁰¹Fire, wind, water, and earth. Thus when He gave the waters the power of bringing forth a living soul,²⁰²Verse 20. the command concerning them was Let the waters swarm.²⁰²Verse 20. The command concerning cattle was Let the earth bring forth.²⁰³Verse 24. But in the case of man He said, Let us make, that is, I and the aforementioned earth, let us make man, the earth to bring forth the body from its elements as it did with cattle and beasts, as it is written, And the Eternal G-d formed man of the dust of the ground,²⁰⁴Genesis 2:7. and He, blessed be He, to give the spirit from His mouth, the Supreme One, as it is written, And He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.²⁰⁴Genesis 2:7. And He said, In our image, and after our likeness, as man will then be similar to both. In the capacity of his body, he will be similar to the earth from which he was taken, and in spirit he will be similar to the higher beings, because it [the spirit] is not a body and will not die. In the second verse, He says, In the image of G-d He created him,²⁰⁵Verse 27. in order to relate the distinction by which man is distinguished from the rest of created beings. The explanation of this verse I have found ascribed to Rabbi Joseph the Kimchite,²⁰⁶The father of Rabbi David Kimchi (R’dak, the famous grammarian and commentator of the Bible). The explanation is found in R’dak’s commentary to the Torah here as well as in his Sefer Hamichlal. In his works on Hebrew grammar and Bible, R’dak often mentions the interpretation of his father. Moses Kimchi, a second son to Joseph, also continued the tradition of the family. and is the most acceptable of all interpretations that have been advanced concerning it.
The meaning of tzelem is as the word to’ar (appearance), as in ‘Vetzelem’ (And the appearance) of his face was changed;²⁰⁷Daniel 3:19. similarly, Surely ‘b’tzelem’ (as a mere appearance) man walketh;²⁰⁸Psalms 39:7. When Thou arousest Thyself ‘tzalmam’ (their appearance) Thou wilt despise,²⁰⁹Ibid., 73:20. that is, the appearance of their countenance. And the meaning of the word d’muth is similarity in form and deed, as things that are akin in a certain matter are called similar to each other. Thus man is similar both to the lower and higher beings in appearance and honor, as it is written, And Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor,²¹⁰Ibid., 8:6. meaning that the goal before him is wisdom, knowledge, and skill of deed.²¹¹Ecclesiastes 2:21;4:4. In real likeness his body thus compares to the earth while his soul is similar to the higher beings.

חותם אחד One seal, no two alike

summary The Gemara says that when a person stamps many coins with one seal they all come out alike, but Hashem stamped every man with the seal of Adam and not one of them is like his fellow.

וּלְהַגִּיד גְּדוּלָּתוֹ כּוּ׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, לְהַגִּיד גְּדוּלָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאָדָם טוֹבֵעַ כַּמָּה מַטְבְּעוֹת בְּחוֹתָם אֶחָד וְכוּלָּן דּוֹמִין זֶה לְזֶה, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טוֹבֵעַ כׇּל אָדָם בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן דּוֹמֶה לַחֲבֵירוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם וְיִתְיַצְּבוּ כְּמוֹ לְבוּשׁ״.

The mishna teaches: And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 8:5): The fact that Adam the first man was created alone serves to declare the greatness of the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, as a person stamps several coins with one seal, and they are all similar to each other. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamps all people with the seal of Adam the first man, and not one of them is similar to another. As it is stated: “It is changed like clay under the seal and they stand as a garment” (Job 38:14). The verse describes people as being created “under the seal,” but their external appearance is different, just as garments can differ in appearance.

שתים עשרה שעות The twelve hours of that day

summary Rabbi Yochanan bar Chanina sets out the twelve hours of the day Adam was made: in the first his dust was gathered, in the second he was made into a shapeless form, in the third his limbs were drawn out, in the fourth a soul was put into him, in the fifth he stood on his feet, in the sixth he gave the creatures their names, and so on to the twelfth.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בַּר חֲנִינָא: שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת הָוֵי הַיּוֹם. שָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה – הוּצְבַּר עֲפָרוֹ, שְׁנִיָּה – נַעֲשָׂה גּוֹלֶם, שְׁלִישִׁית – נִמְתְּחוּ אֵבָרָיו, רְבִיעִית – נִזְרְקָה בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, חֲמִישִׁית – עָמַד עַל רַגְלָיו, שִׁשִּׁית – קָרָא שֵׁמוֹת, שְׁבִיעִית – נִזְדַּוְּוגָה לוֹ חַוָּה, שְׁמִינִית – עָלוּ לַמִּטָּה שְׁנַיִם וְיָרְדוּ אַרְבָּעָה, תְּשִׁיעִית – נִצְטַוָּוה שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכוֹל מִן הָאִילָן, עֲשִׂירִית – סָרַח, אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה – נִידּוֹן, שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה – נִטְרַד וְהָלַךְ לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל יָלִין״.

Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Ḥanina says: Daytime is twelve hours long, and the day Adam the first man was created was divided as follows: In the first hour of the day, his dust was gathered. In the second, an undefined figure was fashioned. In the third, his limbs were extended. In the fourth, a soul was cast into him. In the fifth, he stood on his legs. In the sixth, he called the creatures by the names he gave them. In the seventh, Eve was paired with him. In the eighth, they arose to the bed two, and descended four, i.e., Cain and Abel were immediately born. In the ninth, he was commanded not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. In the tenth, he sinned. In the eleventh, he was judged. In the twelfth, he was expelled and left the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “But man abides not in honor; he is like the beasts that perish” (Psalms 49:13). Adam did not abide, i.e., sleep, in a place of honor for even one night.

וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ Bereishis 2:5

וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכָל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃

No shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground;

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'LORD'.

וְכֹל אִילָנֵי חַקְלָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 2:5

וְכֹל אִילָנֵי חַקְלָא עַד לָא הֲווּ בְאַרְעָא וְכָל עִסְבָּא דְחַקְלָא עַד לָא צְמָח אֲרֵי לָא אָחִית מִטְרָא ה׳ אֱלֹקִים עַל אַרְעָא וְאֱנַשׁ לֵית לְמִפְלַח יָת אַדְמְתָא

All the plants of the field were not yet on the earth, and all the herbal vegetation of the field had not yet sprouted, for Adonoy Elohim had not brought rain [down] upon the earth, and there was [yet] no man to work the soil.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

כי לא המטיר Rain waited for someone to want it

summary Rashi asks why the rain had not fallen, and answers that there was no man to work the ground and no one to recognize what rain is good for, and that when Adam came and understood that the world needs it he davened for it and it fell, and the trees and the grasses came up.

כי לא המטיר. וּמַ"טַ לֹא הִמְטִיר? לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה, וְאֵין מַכִּיר בְּטוֹבָתָם שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם וְיָדַע שֶׁהֵם צֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְיָרְדוּ וְצָמְחוּ הָאִילָנוֹת וְהַדְּשָׁאִים:

כי לא המטיר BECAUSE GOD HAD NOT CAUSED IT TO RAIN — And what is the reason that God had not caused it to rain? כי אדם אין לעבוד את האדמה BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MAN TO TILL THE GROUND, and there was, therefore, no one to recognize the utility of rain. When Adam came (was created), however, and he realised that it was necessary for the world, he prayed for it and it fell, so that trees and verdure sprang forth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹקִים֒ Bereishis 1:28

וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹקִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹקִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

And God blessed them; and God said unto them: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth.’

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ Bereishis 1:29

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב ׀ זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאָכְלָֽה׃

And God said: ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed—to you it shall be for food;

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּֽלְכָל־חַיַּ֣ת הָ֠אָרֶץ וּלְכָל־ע֨וֹף Bereishis 1:30

וּֽלְכָל־חַיַּ֣ת הָ֠אָרֶץ וּלְכָל־ע֨וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ רוֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה אֶת־כָּל־יֶ֥רֶק עֵ֖שֶׂב לְאָכְלָ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is a living soul, [I have given] every green herb for food.’ And it was so.

וּבָרִיךְ יָתְהוֹן ה׳ Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:28

וּבָרִיךְ יָתְהוֹן ה׳ וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן ה׳ פּוּשׁוּ וּסְגוּ וּמְלוּ יָת אַרְעָא וּתְקוּפוּ עֲלַהּ וּשְׁלוּטוּ בְּנוּנֵי יַמָּא וּבְעוֹפָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבְכָל חַיְתָא דְּרָחֵשָׁא עַל אַרְעָא

Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, and dominate the fish of the sea, the birds of the heaven, and every living thing that moves upon the earth.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וַאֲמַר ה׳ הָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:29

וַאֲמַר ה׳ הָא יְהָבִית לְכוֹן יָת כָּל עִסְבָּא דְּבַר זַרְעֵהּ מִזְדְּרַע דִּי עַל אַפֵּי כָל אַרְעָא וְיָת כָּל אִילָנָא דִּי בֵהּ פֵּירֵי אִילָנָא דְּבַר זַרְעֵהּ מִזְדְּרָע לְכוֹן יְהֵא לְמֵיכָל

Elohim said, Behold, I have given you all seed-yielding herbs that are on the surface of the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit; to you it shall be for food.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

וּלְכָל חֵוַת אַרְעָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:30

וּלְכָל חֵוַת אַרְעָא וּלְכָל עוֹפָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא וּלְכֹל דְּרָחֵשׁ עַל אַרְעָא דִּי בֵהּ נַפְשָׁא חַיְתָא יָת כָּל יְרוֹק עִסְבָּא לְמֵיכָל וַהֲוָה כֵן

And for every animal of the earth, for every bird of the heaven, and for everything that creeps on the ground, in which there is a living spirit, all vegetational herbs shall be [their] food. And it was so.

וכבשה Subdue it, spelled short

summary Rashi notes that vechivshuha is written without the vav, so that it can be read as subdue her, and learns from it that the man is over the woman. He learns from the same word that the mitzvah of having children was given to the man and not to the woman.

וכבשה. חָסֵר וָי"ו לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַזָּכָר כּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא יַצְאָנִית, וְעוֹד לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָאִישׁ שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לִכְבֹּשׁ מְצֻוֶּה עַל פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה:

וכבשה AND SUBDUE IT — The word lacks a ו after the ש so that it may be read as meaning: and subdue her (i. e. the woman), thereby teaching you that the male controls the female in order that she may not become a gad-about; teaching you also that to the man, whose nature is to master, was given the Divine command to have issue, and not to the woman (Yevamot 65b).

וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר Bereishis 1:31

וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי׃ (פ)

And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַחֲזָא ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 1:31

וַחֲזָא ה׳ יָת כָּל דִּי עֲבַד וְהָא תַקִּין לַחֲדָא וַהֲוָה רְמַשׁ וַהֲוָה צְפַר יוֹם שְׁתִיתָאִי

Elohim saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good [completely prepared]. It became evening and it became morning, the sixth day.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

יום הששי The extra hey

summary Rashi says the hey was added when the work of creation was finished, to teach that a condition was made with them that they stand only if Yisrael accepts the five books of the Torah. He brings a second reading, that everything stood waiting until the sixth day of Sivan.

יום הששי. הוֹסִיף ה' בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בִגְמַר מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, לוֹמַר שֶׁהִתְנָה עִמָּהֶם, עַל מְנָת שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְּשֵׁי תוֹרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, כֻּלָּם תְּלוּיִם וְעוֹמְדִים עַד יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, הוּא ו' בְּסִיוָן הַמּוּכָן לְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה:

יום הששי THE SIXTH DAY — The letter ה, the numerical value of which is 5, is added to the word ששי when the work of Creation was complete, to imply that He made a stipulation with them that it endures only upon condition that Israel should accept the five books of the Torah (Shabbat 88a). Another interpretation of יום הששי THE SIXTH DAY — The whole Creation (the Universe) stood in a state of suspense (moral imperfection) until the sixth day — that is, the sixth day of Sivan which was destined to be the day when the Torah would be given to Israel (Avodah Zara 3a).

ארץ יראה ושקטה Afraid, and then quiet

summary Chizkiyah asks how the earth could be both afraid and silent, and answers that at first, when the Torah was being given, the earth was afraid that Yisrael would not accept it and it would be destroyed, and in the end, when they accepted, it was quiet.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר חִזְקִיָּה, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמַעְתָּ דִּין אֶרֶץ יָרְאָה וְשָׁקָטָה״? אִם יָרְאָה לָמָּה שָׁקְטָה, וְאִם שָׁקְטָה לָמָּה יָרְאָה? אֶלָּא בַּתְּחִלָּה יָרְאָה, וּלְבַסּוֹף שָׁקְטָה.

And this is similar to that which Ḥizkiyya says with regard to a different matter: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You caused sentence to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was silent” (Psalms 76:9)? If the earth feared, why was it silent, and if it was silent, why did it fear? One who is afraid does not stay silent, and one who remains silent thereby demonstrates that he is not afraid. Rather, this is the meaning of the verse: At first, when God came to give the Torah to the Jewish people, the earth feared that they might not accept it, and it would be destroyed. This is alluded to by the phrase “You caused sentence to be heard.” But ultimately, when the Jews accepted the Torah, the earth was silent. Consequently, heaven and earth are interested parties and cannot testify about the Jewish people’s commitment to the Torah.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

תנאי התנה The condition on creation

summary Reish Lakish asks why the sixth day alone has the extra hey, and says it teaches that Hashem made a condition with maaseh bereishis: if Yisrael accept the Torah on the sixth of Sivan you will stand, and if not I return you to tohu vavohu. The earth was afraid until the Torah was given and then it was quiet.

אָמַר חִזְקִיָּה, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמַעְתָּ דִּין אֶרֶץ יָרְאָה וְשָׁקָטָה״, אִם יָרְאָה — לָמָּה שָׁקְטָה? וְאִם שָׁקְטָה — לָמָּה יָרְאָה? אֶלָּא בַּתְּחִילָּה יָרְאָה וּלְבַסּוֹף שָׁקְטָה. וְלָמָּה יָרְאָה? כִּדְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי״, ה׳ יְתֵירָה לָמָּה לִי? — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִתְנָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִם מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית וְאָמַר לָהֶם: אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַבְּלִים הַתּוֹרָה — אַתֶּם מִתְקַיְּימִין, וְאִם לָאו — אֲנִי מַחֲזִיר אֶתְכֶם לְתוֹהוּ וָבוֹהוּ.

Ḥizkiya said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You caused sentence to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was silent” (Psalms 76:9)? If it was afraid, why was it silent; and if it was silent, why was it afraid? Rather, the meaning is: At first, it was afraid, and in the end, it was silent. “You caused sentence to be heard from heaven” refers to the revelation at Sinai. And why was the earth afraid? It is in accordance with the statement of Reish Lakish, as Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31)? Why do I require the superfluous letter heh, the definite article, which does not appear on any of the other days? It teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, established a condition with the act of Creation, and said to them: If Israel accepts the Torah on the sixth day of Sivan, you will exist; and if they do not accept it, I will return you to the primordial state of chaos and disorder. Therefore, the earth was afraid until the Torah was given to Israel, lest it be returned to a state of chaos. Once the Jewish people accepted the Torah, the earth was calmed.

שבת Shabbos

וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ Bereishis 2:1

וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם׃

And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

וְאִשְׁתַּכְלָלוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 2:1

וְאִשְׁתַּכְלָלוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא וְכָל חֵילֵיהוֹן

The heavens and the earth were completed, and [so were] all their conglomerations.

ויכלו Saying Vayechulu

summary Rava, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, says that even one who davens alone on leil Shabbos says Vayechulu, and Rav Hamnuna says that one who says it is counted as a partner with Hashem in maaseh bereishis, reading vayechalu in place of vayechulu.

אָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אֲפִילּוּ יָחִיד הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״, דְּאָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: כׇּל הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְאוֹמֵר ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ נַעֲשָׂה שׁוּתָּף לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״ — אַל תִּקְרֵי ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״ אֶלָּא ״וַיְכַלּוּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִנַּיִין שֶׁהַדִּיבּוּר כְּמַעֲשֶׂה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בִּדְבַר ה׳ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ״.

Rava said, and some say it was Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi who said: Even an individual who prays on Shabbat evening must recite the passage: “And the heavens and the earth were finished [vaykhullu]” (Genesis 2:1–3), as Rav Hamnuna said: Anyone who prays on Shabbat evening and recites the passage of vaykhullu, the verse ascribed him credit as if he became a partner with the Holy One, Blessed be He, in the act of Creation. As it is stated: “And the heavens and the earth were finished [vaykhullu].” Do not read it as: Were finished [vaykhullu]; rather, as: They finished [vaykhallu]. It is considered as though the Holy One, Blessed be He, and the individual who says this become partners and completed the work together. Rabbi Elazar said: From where is it derived that speech is like action? As it is stated: “By the word of God the heavens were made, and all of their hosts by the breath of His mouth” (Psalms 33:6).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹקִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם Bereishis 2:2

וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹקִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃

And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וְשֵׁיצֵי ה׳ בְּיוֹמָא Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 2:2

וְשֵׁיצֵי ה׳ בְּיוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה עֲבִדְתֵּהּ דִּי עֲבָד וְנַח בְּיוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה מִכָּל עֲבִדְתֵּהּ דִּי עֲבָד

Elohim completed by the seventh day His work which He had made, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

ויכל אלקים ביום השביעי What the world was missing

summary Rashi brings Rabbi Shimon, that a person who cannot know his exact moments must add from the weekday onto the holy day, while Hashem, who knows His moments exactly, entered Shabbos to a hairsbreadth so that it looked as if He finished on that day. He then brings a second answer, that what the world was missing was menuchah, and when Shabbos came menuchah came and the work was finished.

ויכל אלקים ביום השביעי. ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר בָּשָׂר וָדָם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ עִתָּיו וּרְגָעָיו צָרִיך לְהוֹסִיף מֵחֹל עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ עִתָּיו וּרְגָעָיו, נִכְנָס בֹּו כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה, וְנִרְאֶה כְאִלּוּ כִלָּה בוֹ בַיֹּום. דָּ"אַ מֶה הָיָה הָעוֹלָם חָסֵר? מְנוּחָה, בָּאת שַׁבָּת בָּאת מְנוּחָה, כָּלְתָה וְנִגְמְרָה הַמְּלָאכָה:

ויכל אלקים ביום השביעי AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD FINISHED — R. Simeon says: A human being (literally, flesh and blood) who cannot know exactly his times and moments (who cannot accurately determine the point of time that marks the division between one period and that which follows it) must needs add from the week-day and observe it as the holy day (the Sabbath), but the Holy One, blessed be He, who knows His times and moments, began it (the seventh day) to a very hair’s breadth (with extreme exactness) and it therefore appeared as though He had completed His work on that very day (Genesis Rabbah 10:9). Another explanation: What did the world lack? Rest! Sabbath came — Rest came; and the work was thus finished and completed (Genesis Rabbah 10:9)!

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

מה היה העולם חסר The canopy and the bride

summary The Midrash compares it to a king who made a wedding canopy, painted it and adorned it, and asks what it was missing: the kallah to come into it, just as the world was missing Shabbos. The Rabbis compare it instead to a ring that was missing its seal.

[בערב שבת מוסיפים מחול על קודש]רבי שאליה לרבי ישמעאל ב"ר יוסי: אמר לו: שמעת מאביך מהו ויכל אלקים ביום השביעי אתמהא?! אלא כזה שהוא מכה בקורנוס על גבי הסדן הגביהה מבעוד יום והורידה משתחשך. אר"ש בן יוחאי: בשר ודם, שאינו יודע לא עתיו ולא רגעיו ולא שעותיו, הוא מוסיף מחול על הקודש, אבל הקב"ה שהוא יודע רגעיו ועתיו ושעותיו נכנס בו כחוט השערה. גניבא ורבנן גניבא אמר: משל למלך שעשה לו חופה וציירה וכיירה ומה היתה חסרה? כלה שתכנס לתוכה. כך מה היה העולם חסר? שבת! רבנן אמרי: משל למלך שעשו לו טבעת, מה היתה חסירה? חותם! כך מה היה העולם חסר? שבת! וזה אחד מן הדברים ששינו לתלמי המלך. ויכל אלקים ביום הששי וישבות ביום השביעי. תלמי המלך שאל את הזקנים ברומי: בכמה ימים ברא הקדוש ברוך הוא עולמו? אמרו לו: לששה ימים. אמר להם: ומאותה שעה גיהינום ניסוקת לרשעים, אוי לעולם מדיניו. מלאכתו, לא כן, אמר ר' ברכיה בשם רבי סימון: לא בעמל ולא ביגיעה ברא הקב"ה את עולמו, ואת אומר מכל מלאכתו אתמהא?! אלא, להפרע מן הרשעים שהן מאבדין את העולם שנברא כולו בעמל וביגיעה, וליתן שכר טוב לצדיקים שהן מקיימין את העולם שנברא כולו בעמל וביגיעה. ומה נברא בו לאחר ששבת? שאנן ונחת שלוה והשקט. רבי לוי בשם ר' יוסי ב"ר נהוראי כל זמן שהיו ידי קוניהם ממשמשין בהם היו מותחים והולכין, כיון שנחו ידי קוניהם מהן, ניתן להם נחה וינח לעולמו ביום השביעי. אמר רבי אבא: בשר ודם בשעה שהוא עושה אסטאטיבה אינו נותן דונטיבא, ובשעה שהוא נותן דונטיבה אינו עושה אסטאטיבה, אבל הקדוש ברוך הוא עשה אסטאטיבה ונתן דונטיבה וישבות ויברך.

Rabbi asked Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei, saying to him: ‘Did you hear from your father what is meant by: “God completed [vayechal] on the seventh day”? This is bewildering.’²³God finished the Creation before the seventh day, not on the seventh day. The explanation is that it is like someone who was banging with a hammer onto an anvil. He raised it while it was still day and lowered it after nightfall.²⁴The act was begun before nightfall, so it is counted as being done during the day. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: A mortal human being who does not know [with certainty] his times, his minutes, and his hours, he must add from the profane to the sacred.²⁵A mortal man cannot determine the exact moment when Shabbat begins, so he must take away some of the weekday hours of Friday and add it on to Shabbat. But the Holy One blessed be He, who knows [with certainty] his minutes, his times, and his hours, entered into it [Shabbat] like a hairbreadth.²⁶God performed labor at a time that appeared to mortal man as though it was already the seventh day, although it was, in fact, not yet Shabbat.
Geniva and the Rabbis, Geniva said: This is analogous to a king who made himself a wedding canopy, painted it and embossed it. What was it lacking? A bride [kalla] to enter it. So, too, what was the world lacking? Shabbat.²⁷God did create something on the seventh day – namely, Shabbat itself. The Rabbis say: This is analogous to a king for whom they crafted a signet ring. What was lacking? The seal. So, too, what was the world lacking? Shabbat.²⁸And Shabbat is a sign, like a signet, between God and Israel (Exodus 31:17).
This is one of the matters that they changed for King Ptolemy²⁹This was when he gathered seventy Sages to translate the Torah into Greek – the Septuagint (see Megilla 9a). There were several places where the Sages veered from translating literally to evade various problems. – [they wrote] “God completed on the sixth day…and He rested on the seventh day.” King Ptolemy once asked the rabbis in Rome: ‘In how many days did the Holy One blessed be He create His world?’ They said to him: ‘In six days.’ He said to them: ‘And ever since that time, Gehenna has been burning for the wicked? Woe to the world from its judgments.’
“His labor” – did Rabbi Berekhya not say this in the name of Rabbi Simon: It was not with toil and not with exertion that the Holy One blessed be He created His world.³⁰But, “by the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6). And you say “from all His labor”? This is bewildering. The explanation is that it is to exact retribution against the wicked, who demolish the world [as if it were] all created with toil and with exertion, and to grant a reward to the righteous, who sustain the world [as if it were] all created with toil and with exertion.
What was created on it [Shabbat] after He rested [from creating the world]? Tranquility, satisfaction, calm, and quiet.
Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Nehorai: As long as the hands of their Maker were touching them, they [the creations] would continuously expand. When the hands of their Maker let go of them, they were granted rest. “He rested [Vayanaḥ]³¹This word can also mean, “He let go.” [on the seventh day]” (Exodus 20:11) – He let go of His world on the seventh day.
Rabbi Abba said: A mortal [king], when he grants furlough [to his soldiers], he does not give them gratuities, and when he gives them gratuities, he does not grant them furlough. But the Holy One blessed be He both granted a furlough and gave gratuities: “He rested [on the seventh day from all His labor that He had made]…and God blessed [the seventh day]” (Genesis 2:2–3).

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם Bereishis 2:3

וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ (פ)

And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it He rested from all His work which God in creating had made.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

וּבָרִיךְ ה׳ יָת Targum Onkelos, Bereishis 2:3

וּבָרִיךְ ה׳ יָת יוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה וְקַדִּישׁ יָתֵהּ אֲרֵי בֵהּ נַח מִכָּל עֲבִדְתֵּהּ דִּי בְרָא ה׳ לְמֶעְבַּד

Elohim blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He abstained from all His work, which Elohim had created to do.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'Elohim'.

ויברך ויקדש Blessed and made holy by the manna

summary Rashi says He blessed it through the manna, that on the other days one omer fell for each person and on the sixth day a double portion, and He made it holy through the manna, that on Shabbos none fell at all, and that the pasuk is written here about what would happen later.

ויברך, ויקדש. בֵּרְכוֹ בַּמָּן, שֶׁכָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ יוֹרֵד לָהֶם עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת, וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה, וְקִדְּשׁוֹ בַּמָּן, שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד כְּלָל בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהַמִּקְרָא כָּתוּב עַל הֶעָתִיד:

ויברך … ויקדש AND GOD BLESSED … AND HE SANCTIFIED — He blessed it through the Manna, that on all other days of the week there should fall for them (the Israelites) an Omer for each person, whereas on the sixth day there should fall twice as much of that bread. So, too, He sanctified it through the Manna, that it should not fall at all on the Sabbath (Genesis Rabbah 11:2). This verse is written here with reference to what would happen in the future.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

אשר ברא אלקים לעשות The work that Shabbos would have had

summary Rashi says the work that Shabbos would have had was done in the double work of the sixth day.

אשר ברא אלקים לעשות. הַמְּלָאכָה שֶׁהָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לֵעָשׂוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת, כָּפַל וַעֲשָׂאָהּ בַּשִּׁשִּׁי כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּב"ר:

אשר ברא אלקים לעשות WHICH GOD IN CREATING HAD MADE — The work which should have been done on the Sabbath He did in the double work which He executed on the sixth day, as it is explained in Genesis Rabbah 11:9.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'GOD'.

ברכו במן וקדשו במן Two omers and none

summary Rabbi Yishmael says He blessed it with the manna and made it holy with the manna: blessed, in that on the weekdays one omer fell and on erev Shabbos two, and holy, in that on Shabbos none fell at all.

ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אותו - רבי ישמעאל אומר: ברכו במן וקדשו במן ברכו במן שכל ימות השבת היה יורד עומר, בערב שבת שני עומרים, וקדשו במן שלא ירד בו כל עיקר. רבי נתן אומר: ברכו במן, וקדשו בברכה. רבי יצחק אמר: ברכו במן וקדשו במקושש. וברכו בעטיפה: רב הונא אמר צריך להחליף. ר' חייא בשם ר"י אמר צריך לערב. אבין בר חסדאי אמר צריך לשלשל. רבי ירמיה ור' זעירא הוון מהלכין כחדא, ואסתלקת גולתיה דר' ירמיה ושילשלה רבי זעירא, הדא אמרה צריך לשלשל. ר' אלעזר אומר: ברכו בנר ובי היה המעשה, פעם אחת הדלקתי את הנר בלילי שבת ובאתי ומצאתי אותו במוצאי שבת דלוק, ולא חסר כלום, ברכו באור פניו של אדם, קדשו באור פניו של אדם, לא דומה אור פניו של אדם כל ימות השבת, כמו שהוא דומה בשבת. ברכו במאורות: ר"ש בר יהודה איש כפר עכו אומר משום ר' שמעון: אע"פ שנתקללו המאורות מערב שבת, אבל לא לקו עד מוצאי שבת. אתיא כרבנן ולא אתיא כדרבי אמי, דאמר ר' אמי אדם הראשון לא לן כבודו עמו, מה טעם (תהלים מט) ואדם ביקר בל ילין נמשל כבהמות נדמו, ורבנן אמרי לן כבודו עמו, ומוצאי שבת ניטל ממנו זיוו וטרדו מגן עדן, הה"ד (איוב יד) "משנה פניו ותשלחהו", כיון ששקעה חמה בלילי שבת, בקש הקב"ה לגנוז את האורה וחלק כבוד לשבת, הה"ד "ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אותו", ברכו באורה,כיון ששקעה החמה בלילי השבת התחילה האורה והיתה משמשת, התחילו הכל מקלסין הה"ד (שם /איוב/ לז) "תחת כל השמים ישרהו ואורו על כנפות הארץ", מפני מה, "ואורו על כנפות הארץ", א"ר יהודה בר רבי סימון אור שברא הקב"ה ביום ראשון אדם צופה ומביט בו מסוף העולם ועד סופו כיון שהסתכל הקב"ה באנשי דור המבול ובאנשי דור הפלגה שמעשיהן מקולקלין,עמד וגנזה והתקינה לצדיקים לעתיד לבא, ומניין שגנזה שנאמר (שם /איוב/ לח) וימנע מרשעים אורם וזרוע רמה תשבר, ומניין שהתקינה לצדיקים לעתיד לבא שנאמר (משלי ד) "וארח צדיקים כאור נוגה הולך ואור עד נכון היום", ר' לוי בשם רבי זעירא אמר: ל"ו שעות שימשה אותה האורה, שנים עשר של ערב שבת, וי"ב של לילי שבת וי"ב של שבת, כיון ששקעה החמה במ"ש התחיל החושך ממשמש ובא ונתירא אדם הראשון, שנאמר (תהלים קלט) ואומר אך חשך ישופני ולילה אור בעדני, אותו שכתוב בו הוא ישופך ראש ואתה תשופנו עקב בא להזדווג לי,מה עשה הקב"ה זימן לו שני רעפים, והקישן זה לזה ויצא מהן אור ובירך עליה, הה"ד (שם /תהלים קל"ט/) ולילה אור בעדני, מה בירך עליה בורא מאורי האש, אתיא כשמואל דאמר שמואלמפני מה מברכין על האור במוצאי שבת מפני שהיא תחלת ברייתה, רב הונא בשם רב ורבי אבהו בשם רבי יוחנן אמר אף מוצאי יום הכפורים מברכין עליו, מפני ששבת האור, כל היום.

“God blessed the seventh day [and sanctified it]” – Rabbi Yishmael said: He blessed it with manna and He sanctified it with manna. He blessed it with manna in that all the days of the week one omer [of manna] would fall, while on the day before Shabbat two omers would fall.²An extra omer for Shabbat. He sanctified it with manna, as it did not fall on it [on Shabbat] at all. Rabbi Natan says: He blessed it with manna and sanctified it with a blessing.³The Shabbat blessing recited over a cup of wine. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He blessed it with manna and sanctified it through the gatherer.⁴Someone who gathered wood in the wilderness on Shabbat and was put to death (Numbers 15:32–36). The harsh penalty demonstrates the awesome, inviolable sanctity of Shabbat.
He blessed it with apparel.⁵One should wear fine clothing on Shabbat. Rav Huna said: He should change his clothing.⁶He must change from everyday clothing into special Shabbat garb. Rabbi Ḥiyya said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: He should mix [garments].⁷If one does not have a complete set of Shabbat clothing, he should at least mix one fine item into the everyday clothing he will wear on Shabbat. Avin bar Ḥisdai said: He should lower [his garments].⁸If someone does not have any special garments for Shabbat, he should at least wear his ordinary garment in a distinctive manner, e.g., by lengthening it. Rabbi Yirmeya and Rabbi Ze’eira were walking together [on Shabbat], and the outer garment of Rabbi Yirmeya was raised up,⁹That type of garment was ordinarily worn folded in order that it be elevated off the ground. but Rabbi Ze’eira lowered his.¹⁰By releasing the fold. This shows that one should lower [one’s garments for Shabbat].
Rabbi Elazar says: He blessed it with [the Shabbat] candle,¹¹By enabling it to last longer than usual. and there was an incident involving me [that illustrates this]. One time I kindled a candle on Shabbat eve, and I came and found it burning at the conclusion of Shabbat, and nothing [of the oil] was diminished.
He blessed it with the radiance of a person’s face, He sanctified it with the radiance of a person’s face. The radiance of a person’s face all the days of the week is not comparable to the way it is on Shabbat.
He blessed it with the lights.¹²The primordial light of creation, which was hidden away because of Adam’s sin. Rabbi Shimon bar Yehuda of Kefar Akko says in the name of Rabbi Shimon: Even though the lights were cursed on the day before Shabbat,¹³When Adam sinned. they were not stricken until the conclusion of Shabbat. This is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, and not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ami, as Rabbi Ami said: Adam the first man, his glory¹⁴The primordial light. did not spend the night with him.¹⁵It was abolished on the day of his creation, before Shabbat. What is the source? “Man [adam] will not go to rest in his splendor; he is like the beasts that perish” (Psalms 49:13). The Rabbis say: His glory did spend the night with him, and only at the conclusion of Shabbat was his radiance taken from him, as He expelled him from the Garden of Eden. That is what is written: “You alter his countenance and send him away” (Job 14:20).
When the sun set on Shabbat eve, the Holy One blessed be He sought to put away the [primordial] light, but He accorded honor to Shabbat. That is what is written: “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” – He blessed it with light. When the sun set on Shabbat eve the [primordial] light continued to function.¹⁶Even at night. Everyone began praising [God]; that is what is written: “Under all the heavens they sing His praises,¹⁷The Midrash interprets yishrehu as being related to shira, song. and His light is to the ends of the earth” (Job 37:3). Why was this?¹⁸Why is it that “under all the heavens they sing His praises”? Because “His light is to the ends of the earth.”
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: By the light that the Holy One blessed be He created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When the Holy One blessed be He looked at the people of the generation of the Flood and the people of the generation of the Dispersion, whose actions were to be corrupt, He arose and hid it away and designated it for the righteous in the future. From where is it derived that He hid it away? It is as it is stated: “Their light will be withheld from the wicked, and the upraised arm will be broken” (Job 38:15). And from where is it derived that He designated it for the righteous in the future? It is as it is stated: “But the path of the righteous is like a dawning light, growing brighter until the day is established” (Proverbs 4:18).
Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ze’eira: That [primordial] light functioned for thirty-six hours – twelve on the day before Shabbat, twelve on the night of Shabbat, and twelve on Shabbat. As the sun set at the conclusion of Shabbat, darkness began approaching, and Adam the first man became afraid, as it is stated: “And I said that darkness will envelop me [yeshufeni]; night for me is light,” (Psalms 139:11) – that one [the serpent] in whose regard it is written: “He will strike you [yeshufekha] with his head, and you will strike him [teshufenu] with your heel” (Genesis 3:15), is now coming to confront me.¹⁹The serpent represents death, as it was through its evil machinations that Adam sinned and was condemned to death. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He prepared for him two flint stones and he struck them one against the other. Light emerged from them and he recited a blessing over it. That is what is written: “Night for me is light.” What blessing did he recite over it? [Blessed be God] Who creates the lights of fire. This is in accordance with the opinion of Shmuel, as Shmuel said: Why does one recite a blessing over light at the conclusion of Shabbat? It is because that time was the beginning of its creation. Rav Huna in the name of Rav and Rabbi Abahu in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One recites a blessing over it [light] at the conclusion of Yom Kippur, as well, because fire rested all that day.²⁰It is forbidden to make a fire all day on Yom Kippur.

This version's translation prints the Divine name as 'God'.

שני מלאכי השרת The lamp, the table and the bed

summary Rabbi Yosei bar Yehudah teaches that two angels walk a person home from shul on leil Shabbos, and when he comes in and the lamp is lit and the table is set and the bed is made, the good angel says may it be so another Shabbos, and the other has to answer amen.

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא: כׇּל הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְאוֹמֵר ״וַיְכוּלּוּ״, שְׁנֵי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת הַמְלַוִּין לוֹ לָאָדָם מַנִּיחִין יְדֵיהֶן עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ ״וְסָר עֲוֹנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר״. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שְׁנֵי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְלַוִּין לוֹ לְאָדָם בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת לְבֵיתוֹ, אֶחָד טוֹב וְאֶחָד רָע. וּכְשֶׁבָּא לְבֵיתוֹ וּמֹצֵא נֵר דָּלוּק וְשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ וּמִטָּתוֹ מוּצַּעַת, מַלְאָךְ טוֹב אוֹמֵר: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁתְּהֵא לְשַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת כָּךְ״, וּמַלְאָךְ רַע עוֹנֶה ״אָמֵן״ בְּעַל כׇּרְחוֹ. וְאִם לָאו, מַלְאָךְ רַע אוֹמֵר: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁתְּהֵא לְשַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת כָּךְ״, וּמַלְאָךְ טוֹב עוֹנֶה ״אָמֵן״ בְּעַל כׇּרְחוֹ.

Rav Ḥisda said that Mar Ukva said: One who prays on Shabbat evening and recites vaykhullu, the two ministering angels who accompany the person at all times place their hands on his head and say to him: “And your iniquity has passed, and your sin has been atoned” (Isaiah 6:7). It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: Two ministering angels accompany a person on Shabbat evening from the synagogue to his home, one good angel and one evil angel. And when he reaches his home and finds a lamp burning and a table set and his bed made, the good angel says: May it be Your will that it shall be like this for another Shabbat. And the evil angel answers against his will: Amen. And if the person’s home is not prepared for Shabbat in that manner, the evil angel says: May it be Your will that it shall be so for another Shabbat, and the good angel answers against his will: Amen.

עשרה דברים נבראו בערב שבת בין השמשות Ten things at twilight

summary The Mishnah lists ten things created on erev Shabbos at twilight: the mouth of the earth, the mouth of the well, the mouth of the donkey, the rainbow, the manna, the staff, the shamir, the letters, the writing and the luchos, with further opinions adding the mazikin, the burial place of Moshe, the ram of Avraham, and the tongs made with tongs.

עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, פִּי הָאָרֶץ, וּפִי הַבְּאֵר, וּפִי הָאָתוֹן, וְהַקֶּשֶׁת, וְהַמָּן, וְהַמַּטֶּה, וְהַשָּׁמִיר, וְהַכְּתָב, וְהַמִּכְתָּב, וְהַלּוּחוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, אַף הַמַּזִּיקִין, וּקְבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, וְאֵילוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, אַף צְבָת בִּצְבָת עֲשׂוּיָה:

Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight, and these are they: [1] the mouth of the earth, [2] the mouth of the well, [3] the mouth of the donkey, [4] the rainbow, [5] the manna, [6] the staff [of Moses], [7] the shamir, [8] the letters, [9] the writing, [10] and the tablets. And some say: also the demons, the grave of Moses, and the ram of Abraham, our father. And some say: and also tongs, made with tongs.

עשרה דברים נבראו בערב שבת The baraisa's list

summary A baraisa lists ten things created in heaven on erev Shabbos at twilight and revealed only later: the well of Miriam, the manna, the rainbow, the writing, the writing instrument, the luchos, the burial place of Moshe, the cave where Moshe and Eliyahu stood, the mouth of Bilam's donkey and the mouth of the earth. Rabbi Nechemyah adds fire and the mule, and Rabbi Yehudah adds the tongs.

וְאוּר בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת אִיבְּרִי? וְהָא תַּנְיָא: עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, אֵלּוּ הֵן: בְּאֵר, וְהַמָּן, וְקֶשֶׁת, כְּתָב, וּמַכְתֵּב, וְהַלּוּחוֹת, וְקִבְרוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, וּמְעָרָה שֶׁעָמַד בּוֹ מֹשֶׁה וְאֵלִיָּהוּ, פְּתִיחַת פִּי הָאָתוֹן, וּפְתִיחַת פִּי הָאָרֶץ לִבְלוֹעַ אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם אָבִיו: אַף הָאוּר וְהַפֶּרֶד. רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם אָבִיו: אַף הָאַיִל, וְהַשָּׁמִיר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אַף הַצְּבָת. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: צְבָתָא בִּצְבָתָא מִתְעַבְדָא, וּצְבָתָא קַמַּיְיתָא מַאן עֲבַד? הָא לָאיֵ בְּרִיָּה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם הִיא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֶפְשָׁר יַעֲשֶׂנָּה בִּדְפוּס וְיִקְבָּעֶנָּה כֵּיוָן. הָא לָאיֵ בְּרִיָּה בִּידֵי אָדָם הִיא.

The Gemara stated that fire was originally created at the conclusion of Shabbat. The Gemara asks: Was fire created at the conclusion of Shabbat? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita: Ten miraculous phenomena were created in heaven on Shabbat eve during twilight, and were revealed in the world only later? They were: Miriam’s well, and the manna that fell in the desert, and the rainbow, writing [ketav], and the writing instrument [mikhtav], and the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and the grave of Moses, and the cave in which Moses and Elijah stood, the opening of the mouth of Balaam’s donkey, and the opening of the earth’s mouth to swallow the wicked in the incident involving Korah. Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of his father: Even the fire and the mule, which is a product of crossbreeding, were created at that time. Rabbi Yoshiya said in the name of his father: Even the ram slaughtered by Abraham in place of Isaac, and the shamir worm used to shape the stones for the altar, were created at that time. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even the tongs were created at this time. He would say: Tongs can be fashioned only with other tongs, but who fashioned the first tongs? Indeed, the first pair of tongs was fashioned at the hand of Heaven. An anonymous questioner said to him: It is possible to fashion tongs with a mold and align it without the need for other tongs. Indeed, the first tongs were a creation of man. In any event, fire was originally created before Shabbat, not at the conclusion of Shabbat.