Summary

Bereisheet is the first portion in the Book of Genesis. It’s all about beginnings. It starts with Creation: The creation of the world, of animals, of nature and people. It describes how everything was created, and tells the story of the first family of human beings.

When God began the work of creation there was nothing. And then over the course of 6 days everything was put into place:

Day 1: Day and night.

Day 2: Sky, earth and seas.

Day 3: Plants, trees, vegetation.

Day 4: Sun, moon, stars.

Day 5: Fish, water creatures, birds.

Day 6: Mammals, land creatures, the first humans.

On the seventh day, God stopped the work of creation, and rested.

The first person created was called Adam. He was created from the dust of the earth, and God breathed life into him. The text describes that people were created in the image of God. Adam was then placed in the Garden of Eden, and Adam is told to till and tend it. He names all the animals and is commanded by God not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Next, God creates the first woman, Eve from one of Adam’s ribs.

A serpent who lived in the garden convinces EVe to eat from the forbidden tree. She then gives Adam the fruit, which he also eats. As punishment, they are both expelled from the garden and are told that they would have to get their food on their own, and that women will have to give birth in pain.

The parasha continues with the story of the first family – the two brothers Cain and Abel. Cain is a farmer and Abel is a shepherd. One day they brought an offering to God. Abel’s is accepted, but Cain’s is rejected by God. Cain gets angry and jealous and kills his brother. God punishes Cain by making him a wanderer, with no home.

Adam and Eve have more children. Over time God sees that humanity is becoming evil, and decides to destroy everything, except for one person: Noah.

Torah Portion in English

1) When God began to create heaven and earth— 2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— 3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5) God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.

6) God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, that it may separate water from water.”7) God made the expanse, and it separated the water which was below the expanse from the water which was above the expanse. And it was so. 8) God called the expanse Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day

Getting to Know my Parasha

What Does my Parasha Say?

1. How many days does it take to create the world?
2. What does God do on the last day?
3. Why were Adam and Eve punished?
4. What happened to Abel?
5. On what day were people created?
6. What did the serpent do?
7. What was the name of the forbidden tree?
8. What do we call the seventh day?
9. When God confronts Cain about Abel’s murder, Cain, at first, denies knowing where his brother is, saying “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What do you think this means?