Jewish tradition has some pretty incredible answers. Let's dive into the very first day of creation.
According to Legends of the Jews by Ginzberg, on day one, God brought forth ten things. Think about that: ten fundamental aspects of existence all popping into being at once. We're talking about the heavens and the earth, of course, but also more mysterious concepts like Tohu and Bohu (we'll get to those in a second), light and darkness, wind and water, and even the very duration of day and night. That's a lot to unpack!
The heavens and the earth, though so different, were created together, “like the pot and its cover.” A beautiful image of interconnectedness, right from the start. The heavens, we’re told, were fashioned from the light of God's own garment. And the earth? From the snow under the Divine Throne! Talk about divine origins.
Now, about that Tohu and Bohu. These are Hebrew words that are famously difficult to translate, often rendered as "formless and void" (Genesis 1:2). But the legends give them a bit more substance. Tohu is described as a green band encompassing the whole world, dispensing darkness. And Bohu? That's made up of stones in the abyss, the source of the waters. These aren't just abstract concepts; they're almost like primordial building blocks.
What about light? The light created on the first day wasn't like sunlight. It was something far more extraordinary. Imagine a light so powerful it would have enabled anyone to see the entire world at a single glance! But, anticipating the wickedness of future generations – the generations of the Flood and the Tower of Babel – God concealed this light. It was too precious to be wasted on those unworthy of it. But don't worry! The promise is that this original light will reappear in the world to come, shining in all its glory for the righteous.
And the heavens themselves? Not just one, but seven! Each with its own purpose. The first heaven, the one we see, simply covers the light at night and vanishes each morning. The planets are in the second heaven. The third? That’s where the manna is prepared for the righteous in the afterlife.
Things get even more interesting. The fourth heaven contains the celestial Jerusalem and Temple, where Michael serves as high priest, offering the souls of the pious as sacrifices. In the fifth, angel hosts reside, singing God's praises – but only at night, because during the day, that's the job of Israel on Earth!
The sixth heaven is a bit… ominous. It's the source of trials and tribulations. We're talking snow, hail, noxious dew, storms, and smoke, all guarded by the archangel Metatron. According to the legends, these things actually defiled the heavens until King David prayed for their removal, finding it unseemly for such negativity to reside near God. Only then were these things moved down to Earth.
Finally, the seventh heaven: a place of pure goodness and beauty. Right, justice, and mercy reside there, along with storehouses of life, peace, and blessing. It holds the souls of the righteous, the souls of unborn generations, and the dew that will revive the dead on the day of resurrection. And, of course, the Divine Throne itself, surrounded by the seraphim, the ofanim, the holy Hayyot (living creatures), and the ministering angels.
But it doesn't stop with the heavens! Corresponding to the seven heavens, God created seven earths, each separated by layers. The lowest, Erez, is separated from the next by the abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, and waters. Then comes Adamah, the scene of God's magnificence. The earths continue upward, each with its own characteristics, containing everything from Gehenna (hell) to rivers and springs.
One earth, called Tebel, is inhabited by creatures unlike anything we know. Some have human heads on the bodies of lions, serpents, or oxen. Others have human bodies with animal heads! And there are even two-headed humans with doubled organs (except for the trunk!). Apparently, they're very pious, unlike us.
Our own earth is called Heled. And like the others, it's separated from Tebel by – you guessed it – the abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, and waters.
According to the legends, it takes five hundred years to walk from the earth to the heavens, from one end of a heaven to the other, and from one heaven to the next. It also takes that long to travel east to west or south to north! Of this vast world, only a third is inhabited, with the rest divided between water and desert. Beyond the inhabited east lies Paradise, divided into seven sections for the pious. To the west is the ocean, dotted with islands. Beyond that, boundless steppes full of serpents and scorpions. To the north are the supplies of hellfire, snow, hail, and all sorts of nasty things, along with devils and demons. And to the south? A chamber of fire and smoke.
The creation began in the center, with the Eben Shetiyah, the foundation stone of the Temple in Jerusalem, considered the center of the world. The first ray of light pierced the Holy Land, then illuminated the whole earth.
The Zohar adds an interesting detail. It tells us that creation couldn't begin until God banished the ruler of darkness, declaring, "Retire, for I desire to create the world by means of light." Only after light was fashioned did darkness arise, each ruling in its own domain.
So, what does all this tell us? It's not just about the physical creation. It's about the imposition of limits, the balance between light and darkness, and the interconnectedness of everything. The heavens and the earth stretched out, aspiring to infinity, until God called a halt. The power of creation lies not only in bringing things into being, but in defining their boundaries.
Pretty amazing, isn't it? The first day – a cosmic explosion of creation, mystery, and divine intention. Food for thought, indeed.