Let’s rewind a bit. Remember the story of the golden calf? MOSES smashes the first set of tablets, right? Talk about a bad day! Afterward, Moses pleads with God, reminding Him that He brought the Israelites out of Egypt. As we read in Deuteronomy Rabbah (15:17), Moses reminds God that he rescued them from a house of idolatry. God, in turn, offers a path to reconciliation. "Bring new tablets," He says, "and I will append My signature to them.”
Now, this is where it gets interesting. The tradition tells us that the first tablets were written by the very finger of God. But the second? Those were written by Moses himself. So, God offering to "sign" the second set… well, that's like adding an official seal of approval, almost like signing a contract, making it legitimate.
But what is God's signature?
Psalm 119:160 says, "The beginning of Your word is Truth.” And in B. Shabbat 55a, we find the idea that emet (אמת), truth, is the signature of God. Emet! It’s a powerful concept, right?
So, where do we find this "truth" in the Torah? RABBI YOSEF HAYIM of Baghdad (1834-1909), known as the BEN ISH HAI, offers a stunning insight in his work Ben Yehoyada. He points out that the last letters of the first three words of the Torah – Bereshit bara Elohim (בראשית ברא אלהים) – spell out emet!
Mind. Blown.
The very first words of the Torah, the foundation of everything, contain God’s signature. A hidden seal of truth woven into the fabric of creation itself. It’s not just a name scrawled at the bottom, but an intrinsic part of the divine word.
It makes you think, doesn't it? If truth is God's signature, how do we ensure our own actions, our own words, bear that same mark? How do we live a life signed by truth?