Bereshit Rabbah, a classical collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Genesis, offers us a fascinating glimpse into their perspective. Specifically, in section 12, we find a debate – a friendly disagreement, really – between Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish about the very order of creation.
Rabbi Yoḥanan starts us off with a relatable analogy. He says, imagine a human king building a palace. What does he do first? The foundations, right? The lower levels. Only then does he move on to the upper stories. But, Rabbi Yoḥanan suggests, God didn't work that way. God created the heavenly and earthly realms simultaneously, "with one creation." Think of it: no painstaking, level-by-level construction, but a unified, instantaneous act.
Then comes Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, offering a different, equally compelling image. He paints a picture of a human king building a ship. First, the boards. Then the cedars for the masts. And of course, the anchors. Only after all that does he bring in the navigators, the ones who will steer the vessel. But, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish argues, God created everything – the world and those who "steer" it – all at once!
He even brings in a verse from Isaiah (42:5) to support his point: "So said God, the Lord, Creator of the heavens and who unfurled them [venoteihem]…" Here's where it gets really interesting. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish points out that the word for "unfurled them" (venoteihem) is very similar to the word for "their navigators" (venavateihem). It’s a clever play on words, suggesting that the very act of creating the heavens also brought forth those who would guide and maintain them.
So, what are we to make of this debate? Is God like a palace builder or a shipwright?
Perhaps the point isn't to choose one analogy over the other, but to appreciate the sheer scope of God's power and the mystery of creation. Both rabbis, in their own way, are grappling with the same fundamental question: How did God bring order to chaos? How did God create a world that is both structured and dynamic, both grounded and transcendent?
Ultimately, these ancient discussions remind us that the story of creation isn't just a historical account, but a living, breathing narrative that continues to inspire and challenge us today.