It's not something He just jumped into, you know. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medieval text filled with stories and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible, God actually took counsel.
But with whom?
With the Torah itself! Not just the physical scroll, but the very essence of divine wisdom embodied within it. The text even gives the Torah a name: Tushijah, meaning "Stability" or "Wisdom." Imagine that for a moment: God consulting with Wisdom personified.
The Torah, or Tushijah, raises a critical point. "Sovereign of the worlds!" it says, "if there be no host for the king and if there be no camp for the king, over whom does he rule? If there be no people to praise the king, where is the honour of the king?"
Basically, what's the point of being a king without a kingdom? What’s the point of creating if there's no one to appreciate and acknowledge the creation? God heard this, and, the text tells us, it pleased Him. It made sense!
The Torah then adds, "The Holy One, blessed be He, took counsel with me concerning the creation of the world, as it is said, 'Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge; I am understanding; I have might' (Prov. 8:14)." The Torah itself is the source of the very plan of creation!
This idea then extends to human governance. The text emphasizes the importance of counsel in leadership. "Every government which has no counsellors is not a proper government." Where do we learn this? From the House of David! As we see in 1 Chronicles 27:32, "And Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a man of understanding, and a scribe." Even the great King David relied on advisors.
If even the House of David needed counsellors, how much more so should we? And as Proverbs 12:15 reminds us, "But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise," and Proverbs 11:14 states, "But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety."
So, what does this all mean? It's not just a story about God creating the world. It’s about the importance of wisdom, the necessity of counsel, and the fundamental idea that creation, and leadership, are collaborative processes. It reminds us that even the Divine doesn't operate in a vacuum. And maybe, just maybe, that's a lesson we can all take to heart in our own lives.