We tend to think of it as a straightforward statement about time, about creation. But what if it’s also a secret code, pointing us towards something much deeper about the nature of Israel, and our relationship with the Divine?
The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a central text of Kabbalah, opens up this very idea. It doesn't just read the verse, it unlocks it. Bereshit, it tells us, is Israel.
How can this be? Well, the verse in Jeremiah 2:3 tells us, "Holy is Israel to Y”Y, the reishyt – first of His produce…" See the connection? Israel is the "first" – the reishyt, the beginning – of God's creation, the very first expression of the Divine will in the world. According to the Tikkunei Zohar, this "first" is unadulterated, pure, "without any other admixture." Because Israel is holy, it says, there's no "grafting of any other type." It’s a powerful image, isn't it? Purity. Singularity.
And this holiness, this “first” produce, must be protected. The text continues, explaining that the "fruit" (a metaphor for spiritual potential) requires preservation for its true partner, represented by the Hebrew letter Hei (ה). In Kabbalah, the Hei often symbolizes the feminine principle, the receptive aspect of divinity. So, the "first" – Israel – needs to be nurtured and preserved for its connection with the Divine Feminine.
Because of this "first" – tevu-at, the produce – and the letter Hei, Israel is without defect, without blemish. This brings us to Jacob, who Genesis 25:27 describes as tam – "perfect." But tam can also mean "whole," "complete," or even "without refuse." Jacob, in this context, embodies the ideal of Israel, whole and unblemished, precisely because he is connected to that original, pure "first."
Think about that for a moment. We're not just talking about a historical figure. We're talking about a spiritual principle, a possibility within each of us. The potential to connect with that original, unadulterated spark of divinity.
The Tikkunei Zohar concludes with a stark warning, quoting Jeremiah 2:3: "... all who eat of it will be rendered guilty, evil shall come upon them, says Y”Y." This "fruit," this potential, is fit for a King, for the Divine. To misuse it, to consume it without reverence or understanding, is to invite darkness and guilt. According to the Tikkunei Zohar, it's a sacred responsibility.
So, the next time you hear the word Bereshit, “In the beginning,” remember that it's more than just a starting point. It's a call to recognize the inherent holiness within ourselves, within the Jewish people, and within all of creation. It's a reminder to protect that spark, to nurture it, and to use it for good. And it is in that spirit that we can truly honor the "first" of God's produce.