בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק וּפִי רְשָׁעִים יְכַסֶּה חָמָס (משלי י, ה). לָמָּה פָתַח בִּבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם בְּבֵי״ת וְלֹא בְאָלֶ״ף, וַהֲלֹא אָלֶ״ף רֹאשׁ לְכָל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁהָאָלֶ״ף לָשׁוֹן אָרוּר וּבֵי״ת לָשׁוֹן בָּרוּךְ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶבְרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בִּלְשׁוֹן בָּרוּךְ. וּמָה, כְשֶׁנִּבְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹן בָּרוּךְ, בְּנֵי אָדָם מַכְעִיסִין לְיוֹצְרָם. בִּלְשׁוֹן אָרוּר עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). It is written elsewhere in reference to this verse: Blessings are upon the head of the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence (Prov. 10:6). Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, commence the account of the creation of His world with the letter bet rather than with the alef, the first letter of the alphabet? He did so because the alef is the first letter of the word arur (“cursed”), while the bet is the first letter of the word barukh (“blessed”). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will begin the account of the creation of the world with the letter that symbolizes a blessing.” Even though the account of the creation of the world starts with a letter that symbolizes a blessing, mankind angered its Creator. How much angrier would man have made Him if the creation narrative had commenced with the letter that symbolizes a curse!
וְעוֹד לָמָּה נִבְרָא בְּבֵי״ת? לְלַמֵּד לַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵן שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. מִי שֶׁעָסַק בַּטּוֹבָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, טוּבָהּ יֹאכַל בָּזֶה וּבַבָּא. Another explanation as to why the account of creation opens with a bet is that the letter bet is employed in order to teach man that there are two worlds, this world and the hereafter.17The numerical value of bet is two. The person who devotes himself to performing good deeds in this world will enjoy their fruits in this world and in the hereafter.
וְהַצְּדוֹקִין כּוֹפְרִין וְאוֹמְרִים: כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלַךְ כֵּן יוֹרֵד שְׁאוֹל לֹא יַעֲלֶה (איוב ז, ט). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּפִי רְשָׁעִים יְכַסֶּה חָמָס (משלי י, ו). The Sadducees denied the existence of the hereafter, saying: As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more (Job 7:9).18The Sadducees were a Palestinian sect presumably named after Zadok, the high priest during the reigns of David and Solomon. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaimed: And the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence (Prov. 10:6).
שָׁאַל אַדְרִיָּאנוּס לַעֲקִילַס, עַל מָה הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד? אָמַר לוֹ: עַל הָרוּחַ. רְצוֹנְךָ לֵידַע, הָבֵא גָמָל. וְהֵבִיא גָמָל וְנָתַן מַשָּׂאוֹ עָלָיו. אָמַר לוֹ עֲמוֹד, וְעָמַד. שֵׁב, וְיָשַׁב. נָתַן עָלָיו יוֹתֵר מִמַּשָּׂאוֹ וְנָתַן חֶבֶל עַל צַוָּארוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ לִמְשֹׁךְ. מָשַׁךְ זֶה מִכָּאן וְזֶה מִכָּאן, חָנְקוּ אֶת הַגָּמָל. אָמַר לוֹ: אֱמֹר לַגָּמָל שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד. אָמַר לוֹ אַדְרִיָּאנוֹס, אַתָּה חֲנַקְתּוֹ וְהוּא יַעֲמֹד? אָמַר לוֹ: וּמָה, הָרַגְתִּי אוֹתוֹ אוֹ שֶׁמָּא חָסַר אַחַד מֵאֵיבָרָיו? אָמַר לוֹ: הוֹצֵאתָ אֶת רוּחוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: וּמָה, אִם הַגָּמָל לֹא הָיָה סוֹבְלוֹ וְלֹא סָבַל אֶת מַשָּׂאוֹ אֶלָּא הָרוּחַ שֶׁבּוֹ. מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֵין רוּחוֹ סוֹבֵל אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ? שָׁתַק אַדְרִיָּאנוֹס. Hadrian asked Aquila:19Hadrian was a Roman emperor. Aquila was a proselyte of Greek origin who translated the Bible into Greek. “What causes the world to survive?” “It is the spirit,” he replied. “If you desire this to be proved, let a camel be brought here.” The camel was brought and Aquila placed a load upon its back. He shouted at the animal: “Stand,” and it stood; “Sit down,” and it sat down. Then he placed an additional load upon it and tied a halter about its neck. He asked Hadrian to assist him in pulling the camel to its feet. One of them pulled from one side, and the other from the other side, until the animal was strangled. Then Aquila said to Hadrian: “Now command the camel to rise.” Hadrian retorted: “You have choked it to death, how can it stand?” Aquila asked: “Did I slaughter it, or does it lack one of its vital organs?” “You have forced its breath out of it,” he answered. Thereupon Aquila responded: “If a camel is unable to exist or bear the load upon its back unless breath is in it, surely nothing but the spirit of the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, can make the world endure.” Hadrian was silenced.
רְאֵה שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִן הָאָרֶץ לַשָּׁמַיִם, אָדָם בּוֹנֶה טְרַקְלִין, כַּחֲצִי אָרְכּוֹ וְכַחֲצִי רָחְבּוֹ רוּמוֹ. גָּבְהָן שֶׁל שָׁמַיִם כַּחֲצִי אָרְכּוֹ, וְכַחֲצִי רָחְבּוֹ גָּבְהוֹ שֶׁל רָקִיעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֲלֹא אֱלוֹהַּ גֹּבַהּ שָׁמָיִם וּרְאֵה רֹאשׁ כּוֹכָבִים כִּי רָמוּ (משלי כב, יב). Come and learn that the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, extends from earth to heaven. When a man erects a reception hall, his height is equal to half its length and half its breadth, but the height of heaven is only half God’s height and half God’s breadth. Indeed, He is the height of the entire firmament, as it is said: Is not God in the height of the heaven? And behold the topmost stars, how high they are (Job 22:12).
הַחַמָּה הַזּוֹ שָׁעָה אַחַת נִכְנֶסֶת לְיִשּׁוּב, וְאֵין בְּרִיָּה בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, וְאֵינָהּ נִרְאֵית בַּשָּׁמַיִם אֶלָּא מְלֹא הַזֶּרֶת, שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם גְּבוֹהִים. When the (morning) star (i.e., Venus) enters its zenith, no one in all the world fails to see it above his head, even though it appears in heaven to be no larger than the span of a man’s hand. Such is the height of heaven.
וּכְשֶׁהַחַמָּה עוֹלָה, הִיא רְחָבָה. וְכֵן כְּשֶׁהִיא שׁוֹקַעַת. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהִיא מְמַצַּעַת בְּכִפַּת הָרָקִיעַ אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ מְלֹא הַזֶּרֶת, מִפְּנֵי גָבְהוֹ שֶׁל שָׁמָיִם. וְלֹא תֹאמַר עַל הַחַמָּה שֶׁהִיא עוֹדֶפֶת עַל הַיִּשּׁוּב. כּוֹכָב אֶחָד אָנוּ מוֹצְאִין שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת תַּחְתָּיו. עָבַר הַכּוֹכָב, בָּא חֲבֵרוֹ וְנוֹתֵן הַכֹּל תַּחְתָּיו. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ לְמַעְלָה מֵרֹאשְׁךָ, כָּךְ כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ לְמַעְלָה מֵרֹאשָׁם. וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה אֶלָּא כַּנֵּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֲלֹא אֱלוֹהַּ גֹּבַהּ שָׁמַיִם (איוב כב, יב). Similarly, when the sun rises and sets, it appears extremely large, yet when it reaches its zenith it appears to be no larger than the span of a man’s hand. Such is the height of heaven. Yet you would not say that the sun is larger than the inhabited world. We find that a single star is suspended over all creation that is below it, yet when that star passes by, another replaces it, and all creation is beneath the second star. Just as you perceive a certain star above your head, so too all mankind perceive it above their heads, though it appears to be no larger than the flame of a candle. Hence it is said: Is not God in the height of the heaven? (Job 22:12).
וְעָבְיוֹ שֶׁל רָקִיעַ כְּמִן הָאָרֶץ עַד לַשָּׁמָיִם. מִן הַכּוֹכָבִים שֶׁיָּרְדוּ עַל סִיסְרָא אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ עָבְיוֹ שֶׁל רָקִיעַ, שֶׁהָיָה נִשְׁמָט מִן הָרָקִיעַ וְיָרַד וְעָשָׂה מִלְחָמָה בָאָרֶץ, כְּמַסְמְרִים הַקְּבוּעִים בַּדֶּלֶת, אִם נִשְׁמַט מִן הַדֶּלֶת תֵּדַע עֳבִי הַדֶּלֶת, כָּךְ הַכּוֹכָב קָבוּעַ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְיוֹרֵד וְעוֹשֶׂה מִלְחָמָה בָאָרֶץ, לְלַמֶּדְךָ עָבְיוֹ שֶׁל רָקִיעַ כְּמִן הָאָרֶץ לַשָּׁמָיִם. The thickness of the firmament is the distance from earth to heaven. You know the thickness of the firmament from the stars that descended to attack Sisera.20On Sisera, see Judg. 4—5. They slipped out of the firmament and descended to the earth to wage war on the land. Just as you can determine the thickness of a door by the nail that slips out of it, so too, when a star, fixed in heaven, descends to earth to wage war, you become aware that the thickness of the firmament extends from earth to heaven.
וְאִם בְּרִיּוֹתָיו כָּךְ הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, גָּדוֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד (תהלים קמה, ג), גָּדוֹל מִבְּרִיּוֹתָיו. If a single one of God’s creations (is so immense), how much greater is the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written: Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised (Ps. 145:3). He is greater than all His creations.
מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא גָּבוֹהַּ, וְאֵין רַגְלָיו מַגִּיעוֹת לְרַפְסוֹדוֹת שֶׁתַּחַת רַגְלָיו. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאוֹ וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָיו (ישעיה סו, טו). מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם יוֹשֵׁב עַל סַפְסַל, אֲחֵרִים יוֹשְׁבִין מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמֶלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל קָתֶדְרָא וּמְמַלֵּא אוֹתָהּ, וְהָעוֹלָם כָּמוּס תַּחַת רַגְלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֲלוֹא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא (ירמיה כג, כד). A mortal king may sit on a lofty throne and his feet may fail to reach the footstool beneath him, but the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, is high in the heavens and the earth is His footstool. A mortal king may recline on a couch and men are able to sit at his right and left, but the Holy One, blessed be He, sits like a king on his throne and fills it, and all the world is contained beneath His feet, as it is said: Do not I fill the heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24).
מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם יוֹשְׁבִין מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ, שֶׁכְּבוֹדָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְהַכֹּל עוֹמְדִין לְפָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר רָאִיתִי אֶת ה' יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' (מלכים א כב, יט). וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, וְרִבּוֹ רִבְוָן קֳדָמוֹהִי יְקוּמוּן (דניאל ז, י). וְכֵן שְׂרָפִים עֹמְדִים וְגוֹ' (ישעיה ו, ב). וְכֵן קִרְבֵת עַל חַד מִן קָאֲמַיָּא (דניאל ז, טז). Men, who are his equal, sit at the right or the left of a mortal king, but the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on His throne while all others stand before Him, as it is said: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the hosts of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left hand, etc. (I Kings 22:19). And it says elsewhere: And ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him (Dan. 7:10). Above Him stood the seraphim (Isa. 6:2); and: I came near unto one of them that stood by (Dan. 7:16).
מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, גְּבוֹהַּ קוֹמָה וְיֵשׁ בִּמְשָׁרְתָיו כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ גָבוֹהַּ. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גָּדוֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד (תהלים קמה, ג). A mortal king may be large in stature, but among his subjects there may be others who are equally large; but of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is said: Great is the Lord and highly to be praised (Ps. 145:3).
מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, חָכָם וְיֵשׁ בִּמְשָׁרְתָיו גִּבּוֹר וְחָכָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵאֵין כָּמוֹךָ ה' וְגוֹ' (ירמיה י, ו). וְאוֹמֵר: כִּי בְכָל חַכְמֵי הַגּוֹיִם וּבְכָל מַלְכוּתָם מֵאֵין כָּמוֹךָ (ירמיה י, ז). A mortal king may be extremely wise, but among his ministers there may be others who are no less wise and strong. Concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, however, it is said: There is none like unto Thee, O Lord; Thou art great, and Thy name is great (Jer. 10:6), and furthermore it says: Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, there is none like unto Thee (ibid., v. 7).
גְּדוֹלִים מַלְאָכָיו, אֲבָל לֹא כַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ. בּוֹא וּרְאֵה, מַלְאָךְ שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הָרָקִיעַ וְאָחַז לִיחֶזְקֵאל בְּצִיצִית רֹאשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשְלַח תַּבְנִית יָד וַיִּקָּחֵנִי בְּצִיצִית רֹאשִׁי (יחזקאל ח, ג). מַשְׁמַע אַחַר הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁאֵין מִן הָרָקִיעַ לָאָרֶץ אֶלָּא מְלֹא פִסַּת יָדוֹ שֶׁל מַלְאָךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בֵּאדַיִן מִן קֳדָמוֹהִי שְׁלִיחַ פַּסָּא דִי יְדָא וּכְתָבָא דְנָה רְשִׁים (דניאל ה, כד), לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁאֵין קִצְבָה לְשַׁמָּשָׁיו. וְאִם לְשַׁמָּשָׁיו כָּךְ, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: גָּדוֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד וְלִגְדֻלָּתוֹ אֵין חֵקֶר (תהלים קמה, ג). וְאוֹמֵר: אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם וְגוֹ' (ישעיה מח, יג). The angels of the Holy One, blessed be He, are mighty, but they are not His equal. Proof of the might of His angels is evidenced by the fact that one of them stretched forth his hand from heaven and grasped Ezekiel by a lock of his head, as it is said: And the form of a hand was put forth, and I was taken by a lock of my head (Ezek. 8:3). We learn from another verse that the distance from heaven to earth is no more than the palm of an angel, as it is written: Then was the palm of the hand sent from before me, and this writing was inscribed (Dan. 5:24). This teaches us that there is no limit to His ministering angels; how much more so, then, is there no limit to the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore it is written: Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable (Ps. 145:3). And elsewhere it is said: Yea, My hand hath laid the foundations of the earth, and My right hand hath spread out the heavens, etc. (Isa. 48:13).
מִן יְשִׁיבָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מָה הוּא. הַשָּׁמַיִם הָאֵלּוּ פְּרוּשִׂים עַל הַיָּם וְעַל הַיִּשּׁוּב וְעַל הַמִּדְבָּר וְאֵינָם מְמַלְּאִים אֶת הַכִּסֵּא. מִן שָׁעֳלוֹ אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מִי הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מָיִם, וּמִן אֶצְבָּעוֹ אַתָּה מֵבִין מִי הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ (ישעיה מח, יג). You learn of the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, from His dwelling place as well. Though the heavens extend above the sea, the inhabited lands, and the wilderness, they do not contain His throne. Similarly, you can comprehend the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, from the size of His fist, as it is said: Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand (Isa. 40:12). You may know His greatness, also, from the size of His finger, for it is said: And He comprehended the dust of the earth with a measure (shalish) (ibid.).21The middle finger (shalish = “third”).
אוֹי לְבָשָׂר וָדָם הַחוֹטֵא, לִפְנֵי מִי הוּא חוֹטֵא. וְאַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁהוּא זוֹכֶה, לִפְנֵי מִי זוֹכֶה. וַי לוֹ לְמִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְאַשְׁרֵי לְמִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִתֵּן שְׂכָרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הִנֵּה ה' בָּאֵשׁ יָבוֹא וְגוֹ' (ישעיה סו, טו). Woe unto him who sins, let him consider before whom he sins; happy is he who is worthy, let him consider in whose sight he is worthy! Woe to him who will be compelled to account for his misdeeds in the hereafter! Happy is he who will be given his reward in the hereafter, as it is said: Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him (Isa. 62:11).