D'var Torah

This week we begin the very first portion of the Torah - Genesis 1:1 - Parashat Bereishit. I always feel great joy as we come to this reading each year. The holy days are behind us, my favorite season of Autumn is underway. The story of creation speaks to me of newness and potential and that is always exciting. 

This year, as I look at the parasha, I am filled with deep sadness, fear and anxiety for all that is happening in Israel. We read in the first line of the portion that everything was 'tohoo va-vohoo'’ meaning utterly chaotic and that there was darkness everywhere. My eyes cannot leave this line, for this is how I and all of us are feeling. The State of Israel, the people of Israel, the Jewish world is in chaos propelled there by the unspeakable and unimaginable violence of Hamas. The blood of all of the innocents on both sides of the border is on their hands. We are all surrounded by a deep darkness that has come with the death of hundreds, the kidnappings and the injuries. It will be a long time before we move from this time of panic and grief and even dread for what will come next, into the next 'day' of creation. 

In Bereishit, slowly slowly God brings order to the chaos. Separating light from darkness, creating luminaries, crafting beautiful nature and diverse living beings and finally giving humanity, created in the Divine image, agency to work in the world.

While still very much in a state of chaos, Israel will eventually make its way to a time of Bereshit. It is unclear when order will unfold. It is unclear how long the darkness will hover over the surface of our people and their land. But there will be a light again. We pray that there will be a new story of creation that, like the first one, will be teeming with life and beauty.  And like in the first story of creation, God will say that what emerges is 'good.'

We pray for violence to end in Israel and for the beginning, Bereishit, of a new peace. 

Ken Y'hi razon 

Rabbi Amy Schwartzman