Rishon
- Creation:
- Hashem created the heaven and earth. At first, the world was Tohu and Vohu [i.e. Desolate]; in darkness, and the spirit of G-d rested over the water.
- Day 1: On the first day, Hashem created light, and separated between the light and darkness, and night and day.
- Day 2: On the second day, Hashem created the firmament which separated between the higher and lower waters and called it the sky.
- Day 3: On the third day, Hashem created land, having the water separate from the land and remain gathered only in the sea. Hashem then commanded the earth to bring forth plants, vegetation, and fruits
- Day 4: On the fourth day, Hashem created luminaries to separate between night and day and to determine the time of festivals, days, and years. The sun for the day, the moon for the night, and the stars.
- Day 5: On the fifth day, Hashem created the birds, sea animals, and fish. Hashem then commanded them to be fruitful and multiply.
- Day 6: On the sixth day, Hashem commanded the earth to sprout forth all the various animals and insects. Hashem created mankind in his image, a male and female, to rule over all the other creatures of the earth. Hashem blessed man and commanded him to have children and to rule all the creatures of the earth, the animals, birds, and fish. Hashem told man and all the living creatures that all the produce of the earth is given to them to eat.
- Day 7: On the 7th day, Hashem completed His work and rested from all His work. Hashem blessed and sanctified the 7th day.
Q&A on Rashi
Parsha Bee – Bereishis 1:1–2:3 (Rashi)
- According to Rabbi Yitzchak, from which mitzvah should the Torah have begun?
Answer: “This month shall be for you” (Kiddush HaChodesh). - Why does the Torah begin with Creation instead?
Answer: To establish that Hashem owns the entire world and may give Eretz Yisrael to whom He wishes. - What answer should Israel give if the nations call them robbers?
Answer: Hashem created the world and gave the land to Israel. - For whose sake was the world created according to the Midrash?
Answer: For the Torah and for Israel. - What is called “the beginning of His way”?
Answer: The Torah. - What are called “the first of His grain”?
Answer: The Jewish people. - With which Divine attribute did Hashem originally intend to create the world?
Answer: Justice. - Why was Mercy added?
Answer: Because the world could not endure with Justice alone. - What does תֹהוּ mean?
Answer: Astonishment and desolation. - What does בֹהוּ mean?
Answer: Emptiness and desolation. - What hovered over the waters?
Answer: The Spirit of Hashem. - To what does Rashi compare Hashem’s Spirit hovering?
Answer: A dove hovering over its nest. - What was the first thing Hashem said?
Answer: “Let there be light.” - Why was the original light separated from the world?
Answer: Because it was too good for the wicked. - For whom was the original light hidden?
Answer: The righteous in the future. - According to the simple meaning, why did Hashem separate light from darkness?
Answer: To establish day and night. - Why does the Torah say “one day” and not “first day”?
Answer: Because Hashem was alone in His world. - On which day were the angels created?
Answer: The second day. - What was created on the second day?
Answer: The firmament (rakia). - What happened to the heavens on the second day?
Answer: They were strengthened and solidified. - What separated the upper and lower waters?
Answer: The rakia. - Where are the upper waters located?
Answer: Above the firmament. - Why is “Ki Tov” missing on the second day?
Answer: The work of the waters was not completed. - Why is “Ki Tov” said twice on the third day?
Answer: Once for the second day’s completion and once for the third day’s work. - What does the word Shamayim mean according to Rashi?
Answer: Fire and water combined. - Where were the waters gathered on the third day?
Answer: Into the seas. - Which sea does Rashi identify as the largest?
Answer: The Mediterranean Sea. - Why does the Torah say “seas” if there is one sea?
Answer: Different seas produce different-tasting fish. - What is דֶּשֶׁא?
Answer: General vegetation covering the earth. - What is עֵשֶׂב?
Answer: An individual plant or species. - What was Hashem’s command regarding fruit trees?
Answer: The tree itself should taste like the fruit. - Did the earth fully obey this command?
Answer: No. - How did the earth differ from the command?
Answer: It produced fruit-bearing trees but not trees whose wood tasted like fruit. - Why was the earth later cursed?
Answer: Because it did not fully obey Hashem’s instruction. - What lesson did the grasses learn from the trees?
Answer: To grow according to their own species. - On which day were the luminaries placed in the sky?
Answer: The fourth day. - Were the sun and moon created on the fourth day?
Answer: No, they were created on the first day and positioned on the fourth. - Why is מְאֹרֹת written without a vav?
Answer: To hint at future curses. - For what are the heavenly bodies signs?
Answer: Signs, festivals, days, and years. - What determines the Jewish festivals?
Answer: The moon. - How were the sun and moon originally created?
Answer: Equal in size. - Why was the moon reduced?
Answer: Because it complained that two kings cannot share one crown. - How was the moon compensated?
Answer: With the stars. - What are the sea monsters of verse 21?
Answer: The Leviathan and its mate. - What happened to the female Leviathan?
Answer: She was killed and preserved for the righteous. - Why was the female Leviathan removed?
Answer: Their offspring would have overwhelmed the world. - Why were fish and birds blessed?
Answer: Because humans hunt and consume them. - Why were land animals not blessed at this point?
Answer: Because the serpent would later be cursed. - What does “Let us make man” teach?
Answer: Hashem’s humility in consulting the angels. - What answer does Rashi give to heretics regarding “Let us make man”?
Answer: The next verse says “And God created” in the singular. - What does “in Our image” mean?
Answer: In form. - What does “after Our likeness” mean?
Answer: With understanding and intelligence. - What does וְיִרְדּוּ imply?
Answer: Both dominion and subservience. - When does man rule the animals?
Answer: When he merits. - When do animals dominate man?
Answer: When he does not merit. - How was man created differently from all other creatures?
Answer: Directly by Hashem’s hands. - What does “male and female He created them” mean according to the Midrash?
Answer: Adam was first created with two sides and later separated. - What does “subdue it” teach?
Answer: The mitzvah of procreation primarily obligates the man. - What food was originally permitted to Adam?
Answer: Plants and vegetation only. - Was meat permitted to Adam?
Answer: No. - When was mankind first permitted to eat meat?
Answer: After the Flood, in the days of Noach. - What made all creation “very good”?
Answer: Everything had reached its intended perfection. - What does “the sixth day” hint to?
Answer: The sixth of Sivan, when the Torah would be given. - Upon what condition was creation dependent?
Answer: Israel’s acceptance of the Torah. - What was the world lacking before Shabbos?
Answer: Rest. - What arrived with Shabbos?
Answer: Rest and completion. - How was Shabbos blessed?
Answer: With the double portion of manna. - How was Shabbos sanctified?
Answer: No manna fell on Shabbos. - What future event does the blessing of Shabbos foreshadow?
Answer: The miracle of the manna. - What does “which God created to do” mean?
Answer: Work fitting for Shabbos was completed on Friday.
Bonus
According to Rashi, what is one of the foundational purposes of the entire Book of Bereishis?
Answer: To establish that Hashem is the Creator and Owner of the world, and therefore has the right to give Eretz Yisrael to whomever He chooses.
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