Parshat 1: B’reisheet (“in the beginning”) October 10, 2026
- Torah: Genesis 1:1-6:8
- Haftara: 1 Samuel 20:18-42*
- Brit Chadashah: Matthew 24:29-36*
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve’et ha’arets
When God began to create heaven and earth
Powerful words: “God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.” B’resheet (Genesis) 1:3 We read in the first act of creation HaShem speaks and initiates the process of His creation. In the verse prior the Ruach hovers over the depths, but when Adonai speaks the words “Let there be light” the process begins. All of the creation takes places thru HaShem’s spoken word, and thru His authority and power.
It is interesting that the first act of creation was actually releasing His divine light. the sun and moon, stars and galaxies did not yet exist. “Ravi Eleazar taught that the light of the first day of creation was a miraculous, wondrous light, independent of a luminary it enabled a person to see “from one end of the world to the other, and some say, from one end of time to the other””. [First Fruits of Zion – Shadows of the Messiah – Book 1 Pg.8]
So as HaShem speaks the first word of creation, He brings forth His light or glory as a pattern for all created things. Actually it is said in (Yalkut Shim’oni, 11.499) This is the light of Messiah, as it is said, “God saw the light, that it was good.” This teaches that before the world was created, the Holy One. blessed be He, looked forward to the generation of Messiah and it’s deeds. He hid [the primordial light] for Messiah and his generation beneath his throne of glory.”
With this in mind; the spoken word, and the light of Messiah, it is easy to understand Yochanan’s connection of the creation story to the B’resheet (beginning) of his telling of the “good news” in John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.”
Yochanan opens with a drash on the Messiah in B’reisheet, connecting to Yeshua directly to bring the good news to all the nations – that they might see that light!
Baracha to you during this week as you start the Torah cycle once again. May we all receive greater and personal revelation from the Tanach and the Ruach in this new year.
Shalom Mish’pachah from Beth Hallel Lodi
