Genesis (“Bereshit”) is the first book of the Torah, Judaism’s foundational text, and the only one consisting almost entirely of stories, with just three explicit laws. It tells of the origins of mankind and the Israelites, with stories on creation, Adam and Eve, Noah’s ark, the patriarchs and matriarchs - Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob, Leah and Rachel - and Joseph and his brothers. Its narratives depict figures as they encounter God, face wandering and exile, and grapple with conflict in family relationships.
