Staff Shiur - Yarchei Kallah Creation Now? We Just Started Shemos!

(1) ‘V’EILEH SHEMOTH’ (AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF…) In the Book of Genesis, which is the book of Creation, the Torah completed the account of how the world was brought forth from nothingness and how everything was created, as well as an account of all the events which befell the patriarchs, who are a sort of creation to their seed. All the events that happened to them were symbolic occurrences, indicating and foretelling all that was destined to come upon their seed. After having completed the account of creation, the Torah begins another book concerning the subject that had been alluded to in those symbolic events [recorded in the Book of Genesis]. (2) The Book of V’eileh Shemoth was set apart for the story of the first exile, which had been clearly decreed, and the redemption therefrom. This is why He reverted and began [this second book of the Torah] with the names of those persons who went down to Egypt, and mentioned their total number, although this had already been written. It is because their descent thereto constituted the beginning of the exile, which began from that moment on. (3) Now the exile was not completed until the day they returned to their place and were restored to the status of their fathers. When they left Egypt, even though they came forth from the house of bondage, they were still considered exiles because they were in a land that is not theirs,. entangled in the desert. When they came to Mount Sinai and made the Tabernacle, and the Holy One, blessed be He, caused His Divine Presence to dwell again amongst them, they returned to the status of their fathers when the ‘sod eloka’ (counsel of G-d) was upon their tents and “they were those who constituted the Chariot of the Holy One.” Then they were considered redeemed. It was for this reason that this second book of the Torah is concluded with the consummation of the building of the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Eternal filling it always.

On the topic of the nature of the world, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Zeira found Rav Yehuda, who was standing at the entrance of his father-in-law’s house, and observed that he was in an especially cheerful mood. And Rabbi Zeira understood that were he to ask Rabbi Yehuda about anything in the entire world, he would tell him the answer. He therefore posed questions to him on a variety of topics unrelated to halakha. He asked: Why do goats walk in front of the flock and then ewes follow? He said to him: It is just as it was in the creation of the world, which at first was dark and then light followed. Goats, which are typically black, precede the ewes, which are typically white.

(1) This book is commonly referred to by the authors of the Midrash as Sefer Shemos, (The Book of Names), as it is [for example] stated in the third parashah of Bereishis Rabbah, “‘And there was light,’ corresponds to Sefer Shemos, etc.,” and similarly in many other locations. And Nachmanides, at the end of his commentary [to Sefer Shemos], calls it the Sefer HaGeulah (The Book of Redemption). (2) However, our Teacher the BaHaG towards the end of his holy book when listing the Five Books of the Torah refers to [Shemos] as the “Second Book.” There are five books of the Torah: Sefer Bereishis, (Genesis), Chumash Sheini (Second Book of the Torah), Sefer Kohanim (Book of Priests}, Chumash HaPekudim (The Book of Numbers), and Mishneh Torah (Repetition of the Torah). We likewise find [Shemos referred to as the “Second Book”] in Tractate Sotah 36b: They, [the names of the Twelve Tribes], were not apportioned upon the stones as they were apportioned in the Book of Numbers but rather as they were apportioned in the Second Book of the Torah. (3) It is no trivial matter that they named this book differently – “from the conversations of our Rabbis we obtain insights.” Our Rabbis should have [been consistent and had either] listed all five books according to their numeric order, i.e., the Second Book of the Torah, the Third Book, etc.; or [this book] should have been titled the Book of Names or any other name depicting its theme, i.e. “Exodus from Egypt” or the “Giving of the Torah,” just as the Book of Bamidbar is called Sefer HaPekudim, (“The Book of Numbers”), – the rationale for which will be explained later. (4) In fact, it comes to teach how this book specifically is the second volume to the book describing the beginning of creation; i.e. it is a second section describing the culmination of creation. This is like our Sages of Blessed Memory stated, God created the world for the sake of Israel who are called reishis, “first,” as stated “[Israel is holy to the Lord] the first of His crop”; (5) The understanding of this is that the purpose of the world’s creation as a whole was for a single nation to become God’s possession, His nation. This did not completely come to fruition until Israel left Egypt, arriving at their purpose when – upon accepting the yoke of the Torah and mitzvos – they experienced a transformation of their very being. Also included in this is their function to be fit to be the beacon for the nations, guiding them to recognize the God of the Universe. So have we explained in this same Book the end of the verse: “The children of Israel departed according to their hosts” (Ex. 12:51). This is also written in the Book of Isaiah 42:6, “I [the Lord] have formed you,” [meaning], I have given you a unique form, “and [thus] set you for a covenant of the people, [to be a light of the nations].” See how I have explained this verse in Herchav Davar to Gen. 17:4 [how the Jewish Nation was transformed into a different form and thus enabled to be a beacon to the nations]. (6) And this [transformation of Israel] is the purpose of creation, [to proclaim] His glory, may He be Blessed, as written in the Scripture: “Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory.” See what I wrote on the book of Bamidbar, in the parashah of Shelach about the verse, “But as I live, and the glory of the Lord shall fill [the entire world].” (7) Thus the exodus from Egypt was the culmination of creation, or [should we perhaps say] it was the giving of the Torah, as stated in Midrash Rabbah to Bereishis, “[The world was created] in the merit of the Torah, which is called reishis.” This is also stated in Tractate Avodah Zarah 3a: (8) What is conveyed by the phrase, “And there was evening and there was morning the sixth day?” It teaches us that God made a condition with the works of creation, saying: “If Israel accepts my Law it will be well, but if not, I shall reduce you [the world] to a state of chaos and void.” (9) Thus the giving of the Torah completed creation. It is really the same as the exodus from Egypt for only [through the exodus] could Israel be capable of receiving the Torah, thus actualizing the purpose of their conception. (10) The wisdom of the Torah possessed by the Lord’s Nation is similar to human morals and proper character traits (i.e., ethics). For even though the entire world did not achieve this goal until after a great amount of time following the creation of heaven and earth and similarly even today there are many who have not achieved [the proper] level [of ethics]; nevertheless, it is well-understood even by the nations of the world that this is the purpose of man’s stature. Similarly, we, the Nation of Israel, need to believe that even though the Torah and its statutes were not given until after the exodus from Egypt and, even currently, many Jews have not reached [the level of incorporating] Daas Torah [being guided by Torah principles]; nevertheless, it is only the Torah that is the ultimate purpose of Israel’s stature. [We] are created for this [purpose], and it is the reason we have been ‘placed [on this earth] for a covenant of the people, to be a light of the nations.’ (11) It then follows, why the Book of Shemos is considered as a second volume to the first book, Bereishis, as both Books deal with the same theme; they are the two parts that describe the creation. Consequently, it can also be understood why the first word of Shemos is written with a vav (and), v’eileh, “And these are the names.” ([This is an observation] previously noted by the Midrash Rabbah). According to our interpretation the conjunction, “[and],” teaches us of the connection of the two themes and Books to one other.

... as Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31)? Why do I require the superfluous letter heh, the definite article, which does not appear on any of the other days? It teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, established a condition with the act of Creation, and said to them: If Israel accepts the Torah on the sixth day of Sivan, you will exist; and if they do not accept it, I will return you to the primordial state of chaos and disorder.