“In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth” (Bereishis 1:1)

Bereishis. Something inside me quickens inside that simple woman who doesn’t go to shul on Shabbos who instead cuts up a salad sets the table and feeds the baby while struggling to also daven Shacharis. Oh how I wish I could also go hear the Torah’s first parshah.

If only I could sit with a Chumash in my hand listening to the description of first day of creation and the second and the third … the familiar words that give me such strength.

$c$When a person wakes in the morning and opens his eyes he sees a beautiful world full of light with everything a person could possibly need ready for the taking.

If he has eyes to see and an intellect with which to understand he must ask himself: “I am seeing understanding and speaking. How is that so? Who is the ‘I’ who is understanding things? Who is the ‘I’ who is moving about and doing things? Who made all of this; how did it come to be? What is the mind and where is it?” The more we think about it the stronger the question becomes and it becomes impossible to silence: What is all of this?

And as the question becomes sharper and more powerful the answer also becomes stronger and more refined: There is one invisible Being Who does everything Who controls everything. This great and powerful question gives rise to and proves the answer. How is it so? Because that is the way it is.

You cannot see it and you do not know how it is so. On the contrary you don’t need to see the Creator and you are not capable of seeing Him.

It is He Who creates everything Who controls the world in such a perfect way that you can see a child born and grow slowly inch by inch. How does he grow? Does the food make him grow? Is it food that causes his mind to develop the ability to understand? (Rosh Amanah Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach ztz”l) $c$

My baby started walking this week. He spent the whole day trying to walk and falling. On the 83^rd attempt I promised him that crawling is good for his brain and he could postpone his attempts. He refused to listen.

The next morning he woke refreshed ready to try again and to fall again. He took a step then a step and a half. Every two steps he’d fall down wail and get up again. For three days I watched him gripped by incredulity over the constant increase in his steps; his effort was unending and I lost count of his falls. On the fourth day he traversed the kitchen and living room with proud happy steps trembling but basking in the sweetness of his accomplishment.

Who other than Hashem sparked his sudden desire to walk? What made him keep on trying and not be deterred by his failures? I saw Hashem in my kitchen; it was as if my child was transparent and Hashem was looking at me through his body.

“Here I am” says Hashem. “I am here accompanying you in everything you do.”

“Here I am”

$c$We see how perfect the world is there isn’t a single thing that conflicts with anything else. Only people conflict with each other but in creation itself there are no contradictions. Everything has its place and its unique task. How can it be that the world is so perfect? It must be there is only one single Power for if there were more than one power there would be contradictions in nature.

So if you ask me what I see; I see the Word of Hashem! Hashem has created this world; that is all that I see. Hashem said “Bereishis bara” and that is the world. I do not see anything else.

This is something that we must review over and over again (ibid.). $c$

Bereishis. Maybe you will go to shul after all but you can read the parshah at home as well. Read it with your children around you. You can read it and think about yourself the small woman succeeding in raising children.

“In the beginning Hashem created …”

Every day every moment Parshas Bereishis takes place anew in my home.