Parashah
Bereshit (In the beginning…)
Bereshit (Gen) 1:1 - 6:8
1:
1:1-2:3
(34 p'sukim)
2: 2:4-19
(16 p'sukim)
3: 2:20-3:21
(27 p'sukim)
4: 3:22-4:18
(21 p'sukim)
5: 4:19-22
(4 p'sukim)
6: 4:23-5:24
(28 p'sukim)
7: 5:25-6:8
(16 p'sukim)
READING
1
CHAPTER
1
1
First the Mighty One shaped the expanse including the earth.
2
Now the earth was a formless, an empty waste, only darkness
rested on the face of the depth and the living forced of the Mighty One,
rested upon the face of the volatile fluid.
3
And the Mighty One commanded there be light and there was radiant
illumination.
4
The Mighty One beheld that the light was indeed good, and He made
distinction between the light and the obscurity of darkness.
5
Elohiym, the Mighty One, proclaimed the light "day,"
and the darkness He called "night." Thus there was evening and
there was morning, day one.
6
And the Mighty One said, "Let there be a space between the
waters so as to set apart waters from waters."
7
So the Mighty formed this life enhancing environment which
separates the waters under this sphere from the waters above it. And
therefore it shall continue to exist.
8
The Mighty One called the expanse of space, the heavens. And
there was evening, and there was morning—day two.
9
And the Mighty One, Elohiym, commanded, "Let the water under
the heavens pool to one place and let dry ground appear." And thus
it came to exist.
10
Elohiym called the dry ground “terrain” and the pooled waters
he called "seas." Elohiym saw that it was good.
11
Then the Mighty One, commanded the earth, "Burst forth with
many grasses and diverse green plants: seed-bearing plants and trees in
the fertile earth, bearing
fruit with its seed faithful to their various kinds." And thus it
was formed and designed to continue.
READING
TWO
12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed faithful to
their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it faithful to their
kinds. The Mighty One saw this as good.
13
And there was evening and there was morning… day three.
14
And Mighty commanded, "Let there be points of light in the
deep expanse of the heavens make separate the day and the night but let
these points of light serve as signs to mark appointed times and days
and for measurements of time.
15
They shall exist, in the depth of space, called heavens, to show
light upon the earth." And so it is to be.
16
Mighty formed two brighter lights…the greater light to govern
the day and the lesser light with the stars to have dominion in the
night.
17
Mighty appointed them in the expanse of the heavens to show their
light upon the earth so as to
18
have dominium in the day and in the night therefore dividing the
light in the midst of darkness. And the Mighty One saw that this was
good.
19
And again came evening and there was morning… day four.
20
And Mighty commanded the water should teem with living creatures,
let the air be filled with swarms of living things that fly across the
face of the heavens above the earth.
21
So the Mighty One created the great creatures of the sea and
every soul, every living and moving thing with which the waters teem,
according to their kinds and every winged bird according to its kind.
And Mighty saw that this was good.
22
Mighty blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in
number and fill the water in the seas and let the birds increase on the
earth."
READING
THREE
23
And there was evening and there was morning… day five.
24
And, Mighty said, "Let the land produce living creatures
according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the
ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it came
to exist.
25
The Mighty One, made the wild animals according to their kinds,
the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move
along the ground according to their kinds. And the Mighty One saw that
it was good.
26
Then Mighty said, "Let Us fashion earthling man with Our
likeness, with Our similitude and let them have dominion over the fish
of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the
earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27
So Mighty fashioned earthling man in His own image, in the image
of a mighty one, He formed him; male and female He fashioned them.
28
The Mighty One blessed them, commanding them, "Be fruitful
and increase exceedingly in number; replenish the earth and subduing it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea and the fling creatures of the
heavens and over every living creature that moves upon the ground."
29
Then Mighty avowed, "Behold, I give you every seed-bearing
plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree having fruit with
faithful seed within it shall be will be food for you.
30
And to all living of the earth and all the flying creatures of
the heavens and all the creatures that teem upon the ground…everything
that has the breath of life, I give every green vegetable for
food." And it will continue to exist as it was spoken.
31
The Mighty comprehended all that He had made and saw it as very
good. And there was evening and there was morning… day six.
READING
FOUR
CHAPTER
2
1
The heavens and the earth, with all their complexities, were
accordingly brought to completion.
2
The Mighty had finished the work He had been doing by the seventh
day; so on the seventh day He ceased and rested from all the work which
He had accomplished.
3
And then the Mighty blessed the seventh day and made it set it
apart because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had
made.
4
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were
created. When YHWH, the ETERNAL, the Mighty One, made the earth and the
heavens--
5
and no sprout of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no
plant of the field had yet sprung up for ETERNAL, the Mighty One, had
not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground,
6
but a mist arose from the earth and watered the whole surface of
the ground…
7
ETERNAL, the Mighty, formed earthly man from the clay of the
ground, breathing into his nostrils the breath of life and earthling man
became a living being.
8
Now ETERNAL, the Mighty, had established a garden in Pleasure
beforehand and there He put the earthling man He had formed.
9
And the ETERNAL, the Mighty, sprouted many kinds of trees to grow
out of the ground…trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for
food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil.
10
A river streamed out of Pleasure; from there it was separated
into four heads.
11
The name of the first river is Increase; it snaked around the
entire circle of the golden land of ‘Splendor’.
READING
FIVE
12
The ‘Splendorous gold’ of that land is good; there exists
aromatic resins and onyx as well.
13
The name of the second river is the ‘Bursting Forth’; it
winds through the entire Black land called in
Hebrew
,
Cush
.
14
The name of the third river is the ‘Rapid’ or
Tigris
; it runs along the east side of ‘the Step or Asshur. And the fourth
river is ‘Fruitfulness’ or
Euphrates
, yet in Hebrew, ‘Perath’.
15
ETERNAL, the Mighty One, took the earthling man and settled him
in the enclosure of ‘Pleasure’ to till, to labor and to guard it.
16
And ETERNAL, the Mighty, commanded the earthling man, "You
are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
17
but of the stock of the knowledge of good and evil you must not
eat of it, for in the day you eat of it, you will surely die an
everlasting death."
18
ETERNAL, the Mighty, commented, "It is not good for the
earthling man to be alone. I will make a conspicuous opposite for him
."
19
Now ETERNAL, the Mighty, had formed out of the earthen clay all
the beasts of the field and all the birds of the heavens. He brought
them to the earthling man to see what he would call them and whatever
the earthling man called each living creature was its fame, its glory,
its memorial name.
20
So the man gave such names to all the livestock, the birds of the
air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam or earthling man, no
suitable helper was found.
21
So ETERNAL, the Mighty, caused the earthling man to fall into a
deep unconsciousness. And while the man
was anesthetized He took one of the man's ribs and closed up the flesh
place below.
22
Then ETERNAL, the Mighty, fabricated a woman from the rib He had
taken out of the man and He brought her unto the earthling man.
23
The earthling man said, "This is now substance of my
substance and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called the delicate mortal
because out from a mortal man she was taken."
24
Over this basis will a man leave his father and mother and be
joined to his woman and they shall become one flesh.
25
Although the earthling man and his woman were full naked, they
stood in no dishonor.
READER:
HafTarah:
YesheYahu (Isa) 42:5 - 25
5
This is what the Mighty One, the ETERNAL intends-- He who shaped
the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all
that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those
who walk on it:
6
"I, ETERNAL, have called you in rightness; I will take hold
of your hand. I will keep you and will give you to be a covenant, an
alliance for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
7
opening eyes that are blind, freeing captives from their bonds,
releasing captives from prison houses those who dwell in secret
darkness.
8
"I am YHWH, the ETERNAL; that is My Name! I will not give My
glory to another or My adoration to imagery.
9
See, those first things have taken place, but now I declare new
things. Yes, before they spring into being I announce them to you."
10
Sing to ETERNAL a new song, a song of praise sing from the very
extremities of the earth, you who go down to the sea with its fullness,
the coast lands, and all who reside there.
11
Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the
settlements where darkness lives be overcome and cry out. Let the
residents of ‘The Rock’ on the mountain peak cry out aloud.
12
Appoint the coast lands to proclaim abundantly to ETERNAL.
13
The ETERNAL, like a mighty man, will come forth, like a man of
war He will stir up His fervent zeal; with a shout He will raise the
battle cry and will triumph over His adversaries.
14
"For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and
held Myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp
and pant.
15
I will desolate the mountains and hills and dry up all their
vegetation; I will turn rivers into dry land and wither the marshes.
16
I will walk the blind in ways they have not known, along
unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will appoint darkness as light for
the faces and make the crooked straight. These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
17
But He will drive back to shame those who put their trust in
iconic imagery while pouring out drink offerings will chant proudly,
saying, 'You are our God,'.
18
" The deaf Hear with understanding, the blind look and may
see!
19
Because who is blind if (he is) my servant, or deaf if he is sent
as My messenger? Who is blind that makes peace, or blind as the servant
of ETERNAL?
20
You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears
are open, but you hear nothing."
21
ETERNAL is pleased for the sake of righteousness He magnifies His
Torah and causes it to be majestic.
22
But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in
pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to
rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, "Send
them back."
23
Which of you will listen to this or hear so as to give full
understanding in the times to come?
24
Who handed Supplanter over to become pillage, and pillage those
who prevail as Mighty? Was it not ETERNAL, against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow his ways; they did not hear with understanding
and obey His Torah.
25
So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed
them, but they refused to fully internalize it.
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