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Thought for the Day: Rabeinu Bachya on Why the Torah Begins with the Narrative of Creation

There is an underlying assumption is that the primary purpose of the Torah is to teach us the mitzvos. The meaning of it's root word is, after all, to document teachings/instructions. Rashi bring from Chazal that R' Yitzchak says the Torah begins with the narrative of Creation is to fulfill:

כֹּ֣חַ מַֽ֖עֲשָׂיו הִגִּ֣יד לְעַמּ֑וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָ֜הֶ֗ם נַֽחֲלַ֥ת גּוֹיִֽם

The power of His deeds He tells to His nation, to give to them the inheritance of nations.

Rashi goes on to explain the second part of the verse; something the UN ought to heed. R' Bachya, however, takes a different approach. R' Bachya says that our entire system of our belief traces all of its roots to one source of all: the belief in the creation - ex nihilo - of reality.

How so? The creation includes: creation of everything ex nihilo/בריאה (but still void and without form), the formation of everything/יצירה (giving form and function; also translated as "creation" by Google), and the running of the system/עשיה. from that there is design and purpose. When we see השגחה/oversight/supervision, that is a demonstration and testimony to creation. Reward and punishment are demonstrations and testimony to השגחה/oversight/supervision. Prophecy, of course, also is a demonstration and testimony to השגחה/oversight/supervision. It is via prophecy -- HaShem's direction communication with mankind that we know what we need to do to fulfill the Will of the Creator, and what we need to refrain and distance ourselves from.

The Torah, therefore, begins with events that clearly demonstrate all of these. Man is put into Gan Eden when he is innocent and then banished when he sins. The sin of murder by Kayin is swiftly punished, and the life of Chanoch, who walked with HaShem, is rewarded. The punishment of an entire generation who brought the flood on themselves, and the saving of Noach who was righteous and found favor in HaShem's eyes.

From here, continues R' Bachya, we see that our entire system of belief and faith follow from a profound belief and faith that our reality was created ex nihilo/בריאה. With that, we can go back up the chain: creation demands there will be השגחה/oversight/supervision. השגחה/oversight/supervision demands there will be reward and punishment. It also demands, clearly, that there will prophecy to tell us clearly what HaShem wants for us. The ultimate prophecy is the complete revelation of everything what HaShem wants for us -- our Holy Torah.

Therefore, concludes R' Bachya, the Torah must begin with the creation ex-nihilo of the world:

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹקים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ

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