Samantha,
Celebrating becoming a Bat Mitzvah on
this very first Shabbat following the chagim, our fall Jewish holy days, is very
special. As you mentioned in your d’var Torah today, you read from the book,
Bereishit, also known in English as the Book of Genesis which starts with the
story of creation. You already spoke
about the themes in the story of creation that you found relevant to your own
life. I am going to suggest a few other
religious truths and ethical imperatives that we can learn from the story of
creation. These are ideas that I
gathered from the works of Rabbi Robert Gordis, z’l, who was a professor of
Bible at the Jewish Theological Seminary long before you were ever born!
Here are the religious truths:
1) The
world has a plan and a purpose known only to G-d. If we look at verse 1 of Bereishit, we notice
that the world is the “handiwork of one G-d who created the world in accordance
with His will.” By this account, the
universe is not an accident, it is the “product of a Divine Intelligence.” We
might be able to understand what took place, but we cannot understand the
cosmic plan or purpose. The most we can do is speculate about G-d’s purpose. G-d’s plan is beyond human power to grasp.
2) All
life is holy and important. “The process of creation underscores the unity
and holiness of all life, for the Creator blessed the so-called lower orders of
creation in words identical with the benediction pronounced upon the human
race.” (Verse 28) What are the practical
implications of this religious truth? We
cannot treat animals cruelly nor inflict them with unnecessary pain. That value is called tzaar baalei chayim and
it even impacts the way in which we consume food.
3) Males
and females are equal in G-d’s plan. Verse 29
of Chapter 1 states, “ G-d created the human being in his image, in the image
of G-d He created him, male and female did he create them.” The implication of this truth is that all
human beings are equally sacred and to be equal in status.
4) Every
human being is fashioned “in the Divine image.” When this metaphor is analyzed it means
that we too have the capacity to create and to use reason when acting.
5) Human
beings are responsible for ruling the created world. “G-d blessed them and G-d said to them, “Be
fruitful and multiply, and fill the Earth and subdue it; and have dominion over
the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing
that moves upon the Earth.” (verse 21)
This is not about having a license to destroy the Earth and its
lifeforms. It is about our responsibility to conserve the resources that are
here. We are supposed to be responsible rulers of the world of nature, not
ruthless tyrants.
6) The
world is good. “And G-d saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very
good.” (verse 31) This attitude is a very positive one about the fact that we
view life as a blessing. If we introduce
greed and cruelty into daily life, then the world will not seem good and
beautiful to us. The rabbis saw challenges in life and declared that much of
the time when we find evil in the world it is actually a result of humans who
pervert creation. We are able to help
the world by trying to restore its beauty and goodness.
These six
religious truths lay the ground for several fundamental ethical principles that
are also based on the first chapter of Genesis.
1) By
saying that only one human being was the source of all human life the Torah
teaches us that saving one life is equal to saving an entire world.
2)If we have a single ancestor, no one can say, “My ancestor is
greater than yours.”
3)If we believe in the dignity of each human being, then it
follows that each individual has the right to liberty and equality and a
claim to justice.
Some might look at the Book of Genesis and worry that it is not
scientifically relevant. I would suggest
as did Rabbi Gordis, that Genesis “sets forth the fundamentals of religion and
the essentials of ethics for humanity.”
It provides a true message that has endured for generations. These are
truths that you already know. The
differences between people are G-d given and important. The distinctions between people are not
merely legitimate but when they are properly utilized and expressed, those
differences become valuable resources for the enrichment of human life and
culture. All people have the right to justice. All people have the right and duty to enjoy
G-d’s world and its blessings. As
individuals we must take responsibility for our actions. Without such responsibility the world becomes
chaotic.
I hope Samantha, that as you take on your
role within the adult Jewish world, that you will continue to value the
importance of treating all humans with respect.
I hope that you will continue to place a value on not bringing pain to
animals. And I trust that you will
always work to help perfect the world through acts of tzedakah and gemilut
chasadim/acts of loving kindness. You
come from a family that has instilled these values within you and you come from
a religious tradition that commands us to act ethically towards one another no
matter what our race, religion, or gender is.
We are commanded to treat the environment that G-d created with care and
respect. You spoke beautifully about
what this parsha means to you. May it
continue to have meaning for you in the days and years to come. And may this day always hold special meaning
in your life. You have worked hard
during very uncertain times to be able to stand before us via Zoom today and
lead us as an adult member of this community. To date, you are my first student
who studied only via Zoom from 3 different states during a pandemic, Nebraska,
Missouri, and New Jersey! I admire you for your flexibility and
tenacity. Mazel Tov! I want to wish a
mazel tov also to your mother and grandmother who have worked diligently to
bring you to this day! May you always see the radiance of Torah values
radiating within Samantha’s eyes.
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