Viewing the Creation Story of Genesis with a new eye!

We will post a full interpretation of the Creation Story of Genesis as discussed at Priesty and the Witch gathering #2.  The updated class handout notes are below!

Gathering #2

March 24-25, 2012

The Creation Stories/Lessons

There is a sound Rabbinic doctrine which states: “Accept the true from whatever source it come.”

Besides drawing from our own training we have used the following sources that you may be able to access for further information:

1) Popularly known as the Hertz Chumash, this classic Hebrew-English edition of the Five Books of Moses, with corresponding Haftorahs, is used in synagogues and classrooms throughout the English-speaking world.  In this compact volume, the late Chief Rabbi of England, Rabbi Dr. Joseph Hertz, provides readers with a lucid exposition of the text and the spiritual and ethical teachings of the Torah, culled from a wide range of scholarly literature. The Hertz Chumash contains the full Hebrew text, line-by-line English translation, and the classic Hertz commentary, complete with all the Haftorahs for holidays and special Sabbaths. 2) Hebrew text of the Book of Genesis based on the Codex Leningrad. 3) Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible, Benner.

Judeo/Christian Creation Story: Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

A note on the Hebrew use of the word translated into ‘In the beginning’: the Hebrew word for ‘beginning’ and the word for ‘head’ is ראש (pronounced ‘rosh’). It is translated by Benner as ‘summit’ -the height, ‘head’ -top of the body, the first of a succession.  God/Elohim –that which comprehends and unifies all the forces of eternity and infinity. ‘the heaven and the earth’ –The visible world; that which is above (heaven), and that which is below (earth).

2 Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.

‘the earth’ –The material out of which the universe is formed. ‘formless and void’ –disordered and empty of purpose. ‘darkness’ –that which obscures the perception/ability ‘to see’ clearly.  ‘face’ –rendered in the plural in Hebrew, better: surfaces or appearances.  ‘deep’ –rendered ‘deep-sea’ in Hebrew, expression: 'the unknown' sometimes ‘the abyss’ or ‘an expanse that is filled with darkness’.  ‘spirit’ –in theology understood as ‘the intellect and will’ of a being.  ‘hovered’ -as an eagle hovers over its young to protect.  ‘the waters’ -in the below: the life-force itself/which is always life in essence, but can take many forms…in the above: thought which is always thought but can organize into many ideas.

3 And God said: “Let there be light.” And there was light.

‘And God said’ –a figurative equivalent of “God willed.”  ‘light’ –not ‘sunlight’ here, instead ‘that which dispels the darkness.’ Here ‘light’ can be better understood as comprehension, more as comprehension which leads to ordered action that reduces confusion and chaos. 

4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

‘that it was good’ –expression: ‘fulfills the will of the Creator.’

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

‘one day’ –Not an ordinary day but a Day of God, an age.  With Him a thousand years, nay a thousand thousand ages,  are but a day that is past…human measurement of time, by a clock of human manufacture, cannot apply…the beginning of each period of creation is called morning, it’s close evening; in the same way, we speak of the morning and evening of life. 

Now Let’s look at a translation of the first five verses of the Genesis in light of the commentary of Hertz, et al:

In the summit of mind, that which we call God (that which is inexhaustible Wisdom and unlimited Power to order material and intellectual chaos) created all that is perceivable. Now the material out of which the Universe is formed existed as unorganized molecules (and the intellect of the people as confusion) without innate ability or desire to order themselves towards a higher purpose.  Disorder and confusion obscured the vast potential of the material Universe and the human mind.  And the Power of God (comprehension and  order) protected the manifestations of the life and thought that had not fully matured and developed. And that which we call God willed that matter have purpose and mind have intelligence.  And it is Truth that purpose and intelligence fulfills the aim of creation.  And it is Truth that comprehension and order are separated from confusion and disorder by a primordial divide. It is Truth that desire to understand and organize marks the beginning of a new age and that confusion, disorder and the lack of desire to understand and organize leads to the ending of life.  

Does this modify your perspective on the creation lesson of Genesis? Have you heard the creation explained this way in your spirituality? Tell us (click here) on our Facebook page!