Parashas Bereishis
The Midrash in Bereishis Rabbah 1:1 calls the Torah the blueprint of creation. The Maggid says this means that Hashem crafted the world specifically as a medium through which the Torah’s laws can operate. Take, for example, the concept of property. Among the heavenly hosts there are no property owners, except, of course, for Hashem Himself, who owns all His creations. Similarly, within the animal kingdom, there are no property owners; all the animals have equal “rights” to whatever food is available. Consistency would dictate that there be no concept of property at all. Yet, within the human realm, there is a concept of property. Why did Hashem make the world this way? He did so in order to give effect to certain Torah laws, such as the prohibition against stealing and coveting others’ property, the obligation to give charity and lend items to others who need them, and so on.
The Maggid draws an analogy to a person hiring an artisan to do some complex work in his home. The employer must prepare a work room for the artisan and equip it with the requisite tools. Similarly, in order to enable the Torah to function within the world, Hashem had to equip the world with the requisite features. Thus, the Torah dictated how the world should be set up, and hence served as the blueprint of creation.
The Midrash in Bereishis Rabbah 1:10 relates:
For twenty-six generations the letter alef complained to Hashem, saying: “Master of the Universe! I am the first letter in the alphabet, but not not create Your world with me [rather, Hashem used the letter beis, with which Bereishis begins].” Replied Hashem: “The world and all it contains was created solely for the sake of the Torah, as it is written (Mishlei 3:19): ‘Hashem founded the world upon wisdom.’ In the future, I will be giving the Torah at Sinai, and I will begin the revelation with you, as it is written (Shemos 20:2): ‘I (anochi – beginning with an alef) am Hashem, your God.’”
The letter alef was upset over not having been the letter used to create the world. Hashem’s plan to begin the revelation at Sinai with the alef did not preclude using the alef also for the creation of the world. How, then, Hashem’s reply calm the alef down?
Hashem was telling the alef that the Torah is His primary creation, while the world is a subordinate. The sole function of the world is to serve as a medium for Torah. Hence, the alef has no reason to complain, for, in fact, Hashem gave it the true lead position.
David Zucker, Site Administrator
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