We know that every word of the Torah contains infinite wisdom. One could dedicate many lifetimes to even just one word of the Torah. While this is true of every word, probably the Torah’s most studied word is the first word in the Torah, Bereishis: In the Beginning. It has never failed to amaze me how many secrets are lurking in this one word. Likewise, every year I am astounded to find new insights and lessons here in very first word of the Torah.
My wonderful friend and talmid, Mr. Mendy Schwartz, shared with me some new ideas that I am delighted to pass along to you. For example, it is now the universal custom that we start reading the Torah again in shul the first Shabbos after Simchas Torah. How fascinating that the word bereishis, with its individual letters beis, reish, alef, shin, yud and saf is an acronym for Yikra’u b’Shabbos rishon achar Simchas Torah.
Rav Yonason Steif, zt”l, cites a Medrash stating that the letter shin denotes learning Torah, for shin stands for shinun, which means to learn. He points out that if you take the shin that signifies learning from the word bereishis, the remaining letters equal taryag. Taryag denotes the 613 mitzvos of the Torah because it’s gematria is 613. Thus, the very first word in the Torah indicates our mission to learn the 613 mitzvos.
As the Vilna Gaon has taught, all 613 mitzvos are alluded to in the word bereishis. For example, Bereishis refers to pidyon haben for it is an acronym of “Ben rishon achar shloshim yomim tifdeh – One’s first son after thirty days he should redeem.”
One of the highlights of a Jewish man’s day is the public sanctification of Hashem’s Name. He does this with the answering of, “Amein, yehei shemei rabbah…” And Bereishis stands for, “Ameim, yehei shemei rabbah b’kol tefillah.”
We all know that the three cardinal sins of Judaism are idolatry, immorality and bloodshed. Less known is the fourth cardinal sin: to embarrass someone publicly. For this heinous crime, the Gemara in Tractate Sanhedrin tells us that the habitual perpetrator is stripped of his afterlife. Thus, in the first word of the Torah Hashem warns us about this terrible crime because we find that the words yorei boshes, which is a directive to be ever fearful from embarrassing someone, is an anagram of Bereishis.
We also know that the very survival of the Jewish people hinges upon Shabbos observance. When a family is so assimilated that they don’t even observe Shabbos, sadly intermarriage is only a few steps away. Thus, Bereishis is also an acronym of yorei Shabbos, be ever mindful of the Shabbos.
The last Mishna in the Talmud teaches us that every righteous person is destined in the afterlife to inherit shai olomos, 310 (shin plus yud) worlds of pleasure. Thus, the word Bereishis is anagram of borosa shai – He created 310 worlds (and not just one world). It is for this reason that tribe of Torah is called Yisasschar, for it is an anagram of shai schar, the reward is 310.
It is well known that the Vilna Gaon states that the word Bereishis is an acronym for the six most important pursuits of life: bitachon, ratzon, ahavah, shtika, yirah and Torah. These are trust in Hashem; the proper will to do the right things in life; the correct kind of love such as love for Hashem, a spouse and a fellow man and the proper ways to love oneself; knowing when to keep silent; fear of Hashem; and the study of Torah. I have seen different versions from the Gaon. In another, the saf stands for tefillah and the shin stands for either simcha or shkeidah, diligence.
One of my favorite anagrams for the Bereishis is Rashi savo! The first word of the Torah informs us that the great teacher of Torah, Rashi, will come and unlock many meanings of the Torah for us.
Bereishis is also b’Alef Tishrei. The world was created on the 25th of Elul, and man, the purpose of creation, was created six days later on the first day of Tishrei, which is Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the year.
This is just a sample to whet your appetite of the many more secrets that are lurking in just one word. May it be the will of Hashem that we have long life and good health to enjoy the sweetness of the Torah until the coming of the Moshiach, speedily and in our day.