BH
The Baal Tshuva in the Parsha
Bereshit : Adam the Dust of Tshuva
Bereshit: “In the beginning" (Genesis 1:1) so does "The Book", of all books begin.
"In the Beginning"....very impressive. Who but Gd can tell of, "The Beginning".
How so wondrous, eloquent, profound and yet, so clear.
Only Gd can have come up with words so simple and yet absolute for a book that describes the very beginning.
Regarding Man's beginning, we find the Bible describe the creation of Man in the verse (Genesis 2:7): “V’yetzar Hashem Elokim Afar Min Ho'Adama ....And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground.... (Koran Chumash)."
Rashi comments on the word "dust of the ground": a) He [Gd] gathered his [man] dust from the entire earth....so that in whatever place he [man] may die it [the earth] should receive him for burial. b) He [Gd] took his dust from the place of which it is said (Ex.20.21): "an alter of earth thou shall make unto me," [i.e. from the spot where the Temple and altar were later to stand]: ...that it may be atonement for him that he might be able to endure. (Chumash S.S. & R Publishing).
Rabbi Baruch Epstein (Torah Timima Chumash) quotes this second idea in Rashi from Rabbi Yudin Ben Pazzi (Talmud Yerushalmi Nazir 87 H.2): who says that, "Min Afar ....of the dust" and not all of the dust, Gd took dust from the earth of the place of the altar and created man with it. Gd said " let he be made from the place of the altar and he will survive".
If man sins he will have a chance to atone for his sins and survive, through "Korbonot" sacrifices.
In his commentary, Rabbi Baruch Epstein explains that this refers not only to the dust of the altar but the entire Land of Israel, that atones those buried in it.
That Gd took dust from the Land of Israel and made man.
(He also reconciles the contraction of the two explanations brought in Rashi how man was made from both: a) dust of the entire earth 2) dust of the altar. )
Yet, we do see from this regardless to the meaning "of dust of the earth”, whether the entire earth or the earth of the altar, that Gd saw man would sin, and die and need a burial place.
And that man would sin and need atonement.
We see here that the process of Tshuva is actual incorporated in Mans very body of creation. He, man was not made of the earth of the "Garden of Eden” where he would eventually be chased out of (Genesis 3:23) but of dust that foretells, sin, death, repentance and atonement.
Thus not only was free choice given to man and good and bad was put into creation, so that a choice can be made. (See commentary on the words "Tov Moed Genesis 1:31): “which refers to the Yetzer Hora”).
But he himself was made in a way that atonement i.e. Tshuva is in his very being.
However he has a choice: The "Tshuva of the Tzadik" -Righteous or the "Tshuva of the Wicked r'l.
He can come to Tshuva through sinning as the wicked and then return.
Or as the righteous do, whose Tshuva means serving Gd better "Bchahli Yatter -with more vitality" (Zohar).
(See Zohar who explains that Moshiach will bring the righteous to Tshuva)
Or as explained by Rabbi Shneir Zelman of Liadi (Lekutie Torah) that tshuva applies to all Jews as it refers to the soul returning to its source after descending upon this earth.
Interesting to note that Rabbi SZ offers a novel interpretation (Torah Ohr Bereshit 6) regarding man being made of dust:
He likens it to the dust of the altar during the time of King Solomon. As a large fire that attracts smaller flames and candles to it. The altar / temple in Kings’ Solomon era attracted the people of world to G-dliness.
No need for Jews to go into exile to make "Tikkun Ha'olam" but rather the world comes to the Jews for answers. As the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon with her questions that he solved and No'amo the Ammonite converted through him.
Thus the purpose of creation of man is to make a Baal Tshuva of him.
One might even say that the entire Book of Bereshit and the entire Bible can be described as a Divine record of mans progress in; "Tshuva".
First there is "The Divine Command", then the failure to obey it, then self denial of such failure. Followed by an attempt to achieve that self awareness of failure. Achieving that self awareness and the working to correct what has been broken.
The extent of that self awareness of wrong doing and the person has of the consequence of the sin they have caused, will ultimately be the drive and measure; degree of redemption they will strive achieve.
In a sense "Life" in the Bible is about understanding where you are in your level of understanding of G-d.
Not only about man and his actions and choices between good and bad or right and wrong, but of achieving understanding of Gds Divine plan and what level you are at in accomplishing your part in it.
To search within for your own level of self awareness of Gd and the degree that sense is part of your life.
This entire process; The tools to make the right or wrong choices- redemption for self and creation are all contained within the very fabric of Man’s creation.
Adam is the Dust of Tshuva
The Baal Tshuva in the Parsha
Bereshit : Adam the Dust of Tshuva
Bereshit: “In the beginning" (Genesis 1:1) so does "The Book", of all books begin.
"In the Beginning"....very impressive. Who but Gd can tell of, "The Beginning".
How so wondrous, eloquent, profound and yet, so clear.
Only Gd can have come up with words so simple and yet absolute for a book that describes the very beginning.
Regarding Man's beginning, we find the Bible describe the creation of Man in the verse (Genesis 2:7): “V’yetzar Hashem Elokim Afar Min Ho'Adama ....And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground.... (Koran Chumash)."
Rashi comments on the word "dust of the ground": a) He [Gd] gathered his [man] dust from the entire earth....so that in whatever place he [man] may die it [the earth] should receive him for burial. b) He [Gd] took his dust from the place of which it is said (Ex.20.21): "an alter of earth thou shall make unto me," [i.e. from the spot where the Temple and altar were later to stand]: ...that it may be atonement for him that he might be able to endure. (Chumash S.S. & R Publishing).
Rabbi Baruch Epstein (Torah Timima Chumash) quotes this second idea in Rashi from Rabbi Yudin Ben Pazzi (Talmud Yerushalmi Nazir 87 H.2): who says that, "Min Afar ....of the dust" and not all of the dust, Gd took dust from the earth of the place of the altar and created man with it. Gd said " let he be made from the place of the altar and he will survive".
If man sins he will have a chance to atone for his sins and survive, through "Korbonot" sacrifices.
In his commentary, Rabbi Baruch Epstein explains that this refers not only to the dust of the altar but the entire Land of Israel, that atones those buried in it.
That Gd took dust from the Land of Israel and made man.
(He also reconciles the contraction of the two explanations brought in Rashi how man was made from both: a) dust of the entire earth 2) dust of the altar. )
Yet, we do see from this regardless to the meaning "of dust of the earth”, whether the entire earth or the earth of the altar, that Gd saw man would sin, and die and need a burial place.
And that man would sin and need atonement.
We see here that the process of Tshuva is actual incorporated in Mans very body of creation. He, man was not made of the earth of the "Garden of Eden” where he would eventually be chased out of (Genesis 3:23) but of dust that foretells, sin, death, repentance and atonement.
Thus not only was free choice given to man and good and bad was put into creation, so that a choice can be made. (See commentary on the words "Tov Moed Genesis 1:31): “which refers to the Yetzer Hora”).
But he himself was made in a way that atonement i.e. Tshuva is in his very being.
However he has a choice: The "Tshuva of the Tzadik" -Righteous or the "Tshuva of the Wicked r'l.
He can come to Tshuva through sinning as the wicked and then return.
Or as the righteous do, whose Tshuva means serving Gd better "Bchahli Yatter -with more vitality" (Zohar).
(See Zohar who explains that Moshiach will bring the righteous to Tshuva)
Or as explained by Rabbi Shneir Zelman of Liadi (Lekutie Torah) that tshuva applies to all Jews as it refers to the soul returning to its source after descending upon this earth.
Interesting to note that Rabbi SZ offers a novel interpretation (Torah Ohr Bereshit 6) regarding man being made of dust:
He likens it to the dust of the altar during the time of King Solomon. As a large fire that attracts smaller flames and candles to it. The altar / temple in Kings’ Solomon era attracted the people of world to G-dliness.
No need for Jews to go into exile to make "Tikkun Ha'olam" but rather the world comes to the Jews for answers. As the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon with her questions that he solved and No'amo the Ammonite converted through him.
Thus the purpose of creation of man is to make a Baal Tshuva of him.
One might even say that the entire Book of Bereshit and the entire Bible can be described as a Divine record of mans progress in; "Tshuva".
First there is "The Divine Command", then the failure to obey it, then self denial of such failure. Followed by an attempt to achieve that self awareness of failure. Achieving that self awareness and the working to correct what has been broken.
The extent of that self awareness of wrong doing and the person has of the consequence of the sin they have caused, will ultimately be the drive and measure; degree of redemption they will strive achieve.
In a sense "Life" in the Bible is about understanding where you are in your level of understanding of G-d.
Not only about man and his actions and choices between good and bad or right and wrong, but of achieving understanding of Gds Divine plan and what level you are at in accomplishing your part in it.
To search within for your own level of self awareness of Gd and the degree that sense is part of your life.
This entire process; The tools to make the right or wrong choices- redemption for self and creation are all contained within the very fabric of Man’s creation.
Adam is the Dust of Tshuva
