The first section of the Tora, Bereshit, describes the creation of the world and humanity. It starts with the story of how HaShem created the universe in six days and then rested on the seventh day.

At the beginning, HaShem created the universe, including a special planet: Earth. On the first day, HaShem made sunlight shine on the Earth, creating what we now know as “day” and “night.”

On the second day, God separated the waters above (the clouds) from the waters below (the oceans), creating an atmosphere that allows the water cycle (evaporation and precipitation).

On the third day, HaShem made the dry land appear from beneath the oceans, forming the surface of our planet. On this land, which now had sunlight and rain, God created all kinds of plants and trees.

On the fourth day, HaShem placed the sun, moon, and stars in their orbits to light the Earth and mark the seasons, days, months, and years.

On the fifth day, HaShem filled the waters with the first animals, like fish and birds.

On the sixth day, HaShem created mammals, and later that day, He created humans. The first human, Adam, was given a special ability (neshamá) to understand and choose to follow or disobey God’s commands. The first command given to humans was to rule over all creation. HaShem blessed humans, instructing them to multiply and fill the Earth.

On the seventh day, HaShem completed His creation and sanctified this day, declaring it as Shabbat.

The Tora then tells the story of the first humans. Adam was created from the dust of the earth, and HaShem breathed the breath of life into his nostrils. God created a beautiful garden in the east of Eden for Adam to live in, instructing him to work and care for it. In the garden, HaShem planted two special trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God allowed Adam to eat from any tree in the garden except the Tree of Knowledge, warning him that eating from it would lead to death.

God brought animals to Adam to name them, but none were suitable as a companion. Seeing that Adam was lonely, HaShem put him into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and created a woman, Eve. Adam recognized that Eve was “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,” and they lived in the garden without shame about being unclothed.

The serpent, the cleverest of all animals, tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. She then gave some to Adam. After eating the fruit, they realized their nakedness and covered themselves with fig leaves. HaShem confronted Adam and Eve about their disobedience. As a result, HaShem cursed the serpent, increased Eve’s childbirth pain, and decreed that Adam would have to work hard for the earth to produce food. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating from the Tree of Life and living forever.

After their expulsion, Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Both brought offerings to HaShem: Abel offered the best of his flock, while Cain offered some of his leftover crops. HaShem accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s, which made Cain jealous of his brother. Cain killed Abel and was punished by HaShem to become a wanderer on Earth. Despite this, God placed a mark on Cain to protect him from being killed by others.

The Parasha concludes with a genealogy tracing ten generations from Adam, highlighting Enoch, who “walked with HaShem,” and ends with Noah, who “found favor in the eyes of God” amidst a corrupt generation.

FOR KIDS: 7 Questions for Bereshit (adapted from Chabad.org)

1. What did HaShem create on the third day of creation?
   • Light and darkness
   • Dry land and vegetation
   • Stars and the sun
2. From which fruit did God tell Adam not to eat?
   • The fruit of the Tree of Life
   • The fruit of the Tree of Knowledge
   • The fruit of the Magical Tree
3. Why was the first woman called Eve (Chavá)?
   • Because of the phrase “Am Israel Chai”
   • Because she was in “a constant state of joy” (hava nagila)
   • Because she was “the mother of all life” (Chai)
4. What were Cain and Abel’s occupations?
   • Both were hunter-gatherers
   • Abel studied Tora, but Cain leaned towards hunting
   • Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd
5. Who said the phrase: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
   • Adam, who expressed gratitude to HaShem for making him an only child
   • Abel, who was ashamed of how Cain acted out of jealousy
   • Cain, who murdered his brother and didn’t want to admit it
6. What was the name of the third son born to Adam and Eve?
   • Shet (Seth) (“because HaShem has given me another child”)
   • Lemech (“what is the purpose of life on Earth?”)
   • There was no third son, only Cain and Abel

GRATITUDE

The first thing that our Parasha mentions is the commandment of the Bikurim, that is, bringing the first fruits that are harvested, to the Temple in Jerusalem. This act of thanksgiving to God for the land and its products applies to the seven fruits and products that characterize the land of Israel: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. When the farmer arrives at the Temple, he recites a prayer of gratitude to God and presents the fruits to the priests. In our days, when we do not have the Temple anymore, one of the ways to thank God for what He grants us is by reciting the blessings for food. For example, there are six blessings that we say before eating. Each of these blessings refers to a particular type of food: 1. There is a specific blessing for bread (hamotsi lechem min haarets). 2. Another blessing, exclusively for wine (boré perí haguefen), 3. For the fruits of the land (boré perí ha-adama vegetables, vegetables, legumes, etc.). 4. For tree fruits (boré perí haets). 5. The blessing for products made with flour (boré miné mezonot), and finally 6. For all other types of food (sheakol nihyiá bidbaró, water, candy, ice cream, etc.). In this way, through these blessings, we continue to thank God for the privilege of having what to eat, as we did with the Bikkurim.

SHARING

The Tora mentions the tithes, like a 10% tax, which Jewish farmers were required to separate from their produce. The produce was not given to the State for redistribution, like US taxes, but was distributed directly from the farmer to the Priests, the Levites and the poor. During some harvest years, one of the tithes was taken to Jerusalem to be consumed by its owners there. All these rules for the farmer conclude with the declaration that all the duties of the tithes had been fulfilled, and with a beautiful prayer in which the Jewish farmer implores God to continue blessing the people of Israel and their land:  …וברך את עמך את ישראל ואת האדמה אשר נתתה   “O God, bless from heaven – Your holy abode – Your people Israel and the land You have given us, just as You promised our ancestors [that you will grant us] a land flowing with milk and honey.”

THE FULFILLMENT OF THE COVENANT

Moshe reminds the people to observe God’s commandments, the covenant Israel made with God:  Israel chose Israel to be his God, and God has chosen them to be His holy and protected nation. As a testimony to the covenant, Moshe instructs the leaders to take some large stones when crossing the Jordan River and to engrave the entire Tora on these stones. Another set of stones with the Torah engraved on them should also be erected on Mount Ebal. Moshe indicates that upon entering the land they have to proclaim the blessings and the curses (or warnings, tokhachot) on Mounts Gerizim and Ebal. The blessings will be granted to everyone who observes the Tora, and the curses will befall those who abandon it and do not behave properly with God and with their neighbor. The elders of the tribe of Levi will stand between the two mountains, and representatives of six tribes will stand on each mountain. The Levites and the Priests will then proclaim the blessings and warnings to the people.

BREACH OF THE COVENANT

Then the Tora dedicates a long text describing the hardships and suffering that will befall the Jews if they neglect the observance of the Covenant (in Hebrew: berit). The logic of this idea is as follows: as we previously saw, God is committed to protecting Israel as long as Israel behaves as God’s people. If the nation of Israel abandons the Covenant and walks away from God, is automatically moving away from Divine Protection, exposing itself to the mercy of its implacable enemies, who have no compassion for Israel. These tragic circumstances that vulnerable Israel will have to live, will begin with exile, when the Promised Land would organically “expel” its Jewish inhabitants, and would continue with the nations that receive the Jewish refugees. Many times these nations exploit their talents, and then abuse them, taking away their possessions and then their lives. In these circumstances, Divine protection is limited to the promise of collective survival, in other words, that God will never allow for the Jewish nation to disappear from the face of the Earth. God will receive the Jews back when they will reconsider and return to God [teshuba]. All these tragic warnings were already experienced by the Jewish people throughout its tragic history and especially during the Shoah.

To conclude and to illustrate the blessing of the Divine supervision of Israel, Moshe reminds the people of all the miracles that God has done for them, protecting them from the moment of their departure from Egypt until that very day.

This weekly section, KI TETSE, contains the largest number of precepts in the entire Tora: a total of 74 Mitzvot. We will now see some of these commandments.
Continuing with the topic of the previous Parasha, the laws of war, the Tora forbids a Jewish soldier to abuse a woman who is a prisoner of war (let’s say in passing that there is no precedent for such humane laws towards the enemy such as those indicated in the Torah). If a soldier desired a captive woman he had to formally marry her (after her conversion) and he could not mistreat her or discriminate against her in the future. She should become part of his family and the husband can not deny her rights or her children’s rights. All of these regulations were intended in the first place to discourage the soldier from cohabiting with the captive woman.
The Tora then explains the case of a son who is rebellious and extremely violent towards his parents and the theoretical possibility that he will be executed for his crimes against society.
The Tora discusses the laws of execution and the respect that must be given to a lifeless human body -even that of a criminal- that should be buried immediately. It was usual among other peoples and civilizations to expose the bodies of criminals in public, even for several days, so that the rest of the population could learn a lesson.
The laws of the return of lost property and the assistance that must be provided when an animal collapses under its load are described.
Cross-dressing is prohibited.
The Tora explains what to do when one finds a bird’s nest with eggs or chicks.
The laws regarding the safety fences and railings that must be built in places of risk, such as a roof, are detailed.
The law of tzitzit, the fringes on the corners of garments, is described.
The subject of adultery and rape is discussed. The Tora mentions the prohibition of incest and the case of Mamzer, or illegitimate child: that is particularly when a married woman (even if she has separated herself from her husband, but did not receive yet the Get, i.e., the official religious document of divorce) has a child with another man.
Some laws relating to marriage with other nations are described, specifying in which cases conversions are allowed and in which cases they are not.

The Tora explains the case of divorce. And the case of a newly married man who is exempt from serving in the army for the first year.
Some of the laws of loans and collateral are mentioned.
The Tora teaches the lender to be sensitive and compassionate towards the debtor.
The Tora also mentions the laws regarding wages and the right of the worker to receive his salary on time.
The Tora indicates that preferential treatment should be given to widows and orphans. In other civilizations, this preferential treatment was reserved for the nobles and the aristocracy. But the God of Israel cares for and protects the weakest.
The Tora teaches us to be honest in our business dealings and to make sure that the weights and measures that we use, as well as all our business practices, are fair and honest.
Finally, the Tora exhorts us to be aware of Amaleq, the archetype of the anti-Semite, and never forget that Amaleq’s intention is to eliminate us, as he tried to do when we left Egypt. Ignoring Amaleq’s anti-Semitic vocation, and its irrational hatred can be lethal for the individual Jew and for the Jewish people.

Parashat Bamidbar, the opening of the fourth book of the Tora, begins with a census ordered by God. Moses, the chosen leader, is tasked with this duty. Each tribe is represented by a leader or chief delegate, known as a “nasi,” adding to the significance of this event.
The Tora mentions the number of men over 20 serving in the military from each tribe, which also serves as a family census. Special duties were also assigned to the Levites, who did not participate in military service but carried out all the Tabernacle or Mishkan’s ritual and logistical aspects, as will be seen.

The Tora  presents the results of the census for each tribe, excluding the Tribe of Levi, which Moshe will count separately:
Tribe of Reuben: 46,500
Tribe of Shimon: 59,300
Tribe of Gad: 45,650
Tribe of Yehuda: 74,600
Tribe of Issakhar: 54,400
Tribe of Zebulun: 57,400
Tribe of Ephraim: 40,500
Tribe of Menashe: 32,200
Tribe of Binyamin: 35,400
Tribe of Dan: 62,700
Tribe of Asher: 41,500
Tribe of Naphtali: 53,400
The total number of men eligible for military service was 603,550.
HaShem bestows a special task upon the men of the Tribe of Levi: to care for the Mishkan, a mobile Sanctuary, and its utensils. This duty involves maintenance, dismantling, and transporting the Mishkan when the people move and rebuilding it when they encamp. The Levites are instructed to set up their tents in the center of the camp, closer to the Mishkan. At the same time, the other tribes are organized around them according to their respective groups and military formations.

Then, HaShem instructs Moses to conduct a separate census of the Tribe of Levi, and the final count is 22,000 individuals. The Tora also details the tasks assigned to each of the three families of the Tribe of Levi: Gershon, Qehat, and Merari.
At the end of the Parashah, Hashem appoints the Levites as His priests in place of the firstborns, as was the custom in those times. A “redemption ceremony” called “pidyon” is performed, which continues to be practiced to exempt firstborn males from priestly service.

Our Perasha Behar Sinai contains 24 commandments or Mitzvot. We will briefly look at some of them.

SEVENTH YEAR

God orders Moshe the Mitzvah of the Shemitah or sabbatical year: “When you arrive in the land that I am giving you, the land will observe a year of rest. For six years you will be able to sow your field, prune your vineyard and reap the harvest. But in the seventh year the land will have a year of rest… you shall not sow your field, nor prune your vineyard…”. God promises that if the people of Israel faithfully observe His laws, they will not lack food. I will “ordain My blessing for you in the sixth year so that the land may produce a harvest sufficient for three years.” That is, the sixth year will produce enough food for that year, and the next two years (during the eighth year, the land is plowed and sown, but it is not harvested until the end of the year. Which is why it is necessary that the sixth year would produce for three).

JUBILEE

The Torah also mentions the year of Jubilee or Yobel: Every 50 years the land is returned to its original owners. The land then was never sold in perpetuity but up to a maximum term of 50 years. Debts were also canceled in a similar way. All of this prevented some people from becoming too poor and others too rich in the long year. In the Jubilee year, all the slaves were freed, who at that time were the people who, given their poverty, were employed as servants to survive or to pay for their debts.

INTEGRITY

The laws of buying and selling objects and property must be followed with absolute integrity. It is forbidden to deceive or harm others financially. The Tora also indicates that one must avoid harming others with words that would damage them emotionally.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

When one of your Jewish brothers is in financial trouble and is forced to sell part of his property to support himself, the closest relative who can redeem that land must do it.   If a man has no one to redeem it or if he lacks sufficient means to recover it, what he sold will remain with the buyer just until the year of jubilee. The Parasha also refers to compassion and social justice: helping a fellow Jew who is in financial difficulty. It is necessary to prevent someone from falling into poverty, by offering them a loan that can sustain them financially. The Tora reminds us, however, of the prohibition against charging interest on a loan to a Jewish brother and the imperative to treat servants in a dignified and respectful manner. “For the children of Israel are My servants, whom I rescued from the land of Egypt. I am HaShem Your God.” The Parasha concludes with a final exhortation to observe the Shabbat day and to show the utmost respect for our Temples and Sanctuaries.

1. Jacob, also known as Ya’aqob, settles in Israel and has a favorite son named Yosef. Jacob gives Yosef a special tunic with many colors to show his favoritism. Yosef’s brothers envied him, and their hatred toward him grows when he tells them about his dreams of grandeur.

2. When Jacob sends Yosef to visit his brothers while they are tending their father’s flock, the brothers plan to kill him. Reuben suggests throwing him into a pit, but they ultimately sell him as a slave to some merchants traveling to Egypt. They take Yosef’s tunic and show it to their heartbroken father, who assumes a wild animal attacked Yosef. Jacob begins a 22-year mourning period for his beloved son.

3. Yehuda, one of Yosef’s brothers, marries the daughter of a local merchant and has three children. His first son, Er, marries a woman named Tamar but dies before having children. Yehuda gives his second son Onan to Tamar, but he also dies childless. Yehuda does not give his third child to Tamar, so she tricks him by dressing up as an indecent woman and becomes pregnant after he is with her. Tamar gives birth to twins Zerach and Perets.

4. Yosef is sold as a slave to Potiphar, an important officer of Pharaoh. Because God blesses him, Yosef is successful in everything he does and is also known for his good looks. Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Yosef, but he politely declines. Out of frustration, she falsely accuses Yosef of sexual assault and he is sent to prison.

5. In prison, Yosef meets two of Pharaoh’s officers with pending sentences. They both have strange dreams and Yosef interprets them, predicting that one of the officers will be found innocent and return to his job while the other will be executed. Yosef begs the innocent officer to remember him and help him get out of jail when he returns to his position. The officer is found innocent and returns to his job but forgets about Yosef.

FIRST ALIYA

Forty years after leaving Egypt, and shortly before entering the land of Israel, the Jews have just conquered the Emorites and the people of Bashan, who were in what is today northern Jordan. The one who sees this with great concern is Balak, the king of the neighboring town of Moab. He fears that his nation will be targeted by the Jewish army. He knows that the power of Israel does not consist of his army, but of his God. Balak then looks for a non-conventional way of weakening Israel.  He sends for Bil’am, a non-Jewish sorcerer,  famous for the effectiveness of his predictions and curses. Balaq asks him to come to him and curse the Jews. But God appears to Bil’am and orders him not to go to Moab. “You shall not curse the people, for Israel is blessed [by Me]!”

SECOND ALIYA

At the behest of the Divine request, Bil’am declines the invitation and does not proceed to Moab. But King Balak insists and suggests that he will reward him handsomely for his services. God allows Bil’am to accept the invitation, but warns him that he should only speak the words that God will put in his mouth.

THIRD ALIYA

Bil’am leaves the land of  Midian and goes to the kingdom of Balak. God sends an angel that Bil’am does not get to see. But Bil’am’s donkey registers the presence of the Divine angel, gets scared and refuses to go on. Bil’am hits his animal and miraculously —or in the form of a prophecy— the donkey communicates with Bil’am and reproaches him for hitting his animal. God then opens Bil’am’s eyes and allows him to see the angel. The angel questions Bil’am for his violence. And he once again exhorts him to only say what God tells him. Bil’am finally reaches Moab, where King Balak is waiting for him.

FOURTH ALIYA

Following Bil’am’s instructions, Balak builds seven altars and offers sacrifices to God. But God dictates to Bil’am in a poetic/prophetic way the exact words that he should address to Balak and his ministers: “From Aram, King Balak of Moab has brought me, from the mountains of the East and has asked me to curse Israel… But how could I curse those whom God has not cursed, and how would dare I invoke the wrath of God if He has not been angry with Israel?… “    And then he went on to pronounce blessings and praises to the Jewish people. Balak is angry at Bil’am’s blessings and reminds him to petition God only what he tells him.

FIFTH ALIYA

In an attempt to convince Bil’am to curse Israel, Balak takes him to another place, as if the change of location will inspire him to curse Israel. They build altars and offer sacrifices, but God again puts blessings for Israel into Bil’am’s mouth. “God [ loves Israel so much] that he ignores when they do not do the right thing, forgives them and sees no evil in Israel’s children.”

SIXTH ALIYA

Once again, Balak takes Bil’am to another place in the hope that he can curse the Jews from there. Despite the new altars and offerings, only beautiful blessings and praises come from the mouth of Bil’am: “How beautiful are your tents [the houses of the Jews], O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! … God, who brought them out of Egypt … will destroy the nations of the enemy… Those who bless them will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed. Balak loses his patience with Bil’am and asks him to leave empty handed.

SEVENTH ALIYA

Before leaving, Bil’am expresses a prophecy about the end of days: “I see it, but it would not be now; I contemplate it, but it won’t be soon. A star will come out of Jacob, and out of Israel will arise a staff that will defeat the princes of Moab and uproot the sons of Seth… ». He also speaks of the eventual destruction of Esav, Amalek and Assyria.

Bil’am’s plan to curse Israel, trying to get God to punish His people for their eventual sins, has failed. A new plan is then put into practice: the Moabite and Midianite women go to the camp of Israel to seduce the Jews and lure them into sexual activity and idolatry. This was the way to serve the pagan deity of Ba’al Peor.  Many men fall into temptation and sinned. God then commands Moses to execute the guilty. A deadly plague breaks out among the Jews, causing the death of 24,000 men. Zimri, a Jewish leader who was part of this great sin, publicly cohabited with a Midyan princess. Pinechas, the grandson of Aharon haCohen, executes both of them and the plague ends.