from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
October 9th 2023 -Volume 17 Issue 1 28th of Tishrei 5787
Parshat Bereishit
Alone with Creation
Click here below for print edition
(Weekly Newsletter - Parshat Bereishis 2026 )
I wish you were sitting next to me right now. Not talking, of course, just sitting. Just appreciating. Just being awe-inspired. I'm not going to say anything either. It's kind of why I'm here right now. Me and Tully, although he's still sleeping.
It's been a long season. I haven't had a break until now. Summer, even Elul this year, Then High Holidays preparations. Yom Kippur services, Sukkos, Simchas Torah, all the time running back and forth from my home and shul in Karmiel to my tourists all over the country every day in between. I've been talking non-stop. Singing, dancing, hiking, climbing, teaching, praying and in between trying to squeeze in all my crazy learning schedule. My tourists always tell me at the end of the day, how I mamash wiped them out. I turn back to them and tell them that if they think they're wiped out they should try spending 7 days a week with me. That's what I have to do…
But my time has come. I can finally breath. I'm sitting on a porch of a gorgeous tizmmer in Mitzpe Yericho. I got up at sunrise, like I usually do. But this morning, rather than the view of my street or the alley way in Jerusalem where I stay, I got to see Creation unfold, before my eyes. It's glorious. As I said I wish you were here next to me. We wouldn't talk. Because I'm all talked out. I just come to a place for next few days and sit in a jacuzzi and look out at nature, bond with Hashem and chill…
But since I'm still a tour guide and I have to write this weekly E-Mail, I'll share with you what's in front of me. There are these glorious hills of the Judean Midbar-wilderness (not desert, come on a tour and find out why not and what the difference is) in front of me I see the Jordan River and the Dead Sea and across are the hills of Moav, which is today, Jordan or as I like to call it; Occupied territory. It's the biblical portion of the tribes of Reuvein and Gad, that Jordan is currently occupying, until we get rid of them, and reconquer it as did Moshe originally. When he killed Sichon the King and didn't leave one man, woman or child alive in the entire area. Nice. River to the Sea is our motto that they stole. Although The river really is the Euphrates until the Nile according to Hashem's promise to Avraham. (I even noted that Rashi mentions that the Euphrates is called the Nahar Ha'gadol- big river because it is the border of Israel. God willing soon!).
Yeah so this view is spectacular. There's nothing in front of me but Hashem's world and land. It's me and Him- and Tully who is still sleeping. And for the first time in a few months, I truly feel at peace. Serene. Quiet. One. I'm back in the Garden of Hashem. I'm home.
There's something amazing about solitude. It's what great Chasidic Rebbe's call Histobodedut. It's one of the highest forms of avoda- or service of Hashem. It's not Yoga. It's not meditation. It's not even clearing out all of the noise of the world and of life. It's the sense of being one with one's self. It's looking out at the whole world, in all it's magnificence and truly achieving a sense that this was all created for me. It's just me and Hashem. It's His world and I can sit next to Him silently on the bench and the porch. As well it's what makes me unique as a Creation. It returns me to understand why and what am I doing here.
This week we start the Torah again. We start with the Creation of the world. Rashi asks right away, who cares? What's the point of this whole story of Creation. Of the entire Book. Isn't the Torah a book of laws of directions of morals, of the story of the Jewish people. It should start with our Exodus from Egypt. It should maybe start with Avraham's story. Who needs to know about the entire lengthy portion of the Creation, of the science behind how and what days each thing was created? There's nothing more annoying that can destroy a good view than the Tour guide that starts explaining about the geological formations. The Syrian African Rift. There's nothing that can ruin a good beautiful garden and orchard than someone that starts telling you about the entire agricultural process. There's nothing that can ruin a good special effects movie than the guy that stops the movie to explain how they're doing all the stunts.
What's even more interesting is that after the entire story of Creation, the Torah kind of gives us the short-hand version of the story. It tells us once again about the more specific creation of Adam. Yet as opposed to the first story where it only tells us about the creation of Adam and Chava in the image of Hashem, and as Rashi notes they were perhaps created as one. There Hashem sees them and all He created as being "Tov Me'od"- very good. In story number 2 in the second chapter it tells us that Hashem actually saw as being the only Creation that was"lo tov". We weren't created good. It doesn't say, as it's commonly mistranslated that it's "not good for man to be alone" for the man's sake. Rather it says it's not good for creation. It's not a good creation to have man that is alone. The world is not a good place when one is alone. When there's only one man.
The question though is if that's the case, why did Hashem create Man alone. Why unlike every other created being that has a male and a female even including that plant and tree botanical world. Why by man did Hashem switch things up. Why did he create man alone? Why did He create man and woman together as one? Tell us that it's very good. And then switch and realize that it's not good and then separate them? Seemingly He had a plan. It was necessary for Creation and the function of the world to go through this process. And perhaps even deeper than we may have heard or interpreted in the past- that it's just so man will search out his spouse/missing rib. There's a deeper idea that relates to the essence of Creation. To the sense of being alone.
There's a fascinating Rashi that I noted reviewing the parsha this week that never struck me before. In the second story of the Creation of the world, Rashi notes that the word Va'Yiitzer Hashem Elokim es ha'adam- and Hashem formed Man- is written with two yud's. What are they meant to represent? Don't cheat. I'm sure you'll think as did I from memory that it is for two world. And what are the two worlds? This one and the next. But that's not what Rashi says. He says it's this world and the world of the resurrection of the Dead. Isn't that fascinating. The world was created it seems with a plan for death and rebirth. Our job in this world in this second story of Creation is two begin the story and trajectory of bringing the world to its final resurrection. Where there is no more death. Where body and soul are one. Where the entire world is fixed. Where we are all back as one in that garden.
The process of getting to that creation therefore as to start with that original memory. That sense of there is only me and Hashem. He is floating above the water. He is walking with us in the garden. It's just me and Him and we are alone and we are One. It is that memory that is at the core of mankind. It's why we were created as One different than any other created being. It's about getting back to that. Creation of world number two is the world that needs to start with a surgery. It needs to start with a sin. It needs to start with Lo tov. With the not good. It needs to start with October 7th.
It is then in this new world that the woman is brought to man. Where he is told he needs to learn dveikus- to cleave and cling and bond with his wife. It is in this world that even before he is brought his wife he is brough every animal and created being and is "davak" to them. He cleaves to them. He needs to raise the entire world. For to get to the resurrection of the dead-end game of the world, of being davek-connecting and becoming one with Hashem and being His partner in Creation, we need to bring the entire world with us. For man is the only Creation that can know between good and not good. Man who was one and who was divided and separated can appreciate the incompleteness of a world that is not-connected to Hashem. That is not connected to itself. That isn't at one. That's always in tension and fighting and ultimately destroying itself. That doesn't see the spark of Hashem in all of Creation. That doesn't return to that view by Mitzpe Yericho and look out and feel that memory and sense of one-ness that Hashem completes us with.
So, I'm done writing for now. You can get off my porch. It's getting crowded here with you, even though we're not talking. My computer needs to turn off. My phone too. Except for my Spotify and SoundCloud Rabbi Schwartz playlist. I have a date. It's with myself. It's with Hashem. I feel His wind and spirit blowing over me from the midbar. It's passing over the face of the water of my jacuzzi. He want's me to join Him there. Tourists are coming back soon. The Final War is brewing in the distance. The world is getting closer and closer to bringing back that so many dead we have lost and living forever. May this winter not only be a gezunteh vinter, as we say in yiddish. But may it be a redemptive one. And may the upcoming month of Mar-Cheshvan- the month that has been waiting for it's holidays finally become the most festive one as we begin the world with the world as one.
Have safe peaceful Shabbos and a Chodesh Tov,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
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YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
“Aleyn iz di neshome reyn..- Alone the Soul is pure…
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
18. The Islamic calendar began in the year ________ in the Christian era.
Which of the following texts do the Samaritans recognize?
A. The Torah and the Book of Joshua
B. The entire Hebrew Bible and parts of the Mishnah
C. The Community Rule
D. The Jewish Apocrypha
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f03XF0rSG0&list=RD9f03XF0rSG0&start_radio=1 – Dovd lowy unplugged doing one of my favorte all time songs. Berieshis olam…
https://youtu.be/dw3ftETU7Mk - Bereishit- A Moshav Band classic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbsK8-kptnw&list=RDzbsK8-kptnw&start_radio=1 - Berieshis
Olam original with Shlomy shabbat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659TIEt3Ylk&list=RD659TIEt3Ylk&start_radio=1 –A new Start Acoustic Bitaon…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6P23PFBLAM&list=RDC6P23PFBLAM&start_radio=1 – Interesting song Bereishis Zindy?
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
We'll be back again next week.., I really promise Bl"n…, just no energy for it this week here…
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S CREATION JOKES OF THE WEEK
Adam was moping around in the Garden of Eden. Suddenly a light flashed and there was the Lord.
"What's the matter, Adam?"
Adam replied: "I'm lonely. There is nobody to talk to around here except that slimy serpent who keeps on wanting me to get into trouble. And since you won't let me go near the Tree of Knowledge, I don't know how to cook, and meals of raw berries and nuts are not very good.."
The Lord thought about this for a few minutes and then said: "I have it! I will create WOMAN for you!"
Adam was intrigued, and asked "What is WOMAN?"
The Lord explained: "She will bear and raise your children with no complaint. She will cook you delicious meals that satisfy you and will never ask you to help with the preparation or with the cleaning up afterwards. Should there ever be any cause for misunderstanding or dispute between you and her, she will address the issue directly and work with you towards resolving it, never resorting to sulking or artificial silence, hinting or any other form of subterfuge. She will be the perfect helpmate for you."
Adam reflected on this. "Sounds great! But...what is all this going to cost me?"
The Lord responded: "An arm and a leg."
Adam thought about this for a while. Then he said: "Err...what can I get for a rib?"
A little girl asked her mother, "How did the human race appear?"
The mother answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children, and so was all mankind made.."
Two days later the girl asked her father the same question..
The father answered, "Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved."
The confused girl returned to her mother and said, "Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?"
The mother answered, "Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are on a camping trip. After a hearty meal and a good bottle of wine, they lay down to sleep. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, Holmes wakes his trusted companion and asks "Watson, what do you see?"
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Watson answers: "I see millions and millions of stars."
"Correct, Watson, and what do you conclude from that?"
Watson thinks for a moment and then answers: "Well, temporally I conclude it is about 03:30 AM, astrologically I conclude that Venus is showing in the sign of Aquarius, astronomically I conclude that we are on a planet, orbiting the sun in a spiral arm of our galaxy, and religiously I conclude that God wants to show us with this splendour that we are but a small, insignificant speck of dust in the infinite grace of His creation. Why, Holmes? What do you mean?"
"Watson... somebody stole our tent."
When God created the world, he also created the dog, the monkey, and the cow. Told through the eyes of the dog, the monkey, and the cow, and their conversations with God during creation, life is explained simply.
God Created the Dog.On the first day, God created the dog and said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."
The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"
So God agreed with the dog.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain people, Do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."
The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"
And God agreed with the monkey.
On the third day, God created the cow and said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves, and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."
The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created man and said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."
But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."
So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone
Gabriel ask god have about his latest creation what is this?
"its human"
"what is that 2 round thing?
"it's called eyes, so they can see my other creations"
and this thing?
"it's called hands, so they can create things just like i did"
and this?
"it's toe, for the furniture"
what furniture?
"trust me, it will be hilarious"
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The answer to this week”s question is A – A new year and a new season and volume and I start off with a 50/50. So years are not my thing. There are a few important ones that I repeat all the time that I know. I don't talk about Islam much besides that we need to get rid of this crazy violent cult from the world and eradicate all it's adherents. But I knew they conquered Yerushalayim in 638 and so I went with that. I was wrong. The correct answer was 622 when Muhamed yemach Shemo haj'd from Mecca to Medina. Who cares? Part 2 though I got correct. Shomronim are interesting and I do speak about them. They only believe in the Tanach until Yehoshua and even there they mess around a bit. But afterwards when the Navi curses out and describes them as fake Jews they kind of write off. So half right/half wrong makes the new score Rabbi Schwartz having 14 points and the MOT having 4 points on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.
