Weekly Parasha: Bereshit
Shabat Shalom.
The Hidden Light of Creation
וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
In this week's Parasha, Bereshit, we read about the beginning of everything. The Torah describes the act of creation, beginning with the famous declaration: "In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth" (Bereshit 1:1). On the first day, G-d says, "Let there be light," and light comes into being. Immediately afterward, the Torah tells us that G-d saw that the light was good, and then, "G-d separated the light from the darkness" (Bereshit 1:4). This act of separation, or havdalah, is fundamental. It was not enough to create light; it was necessary to define its purpose and its place, distinguishing it from the darkness. This act establishes a pattern for the rest of creation: order, distinction, and purpose.
The nature of this primordial light has intrigued our Sages for generations. What was this light, created even before the sun and the moon, which would only appear on the fourth day (Bereshit 1:14)? Rashi (Bereshit 1:4), citing the Agadah, explains that this was not an ordinary light. G-d saw that this light was so intense and spiritual that it was not appropriate for the wicked to use it. Therefore, He separated it and hid it for the righteous in the World to Come. The light we see today from the sun is merely an echo, a reflection of that original, dazzling light.
In Massechet Chagigah 12a, the Sages delve deeper into this concept. It is taught that with this primordial light, Adam HaRishon (the first man) could see from one end of the world to the other. However, when G-d foresaw the corrupt generations that would come, He "hid it" (ganzo). The question, then, is: where did this light go? The same passage explains that it was hidden in the Torah. The light was not extinguished, but rather infused into the words and commandments of the Torah, where the righteous can find it and connect with it through study and practice.
Practical Lesson: Revealing the Inner Light
The lesson for us is profound and empowering. Although the world may sometimes seem to be plunged into darkness—into the chaos of tohu vavohu (Bereshit 1:2)—the primordial light has not been lost. It is within our reach. Every time we study Torah, fulfill a mitzvah, or perform an act of chessed (kindness), we are drawing from this hidden reserve of spiritual light. We are rekindling a spark of creation in our own world. The process of teshuvah (repentance) is, in itself, an act of personal havdalah: separating the darkness of our mistakes from the light of our soul, which yearns to reconnect with its source. Our task in this life is to actively seek this light, cultivate it within ourselves, and use it to illuminate the world around us, revealing the inherent goodness that G-d saw on the first day of creation.
⚠️ This Dvar Torah is AI-generated for study purposes. It does not replace the guidance of a rav.