“In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.”
Bereshis 1:1
“In
the beginning. Rabbi Yitzchok said: The Torah should have begun with
[the verse] “This month shall be [your first month]” (1) it being the
first precept that the Israelites were commanded. Then why does it [the
Torah] begin with “In the beginning”? This is because [of the concept
contained in the verse] “He declared the power of his works to His
people in order to give to them the inheritance of nations.” (2) Thus,
should the nations of the world say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you
have taken by force the lands of the Seven Nations [the land of
Israel],” they [Israel] will say to them: “All the earth belongs to God.
He created it and gave it to whomever he saw fit. It was His will to
give it to them and it was His will to take it from them and give it to
us.”
Rashi, on Bereshis 1:1
A few recent commentators have
noted that while this commentary by Rashi might be seen as a script for
addressing the criticisms of gentiles towards the Jews, it is really
intended as a philosophical platform for Jewish worldview. It is saying
to us: We should know that we are entitled to the land only because we
worship the God who created heaven and earth. And it was He who decided
that we should take possession of it.
One thing I find
interesting in this commentary is that the sole reason it identifies for
the Jewish people being rewarded with residence in the land of Israel
is because God so chooses; not because we’re so great. This view is
reinforced in Devarim, where Moshe states to the Jewish people: “Not
because of your righteousness and the uprightness of your heart are you
coming to possess the Land, but because of the wickedness of the nations
does HaShem, your God, drive them away from before you, and in order to
establish the word that HaShem swore to your forefathers, to Avraham,
to Isaac, and to Jacob.” (3) When all is said and done, we should realize
that we receive God’s kindnesses because He chooses to bestow them. Thus,
humility should be a key tenet of our national outlook.
1 = Shemos 12:1
2 = Tehillim 111:6
3 = Devarim 9:5
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