English translation — ש״פ בראשית, מבח״ח מר־חשון

it is written here,

But Bereishis״״]

For the sake of the Torah which is called "the beginning of His way" and for the sake of Israel who are called "the first of His produce"׳־.

Since the exposition of Chazal is on the word,

Bereishis״ - which in the plain sense of the verses refers to the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth with all the details of creation

(as it speaks in the continuation of the verses)

- it is reasonable to say,

And especially according to the well-known²■ that two interpretations in one word have a relationship between them

(As we see in the study of,

shatnez",

Shuah Tvi and Nach"■²/ that the homiletical interpretation does not negate the simple meaning in,

Bereishit"

(That it refers to the beginning of creation/ but it adds the homiletical interpretation,

That it also refers to Torah and Israel, which are called,

Reishit".

Therefore, one must have an explanation of the connection between the interpretation of Chazal and the simple interpretation - in simple terms, they are extremely opposite interpretations: according to the homiletical interpretation of Chazal,

"Bereishit"

not the creation of the world,

the crown of Torah and Israel

("for the sake of Torah etc. and for the sake of Israel")

- which are prior to creation and incomparably higher than creation?

The question is even stronger according to Rashi on the verse,

who brings both interpretations,

And this is his language:,

This verse does not

[,

In the beginning, G‑d created"]

mean, but rather interpret Me,

as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: for the sake of the Torah, etc., and for the sake of Israel, G‑d etc.".

Then Rashi continues:,

And if you wish to interpret it simply, interpret it as follows,

In the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, the earth was void

(formless and empty and darkness, etc.

(then there was)

And God said, "Let there be light," etc.,

That there is no "beginning" in the Torah that is not attached to the word that follows it."

It is not understood: because,

"In the beginning created" goes according to the simple meaning of the verses about the creation of heaven and earth,

And Rashi himself says that his second interpretation

(So,

"Bereishis" refers to creation)

is,

"k'pishuto",

but the first explanation is,

"Darshuni" - why does Rashi bring the drash at all

(that the essence of Rashi's commentary is the simple meaning of the verse/ so,

"Bereishis" is entirely about the purpose of creation

(Torah and Israel)

Which are prior and incomparably higher than creation? Even if Rashi must

(for some reason)

bring the homily,

he should have at least prefaced the commentary,

as the simple meaning?!

Furthermore: Regarding the general opening of the Torah with,

"In the beginning, He created etc." Rashi explains

(In his commentary before this/ then,

There was no need to begin the Torah except from "This month shall be for you"*² which is the first commandment they were commanded

Sefer HaSichos - 5752

in it, Israel,

And what is the reason that He began with Bereishis 40?"

And from this it is understood,

that the beginning of the Torah is not related to Torah

(and commandments)

and Israel,

only regarding the creation itself

("He has declared His works to His people"")

And nevertheless, Rashi then brings that "Bereishis" goes

(does not pertain to the creation,

but)

on Torah and Israel"!

And it can be said: the explanation in this:

From the language of the Sages that.

"Bereishit" means the intention and purpose of all creation -.

For the Torah that is called "first" and for Israel that are called "first" - it is understood,

So that the matter of Torah and Israel is "Reishis".

(,

"The thought of Israel preceded everything"¹)

It is not said

(only)

that they are entirely above creation

(because then one cannot say that they are,

the beginning" of creation,

and that creation was created for them,

which shows a connection between them/ only

(mainly)

So

(The mirror reflects itself■ up and below,

So)

As they are a part of creation - they are,

Reshit" of creation,

For whom the world was created.

As understanding from the language,

Reshit״ itself:

Reshis" - as in.

Reshis Tevuasah"

(which applies to Yidden)

- means that the,

Reshis" is initially

(not separated from the remaining

produce,

but he finds himself)

Together, all as one thing with the entire crop,

And then one selects it as "the first of his crop".

It will be understood according to the explanation in Tanya in Lashon HaTefillah•¹ -,

"And You have chosen us from every nation and language":

The Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya",

That "And You have chosen us from every nation and language" refers to the physical body which in its materiality resembles the bodies of the nations of the world.

Because": choice is only said specifically between things that are equal to one another

(regarding the matter at hand)

; in matters that have no equal sides,

no common qualities between them,

they are found in two separate places or levels,

cannot say choice,

because it depends on what one wants,

and where one is,

and from the possible: or the chooser

(and his will)

finds itself,

"bimkom" of the first thing,

or,

"bimkom" of the second thing.

And that he chooses one of them

(or not in the second one)

is not due to any reason,

but because He so chose.

If he chooses something because of a taste

(Because of the advantage in the thing)

- then this is also not a true choice,

Free choice - because the taste causes a tendency that compels him to choose the thing; true choice

(free choice)

is when there is no taste and no advantage to it

Thus,

Rather, he chooses that way because he wants to.

Therefore, true free choice can only be said regarding the body, which is,

"appears in its materiality like the bodies of the nations of the world": When speaking about the soul of a Jew — it cannot be said,

and they rebelled,

Because the Jewish soul,

which is a,

"a veritable part of G‑d from above"

has no comparison to the nations of the world, with distinction,

Consequently, free choice does not apply to this.

And so in general - when speaking about Jews as they stand above all worldly matters and the nations of the world - it is also not appropriate to speak of <i>bechirah</i>.

Specifically in the body of a Jew,

which is situated down below among the nations,

and is,

similar to the bodies of the nations of the world - there is relevant the concept of,

“And us You have chosen,”

“For the L-rd your G-d has chosen you to be His treasured people from among all the nations.”

(specifically)

You have chosen us

(specifically)

from all the nations".

Further: the precise wording of the Tanya is,

the physical body that in its materiality resembles the bodies of the nations of the world"

And not,

The physical body that appears in its materiality - because: even the physical body of a Jew is different

(even)

in its materiality from the bodies of the nations of the world

(due to the refinement of the body

(blood and flesh)

which is achieved through the kashrut of eating and drinking

(which becomes blood and flesh like his flesh")

And the like / therefore on this there is no true choice left,

because in this a Jew distinguishes himself from a non-Jew.

Specifically in this,

the physical body that appears in its materiality similar to the bodies of the nations of the world — that materiality is the

lowest level

[as a simple matter,

that matter is from the element of earth,

The foundation and the lowest created being,

and everyone treads upon it/ and therefore this is,

resembling

(in its materiality)

to the bodies of the nations of the world • - at this

(one must arrive at it)

was,

and You chose us from every nation and tongue,

The choice of the Almighty above reason and intellect in the,

material body" of Jews.

[And therefore it is not possible that the stars and constellations of the nations of the world should ask a question about this: The nations of the world are also creations of the Holy One, Blessed be He,

(just like Jews)

and they must receive their sustenance from the Almighty just like all creations

(including Jews/ until the claim of lehavdil was that,

These worship idolatry and these worship idolatry" - then why are Jews distinguished? Because,

and You have chosen us from every nation and language",

That choice is specifically in a place where there is a similarity between two things,

and he chooses one of them,

without any reason]

From this it is understood,

that that which the Jewish people are,

the "beginning" of the creation is not only regarding the soul

(which is separate from the world)

Only air regarding the body.

And on the contrary!: In the physical body of a Jew in which he is similar to the nations of the world

(which is comparable in its materiality to the bodies of the nations of the world)

There is an advantage over the virtue that Jews possess inherently

(from their soul or from their characteristics and physical body, etc.)

- Because specifically in this is revealed the choice of the

Sefer HaSichos - 5752

of the Supreme,

That true choice is only in Atzmus and essence³

(that has no cause or reason that preceded it, G-d forbid.³)

And it can be said that like and analogous to how this is regarding Yisrael,

so is it also regarding Torah"³

(the second one,

Reishis")

- that the completeness of the Torah is specifically as it was given below,

And in such a manner that Torah is not in heaven,

And the rulings of Torah law depend specifically on the decision of the physical intellect of Jews,

until that Torah,

It traveled and descended etc. until it became clothed in physical matters and worldly affairs, which are most of the Torah's commandments, all of them, and their laws, and in physical letter combinations in ink on a book etc.; and when Torah is found down below - its essential quality is revealed,

And in the language of the piyut:

Her merchandise is better than all merchandise, more precious than gold and pearls,

So when Torah is in,

the world of merchandise,

And one is as,

Good merchandise from all merchandise, as\"

And that Torah study is forbidden to non-Jews\"

In the manner as spoken earlier regarding the physical body of a Jew

[But with the essential difference between

Torah and Israel\"

That Torah, even as it descends below, remains in its holiness\"

Whereas the body of a Jew is a created entity, physical and material; and on the other hand - is "and in us You have chosen"

(selection of the bones)

Specifically in the physical body of a Jew,

whose thought of Israel preceded even the Torah"

(Therefore Torah is not a condition in the selection of the bones as the body)

Based on this, the novelty in the commentary of Chazal on "Bereishis" is understood -,

Because the Torah that is called "Reishis" and because Israel that is called "Reishis":

The main point in this is not that Torah and Israel are,

"Reishis" in essence

(from themselves)

entirely higher than the creation,

but that even as they find themselves in the creation,

until in the physical body of Jews,

become revealed as they are,

"the beginning" of all creation

(since for them the world was created)

And this is the connection between the two interpretations in,

"Bereishis"

(the beginning of creation,

and Torah and Israel which are called beginning above creation)

- or it