Lea Odelia
“Two are better than one, for they have a good reward for their labor” (Kohelet, Ecclesiastes 4:9).
In the Torah's first verse, Bereishit bara Elokim et hashamayim ve-et ha-aretz, six words symbolize the six directions, the nature of this world, which unite in a seventh point: Bereishit.
Already the second verse says that “the earth was formless…” Tohu is something that does not follow an orderly process: a scattering of unconnected particles. Why “was”? “It already was!” says Rabbi Berachyah.
The sages say that the root of evil arose in worlds that existed before our world was created, called the Worlds of Points, Olam Nekudim.
A point signifies a separate entity that joins with nothing to create a whole. The points saw themselves as autonomous creations, needing no connection with their source or with a shared reality. Such a “philosophy” proved suicidal, and the World of Points was destroyed.
The first verse thus reveals the idea of goodness, tov: joining with one another and with the Higher Source for a common purpose.
The second reveals evil, ra, linked with ra'ua, unstable: the refusal to move beyond one's own ego. It also hints at repair: “The spirit of G-d hovers over the waters,” because water can unite scattered particles into one mixture.
The paradox of creation is that each of its parts, however beautiful and brilliant, gains meaning precisely by reuniting with the others. At the same time, it remains distinct, chosen from a great multitude of things.
To write this post, for example, I selected particular words from the whole vocabulary. They became unique by joining into a text that carries a meaning, I hope :). The same is true of an artist's paints, building materials and, of course, those given the right to choose… You know what I mean.
Happy upcoming fifteenth of Av!