Bereishis

These questions for parshas Bereishis (which were found in handwritten form) were discovered while The Chumash Questions was in the process of being printed. It is quite clear that they are incomplete and, therefore, it is also possible that they are a first draft. Nevertheless, they are a valuable addition to the book, and have been included as an insert, in the absence of anything more authoritative.

  1. According to Rabbi Yitzchok, which way should the Torah have started? Why?

  2. And why did the Torah start with the story of creation?

  3. Prove that the Torah does not teach us the order of creation.

  4. How did our sages explain the meaning of Bereishis?

  5. Which physical elements were definitely created before Heaven and Earth?

  6. How did the actual creation ‘change’ from the original plan (because the world couldn’t cope with it)? Proof?

  7. Is darkness a creation or is it only the absence of light? Proof?

  8. What was hovering on the water?

  9. How was the light created?

  10. Why was a separation made between light and darkness? (Two reasons.)

  11. Why does it say “one day” instead of “the first day”?

  12. According to Rashi, when were the angels created?

  13. Was the sky created on the first day or the second day?

  14. How did the upper waters remain standing in their place?

  15. Why is “ki tov” not mentioned on the second day but mentioned twice on the third?

  16. Why is heaven called shamayim? (Three reasons.)

  17. If all the seas are really one body of water, why are they called “seas,” in plural, instead of “sea,” in the singular?

  18. The earth didn’t produce the trees properly. Explain.

  19. Was the earth ever punished? Explain.

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