Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Lemach's Children

As learned previously in the Parsha, the seventh generation of Cain's family would be punished on his behalf. This seventh generation was Lemach.

During the times of the Flood, it was the custom to marry two women, one to procreate and one to be intimate with. The one meant for intimate relations would be given a potion of roots to drink to make her sterile. She would be dressed up like a bride and fed delicacies, while the one who was designated for procreation was neglected, and she mourned like a widow.

Lemach, as was custom, married two women: 1) Adah, for procreation (her name is an aramaic translation of the word סוּרָה, which means to turn away as she was despised by him and 2) Zillah, for intimacy, so named as she would sit in his shadown (בְּצִלּוֹ - "b'tziloah", similar to the name Zillah).

Adah gave birth to Yaval. Yaval was the first person to pasture animals in uncultivated territory. He lived in tents, moving to a new area every time his flock finished off the pasture in his current location. He set up houses of idolatry.

Adah also gave birth to Yuval who was the first person to hold a lyre and flute.

Zillah also gave birth, to a boy named Tuval-Cain. He sharpened tools which cut copper and iron. He was so named as he "spiced" (Tuval is related to the word תַּבְלִין (spices)) and refined Cain's craft of making weapons for murderers.

Zillah also gave birth to a girl named Na'amah, who ended up being Noah's wife.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Cain and Abel

G-d recognizes that now Man, like G-d, knows good and evil, which makes him unique amongst all other earthly creatures, just as this makes G-d unique amongst all heavenly creatures. G-d reasoned that because of this, if man were to live forever, he would likely convince people that he were a god and have them follow him.

So G-d drove Man out of the Garden of Eden to work the land. Outside of the garden, to the east, G-d set up angels of destruction, called Chrubim, with the blade of a revolving sword to scare Man from re-entering the garden.

Before being banished from the garden as such, Adam and Eve were intimate and two boys resulted form their union: 1) Cain, who worked the land and 2)Abel who was a shepherd (he abstained from working the land as it was cursed). Cain was so named it relates to the word to “acquire”, in that Eve stated that she “acquired” (קָנִיתִי) a “man” (i.e. Cain) with G-d. Cain had one twin sister and Abel had two twin sisters.

One day, the two brothers brought offerings to G-d.

Cain brought fruit. Some say it was flaxseed. Some say he brought the most inferior of the soil, and some say he brought whatever came to his hand, neither the best nor the worst.

Abel, by contrast, brought the fattest of the firstborn of his flocks.

A fire came down and consumed Abel’s offering, indicating that G-d turned towards his offering.

On the other hand, G-d did not turn to Cain’s offering, which annoyed Cain a lot and his face fell.

G-d asked Cain why he was annoyed and why the fallen face. He then told him that if he improves himself, he will be forgiven. However if he doesn’t, G-d cautions, his sin will be preserved at his grave. The evil inclination perpetually yearns to cause him to stumble, however he has the ability to overcome it if he so wills.

Cain confronted Abel with contentious words, trying to set up a precedent to kill him, and soon enough, Cain does.

G-d, hoping that Cain will repent, asks him “Where is Abel your brother?” Cain responds arrogantly, as if he could deceive G-d, that he doesn’t know. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he proclaims, sounding bewildered.

“What have you done?!” G-d exclaims. He tells Cain that Abel’s blood* cries out to Him from the earth.

*Side note: “Blood” is written in the plural form in the text (דְּמֵי) indicating either that 1)Abel and his descendants’ blood were crying out from the ground or that 2)Cain made Abel bleed in many places as he didn’t know what strike would kill him (i.e from “where his soul would depart.”).

G-d tells Cain that he is now cursed more than the earth which had already been cursed due to its previous sin (of failing to produce trees that had the taste of fruit) and with this more recent sin involving Cain. Cain’s act cursed the earth more than before so that it many no longer give him strength when he works it, but rather he is doomed to be a wanderer, an exile, forbidden from living in one place.

Cain protested, asking G-d if He carries the upper and lower worlds, is it not possible for Him to carry Cain’s sin? Cain says that this curse will deem him to be hidden from G-d and that whereas previously, all of the animals feared Man, after Cain’s sin, they no longer did and would kill Cain if they came across him.

G-d tells Cain that whoever kills him will be avenged (the verse remains incomplete in explaining the details of this vengeance). And Abels blood be avenged seven generations later, upon Cain’s descendant Lemach, who will be killed by one of his grandchildren.

G-d tells Cain that He will engrave a letter of G-d’s name on Cain’s forehead to protect him from the animals so that their fear of Man will be restored.

So Cain set out meekly, thinking he could actually fool G-d and leave His presence. He lived in a land east of Eden where all the exiles wander. This is where Adam was exiled too upon banishment from the garden. Rashi notes that the east is always a place of asylum for murderers, citing the cities of refuge (Devraim 4:41). An alternate reading of the city of the wanderers, is that wherever Cain went, the earth would shake beneath him, and people would tell him to leave, declaring him as the one who killed his brother.

Cain and his wife bore a son named Enoch. Cain built a city and named it after this son (Enoch).

Enoch had a son named Irad, who had a son named Mehujael, who had a son named Methushael, who had a son named Lemech.

And Irad was born to Enoch, and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehijael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lemech.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Cain's Geneology

One day, Tuval Cain was leading his father Lemach who was blind. Tuval Cain spotted Cain and thought he was an animal. He told Lemach to draw the bow and Lemach killed Cain. Upon finding out that he had killed Cain, he clapped his hands together in despair, and as a result killed his son Tuval Cain who was standing between them.

Lemach's two wives separated from him as a result of this, and Lemach tried to get them back by appealing to them, telling them that he had not killed Cain and Tuval Cain intentionally.

Lemach reasoned that if Cain, who killed intentionally was only punished seven generations later, he (Lemach) who killed unintentionally should only be punished 70 generations later.

*Side note: An alternate understanding of this section is that Lemach did not in fact kill anyone but rather his wives separated from him after they fulfilled the commandment of being fruitful, since it was decreed that Cain's seed would be destroyed after seven generations. They foresaw the flood and reasoned, why should they give birth to children only to have them killed in the flood? And Lemach was upset about this, complaining that if Cain, who actually killed someone got his punishment extended for seven generations, why shouldn't he, who didn't kill anyone, not have his fate of his seed being destroyed be extended for seventy generations?

Lemach approached Adam with his complaints regarding his wives having separated from him, and the wives told Adam that they noticed that he had been separate from his wife even since death was brought into the world because of him, and it had been 130 years at the point. Adam immediately became intimate with Eve after that, desiring her even more than before. Their union produced a son named Seth, so named because G-d gave Eve another (related to the word "Seth") seed.

Seth had a son named Enosh, after which time it became commonplace to call people and idols by G-d's name.

The chumash now goes on to delineate the generations of humanity:

G-d created Adam and Eve, who gave birth on the very same day they were created.

Adam separated from his wife for 130 years, after which time he begot Seth.

After that, Adam lived for another 800 years during which time he begot other sons and daughters, bringing his total lifespan to 930 years.

At the age of 105, Seth begot Enosh and then lived another 807 years, during which he begot other sons and daughters, bringing his total lifespan to 912 years.

At the age of 90, Enosh begot Kenan, after which he lived another 815 years during which time he begot other sons and daughters, bringing his total lifespan to 905 years.

At the age of 70, Kenan begot Mahalalel, after which he lived another 840 years during which time be begot other sons and daughters, bringing his total lifespan to 910 years.

At the age of 65, Mahalelel begot Yered, after which he lived another 830 years during which time he begot other sons and daughters, bringing his total lifespan to 895 years.

At the age of 162, Yered begot Enoch, after which he lived another 800 years during which time he begot other sons and daughters, bringing his total lifespan to 962 years.

At the age of 65, Enoch begot Methuselah, after which he lived another 300 years during which time he begot other sons and daughters, brining his total lifespan to 365 years.

Enoch was a righteous man however he could have easily been swayed to go back to acting wrongly. So G-d made him die before his time so he would not have the opportunity to fall.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Humanity, G-d and Noach

Noach's Ancestry

At the age of 180, Metushelach begot Lemach. Metushelach lived for 782 years after that, during which time he begot sons and daughters. All together, Metushelach lived for 969 years.

At the age of 182 years, Lemach begot a son whom he named Noach, a name who's root comes from the word "rest". This was a fitting name for him, as Lemach expressed at the time that this son would give them rest from their work and toil of their hands from the ground which G-d had cursed.

Noach was the one who introduced plowshares to the world by making them. Also, because of the curse of Adam, whenever people would sow wheat, the land produced thorns and thistles. However in the time of Noach, this curse subsided.

Rashi explains that the allusion to "rest" must be the etymological understanding of Noach's name, as opposed to a possible alternate reading which alludes to "to console" since a more fitting name for that would have been Menachem (with the root נחם which means console, as opposed to the root נח (Noach) which means "to rest").

After Noach was born, Lemach lived another 595 years, during which time he begot sons and daughters.

In total, Lemach lived for 777 years.

Noach's Progeny

At the age of 500, Noach begot Shem, Cham and Yafet. This was a deviation of the previous generations who begot children at around 100 years of age. Rabbi Judan, as cited by Rashi, explains (in Breishis Rabbah 26:2) that this was because G-d wanted to wait until after the flood for his children to be born. G-d reasoned that if they had been born before the flood, if they were wicked they would have died in the flood and thus it would be bad for Noach, and if they would have been righteous, Noach would have had be be burdened with making many arks. And indeed, had Yaphet been born before the the flood, he would have been liable for punishment.

Before the giving of the Torah, people were only liable for punishment once they reached the age of 100 (which is as it will be in the future as well).

Although Yaphet was the eldest, he is mentioned last in the scripture, Avraham was descendant from Shem who was born circumcised and thus, being righteous, was mentioned first.

G-d Regrets Creating Man

And so it was that humanity procreated and when the sons of princes and judges (alternatively, these included the princes who were messengers of G-d) saw women beautifying and adorning themselves, they would have relations with these women before the woman got married. These nobles had relations with whomever they wanted, including married women, males and animals.

Twenty years before Noach had children, G-d declared that His spirit was fighting within Him as to whether to destroy or have mercy on man, and decided so as not to wage such an internal battle for so long, he would give humanity 120 years to repent and if they failed to do so, G-d would bring about a flood. G-d said that with man being flesh and not subordinating himself to G-d, how much more insubordinate he would be if he were fire or a hard substance.

In the days of Enosh and the children of Cain, and after that as well*, there were creatures known as Nephilim (נְפִילִים) on earth, so called because they fell (נָפְלוּ). In Hebrew, this word means "giants". *Side note, in the generation of Enosh, the ocean rose up and overwhelmed a third of the world. In spite of this, the generation of the flood didn't learn from this and failed to subsequently humble themselves.

These Nephilim would procreate with the women at that time who gave birth to similar giants who rebelled against G-d.

These men were destroyed, and were given names befitting this: Irad, Mechujael (מְחוּיָאֵל from נִמּוֹחוּ - meaning "wiped out") Methushael ((מְתוּשָׁאֵל from הֻתָּשׁוּ - meaning "uprooted"). Alternatively they were referred to as men of desolation as they made the world desolate.

G-d saw that man's evil was great on earth and that all of his heart's imaginations were only evil then, and He regretted making man. He considered causing grief to man (or alternatively, he reconsidered what he wanted to do with man) He was consoled however by the fact that he created man as an earthly being, for if he had been created as a heavenly being, he would have caused the heavenly beings to rebel.

It grieved G-d to know that man would ultimately sin and He would then destroy them. Nevertheless, He still created humanity, for the sake of the righteous who were destined to come out from them.

G-d declared that man is dust, and He would bring upon him water and thus blot him out. He would also blot out the animals a they too had become corrupt (or alternatively, if everything was created for the sake of humanity, if man was no longer, what purpose would there be for the animals?). G-d declared that He was considering what He should do about the fact that He created them.

However Noach found favor in G-d's eyes.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Creation of the World

Why Does Chumash Start with The Story of Creation?

Seeing as the entire purpose of the Torah is its commandments, seemingly, the Torah should have begun with the first commandment given to the Israelites, which was to bless the new month.

Rashi explains, in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, that the reason for the Torah beginning the way that it did is in anticipation of the nations of the world accusing the Jews of being robbers for conquering the land of Israel. The way the Torah begins is an answer to this - namely that the entire Earth belongs to G-d, who created it. Thus G-d gave the land to who he wanted and when He saw fit, and subsequently took it away from them when He wished to and gave it to the Jews.

The purpose of the Torah's recounting of Creation is not to teach us the sequence of events, and in fact, if we were to read the accounting as such, it wouldn't make sense.

If it were to be a sequential telling of the story, it would have said ""at first" (בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה) He created the heavens and the earth", rather than "in the beginning" (בְּרֵאשִית).

Why The World Was Created?

G-d created the world for the sake of the Torah which is called "the beginning of His way" as well as for the sake of Israel who are called "the first of His crop".

Originally, G-d intended to create the world with the Divine attribute of Justice, but He saw that it would not endure as such, so He commenced with the attribute of Mercy, supplementing it with Justice.

The First Day

The earth was in a state of bewilderment and desolation. Darkness was on the face of the waters which were on the earth. The Throne of Glory hovered over the water with G-d's breath and word, as a dove hovers over its nest.

G-d said, "Let there be light", and there was light.

According to the midrash, G-d saw that it was not proper for the wicked to use this light so He separated it for the righteous in the future. A more literal reading of this section is that G-d saw that the light was good and that it wasn't proper for the light and darkness to intermix (AKA "serve in confusion"), so He set up the boundaries of day and night for them to each serve respectfully.

As the angels were not created until the second day, on the first day, there was only G-d. Thus did G-d proclaim that first evening and morning to be "one" day (as opposed to calling it "the first" day).

Although the heavens were created on the first day, they were still moist and only solidified on the second day when G-d proclaimed that there should be a firmament between the upper and lower waters. Rashi cites Iyov (26:11) which alludes to the heavens trembling on the first day and then standing in astonishment as one frightened from being rebuked on the second day.

G-d did not proclaim "that it was good" on the second day since the work involving the water was not complete until the third day, and something incomplete is not full and good. Hence on the third day, G-d proclaimed that it was good twice - once for the completion of this second day's work, and once for the work of the third day.

The Second Day

G-d combined water and fire with one another and called the firmament heaven (in Hebrew "שָׁמַיִם " which is made up of the words fire and water (אֵשׁ וּמַיִם).

Water was spread over the entire earth, so G-d declared that this water gather into the Mediterranean sea, which is the largest of all the seas, and let dry land appear, and so it happened.

G-d called this dry land: "earth", and the gathering of the waters "seas". Although it was technically one sea, the flavor of fish from the sea in Aco is different than that from the sea in Spain, indicating that the quality of their waters are different, and thus have distinct identities although they are all connected.

The Third Day

G-d proclaimed that the earth should be filled and covered with all kinds of herbs mixed up. These herbs should have seeds that grow in them which can be sown elsewhere. G-d also proclaimed that there should be different types of fruit trees which produce fruit from their respective kernels, whereby the trees themselves taste like the fruit they produce. The earth did not obey this however, and produced trees where only the fruit tasted as such. Rashi cites the Breishis Rabbah here which tells how this earth was punished at the time when man was cursed due to his sin due to this disobedience.

And so the earth produced such herbs and fruit trees, and G-d saw that it was good.

This all occurred on the third day of creation.

The Fourth Day

As a side note, the creation of the entire heaven and earth was on the first day, after which G-d appointed each item to its proper place on its appropriate day. So it was with the luminaries, who while created on the first day of creation, were commanded to be suspended in the sky on the fourth day.

The word luminary (מְאֹרֹת) is written here without a vav, and written as such, holds the dual meaning of "curses". This alludes to the fourth day being cursed as it is when children become ill with croup. Thus the gemara in Ta'anith (27b) describes how there were those who fasted to prevent the children becoming sick with croup.

During the first three days of Creation (or according to some for the entire seven days), the primordial light and darkness served together both during the day and during the night. Then this primordial light was hidden away, after which G-d proclaimed that the luminaries serve to separate between day and night. They are also to act as signifiers of different omens (for example eclipses are negative omens for the world) as well as to measure the passing of time, in regards to declaring the days on which the festivals fall (as the Israelites would need to do as recounted further along in Chumash) as well as to know the passage of each day (with the sun serving for half the day and the moon for the other half) as well as years, by way of their complete revolution through the twelve constellations of the zodiac over a period of 365 and 1/4 days.

Additionally, these luminaries are to shine light upon the earth from the heavens.

Originally the sun and the moon were created equal in size however the moon complained that there can't be "two kings that use the same crown", so G-d diminished the size of the moon. To subsequently appease the moon, G-d increased its hosts, i.e. making the stars serve as its entourage, accompanying it when it comes out and setting when it sets.

G-d saw that it was good and the fourth day was complete.

The Fifth Day

G-d declared that there be living creatures swarming from the water. These include every living creature that is not much higher than the earth, for example winged creatures like flies, insects like ants beetles and worms and larger creatures like weasels, mice, lizards etc as well as fish.

He also declared that there be fowl to fly over the earth and heavens.

G-d created the great fish in the sea (according to the Aggadah in Bava Basra 74b, this is a reference to the Leviathan and its (female) mate. G-d slew the female and salted her and put her away for the righteous in the future since if they were to breed, the world would not be able to exist because of them. This is alluded to in there being a missing yud in the word הַתַּנִינִם (sea monsters), indicating that this Leviathan became one instead of two.

He also created crawling living creatures and birds.

Since such creatures are hunted and eaten by humans, G-d gave these creatures a blessing to be fruitful and multiply*. *Side note: Being fruitful implies only begetting one progeny. Multiply implies many.

And so was the fifth day.

The Sixth Day

G-d then declared that the earth bring forth all different kinds of cattle, creatures which crawl on the earth, and beasts. And so it was.

Although the beasts required a blessing as the creatures created on the fifth day received, the forthcoming curse of the serpent prevented them from getting one.

G-d set up these animals in their full form and stature and saw that it was good.

G-d then declared that man should be created. In doing so, displaying His humility, He consulted with the angels since He knew that the angels would envy man since man was created similar to angels. This is written in scripture as "let us make man in our image". He did this in spite of it opening up the possibility for heretics to misread this as being an indication that the angels had a part in creating man. As a refutation of this claim, the following verse states "and G-d created" (in the singular).

Similarly, when G-d judges kings, He consults with His Heavenly Hosts. Rashi provides two examples of this, namely:

When Micha told Achav that he saw G-d sitting on His throne and all of the hosts of heaven were standing to His right (to defend) and left (to prosecute) (See Melachim I 22:19) as well as in the book of Dan (4:14) in which it states that the edict came about through the decree of the destructive angels.

Man was created in the form of angels and G-d and with an ability to understand and discern (like the angels and G-d). If man merits it, he has rulership over the beasts and cattle, yet if he does not, the beasts have rulership over him.

Man was the only thing that was created with the hands of G-d, by means of a coin. Everything else was created through His command.

Originally man was created with two faces, male and female, and only later did He divide them.

G-d blessed them and gave the male the commandment to procreate. This section of scripture teaches us that man's nature is to subdue and thus he subdues the woman from becoming a habitual pleasure seeker.

G-d tells them that he gave them all herbs that bear seeds as well as all fruit trees on earth for food. They were not permitted to kill and eat the animals however. This permission was granted to humanity through the sons of Noah in their time (see Breishis 9:3).

G-d saw everything that He made and saw that it was very good. This was the sixth day. There is an allusion here in scripture (through an extra hei (numerically equivalent to five) being added to the sixth day - השישי) that man was created on condition that Israel accept the five books of the Torah. Alternatively, the extra hei (which means "the") is an reference to the sixth day of Sivan, which was the day when the Torah was to be given.

The heavens and earth and their host were now all completed.

The Sabbath

Rabbi Shimon taught that while a mortal man must add some time to Shabbos since one cannot know exactly how long different things will take, G-d knows how much time He has exactly, and thus He completed His work exactly when the seventh day came in (Shabbos), thus it appeared as if He completed His work on that day (though he in fact abstained from all work). Alternatively, G-d did actually complete the creation on the seventh day, as the one thing that the world was lacking was rest.

G-d did the double amount of work he did on the sixth day and blessed and honored the seventh day with manna (in having a double portion of the usual omer per person descend on the sixth day and not have it descend on the Sabbath) due to His having abstained from His work that day.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

More Detailed Creation of Man and Animals

G-d created this world with the letter Hei, which is open on the bottom. This teaches us that this world is open to those who repent, and also, that all the wicked people will descend to the netherworlds before the future World to Come, when only a few righteous will remain (as indicated by the World to Come being created with the letter Yud, the smallest of all letters).

While vegetation was created on the third day of creation, it did not yet sprout into trees and herbs until after man was created on the sixth day of creation. This is because no one recognized the benefit of rain before man. Once man was created, he realized that rain was essential to the world and thus prayed for it. This caused rain to fall and plants and trees to grow.

Waters ascended from the earth, watered the clouds, soaked the earth, and man was created.

G-d created the world with a balance of the heavenly and the earthly: On the first day, He created heaven and earth. On the second, the firmament of the heavens. On the third, dry land (for earthly beings). On the fourth, the luminaries (for heavenly beings), on the fifth, the sea creatures (for earthly beings). Thus on the sixth, with the creation of man, He created him out of both heavenly and earthly matter so as maintain the balance between these two forces. The earthly part of man came from him being formed from dust from the four directions of the earth*

*Side note: Rashi teaches two reasons why the earth from which man was formed came from the four directions of the earth: 1) so that the earth would accept a person back for burial when they die and 2)The earth from which man was made was taken from a place where G-d later (in Shmos 20:21) told them to make an altar so as to serve as an atonement for man.

The heavenly part of man came form G-d breathing the soul of life into his nostrils, so that man would be a living soul*.

*Side note: While cattle and beasts were also referred to as "living souls", man is considered to be most alive in that he uniquely possesses intelligence and speech.

Chumash now goes into a more detailed account of man's creation (earlier in Breishis 1:27) the creation of man is given in a more general way). The same thing is done in regards to animals, where a more detailed accounting of their creation later on follows a more general one which occurred previously.

The text here describes how G-d plants a garden in the east of Eden and places man in this garden after creating him, causing him to fall into a deep slumber.

In this garden, G-d causes every tree which is pleasant to see and good to eat to sprout, and placed the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the middle.

A river flowed out from Eden to water this garden and then separated into four heads.

The first of these heads is the Nile river, called here Pishon. The name Pishon alludes to 1)The river rising to water the land (פָשׁוּ means to increase) or 2)That it caused flax (פִשְׁתָן) to grow. This river encompasses the entire land of Chavila in which there is good gold, crystal and the onyx stone.

The second of these river heads is Gichon, so named because it flowed and roared very greatly as a ox gores (יִגַח) and roars. This river encompasses the entire land of Cush (which did not exist at that time but is listed in the text as it would in the future).

The third river is the Tigris river. In Hebrew called Chidekel, so called because it's waters are sharp (חַד) and light (קַל).This river flows to the east of Assyria (which did not exist at that time but is listed in the text as it would in the future).

The fourth river is the Euphrates river. So called because it's waters are fruitful (פָרִין), growing a lot and make people healthy. This is the most important of all of the rivers since it is mentioned together with the Land of Israel.

G-d persuades man with endearing words to enter into the Garden of Eden to work and guard it. He tells Him that he is free to eat of any tree in the garden except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for on the day man eats from it, he will surely die.

G-d then declares that it is not good for man to be alone, lest people think that there are two authorities, G-d and Man since just as G-d is alone amongst the heavenly beings, so is Man amongst the earthly creatures). G-d says that He will create woman, who if man is worthy will serve as his helpmate, and if he is not, will be his opposer.

G-d then forms all of the animals and birds out of the earth*.

*Side note: Earlier it is stated that the birds were created from the water and here from the earth. Rashi cites Chul. 27b which reconciles this by explaining that they were created out of mud.

G-d sets up the animals to be under the dominion of man, and brings them to man to name. Whatever man is to name them, such is to be their name eternally.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Cain and Abel

G-d recognizes that now Man, like G-d, knows good and evil, which makes him unique amongst all other earthly creatures, just as this makes G-d unique amongst all heavenly creatures. G-d reasoned that because of this, if man were to live forever, he would likely convince people that he were a god and have them follow him.

So G-d drove Man out of the Garden of Eden to work the land. Outside of the garden, to the east, G-d set up angels of destruction, called Chrubim, with the blade of a revolving sword to scare Man from re-entering the garden.

Before being banished from the garden as such, Adam and Eve were intimate and two boys resulted form their union: 1) Cain, who worked the land and 2)Abel who was a shepherd (he abstained from working the land as it was cursed). Cain was so named it relates to the word to "acquire", in that Eve stated that she "acquired" (קָנִיתִי) a "man" (i.e. Cain) with G-d. Cain had one twin sister and Abel had two twin sisters.

One day, the two brothers brought offerings to G-d.

Cain brought fruit. Some say it was flaxseed. Some say he brought the most inferior of the soil, and some say he brought whatever came to his hand, neither the best nor the worst.

Abel, by contrast, brought the fattest of the firstborn of his flocks.

A fire came down and consumed Abel's offering, indicating that G-d turned towards his offering.

On the other hand, G-d did not turn to Cain's offering, which annoyed Cain a lot and his face fell.

G-d asked Cain why he was annoyed and why the fallen face. He then told him that if he improves himself, he will be forgiven. However if he doesn't, G-d cautions, his sin will be preserved at his grave. The evil inclination perpetually yearns to cause him to stumble, however he has the ability to overcome it if he so wills.

Cain confronted Abel with contentious words, trying to set up a precedent to kill him, and soon enough, Cain does.

G-d, hoping that Cain will repent, asks him "Where is Abel your brother?" Cain responds arrogantly, as if he could deceive G-d, that he doesn't know. "Am I my brother's keeper?" he proclaims, sounding bewildered.

"What have you done?!" G-d exclaims. He tells Cain that Abel's blood* cries out to Him from the earth.

*Side note: "Blood" is written in the plural form in the text (דְּמֵי) indicating either that 1)Abel and his descendants' blood were crying out from the ground or that 2)Cain made Abel bleed in many places as he didn't know what strike would kill him (i.e from "where his soul would depart.").

G-d tells Cain that he is now cursed more than the earth which had already been cursed due to its previous sin (of failing to produce trees that had the taste of fruit) and with this more recent sin involving Cain. Cain's act cursed the earth more than before so that it many no longer give him strength when he works it, but rather he is doomed to be a wanderer, an exile, forbidden from living in one place.

Cain protested, asking G-d if He carries the upper and lower worlds, is it not possible for Him to carry Cain's sin? Cain says that this curse will deem him to be hidden from G-d and that whereas previously, all of the animals feared Man, after Cain's sin, they no longer did and would kill Cain if they came across him.

G-d tells Cain that whoever kills him will be avenged (the verse remains incomplete in explaining the details of this vengeance). And Abels blood be avenged seven generations later, upon Cain's descendant Lemach, who will be killed by one of his grandchildren.

G-d tells Cain that He will engrave a letter of G-d's name on Cain's forehead to protect him from the animals so that their fear of Man will be restored.

So Cain set out meekly, thinking he could actually fool G-d and leave His presence. He lived in a land east of Eden where all the exiles wander. This is where Adam was exiled too upon banishment from the garden. Rashi notes that the east is always a place of asylum for murderers, citing the cities of refuge (Devraim 4:41). An alternate reading of the city of the wanderers, is that wherever Cain went, the earth would shake beneath him, and people would tell him to leave, declaring him as the one who killed his brother.

Cain and his wife bore a son named Enoch. Cain built a city and named it after this son (Enoch).

Enoch had a son named Irad, who had a son named Mehujael, who had a son named Methushael, who had a son named Lemech.

And Irad was born to Enoch, and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehijael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lemech.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Eating From the Tree of Good and Evil

G-d brought every species before Adam to name. Each species had a male and a female. Right after Adam realized that he was alone in not having a mate, G-d put him into a deep slumber.

While Adam was sleeping, G-d took one of his sides out of him and then returned his skin back into its place. G-d made this side he took out into a woman and brought her before Adam. G-d made Adam fall asleep during the procedure as he didn't want Adam to be repulsed by knowing where woman came from.

G-d formed Woman wide on the bottom and narrower on top, so she can carry a fetus. Rashi cites Ber. 61a and Eruv. 18a which liken this to a wheat storehouse which is similarly shaped so that the weight of its contents would not weigh into the walls.

Upon seeing Woman, Adam recognized her as the helpmate he had been searching for amongst the other animals and called her "isha" (אִשָּׁה) which is from the same root as the word "ish" (אִישׁ) meaning "man".

This is the origin of the idea that a man should leave his parents and attach himself to his wife (hinting that he must also reject forbidden relations with others) and their union will create a child.

Adam was not created with an evil inclination, so neither he nor Woman knew to distinguish between good and evil. Only after they ate from the tree of Good and Evil did the evil inclination enter into them and they knew the difference between good and evil.

Thus initially, while they were both naked, and were intimate with one another, they did not feel ashamed (i.e. they did not feel compelled to be modest).

The serpent, who was the most cunning of all of the animals, witnessed them engaging in intercourse and desired Woman. Although he saw that they were eating fruit from many of the trees in the garden, the serpent, who was the most cunning of all the beasts, wished to engage her in lengthly conversation and so he asked her if G-d had instructed them not to eat from any of the trees in the garden.

The Woman replied that they were allowed to eat the fruits from any of the trees except for the tree in the middle of the garden, of which G-d said, according to her that if they touch it, they will die. This statement was her fatal flaw, in that G-d had only told Adam not to eat from the tree but did not mention touching it. Adding to G-d's words in this way led to her downfall. The serpent pushed the Woman until she touched the tree and said to her, "see, just as you didn't die when you touched the tree, so will you not die if you eat from it".

The serpent proceeded to tell her that G-d did not want them to eat from the tree lest they become creators of worlds (written in the text as "angels, knowing good and evil"), like Him, as He had eaten from the tree and had thus created the world.

The serpent's words appealed to the Woman- she liked the idea of them becoming like angels, for their eyes to be open and know good and evil - so she believed him.

She took fruit from the tree, ate it, and gave it to Adam as well, just in case she were to die and he were to live and marry someone else. Adam ate the fruit as well.

Adam and his wife now became wise and realized that they had broken the one commandment which G-d had given them (i.e. not to eat from the tree).

They tried to make clothing out of all of the different leaves from various trees in the garden however none of the trees let them take their leaves, save for the Tree of Good and Evil which they sinned with. It was a fig tree (according to Rashi), which is why scripture describes the clothing they made as being made from fig leaves. Scripture does not make explicit that this fig tree was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil lest others shame it by saying that that tree is the cause of the world's suffering and G-d does not want to cause sadness to any creature.

Adam and his wife heard the voice of G-d coming into the garden to the direction of the sunset (i.e to the west (alluding to the fact that they sinned in the 10th hour)).

G-d called out to Adam, "Where are you?"

G-d knew were Adam was. This was His way of luring Adam into conversation, assuaging any fears he might have that G-d would punish him suddenly. This is similarly why G-d later (in Breishis 4:9) asked Cain where his brother Abel was as well as with Bilam (in Bamidbar 22:9) who the men were with him as well as with Chezkiyahu in regards to the agents of Merodach Baladan (see Isaiah 39:3).

Adam replied that upon hearing G-d's voice, he became afraid for he was naked.

G-d demanded to know how Adam knew that being naked was something to be ashamed of. Did you eat from the tree G-d had forbidden?

Adam, displaying ingratitude, told G-d that it was the woman G-d had given to him who gave him fruit from the tree to eat.

So G-d confronted the Woman who replied that the serpent tempted her.

Rather than engaging in conversation with the serpent*, who could have shifted the blame away, saying that Adam and the Woman should have taken responsibility and listened to G-d and not to him, G-d tells the serpent that as a result of what he has done, it is to be the most cursed of all of the animals - it is to walk on its belly (it originally had legs) and eat dust its entire life.

*Side note: Rashi comments that this teaches us not to defend someone who draws others to idolatry.

G-d goes on to tell the serpent that He knows that the only reason why he approached the Woman first is because women are easily seduced and then they in turn seduce their husbands. However the serpent's ultimate plan was to have Adam eat the fruit first and die and then the serpent would marry her. As a consequence, G-d will place hatred between serpents and the seed of women (i.e mankind) such that humans will crush serpents and serpents will bite and kill men at their heel, making a hissing sound.

G-d then tells the Woman that He will increase her pain of child rearing, pregnancy and childbirth and that she will be subservient to Man, desiring him intimately but not being courageous to ask him for it, and everything will come about from Man and not Woman.

Then G-d tells Adam that because he listened to his wife and ate from the tree He had forbidden, the ground will now bring up cursed things such as flies, fleas and ants. After sowing the ground with varies species, it will sprout thorns, thistles, artichokes and cardoons, all of which are only edible after being prepared and he will have no choice but to eat these (as opposed to the vegetables he had sown.

G-d goes on to say that Man will only eat bread after much toil for his entire life, after which point he will return to the ground, as he is dust and to dust he shall return.

Scripture now backtracks and tells us how Adam named his wife Chava (חַוָּה) (or Eve in english), which is related to the word חַיָה, meaning life as women give life to their offspring.

G-d then makes clothing for Adam and Chava out of skin. Some say this was material which was as smooth as fingernails which was attached to their skin, whereas another opinion states that this was material that comes from skin, like wool of rabbits (see Breishis Rabbah 20:12).

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Blessings and Protections for Israel

Moshe describes how G-d, who preceded all the other deities chose the skies above to be His home while the home of all the strong men like Sichon, Og and the kings of Canaan is below. Rashi explains how the one below always fears that who is above him, making these mighty men tremble before G-d and their powers diminish.

Moshe describes how G-d told the Israelites to destroy their enemies.

Moshe then prophecies that the security of the Israelite nation will be so strong that they won’t have to all live together in one group but rather each person from the Israelite nation will dwell safely under their own vine and fig tree. This will be in fulfillment of Yaakov’s blessing to them.

After listing all of the specifics to their blessings, Moshe tells the Israelites how fortunate they are, that over and above the specifics, in general, everything is theirs.

He also tells them that their salvation depends on G-d who is like their shield and sword.

He describes how their enemies will lie to them (for example the Gibonites in Yehoshua 9:9 who didn’t tell Yehoshua who they were for fear that he would destroy them) and the Israelites will crush their necks with their feet (see Yehoshua 10:24).

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

G-d Shows Moshe the Land & History. Moshe Dies.

G-d Shows Moshe the Land & History

Moshe ascends from the plains of Moav to Mount Nevo, to the top of the summit facing Yericho. Although there were many levels leading from the plains of Moav to Mount Nevo, Moshe covered it all in one step.

At that place, G-d showed Moshe the entire history* of the land of Israel, up until the time when the dead would return to life, which included both its tranquil times as well as the oppressors who were fated to oppress.

*Side note: And not the entire surface of the land of Israel, which one might have thought from the phrase "all of the land" in the scripture (according to the The Maskil LeDavid). Rather, Moshe was only shown the specific areas of the land which are specifically pointed out.

Scripture now gives some specifics as to what Moshe was shown that would befall the different tribes, in addition to him being shown both their peaceful times and destructions in their portions of the land:

Dan

G-d shows Moshe the children of Dan practicing idolatry as well as one of Dan's fated progeny - Shimshon as the savior of Israel.

Naftali

G-d shows Moshe Devorah and Barak of Kedesh-Naftali waging war against Sisra and his army.

Ephraim

G-d shows Moshe Yehoshua, who was one of Ephraim's descendants, waging war against the kings of Canaan.

Menashe

G-d shows Moshe Gideon, who was one of Menashe's descendants, waging war against Midian and Amalek.

Yehuda

G-d shows Moshe King David's kingdom and victories.

G-d also shows Moshe the western part of Israel, up until the westernmost part of the land, which is the Mediterranean Sea.

G-d shows Moshe the southern part of the land. One opinion is that this was the M'earat HaMachpela in Chevron which is in the south of Israel.

G-d shows Moshe king Shlomo shaping the vessels for the Beis HaMikdash in the plain and valley of Yericho, up until Zoar.

G-d tells Moshe that He is showing him all of this so that Moshe can say to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov that G-d fulfilled His oath to them to give them the land. If not for the decree of Moshe not being allowed into the land, he would have still seen the fulfillment of this oath, but in a more natural way, upon entering the land, as opposed to prophetically, like this.

Moshe Dies

Moshe dies in the land of Moav, by a Divine kiss.

Rashi cites a teaching that from here on Yehoshua took over the writing of the remainder of the Torah from Moshe (since Moshe could not continue writing after he died), however Rabbi Meir says that it was all written by Moshe, even after this point - that G-d dictated this part to him (concerning his death), and Moshe wrote it while crying.

Rashi says that G-d Himself buried Moshe in the valley in the land of Moav, however he also cites the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael that Moshe buried himself.

Moshe's burial site was one of the things which were created at twilight, on the eve of the first Sabbath during the six days of creation. It is located opposite Beth Pe'or to atone for the sin that happened regarding Pe'or (see Bamidbar 25:1). Until today, no one knows where this site of burial is.

Moshe was 120 years old at the time of his death and after after his death, his eyes didn't dim, nor did his body decompose. It retained its moisture and his face appeared the same as before.

When Aaron died, both the men and women wept for him, since Aaron worked to bring peace between people in general and spouses in particular. By contrast, when Moshe died, only the men wept.

Since Moshe laid his hands on Yehoshua, Yehoshua was full of the spirit of wisdom. The Israelites obeyed Yehoshua.

Moshe was the only Jewish prophet to ever speak so familiarly with G-d, speaking to Him anytime he wanted to.

This was illustrated in the signs and wonders that G-d had Moshe perform in Egypt as well as his receiving of the tablets of the ten commandments and the miracles in the wilderness.

They also had all witnessed how Moshe had shattered the tablets, an action which G-d had approved and endorsed.