Creating A World Around Bnei Yisroel Rashi brings the medrash that asks, “Why does the Torah start with Bireishis, when it should have started with the first mitzva commanded to Bnei Yisroel, the Mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh”. Rav Meir Shapiro asks that both Mila and Gid HaNasheh come before Kiddush HaChodesh so why does the medrash not ask about those mitzvos? He answers that we know Bireishis means “Bshvil Yisroel SheNikra Reishis”, the world was made for Bnei Yisroel, who through their actions control the destiny of the world. If so asks the Medrash, the Torah could have started with the Mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh. The mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh also shows that Bnei Yisroel have sovereignty over the world by exercising full authority over the calendar.
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Eve Couldn’t Resist A Tasty Tree The first creation to commit an aveira was the fruit tree. Hashem commanded it to produce tasty fruit and the tree itself was also supposed to have the same taste. Chazal tell us that because of this, when Adam was punished for his aveira the tree was also cursed. What is the connection? The Chasam Sofer explains that what tempted Eve to indulge in the Eitz HaDaas was the fact that it was different from all the other trees. The tree itself was edible and very appealing. This is seen in the Pasuk that says Eve saw, “Ki Tov HaEitz”, that the tree itself was good. Had all the trees been edible like the Eitz HaDaas, Eve would have nEver desired to eat from the forbidden tree. However since all the other trees were not themselves edible, Eve gave in to temptation. This is why when she was punished, so too were the trees.
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The Curse Of The Snake, The Curse Of Plenty The gemara Yuma (75a) says that Hashem is not like people. When a person gets angry at his friend, his vengeance causes him to strip his friend of everything he has. Hashem is not like that. When he punished the snake by giving him a diet consisting of dirt, he did him a great service. Wherever he finds himself he has plenty of food. So where is the curse in all this? Rav Shimon Schwab points out that we say thank you to Hashem in Shmoneh Esrei, “Modim Anachnu Lach.” For what? “SheAta Hu Hashem Elokeinu” that you are our Hashem. Our relationship with Hashem is the best thing we have and for this we thank Him. Our relationship is borne out of our constant need for His support Every step of the way. We work hard to obtain Every morsel of food that we eat and Every day we beseech Hashem, the creator and supplier of all food, to give us some. This keeps us right where we need to be, constantly basking in His presence. The snake needs nothing. His food is always readily available and he has no reason to be close to Hashem. That is the way Hashem wanted it, and this curse makes the constantly satiated snake the big loser. This, says Rav Schwab, explains the enigmatic gemara that says, he who does not bow by Modim, his spine will turn into a snake after seven years. A person who doesn’t recognize Hashem and thank him Every day for being by his side is no better than a snake who also nEver met Hashem.
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It’s Painful To Bury A Child, Even If He Is SEveral Hundred Years Old When the Torah writes the ten generations from Adam until Noach it counts the years each person lived. By all of them it says “VaYihiyu” except for Chanoch and Lemech. Why were these two written differently? Rav Chaim Kanievsky in Taama D’Kra writes that the gemara in Megila (10b) tells us that the word VaYehi is used when there was a painful Event. A quick tally of the math shows that each one of the ten generations outlived their father, with the only exceptions being Chanoch and Lemech. That their fathers’ needed to bury their sons was a very painful Event, despite that they were hundreds of years old. Therefore their years were counted using the expression of pain, VaYehi.
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The Name Adam The pasuk (2:20) tells us that Adam gave names to all the creatures. Chazal tell us that this was a great Chochma on his part. Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz asks, why was this such a great accomplishment? He answers that for each animal, Adam linked, with his deep insight, each animal’s characteristics to its parallel in the heavenly court. Just like there is an “Ari” and “Shor” in the Merkava, he was able to spot the traits of a lion and ox and understand the connection. However, when it came to his own name, he did not link it to something heavenly. He called himself Adam as in Adama, the lowly earth. This showed Adam’s great modesty. He wanted to remind himself of his lowly makeup and always remain humble. However, says Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz, the name Adam is in fact a very exalted name. Adam is from the word, “Adameh L’Elyon”, I am compared to the elevated. A person is created B’Tzelem Elokim and is compared to Hashem Himself, and not just the Merkava. Furthermore he adds, that the comparison to Adama, the earth, is also very distinguished. Just like the earth never disintegrates and remains forever, similarly a person’s neshama, his Chelek Elokai MiMa’al is also Nitzchi, eternal.

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