Rabbi Amanda K. Weiss
“… the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and the spirit of God sweeping over the water …” (Genesis 1:2)
I have always loved the story of Bereshit, connecting with it intimately when it was assigned to me over 25 years ago as the portion for my bat mitzvah. The ability to keep chanting Parashat Bereshit year after year, on Rosh Hashanah and Simchat Torah, allowed for the creation narrative to come to life in a new way each time I came to the text. As someone who loves exercising the creative side of her brain, there’s something magical about a mysterious material mixed with a strong spiritual essence, that sparks a new and bright outlook (“let there be light,” indeed).
Our world today can be a mixture of tohu va’vohu (chaos and void), especially when we consider the current global climate. Our communities are struggling to make meaning while the world is fraught with upheaval: wars waging around the globe, deepening political polarization, and societal divides. It is hard to imagine a light-switch solution when our news cycles create only an overwhelming sense of chaos. With Parashat Bereshit, however, we are reminded that chaos and darkness — even feelings of emptiness — are often the precursor to transformational change. Chaos is not the conclusion of our story.
While in our Torah portion, God calls forward the light — and it appears and it was good — in our daily life, we need to be our own active source of transformation and renewal. When feeling uncertain, overwhelmed or hopeless, it is helpful to remember that throughout history, times of darkness have often paved the way for profound breakthroughs (after all, rabbinic Judaism probably would not have existed, but for the destruction of the Second Temple). Our communities have the chance to reorganize and restrengthen, bringing clarity and purpose out of chaos.
Our Torah’s account of creation is not merely a description of how our universe came into existence; it is an invitation for all of us to become co-creators in shaping our reality. Just as God brought order to chaos, creating and reviewing on a daily basis, we too are called to recreate our world through acts of kindness, justice, and community-building. This responsibility feels particularly urgent in our current times when community dialogue might aid in building bridges, supporting humanitarian efforts, or advocating for peace in our own neighborhoods and beyond. Each of us has the potential and the ability to act as God’s partner in the ongoing creation of a better, more compassionate world, transforming chaos into creation as we translate our values into concrete actions.
Rabbi Amanda K. Weiss is thrilled to serve as the assistant rabbi of Temple Isaiah in Fulton, Maryland.
