The Torah opens up with the Possuk “Bereishis boro Elokim es hashomayim ve'es ho'oretz” — “In the beginning of Hashem's creation of the heavens and the earth”.
The Rebbe RaShaB whose soul is in Gan-Eden brings Rashi's commentary: “Said Rabbi Yitzchok: It was not necessary to begin the Torah from any other place than from ‘Hachodesh hazeh lochem...’ — ‘This month is to you.’ For what reason did Hashem commence the Torah with Bereishis — ‘In the beginning’? Because of the Possuk: ‘Koach ma’asav higid le’amo loseis lohem nachalas goyim’ — ‘The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations.’ For if the nations of the world should say to the B’nei Yisroel, ‘You are thieves...’ they will reply, ‘The entire earth belongs to HaKodosh Boruch Hu; He created it and gave it to whomever He deemed proper etc...’”
The Rebbe RaShab then continues and says: “It truly is remarkable! Why is the creation of heaven and earth in the Torah? Considering that the word Torah comes from the word ‘Horo’oh’ which means to teach and it is a book of laws, what relevance has the narrative of the creation of the world to do with the Torah?” (In other words, it is not enough to say that because there is a need to answer the complaints of the nations of the world therefore an irrelevant topic has to be written into the Torah. We are therefore obliged to say that even this topic has relevance to Torah [teachings]).
We also need to understand, what do the words of the Possuk: “To give them the inheritance of the nations” actually signify? And what does Rabbi Yitzchok mean with the words: “And gave it to whomever He deemed proper etc...”?
BEIS
The Rebbe RaShaB continues in his Maamor that in order fully to understand this we need to preface the concept of the Possuk “Keil de’os Hashem” — “Hashem is a G-d of thoughts.” These are two thoughts or perspectives: ‘Daas Elyon’ — the upper perspective, and ‘Daas Tachton’ — the lower perspective.
‘Daas Elyon’ is the perspective that above there is an existence but below there is Ayin — ‘nothing’; and the ‘Daas Tachton’ perspective is that below there is an existence but above there is Ayin — ‘nothing’. Yet, there is no contradiction between them, because both of them are within the Divine light of Hashem itself. (This is the meaning of the Possuk “Keil de’os Hashem”), only that they exist in two different [somewhat misperceived] states of Ayin.
‘Daas Elyon’ refers to the Ayin of the true existence, a spiritual state of Divine light as it is extended from Hashem’s very essence blessed be He, which is Ayin in the essence of what it is. Whereas [by contrast] ‘Daas Tachton’ is in the Ayin of the existing existence, but it is only ray of a ray which [nevertheless] becomes a source for existence; and the reason why it is called Ayin is because it cannot be grasped and because it is not a thing and [also] because it is unlike any created thing which physically exists as a tangible object.
He continues in the Maamor that just as there are two perspectives above, ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Daas Tachton’, similarly a person also needs to possess these two perspectives. (In other words, because a person incorporates all aspects of the ‘Seder Hishtalshelus’ from the very highs through to the very lows, [these two perspectives will also be found within a person]). And they are ‘Yichuda Iloah’ (Daas Elyon) and ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’ (Daas Tachton).
This is the concept of the unity of the Divine names ‘Havaye’ and ‘Elokim’, because they are united with these two distinct paths of ‘Yichudah Ilo’ah’ and ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’. This refers to the integration of the Divine name ‘Adnus’ into the Divine name ‘Havaye’ and the integration of the Divine name ‘Havaye’ into the Divine name ‘Adnus’. Because concerning the integration of the Divine name ‘Adnus’ into the Divine name ‘Havaye’, then the Divine name ‘Havaye’ overpowers the Divine name ‘Adnus’ and this is the state of ‘Yichuda Ilo’ah’. And when there is an integration of the Divine name ‘Havaye’ into the Divine name ‘Adnus’, then the Divine name ‘Adnus’ overpowers the Divine name ‘Havaye’ and this is the state of ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’.
Similarly, there are [found] these two perspectives in Torah. They are ‘Bread from the earth’ which symbolises the revealed aspect of Torah and ‘Bread from heaven’ which symbolises the deeper [hidden] aspect of Torah. And in general, the ‘Bread from the earth’ refers to that which was given immediately after the exodus from Mitzrayim, and the ‘Bread from heaven’ refers to ‘Matan Torah’ [the inner aspect which] also includes the revealed element of Torah which is also ‘Daas Elyon’.
In other words, ‘Bread from the earth’ is the knowledge of ‘Daas Tachton’ which refers to the ‘Avodah of Beirurim’ — the refining process from below to above, because of which a unity is formed between the Divine names ‘Havaye’ and ‘Elokim’ using an integration of ‘Havaye’ into ‘Adnus’. And ‘Bread from heaven’ is the unity of ‘Havaye’ and ‘Elokim’ using the integration of ‘Adnus’ into ‘Havaye’ which is a unity in a state of ‘Daas Elyon’.
GIMEL
The Rebbe RaShaB concludes his Maamor: Accordingly, that which Rashi writes will be better understood when he says: “It was not necessary to begin the Torah from any other place than from ‘Hachodesh hazeh lochem...’ — ‘This month is to you.’” This is because Bereishis and Hachodesh are [representing] two distinct supernal behaviour patterns from which one can know and recognise the greatness of Hashem, and they are: running the world in a ‘natural order’ and running the world in a ‘miraculous order’ (as is brought down in the Akeida), for they parallel these two concepts of ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Daas Tachton’ and of ‘Yichuda Iloah’ and ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’.
Bereishis is about running the world in a ‘natural order’ which is ‘Daas Tachton’ which is ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’, which is the theme of the month of ‘Tishrei’ which marks the creation of the world in a ‘natural order’. Hachodesh hazeh represents the month of ‘Nissan’ which is about running the world in a manner which is beyond nature in a ‘Miraculous order’ in a state of ‘Daas Elyon’ which is ‘Yichuda Ilo’ah’, as is brought down in the Medrash that: When HaKodosh Boruch Hu chose Yaakov and his sons (as the Possuk states: “He shall choose our inheritance for us, the pride of Yaakov, which He loves forever”), He established in the world a ‘Rosh Chodesh’ of redemption which is a restructuring of the system and a ‘disregard’ for nature, like the signs and wonders of ‘Yetzias Mitzrayim’.
For this reason, it was not necessary to commence the Torah from anywhere other than Hachodesh hazeh lochem, because since the Torah is generally ‘Daas Elyon’, therefore in essence the Torah should have started from Hachodesh hazeh lochem which is an aspect of ‘Daas Elyon’ as mentioned earlier. So [we are still left with the question] for what reason did Hashem start the Torah with Bereishis? [This is] because of “The strength of His works He related to His people” — the koach ma’asav is the strength and the ability to dominate nature, which is the ‘Avodah of Beirurim’ — the refining process from below to the above within the state of ‘Daas Tachton’.
And the reason why this is also written in the Torah is because even though the refinement of ‘Daas Tachton’ is the refinement of the Divine name ‘Ban’, nevertheless this matter also needs to come through a ray of the Divine name ‘Mah’, which is why it is written in the Torah which represents the Divine name ‘Mah’. This explains “The entire earth belongs to HaKodosh Boruch Hu; He created it and gave it to whomever He deemed proper”, because ‘giving’ comes from the Divine name ‘Mah’ which is a state of ‘Hamshocha’ from above to below. And this also explains the terminology used ‘la’asher yashar’ which we translated as ‘whom He deemed proper’, as in the Possuk: “Yoshor yechezu foneimo” — “Faces approve of the straight-way”.
It can be said that this is the deeper reason why at the beginning of the year we read the Parsha of Bereishis, in which it discusses the ‘natural order’ in which Hashem runs the world, for that is when the order of the ‘Avodah of Birurin’ starts in the world ascending from below to above, and the impetus for this comes from reading about it in the Torah, because as mentioned earlier even the refinements of the Divine name ‘Ban’ come about because of a ray from the Divine name ‘Mah’ which is the Torah. This is the facilitator and the stimulus to carry out the ‘Avodah of Birurin’ for the duration of the entire year which all comes from the Torah reading on ‘Shabbos Bereishis’ which is a ‘General Shabbos’, as the statement from the Frierdiker Rebbe: ‘The way in which a person sets himself up on “Shabbos Bereishis” is the way it will continue for the whole year’.
DALED
We can add a further detail; these two perspectives of ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Daas Tachton’ which parallel the two levels of Divine unity: ‘Yichuda Iloah’ and ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’ both exist within ‘Bereishis’ itself which are as the Possuk says: “In the beginning of Hashem's creation of the heavens and the earth”. This is because the difference between heaven and earth parallels the difference from ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichuda Iloah’ to ‘Daas Tachton’ and ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’.
In this Possuk itself there is the order of Bereishis whereby shomayim comes before oretz which accords with: “It was not necessary to commence the Torah from anywhere other than Hachodesh hazeh lochem” (‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichuda Iloah’), and then there is the opposite order of “beyom asos Hashem Elokim eretz veshamoyim” — “On the day that Hashem made earth and heaven” where the earth comes before the heaven, which accords with commencing in Bereishis (which is ‘Daas Tachton’ and ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’).
Generally, the ‘heavens’ coming before the ‘earth’ is the order of creation from a revealed perspective, in which case there is a virtue in ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichuda Ilo’ah’. However, from the perspective of the intention of creation which is generally so that there shall be an ‘Avodah of Birurin’ specifically from below to the above, then the earth comes first and the heavens come thereafter. Because of this there is a virtue in the ‘Avodah’ in ‘Daas Tachton’ and in ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’.
HEY
The start and the primary aspect of one’s spiritual Avodah is in the realm of ‘Daas Tachton’ and in ‘Yichuda Tato’ah’ which corresponds with the concept of starting the Torah with ‘Bereishis’ which is the Avodah of ‘Birurim’ working with that which is below and elevating it above. This is the Avodah of that which the Possuk says: “The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations” — this means that at first HaKodosh Boruch Hu gave it to the nations and thereafter HaKodosh Boruch Hu took it away from them and gave it to us as a result of our deeds and our Avodah in refining the world.
Therefore, the observance of Torah and performance of Mitzvos also has to be specifically within nature (as the well-known story of the Alter Rebbe regarding Kiddush Levonoh).
So too regarding the refining of one’s body and animal soul, which is the primary reason for the Neshomoh’s descent into the body. This is because it does not descend in order to rectify itself, and this because the Neshomoh itself needs no rectification as it has already been corrected, being that it is sourced in the Divine name ‘Mah’ (which has the same numerical value as the word ‘Odom’ meaning man) of the state of ‘Tikkun’ — rectification, but it only descends in order to rectify the body and the animal soul...
And for this reason one’s Avodah needs to be in a manner of “Koach ma’asav” — “The strength of His deeds” which is about action, even forced action, as in the word ‘Kefia’ which is the Avoda of ‘Isskafia’ (to the extent that even the Torah study needs to be in a manner where one is changing habitual customs as it is known regarding the virtue of studying one’s text one hundred and one times because that exceeds one’s regular study repetition pattern).
This is also generally the virtue of one’s service of Hashem using one’s body versus serving Hashem using one’s soul, because this is due to the virtue of the Avodah of ‘Isskafia’ because of its novelty it causes immense pleasure above, analogous to the well-known parable of a talking parrot.
This is the reason why the Torah starts off with the story of creation in ‘Bereishis’ because this opening is beginning and primary aspect of one’s Avodah, and only thereafter does one come to the higher Avodah in a state of ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichuda Ilo’ah’ which corresponds with the Parsha of Hachodesh hazeh lochem.
And furthermore, even after a person has ascended spiritually in his Avodah from level to level and attains ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichudah Ilo’ah’, he still needs to maintain the impression from the ‘Daas Tachton’ and from ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’. (This is akin to that which the Alter Rebbe explains in brief and in hint form in the introduction to the Shaar Hayichud Veho’Emunah which is also referred to as ‘Chinuch Koton’ in explaining the Possuk: “Train a child according to his way; even when he grows old, he will not turn away from it” and says that at the time of ascent from level to level for then he is in a state of falling off his previous rung as the Possuk states: “Seven times the Tzaddik falls and gets up” and at least he is left with an impression of his previous level).
However, even though his Avodah is primarily in a state of ‘Daas Tachton’ and in ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’, nevertheless, in order for his Avodah within the realm of ‘Daas Tachton’ and ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’ to be as it is supposed to be (so that as a result of which he will also attain the Avodah of ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichudah Ilo’ah’) there is a need for an impetus from ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichudah Ilo’ah’.
This is also a reason why when the Torah starts in Bereishis it mentions es hashomayim ve'es ho'oretz, placing shomayim first and then oretz, because this is the stimulus for man. This is because from a ‘Daas Elyon’ and ‘Yichudah Ilo’ah’ perspective (the state of Shomayim) that thereafter there shall be an Avodah of ‘Birurim’ within ‘Daas Tachton’ and ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’. (This explains the reason why the general story of creation is written in the Torah as is mentioned above in section Gimel).
Nevertheless, the main Avodah is in the ‘Birurim’ within the realm of ‘Daas Tachton’ and within ‘Yichudah Tato’ah’ (the state of Eretz). It is as a result of this that causes the main Hamshocha and therefore at the end of the Parsha it says: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, on the day that Hashem Elokim made earth and heaven” stating ‘earth’ first. This is the same concept as the Possuk states: “A woman courts a man” or as another Possuk states: “A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband” that will be at the end of the Avodah, when the promise of the Possuk will come to fruition “These are the generations of Perez” (with the word toldos written out in full) with the coming of Moshiach our righteous one as our Possuk states: “My servant Dovid shall be their prince forever”.