The Ohr Hachaim explains this possuk as telling us that Hashem only saw His world as exceedingly good when He created Man. Without humankind, what would be the purpose of this entire mammoth undertaking? If Hashem had created a huge world, with animals, trees, plants, and geography, without humans to benefit from it, what would be the point? Only when Hashem saw His world inhabited by sentient human beings, did he call the world ‘very good’.
The Torah uses the word וְהִׁנֵה – and behold, to teach us something. No other day of the week has its goodness described as behold. This is because Hashem’s actions are always good. Everything Hashem made is perfect, and there is nothing missing from them. However, humans have free will, and they sometimes abuse Hashem’s world, twisting it beyond recognition. At the time, before anyone had done anything to the world – behold it was very good. That is when perfection was realized.
The Ohr Hachaim then adds another explanation. When it says that Hashem saw, it is referring to the actions of Tzadikim. As we find in the Medrash. Hashem saw these Tzadikim and they were very good, as Tzadikim usually are. They were that good, that no evil needed to be mixed into the formula. They did not need to die; they could last in Olam Hazeh. The world was very good for them.
And with regards to those who would misuse this world, the Torah also has an idea for them. The Ohr Hachaim only hints to their participation in this possuk, but he seemingly mens to quote the Medrash that ‘very good’ includes death. For those who don’t live as they should; it is very good that they should die.
Indeed, the very purpose of Creation is alluded to in this Parsha. The world was created for Manking to use and enjoy. The question remains, why? Why did Hashem want a world that humans would enjoy? Why not leave everything in the hands of Heaven? The answer is והנה טוב מאד – behold it is very good. A person has a part in him that is ‘very good’. His Neshama is holy and exalted, and that is good. But he can turn good into very good through his actions. That is done through a life of self-improvement and drawing close to Hashem. With the words ‘very good’ the Torah has hinted that good can always become better, and that is the purpose of our lives in this world.
