We have come to the beginning once again, Parshas Bereishis. The Torah begins with letter bais, Bereishis. Why doesn’t it begin with an aleph, the first of all letters?
The Baal Haturim brings a Midrash Raba that the letter bais is an expression of "bracha"- blessing and aleph is an expression of "arur"- curse. We want to begin the Torah with blessing. Asks the Ibn Ezra, there are many words beginning with the letter bais that have a negative connotation and there are many words beginning with an aleph that have a positive connotation, such as emes. So why doesn’t the Torah begin with the letter aleph?
It’s said in the name of Rav Yisroel Salanter that all things in this world are at times good and at times bad. For example, light. Light is good when you need to see and learn Torah. But, if you are trying to hide from someone then light is not good for you. But when it comes to the word bracha-blessing, that is always good. And so too, the word arur-curse is always bad. That’s peshat in the midrash why the Torah begins with letter bais - because of bracha which is always good. You can’t compare it to to other words that begin with bais that may connote negativity.
I think there's another reason why the Torah begins with the letter bais. I think that when we open up the Torah to learn we have to realize that it’s only step two. Step two is learning. What is step one? The first step is recognizing the existence of Hashem and believing the thirteen principals of faith. We are about to learn Hashem's Torah and connect with Hashem. However, in order to connect to Hashem, we need to realize that that's what we're doing. We need to believe. Perhaps that’s why there is a special tefilla we say before we learn. A person should take a few moments and think about what he's about to do - that he is about to start learning Hashem's chochma. And that’s why the Torah starts with bais, to teach us that learning is only step two. The first step is aleph, to believe in Hashem Echad.
A new book was published and the author wanted that people should buy his book, so he gave five free copies to five different people, hoping that he would receive great reviews. After a week, he asks the first person, "Nu, did you like the book?", and he said "Actually, it was terrible. It had a terrible beginning. It also had a bad ending. I will not recommend this book to anyone". The author then goes on to the next person who says, "This is one of the greatest books I have ever read. Amazing beginning, amazing ending". Then he asks the rest of the group and they all gave glowing reports. Obviously, the book was great. So the author returned to the first person and asks him what is it that he didn’t like about the book; obviously, based on majority opinion, the book is wonderful. Something doesn't add up. So the author asks to see his copy and realizes that this person received a faulty book. His book was missing the first hundred pages and the last hundred pages. Of course, it made no sense at all! Relieved, the author handed a new copy to the man, who read it cover to cover and gave his positive reviews. Now, he too exclaimed that it was the best book he had ever read.
Raboisai, the world didn’t start today; the world is a book of 6000 pages. We came in middle of that book. That means we are missing the first 5700 years of Jewish history. We are missing the past and possibly the future. The book can’t make sense to us. How can we ask questions? However, Hashem is past, present, and future. He has the entire book. And He sees the perfection.
The gemora asks in Nedarim daf 81, why was the Bais Hamikdash destroyed? The gemora answers because of the three aveiros chamuros and the second Bais Hamikdash due to sinas chinam. The gemora in Nedarim says a different answer, "shelo barchu b’Torah techila" – because they didn’t say birchas haTorah. It seems as if klal Yisroel were learning, just not making the brocha first. Does that warrant a Churban?
Maybe we can say that they didn’t do step one. You can’t just learn Torah as a nice book to read; it starts with preparation. You have to realize that you are connecting to Hashem. But if you don't realize that, if you're reading it just for enjoyment as a "book", that chalila leads to Churban.
A talmid of R’ Yechezkel Levenstein was flying home to America for bein hazmanim. R’ Yechezkel asked that when he returns after Pesach to Eretz Yisroel, he should bring him back a toaster oven, as electronics are considerably cheaper in America. Sure enough, the talmid returned with a toaster oven and gave it to Rav Yechezkel. As the Rosh Yeshiva opened the package, he saw a book inside and asked the talmid, “What is this?” The talmid told him that it’s called an instruction manual; it tells you how to operate the toaster. Suddenly, R’ Yechezkel started jumping up and down, calling out excitedly, “Torah min hashamayim, Torah is min hashamayim!”. The talmid was trying to figure out what does a toaster oven have to do with “Torah is min hashamayim!” Rav Yechezkel explained to him: A man, a mere flesh and blood, understands that in order to manufacture an object, he has to put out an instruction manual how to operate the object. How much more so Hashem, Who brought us into this world, do you think He wouldn’t give us an instruction manual on what to do in this world?? It’s obvious that we need an instruction manual how to live our life in this world. No one would put us here without an instruction manual. It’s the Torah, the Torah min hashamayim – that’s our instruction manual on what to do with our daily life.
So let us begin parshas Bereishis with an excitement, with a renewed realization that Hashem wrote the Torah as our personal instruction manual. Let's take a moment to focus on thoughts of Emunah before opening the sefer, believing that the Torah is the ultimate perfection. And then, we will be zoche to "step two", to succeed in our limud haTorah and gain all the brochos that can only come from learning d'var Hashem.
