Reconciling an Apparent Contradiction: Did HKB”H Create the World with the Letter “Beis” or with the Letter “Hei”?

Since we are discussing the word "בראשית", the first word of the holy Torah, the foundation of the Torah, it is fitting that we present a fascinating inquiry to our esteemed audience. Did HKB”H create the universe with the letter “Beis” or with the letter “hei”?

According to the Midrash: The Letters of Rabbi Akiva, all of the letters of the aleph-Beis petitioned HKB”H to have Him create the world with them. They entered one by one, beginning with the last letter of the “aleph-Beis,” the letter “tav,” and proceeded in reverse order down to the letter “aleph.” HKB”H rebuffed all of their petitions until the arrival of the letter “Beis.” To make its case, the letter “Beis” cited numerous pesukim from Tehillim, which begin with it, which people in every generation use to praise Hashem. HKB”H was convinced and agreed to create the world with the letter “Beis.” Hence, He began the Torah with the words: "בראשית ברא אלקים". Here is the pertinent passage from the Midrash related to the letter “Beis”:

"אחר כך נכנס בי"ת לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא ואמר לפניו, רבונו של עולם רצונך שתברא בי את עולמך, שבי משבחין לפניך באי עולם בכל יום, שנאמר (תהלים פט-נג) ב'רוך ה' לעולם אמן ואמן, (שם קג-כ) ב'רכו ה' מלאכיו וגו', ואומר (שם כא) ב'רכו ה' כל צבאיו וגו', (שם כב) ב'רכו ה' כל מעשיו וגו', ועתידין כל דורות העולם לומר לפניך (שם עב-יח) ב'רוך ה' אלקים אלקי ישראל, ואומר (שם יט) וב'רוך שם כבודו לעולם וימלא כבודו וגו', מיד קיבל הקדוש ברוך הוא ממנו ואמר לו (שם קיח-כו) ברוך הבא בשם ה', וברא בו את עולמו בבי"ת שנאמר בראשית ברא אלקים".

Nevertheless, the commentaries point out a blatant contradiction concerning this matter. Although this Midrash teaches us explicitly that HKB”H created the universe with the letter “Beis” of "בראשית", we are taught in the Gemara (Menachot 29b) that the world was created with the letter “hei.” They base this conclusion on an elucidation of the passuk (Bereishis 2, 4): "אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם, אל תקרי בהברא"ם אלא בה' בראם". These are the generations of the heavens and the earth בהברא״ם. “Do not read the word as (it is actually written) בהברא״ם but rather as בה' בראם (meaning that He created the heavens and the earth with the letter “hei”).

I thought of a wonderful way to resolve this contradiction. We will rely on the precious teachings of our holy teachers, zy”a, to guide us in the right direction. We will begin with Rashi’s comment in the name of the Midrash: "בראשית ברא אלקים, ולא אמר ברא ה', שבתחילה עלה במחשבה לבראותו במדת הדין, וראה שאין העולם מתקיים, והקדים מדת הרחמים ושתפה למדת הדין, והיינו דכתיב ביום עשות ה' אלקים ארץ ושמים". The opening passuk of the Torah employs the name Elokim rather than Havaya; this indicates that the Creator initially intended to create the world based on the midah of “din.” He foresaw, however, that the world could not survive based on this strict standard. Therefore, he preferentially partnered the midah of “rachamim” with the midah of “din.” This partnership and preference for “midat harachamim” are evident in the passuk (ibid. 2, 4): "ביום עשות ה' אלקים ארץ ושמים". (Note that in this passuk both divine names are employed, but the name of rachamim precedes the name of “din.”)

The commentaries are perplexed by Rashi’s comment. After all, HKB”H foresees everything from beginning to end. So, how can he assert that the Almighty originally planned to create the world based on “midat hadin” and then changed His mind? Undoubtedly, He knew from the onset that the world could not endure based on this strict standard.

“There is nothing new beneath the sun”

It appears that we can reconcile the better by referring to a statement from Shlomo HaMelech (Kohelet 1, 9): "מה שהיה הוא שיהיה ומה שנעשה הוא שיעשה ואין כל חדש תחת השמש"—whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new beneath the sun! Clearly, the wisest of all men is teaching us a vital principle: Everything that is destined to be when the complete tikun is accomplished at the end of days was already revealed once at the beginning of creation in keeping with the notion of: "סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה"—last in deed, but first in thought.

Along these lines, we can better comprehend Chazal’s statement in the Gemara (Chagigah 12a): "אור שברא הקב"ה ביום ראשון אדם צופה בו מסוף העולם ועד סופו, כיון שנסתכל הקב"ה בדור המבול ובדור הפלגה וראה שמעשיהם מקולקלים, עמד וגנזו מהם שנאמר וימנע מרשעים אורם. ולמי גנזו לצדיקים לעתיד לבוא, שנאמר וירא אלקים את האור כי טוב". Regarding the light that HKB”H created on the first day, Adam could survey with it from one end of the world to the other end; however, when HKB”H looked at the generation of the mabul and the generation of the dispersion, and He saw that their deeds were perverse, He proceeded to conceal it from them, as it says (Iyov 38, 15): “And light was withheld from the wicked.” And for whom did he conceal it (the light)? For tzaddikim in the future, as it says (Bereishis 1, 4): “G-d saw that the light was good.”

This is also somewhat difficult to comprehend, seeing as HKB”H knew that there were going to be wicked people in the world. Hence, He could have simply waited to reveal that phenomenal light until le’atid la’vo. In keeping with what we have just learned, however, since HKB”H intended to reveal that sequestered light—“ohr haganuz”—le’atid la’vo, He created it at the beginning of creation in keeping with the notion of: "סוף מעשה במחשבה תחלה". Thus, by means of our virtuous deeds, we would be able to reveal the “ohr haganuz” once again at the end of days.

Now, according to our sacred sefarim, we are taught by the Arizal that in Olam HaZeh, the halachah accords with Beis Hillel; le’atid la’vo, however, the halachah will accord with Beis Shamai. This is so based on the fact that Hillel’s teachings were rooted in “midat hachesed”; hence, he was extremely humble and performed many acts of chesed. The teachings of Shamai, on the other hand, were rooted in “midat hadin”; hence, he was extremely strict and rigid. Therefore, in Olam HaZeh, the halachah follows the rulings of Beis Hillel rather than Beis Shamai—“midat hachesed” rather than “midat hadin.” For, as we have learned, the world cannot survive based on the strict standard of “din.”

Accordingly, the Arizal teaches us an incredible chiddush. Le’atid la’vo, when the world will be rectified, and the yetzer hara will be thoroughly eliminated, it will no longer be necessary for the world to be based on “midat hachesed,” above and beyond the strict standard of “din.” On the contrary, the world will be managed based on “midat hadin,” and people will be rewarded even based on “midat hadin.” Hence, le’atid la’vo, the halachah will accord with Beis Shamai rather than Beis Hillel.

This illuminates for us Rashi’s comment (Bereishis 1, 1): Initially, He thought to create it with “midat hadin.” This was because the purpose and goal of creation was for the situation that will exist at the time of the future geulah, when HKB”H will manage the world with “midat hadin.” Therefore, His first instinct was to create the universe with “midat hadin,” just as it will be at the end of days, at the time of the future geulah. Yet, He foresaw that the world could not endure based on “midat hadin” prior to the final, total tikun. Hence, He prioritized “midat harachamim” and partnered it with “midat hadin.” Understood this way, we see that the Almighty’s initial intent was not discarded; however, it would only materialize fully le’atid la’vo, when He would, indeed, manage the world with “midat hadin.”