The World Was Originally Created with the Letter “Beis” of בראשית

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.”

The World Was Originally Created with the Letter “Beis” of בראשית

Following this line of reasoning, we will proceed to reconcile the contradiction introduced above: Was the world created with the letter “Beis” or the letter “hei”? Clearly, the passuk that suggests that HKB”H created the universe with the letter “Beis” is the first passuk in the Torah: "בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ". As Rashi explains, this passuk teaches us that HKB”H initially planned to create the world with “midat hadin,” as it will exist le’atid la’vo. Therefore, HKB”H initially created the world with the “Beis” of בראשית, which alludes magnificently to the end of days, as we will explain.

On the other hand, the passuk that suggests that HKB”H created the world with the letter “hei,” appears at the end of the chronicle of creation (ibid. 2, 4): "אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם ביום עשות ה' אלקים ארץ ושמים". They expounded on this passuk in the Gemara: “Do not read the word as (it is actually written) בהברא״ם but rather as בה' בראם (indicating that He created the heavens and the earth with the letter “hei”).” In contrast to the first passuk, this passuk alludes to the fact that Olam HaZeh cannot endure based on the standard of “midat hadin.” Hence, HKB”H prioritized “midat harachamim” over “midat hadin,” as indicated by this passuk. Therefore, at this point, HKB”H created the world with the letter “hei.”

With this understanding, we will now explain why HKB”H created the world with the letter “Beis” when He intended to create the universe with “midat hadin,” whereas He created the world with the letter “hei” when He felt it necessary to prioritize “midat harachamim” instead of “midat hadin.” We will begin by introducing the Gemara (Menachot 29b) that explains the significance of the letter “hei”:

"ומפני מה נברא העולם הזה בה"י, מפני שדומה לאכסדרא שכל הרוצה לצאת יצא "ומאי טעמא תליא כרעיה דאי הדר בתשובה מעיילי ליה."

And why was Olam HaZeh created with the letter “hei”? Because it resembles a pavilion (Rashi: it is open underneath); so that anyone who wishes to leave (go astray) can leave (to lead a life of sin). Then the Gemara asks: And for what reason is the left leg of the “hei” hanging (i.e., it is not connected to the top of the “hei”)? So that if he performs teshuvah, they can bring him back in (through the upper opening between the suspended leg and the top of the “hei”).

Furthermore, consider the nature of Adam HaRishon prior to the sin. In Rashi’s commentary on this weeks parsha, he explains (ibid. 2, 25): "ואף על פי שניתנה בו דעה לקרות שמו, לא נתן בו יצר הרע עד אכלו מן העץ ונכנס בו יצר הרע"—and although man was given the knowledge to name the animals, he was not endowed with a yetzer hara until he ate from the tree; then the yetzer hara entered his being.

The Nezer HaKodesh on the Midrash (B.R. 34, 12) questions this assertion. For, it seems implausible that HKB”H would create Adam HaRishon without a yetzer hara. If that were the case, then what would it have mattered whether or not he abided by Hashem’s mitzvot? Even more difficult to understand is that if Adam HaRishon was not under the influence of a yetzer hara, then what prompted him to disobey HKB”H’s command and partake of the Eitz HaDa’at?

To explain the matter, he relies on a contradiction concerning the yetzer hara. On the one hand, several sources indicate that the yetzer hara exists in man’s heart, as it is written (ibid. 8, 21): "כי יצר לב האדם רע מנעוריו"—since the “yetzer” of man’s heart is evil from his youth. This is supported by a teaching in the Gemara (Berachot 61a): "יצר הרע דומה לזבוב ויושב בין שני מפתחי הלב"—the yetzer hara resembles a fly, and sits between the two gateways of the heart. On the other hand, other sources indicate that the yetzer hara is a malach. This is supported by another teaching in the Gemara (B.B. 16a): "הוא שטן, הוא יצר הרע, הוא מלאך המות"—he is the Satan; he is the yetzer hara; he is the Malach-HaMavet.

Prior to the Cheit Adam HaRishon Only Had an External Yetzer HaRa

The Nezer HaKodesh explains the matter as follows: In truth, both are true of the yetzer hara. He is both an internal enemy and an external enemy. Man’s internal yetzer hara located in his flesh and bones stems from the corruption and perversion of his corporeal being. Additionally, man has an external yetzer hara that is an actual malach. He and his forces are well-known and are depicted by the passuk (Tehillim 12, 9): "סביב רשעים יתהלכון"—the wicked walk on every side. They are a constant bad influence aimed at leading man astray from the paths of life to the paths of death.

He analogizes the situation to a country that is attacked by an external enemy. In that situation, it is still easy to overcome the enemy. If, however, the enemy has also infiltrated the country, then it is much more difficult to defeat the enemy. In this manner, he explains the situation of Adam HaRishon prior to the cheit versus after the cheit:

Without a doubt, even before the cheit, Adam had freedom of choice and had a yetzer hara urging him to commit aveirot for the sake of reward or punishment. However, at that time, he only had an external yetzer hara but not an internal yetzer hara. For G-d created man