Sefer Bereishit, also known in English as, “The Book of Genesis”, is the first of the “Five Books of Moses” (Chamisha Chumshe Torah). Bereishit deals with the creation of the universe, the story of Adam and Eve (Odom and Chava), Noah’s ark, the rise of the patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and the story of Yosef and the descent to Egypt (Mitzrayim).

Bereishit does tell how the universe was created. Instead, as we will learn, it describes something more; why the universe was created. It is the story of mankind. It is the triumph of light over darkness. It is the story of tikkun olam, repairing the world, by elevating the mundane into the divine, by doing good deeds, and performing acts of tzedakah (charity). It is a message of how the Jewish people bring Godliness to the world and serve as vessels for this spirit of monotheism. It is a message that all people can share.