A Thought on Parshas Bereishis
A Thought on Parshas Bereishis
This year I have selected the commentary of Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel for study. Little is known of this rishon and his writings have come to light rather recently. I first learned of Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel in a discussion with an old friend of mine, Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Cohen, who learned with me years ago in the yeshiva of HaGaon Rav Moshe Feinstein zt'l. Rabbi Cohen now lives in Lakewood, New Jersey and is a known expert on Torah manuscripts. He recommended this commentary because of its frequent original views of the lessons in our parshios.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel appears to have been one of the Ba'alei Tosafos and lived at the end of the thirteenth century. He was a contemporary, and likely a disciple, of the great Rabbeinu Meir of Rottenberg (MaHaRam) who was the major teacher of the Rosh, whose commentary we studied last year in these Parsha Thoughts. He may have served as a rabbi in the German city of Magdeburg. He sometimes quotes or references some of the earlier rishonim whose works are already familiar to us from our Parsha Thoughts. Please join me now on our journey through the Torah through the writings of Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel. May HaShem guide me in presenting his ideas and views as clearly and accurately as they were intended.
* * * * *
"...bora Elokim..."
"...bora Elokim la'asos..."
"...l'ovda u'l'shomra..."
"...the Lord created..." (1:1)
"...the Lord created to make..." (2:3)
"...to work it and to guard it..." (2:15)
The Torah begins with the account of genesis. The Lord created the world. Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel notes that the Divine name of Elokim is employed here. In fact, he observes, this is the only Name which surfaces in the entire description of the Creation! Later on, when the world begins to operate and each species begins to regenerate, we are told about how HaShem Elokim made heaven and earth. What is the lesson to be learned here? The name HaShem is absent from the creation and appears only with the earth becoming activated.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel explains that the celestial creation was the forming of inanimate entities with no autonomy, no choices, no challenges and no struggles. Hence, that dimension of the universe operates with precision and predictability. Hence, there is no role in such a creation for the Divine quality of mercy. It is the "Lord", or how we understand the Divine name Elokim, who rules the world with justice and precision, who was "manifest" in genesis. Only with the advent of man, who struggles with choice and challenge and who errs and makes mistakes, do we learn about of the Divine quality of rachamim (HaShem of Mercy). This Name is only introduced in the dimension where mercy is a relevant, and necessary, concept.
This thought takes a tangent in the second verse cited. What does it mean that HaShem created the world "to make it"? Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel offers that once genesis reached its completion following the sixth day, it is the task of humanity to "make the world." It is man the created being who is given that freedom to make choices and decisions, and who therefore helps shape the direction which the rest of the world takes. We create the world which was originally created for us.
The third verse focuses on man's first entry into the world of doing and creating. We were placed in the Garden "to work it and to guard it." Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel is troubled by the grammar. In the Holy Tongue, "garden" is a masculine word. The suffix at the end of the words "to work it" and "to guard it" is a feminine suffix. If the verse meant that we were to work and guard the garden, it should have written l'avdo u'l'shamro.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel writes that the suffix does not refer to the garden, but rather refers to the human soul which is mentioned in verse 7. We were placed in the Garden to work the soul and to guard the soul. Although man is given the power to choose and the gift of directing his own fate, we are nonetheless given the charge and mission to safeguard our sacred soul within. The choice is ours to make, but we are bidden to remain mindful of what is good and wholesome for the neshama. In our longing for Divine mercy, we must first explore our actions and deeds. Are we doing our job? Are we serving our role? The choices are ours to make, and it is our world which we create.
Wishing you a good Shabbos and a good new year of learning Torah together. D Fox
This year I have selected the commentary of Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel for study. Little is known of this rishon and his writings have come to light rather recently. I first learned of Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel in a discussion with an old friend of mine, Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Cohen, who learned with me years ago in the yeshiva of HaGaon Rav Moshe Feinstein zt'l. Rabbi Cohen now lives in Lakewood, New Jersey and is a known expert on Torah manuscripts. He recommended this commentary because of its frequent original views of the lessons in our parshios.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel appears to have been one of the Ba'alei Tosafos and lived at the end of the thirteenth century. He was a contemporary, and likely a disciple, of the great Rabbeinu Meir of Rottenberg (MaHaRam) who was the major teacher of the Rosh, whose commentary we studied last year in these Parsha Thoughts. He may have served as a rabbi in the German city of Magdeburg. He sometimes quotes or references some of the earlier rishonim whose works are already familiar to us from our Parsha Thoughts. Please join me now on our journey through the Torah through the writings of Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel. May HaShem guide me in presenting his ideas and views as clearly and accurately as they were intended.
* * * * *
"...bora Elokim..."
"...bora Elokim la'asos..."
"...l'ovda u'l'shomra..."
"...the Lord created..." (1:1)
"...the Lord created to make..." (2:3)
"...to work it and to guard it..." (2:15)
The Torah begins with the account of genesis. The Lord created the world. Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel notes that the Divine name of Elokim is employed here. In fact, he observes, this is the only Name which surfaces in the entire description of the Creation! Later on, when the world begins to operate and each species begins to regenerate, we are told about how HaShem Elokim made heaven and earth. What is the lesson to be learned here? The name HaShem is absent from the creation and appears only with the earth becoming activated.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel explains that the celestial creation was the forming of inanimate entities with no autonomy, no choices, no challenges and no struggles. Hence, that dimension of the universe operates with precision and predictability. Hence, there is no role in such a creation for the Divine quality of mercy. It is the "Lord", or how we understand the Divine name Elokim, who rules the world with justice and precision, who was "manifest" in genesis. Only with the advent of man, who struggles with choice and challenge and who errs and makes mistakes, do we learn about of the Divine quality of rachamim (HaShem of Mercy). This Name is only introduced in the dimension where mercy is a relevant, and necessary, concept.
This thought takes a tangent in the second verse cited. What does it mean that HaShem created the world "to make it"? Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel offers that once genesis reached its completion following the sixth day, it is the task of humanity to "make the world." It is man the created being who is given that freedom to make choices and decisions, and who therefore helps shape the direction which the rest of the world takes. We create the world which was originally created for us.
The third verse focuses on man's first entry into the world of doing and creating. We were placed in the Garden "to work it and to guard it." Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel is troubled by the grammar. In the Holy Tongue, "garden" is a masculine word. The suffix at the end of the words "to work it" and "to guard it" is a feminine suffix. If the verse meant that we were to work and guard the garden, it should have written l'avdo u'l'shamro.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel writes that the suffix does not refer to the garden, but rather refers to the human soul which is mentioned in verse 7. We were placed in the Garden to work the soul and to guard the soul. Although man is given the power to choose and the gift of directing his own fate, we are nonetheless given the charge and mission to safeguard our sacred soul within. The choice is ours to make, but we are bidden to remain mindful of what is good and wholesome for the neshama. In our longing for Divine mercy, we must first explore our actions and deeds. Are we doing our job? Are we serving our role? The choices are ours to make, and it is our world which we create.
Wishing you a good Shabbos and a good new year of learning Torah together. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 10:09 PM
1 Comments:
Hi,
I came across your blog while looking for more information about Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel. Can you suggest any sefarim that include his commentaries? Would his commentary be included under a different name in a standards mikraos gedolos? How can I find out more information about him from reputable sources? (All I have found so far is some wikipedia and other similar sources.)
Thank you!
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