October 17, 2025
כ׳׳ה תשרי תשפ׳׳ו
A PEEK AT THE PARSHA Parshat Bereshit is the very first parsha in the Torah. It tells the amazing story of how Hashem created the entire world in just six days, and how He rested on the seventh day, which became Shabbat. Day 1: Hashem created light and darkness. Day 2: He made the sky. Day 3: He gathered the waters, made dry land, and created plants and trees. Day 4: Hashem created the sun, moon, and stars. Day 5: He made fish and birds. Day 6: Hashem made animals and the first human beings: Adam and later Chava. On Day 7, Hashem rested, and that’s why we keep Shabbat.
ONE BIG IDEA In Parshat Bereshit, we learn how Hashem created the whole world and everything in it, including the very first people: Adam and Chava. Hashem gave them a special gift called free will: the ability to choose right from wrong. Even though Adam and Chava made a mistake by not listening, Hashem still loves us and gives us chances to do better. We learn that Hashem wants us to make good choices every day and to take care of the world He created. When we choose to do mitzvot and be kind, we bring light into the world!
Bereshit · בראשית
Hashem placed Adam and Chava in a beautiful garden called Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden). He told them they could eat from any tree except one: Eitz Hada’at (the Tree of Knowledge). But the snake tricked Chava, and she ate from the tree and gave some to Adam. Because they didn’t listen to Hashem, they had to leave Gan Eden. Adam and Chava had two sons, Kayin and Hevel. Kayin became jealous of Hevel and made a very bad choice: he hurt his brother. Hashem punished Kayin, but also protected him, showing that Hashem still cares even when people make mistakes. Later, we read that people stopped listening to Hashem and became wicked. Hashem was sad that people were not acting nicely. But there was one person who was different: Noach. He was righteous and listened to Hashem, even when others did not. Parshat Bereshit teaches us so many lessons. Hashem created the world with kindness and order, He wants us to make good choices, and He gives us free will, the ability to choose between right and wrong. When we follow Hashem and try to do what’s right, we help make the world a better place!
TIMES - זמנים Candle-lighting: 5:54pm Havdalah: 6:48pm