Difference between revisions of "Two Accounts of Creation: Bereshit 1–2/2/en"
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<point><b>Man in the image of God or from earth</b> – Similarly, while Chapter 1 states only that mankind was made in Hashem's image, Chapter 2 elaborates exactly how this occurred: man was formed from the dust of the earth and then God breathed into him a living soul.</point> | <point><b>Man in the image of God or from earth</b> – Similarly, while Chapter 1 states only that mankind was made in Hashem's image, Chapter 2 elaborates exactly how this occurred: man was formed from the dust of the earth and then God breathed into him a living soul.</point> | ||
<point><b>Order of Creation</b><ul> | <point><b>Order of Creation</b><ul> | ||
− | <li>Man: first or last? Since the entire purpose of retelling the creation story in Chapter 2 is to move into a discussion of Adam and the particulars that relate to him alone, it is logical that this account begins by telling of his creation. | + | <li><b>Man: first or last?</b> Since the entire purpose of retelling the creation story in Chapter 2 is to move into a discussion of Adam and the particulars that relate to him alone, it is logical that this account begins by telling of his creation. </li> |
− | <li>Vegetation: before or after man?  Rashi, following R. Asi in <multilink><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Bavli Chulin</a><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Chulin 60b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, suggests that the vegetation appeared on the earth on day three, but did not grow until after man's creation on day six.</li> | + | <li><b>Vegetation</b>: <b>before or after man?</b>  Rashi, following R. Asi in <multilink><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Bavli Chulin</a><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Chulin 60b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, suggests that the vegetation appeared on the earth on day three, but did not grow until after man's creation on day six.<fn>He points out that the word "טֶרֶם" does not mean before (in which case the verse would seem to be saying, before the grass grew, God created man) but rather "not yet". This explanation works better for the phrase, "וְכׇל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמָח" which emphasizes that the grass had not yet grown, but is weaker in explaining the phrase, "וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ" which suggests that the vegetation did not yet exist.</fn> Cassuto suggests instead that 2:5 is speaking about very specific vegetation that had not yet been created: שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה and עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה.  These refer to wheat and barley, which was only necessary after man sinned and could no longer benefit from the garden of Eden leading to the need to work the land and eat of "עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה".  As Chapter 2 leads into the story of the sin, this fact is mentioned now.<fn>Cf. Radak who also suggests that the verse is saying that only vegetation that needs working by man was not yet created but all others were.  He emphaiszes that the verse is simply coming to explain how it was possible for vegetation to grow at all before man was created to work the land, and points out that certain greenery could sprout because God created a vapor to water them.</fn></li> |
+ | <li><b>Animals: before or after man?</b> Radak explains that the word "וַיִּצֶר" in verse 19 refers not to the present creation of the animals  but what Hashem had already done in Chapter 1.<fn>Cassuto argues that such a reading has no validity and is just asn attempt to harmonize the two accounts since "וַיִּצֶר" is not a past perfect form. </fn>  The fact is simply repeated to introduce Adam's naming of them.</li> | ||
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
− | <point><b>Commands to Man: to conquer or to guard??</b></point> | + | <point><b>Commands to Man: to conquer or to guard??</b> Chapter 2 which focuses on man's life once he moves into the Garden includes the specific instructions related to the garden.  Such directives have no place in the general account of Chapter 1 which, instead, includes the timeless command to multiply and subdue the earth.</point> |
<point><b>Creation via speech?</b></point> | <point><b>Creation via speech?</b></point> | ||
− | <point><b>Names of Hashem</b></point> | + | <point><b>Names of Hashem</b><ul> |
+ | <li>Radak, following <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah13-13" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah13-13" data-aht="source">13:1,3</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>, suggests that throughout Chapter 1, when creation was not yet complete, God's full name is not used.  Only in Chapter 2, when the entire world exists, does the narrator use hashem's full name.<fn>Radak also points to Ibn Ezra who explains similarly, that only with the epitome of creation, the formation of man and his soul, is the full name of Hashem used.  He also points out that since Hashem created via his angels, the creations in Chapter 1 are attributed to them, using the noun "אֱלֹהִים" (which can refer to Hashem's messengers).</fn></li> | ||
+ | <li>Cassuto asserts that the name Hashem is a general term used to refer to God while Hashem is His Proper name. Thus, in the general description of the material world the more distant term, "Elohim" is used.  In the detailed description of His personal interaction with Adam, the Proper name "Hashem" is used.<fn>Cassuto suggests that Chapter 2 does not suffice with "Hashem" but combines the terms "Hashem-Elohim" to teach the reader that the two are one and the same.</fn></li> | ||
+ | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>Verbs Used (עשה/ברא versus יצר)</b></point> | <point><b>Verbs Used (עשה/ברא versus יצר)</b></point> | ||
</category> | </category> |
Version as of 00:04, 23 April 2015
Two Accounts of Creation
Exegetical Approaches
Literary Device
The repetition of the creation story with its varying details is a literary device in which an author first presents a general overview and then proceeds to speak in more detail about important individual components.
- Man: first or last? Since the entire purpose of retelling the creation story in Chapter 2 is to move into a discussion of Adam and the particulars that relate to him alone, it is logical that this account begins by telling of his creation.
- Vegetation: before or after man? Rashi, following R. Asi in Bavli Chulin, suggests that the vegetation appeared on the earth on day three, but did not grow until after man's creation on day six.1 Cassuto suggests instead that 2:5 is speaking about very specific vegetation that had not yet been created: שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה and עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה. These refer to wheat and barley, which was only necessary after man sinned and could no longer benefit from the garden of Eden leading to the need to work the land and eat of "עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה". As Chapter 2 leads into the story of the sin, this fact is mentioned now.2
- Animals: before or after man? Radak explains that the word "וַיִּצֶר" in verse 19 refers not to the present creation of the animals but what Hashem had already done in Chapter 1.3 The fact is simply repeated to introduce Adam's naming of them.
- Radak, following Bereshit Rabbah, suggests that throughout Chapter 1, when creation was not yet complete, God's full name is not used. Only in Chapter 2, when the entire world exists, does the narrator use hashem's full name.4
- Cassuto asserts that the name Hashem is a general term used to refer to God while Hashem is His Proper name. Thus, in the general description of the material world the more distant term, "Elohim" is used. In the detailed description of His personal interaction with Adam, the Proper name "Hashem" is used.5
Two Facets of Creation
The two chapters describe different aspects of the same creation.
Creative, Majestic Man versus the Man of Faith
Chapter 1 focuses on man in his creative capacity and his search for dignity through control over his environment while Chapter 2 describes the submissive man of faith and his search for redemption. As each prototype approaches his surroundings differently, the description of the creation of each and his world differs.
Natural World versus Revelatory World
Chapter 1 depicts the world in its natural state, with God's justice at its core, while Chapter 2 portrays a world of revelation and God's attributes of mercy.
Distinct Events
While Chapter 1 describes the creation of the world and the human species as a whole, Chapter 2 speaks of a later creation, the planting of Gan Eden and the formation of the individual, Adam.
- "כָל מֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי" – Kayin's lament after his punishment for killing Hevel that "all who will find me will kill me" only makes sense on the backdrop of other existing humans.
- Progeny – If there were no other people in the world besides Adam, Chavvah and their children, whom did Kayin marry and how did he bear children?11
- "וַיְהִי בֹּנֶה עִיר" – After Kayin bears his child, Chanokh, the verse states that he built a city. A city connotes an area inhabited by many, not just Kayin's immediate family.