יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּחָכְמָ֥ה יָֽסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כּוֹנֵ֥ן שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃
גאָט האָט מיט חכמה געגרונטפֿעסט די ערד, ער האָט אױפֿגעשטעלט די הימלען מיט פֿאַרשטאַנדיקײט.
Ramban
IN THE BEGINNING G-D CREATED. Rashi wrote: “This verse calls aloud for elucidation,19The difficulties in the verse are: (a) The word bereshith (in the beginning) appears throughout the Bible in a construct form such as: In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 27:1). But here it cannot be in construct form since such a form can be used only in connection with a noun, and the word bara (He created) is a verb. (b) Again, it cannot be said that here bereshith is actually in a construct form and that a missing noun is implied, thus making the sense of the verse, “in the beginning of all, G—d created…,” for if so, the following difficulty presents itself: since Scripture, according to this interpretation, sets out to tell us the order in which things were created, why does it say in Verse 2 And the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters when it has not yet told us when water was created? Hence Rashi turns to a Midrashic interpretation in which the word reshith is another name for the Torah and Israel. The word bereshith is thus not in a construct form but stands by itself, and the sense conveyed is: “For the sake of that which is reshith [Torah and Israel] G-d created.” as our Rabbis have explained it:20Bereshith Rabbah 1:6; Tanchuma (Buber) Bereshith 3. “For the sake of Torah which is called reshith, as it is said, The Eternal made me as ‘reshith’ (the beginning) of His way,21Proverbs 8:22. and for the sake of Israel who is called reshith, as it is said, Israel is the Eternal’s hallowed portion, the ‘reshith’ (first-fruits) of His increase.”22Jeremiah 2:3.
This Midrash of our Rabbis is very hidden and secret for there are many things the Rabbis found that are called reshith and concerning which they give Midrashic interpretations, and those wanting in faith count their multitude. For example, they [the Rabbis] have said:23Bereshith Rabbah 1:6. “For the merit acquired by [fulfilling the commandments associated with] three things has the world been created: for the merit of the Dough-offering, for the merit of Tithes and for the merit of the First-fruits. In the beginning G-d created. Reshith surely signifies the Dough-offering, as it is said, The first of your dough.24Numbers 15:20. Reshith surely signifies the Tithes, as it is said, The first of thy corn.25Deuteronomy 18:4. Reshith surely signifies the First-fruits, as it is said, The first-fruits of thy land.”26Exodus 23:19.
The Rabbis have further said:23Bereshith Rabbah 1:6. “For the merit acquired by Moses [the world has been created], as it is said, And he chose a first part for himself.”27Deuteronomy 33:21. Reference here is to Moses who took the territory of Kings Sihon and Og as he knew that his grave was to be therein. (See Rashi, ibid.) It was thus for the sake of this meritorious person, of whom reshith was said, that the world was created.
Their intent in the above texts is as follows: the word bereshith alludes to the creation of the world by Ten Emanations, and hints in particular to the emanation called Wisdom, in which is the foundation of everything, even as it says, The Eternal hath founded the earth by wisdom.28Proverbs 3:19. This is the Heave-offering [referred to in the Midrash mentioned above], and it is holy; it has no precise measure,29By law of the Torah, the Heave-offering given to the priest has no fixed measure; the owner may give according to his discretion. “Even one grain frees the whole mound” (Kiddushin 58 b). Similarly, our conception of Divine wisdom is infinitesimal in relation to its true scope. thus indicating the little understanding created beings have of it. Now just as a man counts ten measures — this alludes to the Ten Emanations — and sets aside one measure of the ten as a Tithe, so do the wise men contemplate the tenth Emanation and speak about it. The Dough-offering, which is the single commandment pertaining to the dough, alludes to this. Now Israel, which is called reshith as mentioned above, is “the congregation of Israel,” which is compared in the Song of Songs to a bride and whom Scripture in turn calls “daughter,” “sister” and “mother.” The Rabbis have already expressed this in a homiletic interpretation of the verse, Upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him,30Song of Songs 3:11. and in other places. Similarly, the verse concerning Moses, And he chose a first part for himself,27Deuteronomy 33:21. Reference here is to Moses who took the territory of Kings Sihon and Og as he knew that his grave was to be therein. (See Rashi, ibid.) It was thus for the sake of this meritorious person, of whom reshith was said, that the world was created. which they [the Rabbis in the above Midrash] interpret to mean that Moses our teacher contemplated [the Deity] through a lucid speculum,31So clearly stated in Yebamoth 49b. and he saw that which is called reshith (the first) for himself, and therefore he merited the Torah. Thus all the above Midrashim have one meaning. Now it is impossible to discuss this explanation at length in writing, and even an allusion is dangerous since people might have thoughts concerning it which are untrue. But I have mentioned this [i.e., the above brief explanation] in order to close the mouths of those wanting in faith and of little wisdom, who scoff at the words of our Rabbis.
This Midrash of our Rabbis is very hidden and secret for there are many things the Rabbis found that are called reshith and concerning which they give Midrashic interpretations, and those wanting in faith count their multitude. For example, they [the Rabbis] have said:23Bereshith Rabbah 1:6. “For the merit acquired by [fulfilling the commandments associated with] three things has the world been created: for the merit of the Dough-offering, for the merit of Tithes and for the merit of the First-fruits. In the beginning G-d created. Reshith surely signifies the Dough-offering, as it is said, The first of your dough.24Numbers 15:20. Reshith surely signifies the Tithes, as it is said, The first of thy corn.25Deuteronomy 18:4. Reshith surely signifies the First-fruits, as it is said, The first-fruits of thy land.”26Exodus 23:19.
The Rabbis have further said:23Bereshith Rabbah 1:6. “For the merit acquired by Moses [the world has been created], as it is said, And he chose a first part for himself.”27Deuteronomy 33:21. Reference here is to Moses who took the territory of Kings Sihon and Og as he knew that his grave was to be therein. (See Rashi, ibid.) It was thus for the sake of this meritorious person, of whom reshith was said, that the world was created.
Their intent in the above texts is as follows: the word bereshith alludes to the creation of the world by Ten Emanations, and hints in particular to the emanation called Wisdom, in which is the foundation of everything, even as it says, The Eternal hath founded the earth by wisdom.28Proverbs 3:19. This is the Heave-offering [referred to in the Midrash mentioned above], and it is holy; it has no precise measure,29By law of the Torah, the Heave-offering given to the priest has no fixed measure; the owner may give according to his discretion. “Even one grain frees the whole mound” (Kiddushin 58 b). Similarly, our conception of Divine wisdom is infinitesimal in relation to its true scope. thus indicating the little understanding created beings have of it. Now just as a man counts ten measures — this alludes to the Ten Emanations — and sets aside one measure of the ten as a Tithe, so do the wise men contemplate the tenth Emanation and speak about it. The Dough-offering, which is the single commandment pertaining to the dough, alludes to this. Now Israel, which is called reshith as mentioned above, is “the congregation of Israel,” which is compared in the Song of Songs to a bride and whom Scripture in turn calls “daughter,” “sister” and “mother.” The Rabbis have already expressed this in a homiletic interpretation of the verse, Upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him,30Song of Songs 3:11. and in other places. Similarly, the verse concerning Moses, And he chose a first part for himself,27Deuteronomy 33:21. Reference here is to Moses who took the territory of Kings Sihon and Og as he knew that his grave was to be therein. (See Rashi, ibid.) It was thus for the sake of this meritorious person, of whom reshith was said, that the world was created. which they [the Rabbis in the above Midrash] interpret to mean that Moses our teacher contemplated [the Deity] through a lucid speculum,31So clearly stated in Yebamoth 49b. and he saw that which is called reshith (the first) for himself, and therefore he merited the Torah. Thus all the above Midrashim have one meaning. Now it is impossible to discuss this explanation at length in writing, and even an allusion is dangerous since people might have thoughts concerning it which are untrue. But I have mentioned this [i.e., the above brief explanation] in order to close the mouths of those wanting in faith and of little wisdom, who scoff at the words of our Rabbis.
Malbim
Now let us see how Job employed this same postulate in a wider context, in an examination of the whole of existence, as follows: It has become apparent to modern scientists,3Written in or about 1865. that the stars fall under the category of 'becoming and demising';4The category that accounts for the transient quality of the terrestrial (sublunar) world. that they are not made of a quintessence as had been the opinion of the ancients, but of ordinary matter like that of the Earth's; and that they too will ultimately decay. This is clear from the words of the prophets too:5This is an example of Malbim's thesis that the Tnach had nothing to fear from the new, for it had anticipated the new For the heavens will vanish like smoke, and the earth age like a garment (Isaiah 51:6).
It has also been shown that the sun, queen of the heavens, (Jeremiah 7:18) together with the multitude of stars in orbit around it, is as nothing and as naught (Isaiah 41:12) compared to the many thousands and tens of thousands of suns that are scattered throughout immeasurable space and which we see as just small specks twinkling in the Milky Way. They are worlds without number, which are also complex structures and are also destined for decay and demise.6In his commentary on Proverbs 3:19, Malbim writes: When He created the world ex nihilo, the Maker had in mind a number of possibilities about the different ways in which the world might be formed and, in His immaculate wisdom, He chose to form it in this way.
It has also been shown that the sun, queen of the heavens, (Jeremiah 7:18) together with the multitude of stars in orbit around it, is as nothing and as naught (Isaiah 41:12) compared to the many thousands and tens of thousands of suns that are scattered throughout immeasurable space and which we see as just small specks twinkling in the Milky Way. They are worlds without number, which are also complex structures and are also destined for decay and demise.6In his commentary on Proverbs 3:19, Malbim writes: When He created the world ex nihilo, the Maker had in mind a number of possibilities about the different ways in which the world might be formed and, in His immaculate wisdom, He chose to form it in this way.
Rabbeinu Bahya
אלוקים, the plain meaning of the word is that it describes divinity. It describes the One who possesses all the divine powers. This is the reason it is expressed in the plural, i.e. not merely אל or אלוה, but the One Who comprises all the divine powers within His essence. An example of such use of the word is found in Joshua 24,19. אלוקים קדשים הוא It means that in His capacity as אלוקים He comprises all aspects of holiness, sanctity. We find a parallel use of words describing terrestrial authority in Isaiah 19,4 where such rulers are described in the plural as אדנים קשה, "a harsh master" (although the adjective applied to "them" is in the singular). The reason the noun is in the plural is because such rulers manifest their authority in so many different ways. If such use of the plural is appropriate for describing terrestrial rulers, how much more so is it appropriate for describing G'd whose authority is manifested in innumerably more ways than the authority of even the most powerful human king on earth. Their entire authority is, after all, only derived from G'd. G'd, by definition, is One, indivisible, but His powers are many.
We find many other examples of nouns in the singular being described as if they had been written in the plural. To name some: ליל שמורים הוא (Exodus 12,42) "it is a night of vigil," (the word for "vigil" is in the plural). Or, (Leviticus 23,28) יום כפורים הוא “it is a Day of Atonement."
Another reason why the Torah refers to G'd as אלוקים in the plural is the great deal of intelligence, wisdom, and insight He employed when He created the universe. [I believe the author treats each attribute as something separate, hence He justifies the plurality of attributes by referring to the One who employed all these attributes in the plural. Ed.] This is what Solomon had in mind when he wrote in Proverbs 3,19 "ה' בחכמה יסד ארץ כונן שמים בתבונה." The Lord founded earth by employing wisdom, He established the heavens by employing understanding." G'd is described as employing different attributes when creating the universe.
We find many other examples of nouns in the singular being described as if they had been written in the plural. To name some: ליל שמורים הוא (Exodus 12,42) "it is a night of vigil," (the word for "vigil" is in the plural). Or, (Leviticus 23,28) יום כפורים הוא “it is a Day of Atonement."
Another reason why the Torah refers to G'd as אלוקים in the plural is the great deal of intelligence, wisdom, and insight He employed when He created the universe. [I believe the author treats each attribute as something separate, hence He justifies the plurality of attributes by referring to the One who employed all these attributes in the plural. Ed.] This is what Solomon had in mind when he wrote in Proverbs 3,19 "ה' בחכמה יסד ארץ כונן שמים בתבונה." The Lord founded earth by employing wisdom, He established the heavens by employing understanding." G'd is described as employing different attributes when creating the universe.