כָּל־הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אֶל־הַיָּ֔ם וְהַיָּ֖ם אֵינֶ֣נּוּ מָלֵ֑א אֶל־מְק֗וֹם שֶׁ֤הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים שָׁ֛ם הֵ֥ם שָׁבִ֖ים לָלָֽכֶת׃
אַלע טײַכן גײען צום ים, און דער ים װערט ניט פֿול;צו דעם אָרט װוּהין די טײַכן גײען, אַהין גײען זײ װידער.
Rabbeinu Bahya
והארץ היתה תהו ובהו “and the earth had been in a chaotic state, etc." This is a reference to the raw material which had not yet been properly defined and therefore could not yet be named. This explanation is analogous to what our sages have said in Kidushin 40 בתוהא על הראשונות “he had second thoughts on what he had thought before." The Torah called this indefinable material "tohu," whereas Greek philosophers called it "hayuli," the original matter. The word "bohu," on the other hand, refers to this material once it had been equipped with a distinctive shape and had assumed a definitive form. The word בהו is actually two words comprised of בו הוא"something which does have a certain form by which is identifiable". This is what Isaiah 34,11 had in mind when he said "He will measure it with a line of chaos and with weights of emptiness." The prophet related the word "a line," to the word which described something indefinable, visible but not substantive. Incidentally, this word is related or derived from Psalms 40,2 קוה קויתי ה' [i.e. intense hope precedes concretisation of one's wishes. Ed.] An artisan envisages מקוה, a building in his mind's eye before he builds it. The relationship of the word is that the stones are the manifestation, the format of the building the artisan had first envisaged
To sum up the whole passage: "At the beginning G'd created a minute amount of matter out of absolute nothingness. This contained within itself the potential and energy to expand into what we call "heaven and earth." After this initial stage of creative activity by G'd the earth had still remained in a chaotic state, matter without separation into shape or form of the four basic raw materials (elements) of the universe, i.e. fire, wind, water and dust. The word הארץ includes all these four basic materials the earth is made of. [Even though the material עפר is only the last one described in the record of מעשה בראשית at the creation of man. Ed.] the Torah refers to it first when speaking about ארץ which was a minute point. Philosophers called it a "point," [to distinguish between the solar system which appears in constant motion, whereas earth appears stationary. Ed.]. They viewed the earth as if it were a point surrounded by the planetary system. Earth was viewed as stationary based on Kohelet 1,4 והארץ לעולם עומדת “and the earth remains in its place forever." This is in contrast to the planets surrounding it which move from place to place and never remain in the same spot. Only a small part of earth is in motion, ever. The reason the planetary system, i.e. ,שמים is called עליון lofty, high, is because the material it is made of is so delicate, so fine, and so pure. Earth, on the other hand, is made of the coarsest, the most opaque material. Once the Torah had begun to discuss the properties of earth it returns its attention to the heaven and lists the other basic raw materials (elements) in their proper order, i.e. "fire, wind, and water. The word חשך darkness, is a reference to elemental fire which is dark (compare Shemot Rabbah 2,10.) [This recalls the statement of our sages that the Torah was written with black fire on white fire. Ed.] It is listed ahead of the second element רוח, wind, seeing that fire is a more comprehensive element than wind. The wind precedes water, i.e. "the wind (spirit) of G'd hovered over the deep." This is because wind is a more comprehensive element than water. Water, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive element than earth (dust). We find this order of the basic elements both in Kohelet and in Job. Just as the Torah in this instance began its detailed description with the נקודה the "point," when it wrote: "and the earth was chaotic," so the Book of Kohelet begins with this "point" describing it as something which remains in place forever, i.e. והארץ לעולם עומדת (Kohelet 1,4). Next Solomon mentions the element fire when he wrote וזרח השמש ובא השמש sun shone and the sun set (Kohelet 1,5)." After the fire Solomon mentions the wind in Kohelet 1,6 where he wrote סובב סובב הולך הרוח “the wind goes round and round." Lastly, Solomon mentions the water when he wrote הנחלים הולכים אל הים", “all the rivers flow into the sea" (Kohelet 1,7).
Also in the Book of Job (Job 28,24) its description of creation begins with the "point," i.e. earth, or "dust," when the author wrote: i.e. כי הוא לקצות הארץ יביט תחת כל השמים יראה, ”for He sees to the ends of the earth, observes all that is beneath the heavens." The reference to the heavens is a reference to fire. The text continues: לעשות לרוח משקל ומים תכן במדה when He fixed the weight of the winds, set the measure of the waters." We observe that the elements are listed in the same order as in Kohelet and in Bereshit. The reason for this is that all these three Books concern themselves with some degree of research, and its words are based on our knowledge of nature.
In our verse the Torah informed us that the earth assumed a shape, that the darkness which is the fire, spread out above the mixture of dust and water. This mixture is called תהום,"the deep," in the language of the Torah. It describes the ocean which has earth dissolved in it. Compare Jonah 2,6 תהום יסובבני, "the deep surrounds me.
The wind was blowing entering the darkness and hovering above the water. When the Torah speaks of ורוח אלוקים, we would actually have expected ורוח האלוקים, i.e. “the wind (spirit) of G'd;" the reason the Torah chose to omit the letter ה , thereby apparently identifying wind as something divine, this is because of all matters in the physical universe wind is the closest to the invisible abstract force called G'd. Even though in some respects fire is even more insubstantial, diaphanous, than the wind, the Torah did not want to associate this word with G'd seeing that we described fire as a product of, or rather synonymous with, darkness.
To sum up the whole passage: "At the beginning G'd created a minute amount of matter out of absolute nothingness. This contained within itself the potential and energy to expand into what we call "heaven and earth." After this initial stage of creative activity by G'd the earth had still remained in a chaotic state, matter without separation into shape or form of the four basic raw materials (elements) of the universe, i.e. fire, wind, water and dust. The word הארץ includes all these four basic materials the earth is made of. [Even though the material עפר is only the last one described in the record of מעשה בראשית at the creation of man. Ed.] the Torah refers to it first when speaking about ארץ which was a minute point. Philosophers called it a "point," [to distinguish between the solar system which appears in constant motion, whereas earth appears stationary. Ed.]. They viewed the earth as if it were a point surrounded by the planetary system. Earth was viewed as stationary based on Kohelet 1,4 והארץ לעולם עומדת “and the earth remains in its place forever." This is in contrast to the planets surrounding it which move from place to place and never remain in the same spot. Only a small part of earth is in motion, ever. The reason the planetary system, i.e. ,שמים is called עליון lofty, high, is because the material it is made of is so delicate, so fine, and so pure. Earth, on the other hand, is made of the coarsest, the most opaque material. Once the Torah had begun to discuss the properties of earth it returns its attention to the heaven and lists the other basic raw materials (elements) in their proper order, i.e. "fire, wind, and water. The word חשך darkness, is a reference to elemental fire which is dark (compare Shemot Rabbah 2,10.) [This recalls the statement of our sages that the Torah was written with black fire on white fire. Ed.] It is listed ahead of the second element רוח, wind, seeing that fire is a more comprehensive element than wind. The wind precedes water, i.e. "the wind (spirit) of G'd hovered over the deep." This is because wind is a more comprehensive element than water. Water, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive element than earth (dust). We find this order of the basic elements both in Kohelet and in Job. Just as the Torah in this instance began its detailed description with the נקודה the "point," when it wrote: "and the earth was chaotic," so the Book of Kohelet begins with this "point" describing it as something which remains in place forever, i.e. והארץ לעולם עומדת (Kohelet 1,4). Next Solomon mentions the element fire when he wrote וזרח השמש ובא השמש sun shone and the sun set (Kohelet 1,5)." After the fire Solomon mentions the wind in Kohelet 1,6 where he wrote סובב סובב הולך הרוח “the wind goes round and round." Lastly, Solomon mentions the water when he wrote הנחלים הולכים אל הים", “all the rivers flow into the sea" (Kohelet 1,7).
Also in the Book of Job (Job 28,24) its description of creation begins with the "point," i.e. earth, or "dust," when the author wrote: i.e. כי הוא לקצות הארץ יביט תחת כל השמים יראה, ”for He sees to the ends of the earth, observes all that is beneath the heavens." The reference to the heavens is a reference to fire. The text continues: לעשות לרוח משקל ומים תכן במדה when He fixed the weight of the winds, set the measure of the waters." We observe that the elements are listed in the same order as in Kohelet and in Bereshit. The reason for this is that all these three Books concern themselves with some degree of research, and its words are based on our knowledge of nature.
In our verse the Torah informed us that the earth assumed a shape, that the darkness which is the fire, spread out above the mixture of dust and water. This mixture is called תהום,"the deep," in the language of the Torah. It describes the ocean which has earth dissolved in it. Compare Jonah 2,6 תהום יסובבני, "the deep surrounds me.
The wind was blowing entering the darkness and hovering above the water. When the Torah speaks of ורוח אלוקים, we would actually have expected ורוח האלוקים, i.e. “the wind (spirit) of G'd;" the reason the Torah chose to omit the letter ה , thereby apparently identifying wind as something divine, this is because of all matters in the physical universe wind is the closest to the invisible abstract force called G'd. Even though in some respects fire is even more insubstantial, diaphanous, than the wind, the Torah did not want to associate this word with G'd seeing that we described fire as a product of, or rather synonymous with, darkness.
Siftei Chakhamim
"He called seas"d. Is there not but one sea? I.e., all other seas flow from the Ocean, as it says (Koheles 1:7): “All the rivers flow into the sea...”
Ramban
O NAPHTALI, SATISFIED WITH FAVOR. “[This means] that his land satisfied every desire of its inhabitants.” This is Rashi’s language. The correct interpretation is that it is connected with the Glorious Name [mentioned later in the verse: and full with the blessing of ‘the Eternal’], the verse stating that “Naphtali is satisfied and full of the Will of the Glorious Name and His blessing.” But in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah245Sefer Habahir, 7 and 9. See Vol. I, p. 24, Note 42. the Rabbis commented on this verse: “Rabbi Amora said: What is the meaning of this verse, And full with the blessing of the Eternal; ‘yerashah’ (possess thou) the sea and the south? Thus said Moses: If you will walk in my statutes you will inherit the World to Come which is likened to the sea, as it is said, and broader than the sea,246Job 11:9. and this world which is likened to the south, as it is said, for that thou hast set me in the land of the ‘negev’247Joshua 15:19. [that is, a dry land], and is rendered by the Targum: ‘the southern land.’ And why is it written yerashah [‘possess thou’ — in the feminine], it should have said yerash [in the masculine]? Because even the Holy One, blessed be He, is included [in Naphtali’s inheritance], for the word yerashah consists of two words: resh Y-ah (possess G-d). To what may this be compared? To a king who had two treasures [i.e., the two worlds], and set one of them aside. At the end of many days he said to his son, ‘Take the contents of these two treasures.’ The son said, ‘Perhaps he will not give me the one he set aside.’ Thereupon the father said, to him, ‘Take everything.’ It is this which is written ‘yerashah’ (possess thou) the sea and the south — Y-ah resh. Everything is given you — if only you keep His ways!” They have further said:248Sefer Habahir, 3. “And full with the blessing of the Eternal; possess thou the sea and the south. The ‘sea’ is an allusion to the Torah alone, as it is said, and broader than the sea,”246Job 11:9. and [so they continue] the entire Midrash there. If so, the secret of the verse is as follows: “Naphtali is satisfied with the favor saturated by the blessing of the Eternal, which is ‘the sea’ combined in all [and comprised] of all.”249Reference is to the various attributes of G-d, as the subject is somewhat elucidated by Ramban in Genesis 24:1 (Vol. I, pp. 291-293). It is similar to what Scripture states, All the rivers run into the sea,250Ecclesiastes 1:7. this being “the house of the King.” This is like the parable of those who seek to see the king and ask, “Where is the house of the king?” Then [after finding the house] they ask, “Where is the king?” And even this world which is parched and dry of the favor [of G-d in comparison to the World to Come], Naphtali will inherit with Y-ah [as the word yerashah — resh Y-ah — indicates]. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.
Rashi
shall no longer stream Heb. יהרו, and shall not gather. Cf. “And all the nations shall stream (ונהרוּ) to it” (Isa. 2:2). Like the waters of the river, all of which go to the sea.