Congregation of Israel
BEREISHITH
IN THE BEGINING
בראשית
Torah Reading:
TORAH
Genesis 1:1–6:8
HAFTARAH
Isaiah 42:5–21
APOSTOLIC
בְּבָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ׃בְּרֵאשִׁית
B’re-shit ba-ra E-lo-him et ha-sha-ma-yim v’et ha-a-retz.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
The Gift of Life
Bereishit means “in the beginning.” In the beginning, the heavens and the earth were created: His Torah and His Light. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Genesis describes the origins of the universe, man and then explores the origin of the nation of Israel. The Torah is God’s law; it is His teaching and instruction; it is eternal and it is life. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
God is the source of all life. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. He knew in advance the existence of every person who would ever be born into this world. He knew you before you were formed and he formed you with a purpose. The gift of life.
According to the Torah, God formed man and when GOD breathed life into the nostrils and “man became a living soul”.
Man is made in the image of God. Remember your were created in the image of GOD for a specific purpose. As you read the scriptures you’ll discover your purpose. Join us as we navigate through the journey of life. And always remember the good things in life.
The act of Creation was not a one-time event. Creation is continual and ongoing. Yotzer Ohr (“Creator of Light”) is a Blessing of Creation which reminds us that, “God, in His goodness renews each day, perpetually, the act of creation.”
You were created for a specific purpose. Find your passion. Power and energy come from focusing on what excites you. Extraordinary success is achievable even from the smallest of beginnings. Be passionate about what you love and give it your very best. And always choose to remember the good things in life.
BEREISHITH
A GLANCE OF HEBREW
Pronunciation Guide for Transliterated Hebrew Words
a
[a] as in arm
ai
[ai] as in Thailand
e
[e] as in red
ei
[ei] as in eight
i
[i] as in ski
o
[o] as in score
oi
[oi] as in oil
u
[u] as in rule
ui
[ui] as in gluing
ch/kh
[ch] as in the Scottish loch
g
[g] as in good (not as in giant)
tz
[ts] as in hats
,
short “eh” or “uh” sound
