#56.1 The Story of Creation

#56.1 Jewish History – Stories from the Torah – Creation

In this lesson you will learn about the very first story of the Torah. The story of creation, what was created and when.

#1 Read and Learn: 

In the beginning, God made heaven and earth. God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated light from darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness Night. Then there was evening and there was morning – the first day. 

God said, “Let there be space to separate the water above from the water below.” And so it was. God called the space Sky. Then there was evening and there was morning – the second day.

God said, “Let the dry land appear.” And so it was. God called the dry land Earth, and the deep waters God called Seas. Then God said, “Let plants grow, and fruit trees, too.” And so it was. And God saw that it was good. Then there was evening and there was morning – the third day. 

God said, “Let there be lights in the sky to mark the days and the years – and to shine upon the earth.” And so it was. God made the sun to shine by day, and the moon and stars to shine by night. And God saw that this was good. Then there was evening and there was morning – the fourth day.

God said, “Let the waters fill with living things, and let there be birds to fly in the sky above the earth.” So God created the great sea creatures, the lizards, and birds of every kind. And God saw that this was good. God blessed the living things, saying, “Have many babies and fill the skies and seas.” And there was evening and there was morning – the fifth day.

God said, “Let there be living things no the earth – cattle, insects, and wild beasts of every kind.” And so it was. And God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let us make human beings that are like us.” And God created people – men and women, God created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Have many babies and fill the earth. You must care for the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the things that live on the earth.”

God told the people, “Behold, I give you the plants and the trees – eat the fruit. And I give the green plants to all the animals of the land and the birds of the sky for food.” And it was so. And God looked at all that God had made, and found it very good. Then there was evening and there was morning – the sixth day. 

The heaven and the earth – and everything in them- were complete. 

On the seventh day God finished working and rested. God called the seventh day Shabbat. And God blessed the seventh day and called it holy, because on that day God rested from the work of creation. 

And that is the story of how the heaven, and earth were created. 

Story written by Shirley Rose

#2 WATCH:Shalom Sesame – Creation in images

#3  Read and Reflect: Why are there two creation stories?

The Book of Genesis (known in Hebrew as Bereshit) begins with the creation of the world by God, from tohu v’bohu, chaos and nothingness. God calls for light, separates the dark­ness from the light creating day and night, creates the “great waters,” separates land from sea, and eventually fills the earth with creatures—fowl, fish, land animals, and finally man and woman. In fact, Bereshit tells the story of the creation twice, with significant differences between the two versions.

The second version of the creation story

#4 Read and Learn: What is Light All About?

#5: Review and Response

  1. What did God create on the first day?
  2. What day did God create the moon, sun, and stars?
  3. Do y​ ou​​ read the story of the days of Creation literally?
  4. The narrator suggests that the light created on the first day was the light of consciousness.What else can light symbolize?
  5. What are some ways that people can bring “light” into the world?

Need some help? We’re here for you. At any time, if you have any questions, please contact one of our teachers so we can help you. Also, at the end of the session, remember to review your responses in your Tamid Workbook so you can get credit for this lesson. Behatzlacha (Hebrew for good luck)! You can reach Sarah at (646)360-0689 or connect@tamidnyc.org