Using symbolic methods I have argued that Genesis, Chapter 1,
does not speak, as is commonly thought, about the creation of the physical
world, but rather, about the creation of the spiritual world. That is, what
happened 6000 years ago is not that the physical world was created but rather
that prophecy was created.
Here is another way at looking at this: There had to be a first
point in time when man had a prophetic dream. Before this point in time
there were no prophecies. After this point there were prophecies. This
first point in time happened 6000 years ago. The person named Adam received
a prophetic vision and this was the first time in human history that a
prophetic vision was received.
The student interested in studying all details of this idea should
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gen-1.htm which contains my paper
Genesis 1 speaks about the creation of prophecy not the creation
of the world. We suffice in this newsletter to indicate a very
Genesis 1 could not be speaking about the creation of man: Indeed
Genesis 3 describes slimy man, the snake. Similarly, Genesis
4 describes the city that Kayin built, presumably for other people.
Gn01-02 when interpreted with proper grammar uses the past perfect:
The world had been void.... The past perfect--had been---
shows that prior to the creation of prophetic-man the world had
Because of these and other considerations Rashi states on Gn01-04,
which states God said let there be light and there was light, Here
also we require agaddic/symbolic methods: The verse speaks about the spiritual
light hidden for the righteous in the future world. We have interpreted this
Rashi as speaking about the light of prophecy which is destined for
the righteous in the future world. Thus the proper translation of Gn01-01:04
is as follows:
For the sake of the choicest in man, God created both the physical and
spiritual worlds. For the world had been void, with darkness over human
emotions, and only a vestige of prophecy hovered over mans inner turmoil. And
then God said let there be the light of prophecy and people had visions...
If one reads the article references above one can find a more detailed account of the methodology, other sources (besides this Rashi) that confirm
this approach, as well as many scriptural references (such as references showing that light
means prophecy.) We urge all readers to read it.
Each year when reviewing BreiShith we try and add one new symbolic
Rashi illustrating the above approach. Today we concentrate on the phrase
(Gn01-27) that man was created in the image of God. Rashi,
following the above symbolic methodology, interprets this symbolically:
The symbolic interpretation of the form of man correctly
gives insight into God's nature. Here is a simple example: Man's form has
his head above his body. Symbolically this means that the spiritual (head)
is more important (above) than the physical (body).