by Ram ben Ze'ev
The first word of the Torah, "Bereshit" (בראשית), traditionally understood as "in the beginning" and referring to the inception of time, is composed of "ראשית" (Reshit), meaning "beginning" or "first," and the prefix "ב" (Be), meaning "in" or "at," together signifying that the action occurs at the very start, such as the beginning of creation.
However, what if Bereshit does not primarily refer to time at all, but rather to space, or even a specific place? Since Purim, March 2015, I have been exploring an alternate interpretation that suggests the "beginning" in Bereshit is not just a temporal marker, but a spatial concept, referring to the creation of a primordial "space" in which the rest of creation unfolds.
In classical interpretations, the word "Bereshit" is seen as a reference to the origin of time. From this perspective, the first act of creation is the creation of the temporal dimension—time begins when G-D initiates the process of bringing the universe into existence. This interpretation is in line with both religious exegesis and modern cosmology, where time and space are inextricably linked and believed to have originated together.
I am not suggesting any alterations to the timeline of events recorded in the Tanakh that might affect the calculation of the years since creation; therefore, as I write this article, I affirm that today corresponds to the 19th of Elul, 5784.
However, the concept of time in the Torah is often interwoven with deeper, mystical meanings that transcend the linear understanding of time as we experience it. Jewish mystical traditions, such as Kabbalah, speak of creation as the emanation of divine energy, suggesting that the story of creation is not simply a chronological sequence, but rather an unfolding of divine presence into different dimensions. Could "Bereshit" then be pointing us toward something deeper than the start of time?
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Imagine that Bereshit refers not to the beginning of time but to the beginning of a place—a primordial "space" from which all things emerge. In this interpretation, the word can be seen as describing the creation of a "domain," a metaphysical and physical space where divine energy could manifest and where the universe would take shape.
This "beginning" would then be less about a moment in time and more about a state of existence, a spiritual and physical territory where creation becomes possible. From this vantage point, Bereshit is the establishment of the divine architecture, a place called "the beginning," which serves as the foundational context for all that follows.
The idea of "space" as the first creation aligns with concepts in Kabbalah, where the divine act of creation begins not with physical matter but with the creation of a metaphysical void or space. According to this view, before anything else existed, G-D created a "space" within the divine essence, a place where creation could occur. This is often referred to as the concept of Tzimtzum—the self-contraction of G-D to make room for the universe.
Within this framework, "Bereshit" could be understood as the moment when this divine space is first made. The phrase "Bereshit bara Elohim" (בראשית ברא אלהים / In the beginning, G-D created) would then signify G-D creating not just time but a defined "place" for creation itself, a sacred space that serves as the stage for the unfolding drama of existence.
If Bereshit is indeed a reference to the creation of space, it brings new meaning to the structure of the opening verses of Bereshit. For example, Bereshit 1:1-2 states:
בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ
והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על פני תהום ורוח אלהים מרחפת על פני המים
"In the beginning, G-D created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of G-D was hovering over the waters."
Traditionally, this has been seen as describing the raw material of creation before it was shaped into the ordered universe. In the spatial interpretation, the "formless void" might represent not just unshaped matter but a newly created divine space, an arena that exists prior to time, waiting for the act of divine creation to fill it with life, order, and structure.
Even the phrase "the heavens and the earth" could be reinterpreted. Rather than referring to physical matter alone, these terms could represent two dimensions of this newly created space—the heavenly (spiritual) dimension and the earthly (physical) dimension. This would align with Kabbalistic teachings that view creation as a multi-dimensional process, where spiritual and physical realities are both "spaces" that G-D fills with divine light.
This shift from time to space carries several intriguing theological and philosophical implications:
Creation as Expansion: Instead of viewing creation as the start of a timeline, we can view it as the expansion of divine presence into different dimensions. The process of creation, then, is more about filling spaces with divine energy than about marking moments on a timeline.
The Universe as a Sacred Space: If we see Bereshit as the creation of space, then the universe itself can be understood as a sacred "place," a divine territory where G-D's presence manifests. This connects deeply with Jewish concepts of holiness, where specific places, such as the Temple or the Land of Israel, are seen as imbued with Divine significance.
A Non-Linear Understanding of Creation: A spatial reading of Bereshit suggests that creation is not bound by our linear understanding of time. The divine "place" created in the beginning could encompass both the material and spiritual worlds, with time emerging as a later aspect of this creative act.
Humanity’s Role in Filling the Space: In this view, humanity's purpose in the world takes on a new dimension. Our role is not just to "move through time" but to fill the spaces created by G-D with meaning, holiness, and justice. Just as G-D fills the void with life, we are tasked with filling the world with divine presence through our actions.
Reinterpreting Bereshit as a reference to space, rather than time, opens new avenues for understanding the Torah's account of creation. It aligns with mystical interpretations that view creation as the manifestation of divine presence into different realms and offers a richer, more layered understanding of Bereshit's opening verses. The "beginning" becomes not just the start of history but the creation of a sacred space, a divine context for the unfolding of life, existence, and meaning.
In this interpretation, G-D is not just the creator of time, but the architect of a Holy "place" called Bereshit—the primordial space from which all things emerge and where the divine plan is set into motion.
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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue