Bereishis: Ushering in Moshiach An interesting point can be seen when contemplating the original function of the haftara reading. At the time when there was a death sentence on anyone caught reading the Torah, the Sages instituted the reading of chapters from the Prophets instead. The portions were chosen according to the Torah portion due to be read each Shabbos.
In this instance, our Sages chose a portion dealing with the era of the Moshiach (Messiah). One might question such a choice since the events of Creation and those surrounding the Final Redemption are separated by several thousand years. Reading about one may not necessarily remind one about the other. However, the message is clear: already from day one, when Hashem uttered the words 'Let there be light,’ there was already a purpose for everything. That purpose was Moshiach.
A fundamental element of Jewish faith can be seen through this specific choice of haftara for parshas Bereishis. The clearly emphasized point is that everything that Hashem does has an exact and specific purpose.
However, even among those who believe in Hashem, some think of the events of Creation as 'something that happened then,' without much relevance to their present day lives. In reality, though, the situation is quite different. Even though we are temporarily clothed in physical bodies to help us be able to function on this earth, we must never lose sight of our goal, which is to bring honor to Hashem and thereby bring about the Final Redemption. Every action of every Jew, however minor it may be, has the power to speed up or delay the coming of Moshiach. In fact, the haftara itself begins, 'So says Hashem Who creates heaven...' (Isaiah 42:5), which is stated in the present tense, hinting to the fact that creation ex nihilo is an ongoing process. Furthermore, if even for a second Hashem were to stop His continuous creation process, everything would cease to exist.
Since the whole purpose of creation is for mankind to acknowledge and honor Hashem, the arrival of Moshiach will completely fulfill that purpose. Just as the initial creation was brought about for the goal of bringing Moshiach, so too does each re-creation have the same purpose.
Now one might say that this is all nice, but what practical ramifications does it have for us? The Rambam (Maimonides) in his famous work “Sefer HaMitzvos” lists as the eighth mitzvah the obligation to imitate Hashem’s ways. 'Vehalachtah b’drachav...' meaning 'You shall go in His ways.' By applying this mitzvah to what we have learned, one could suggest the following: Just as Hashem, in every single second from the beginning of creation, keeps creating and recreating with the purpose of bringing Moshiach, thus revealing His glory to all, perhaps we, on our infinitesimally smaller level, should consider, prior to performing each action we do, whether or not it will result in speeding up the coming of Moshiach.
While parshas Bereishis describes the initial creation of the world, the haftara focuses on the ultimate goal, namely the Final Redemption. It even hints that the coming of Moshiach will be a miracle on the same scale as the initial Creation events. When Adam sinned, the Divine Presence withdrew itself to Heaven; with the coming of Moshiach, it will once again dwell among us, speedily and soon in our days.
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