Torah Portion of the Week

Building Character through the Themes of the Weekly Torah Portion

  • Torah Portion Bereishith STBM Messer

Torah

Genesis 1:1–6:8

Next Reading:

October 18, 2025

26 Tishrei, 5786

Haftarah

Isaiah 42:5–21

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ׃

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

Believe That Your Life Is Worth Living

Bereishith means “in the beginning.”  In the beginning, two major factors were existent when God created the heavens and the earth: His Torah and His Light.  The Torah is the first five books of the Bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  The Torah is God’s constitution; it is His teaching and instruction; it is eternal and it is life.  His Spirit is pure Light, abundant with untouchable, supreme, sovereign power.

God is the Source of all life.  He knew in advance the existence of every person who would ever be born into this world.  He actually knew your name and your purpose before you were ever formed in the womb.  He planned out your future, your occupation, and your purpose.  That is why you must believe that your life is worth living.

In fact, everything that you see was hidden and encoded in the letters of the Torah scroll.  The Torah has within it everything that you see—every motion, every movement, every person.  It is a privilege to be studying the Torah, the mind of God.  It is His plan for your existence and everything that you see.

The act of Creation was not a one-time event. Creation is continual and ongoing. Yotzer Or (“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.

A Glance of Hebrew | Bereishith STBM Messer

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

*The Hebrew Scriptures in this text have been derived from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC), and the English translation is based off of the JPS 1917 Tanakh.