Our last column (Issue 444) listed ten challenging questions. Today we suggest some answers. To refresh memories the original questions are summarized and printed at the beginning of each answer below.
Other than tov (good) which is of course common throughout the Creation story we find the root of Vayavdel (and G-d separated) used exactly five times in the first four days of creation. He separates light from darkness upper waters from lower waters lower waters from other lower waters day from night light from darkness. This suggests that at the very beginning the earth was tohu and vohu (void chaotic and formless) and G-d’s essential “tool” in creation was to distinguish to separate and set apart — as in the weekly Havdalah after Shabbos. This suggests that the ability to be separate and to distinguish right from wrong and good from evil is a Divine trait and the essential ingredient of being a Jew.
Hevel offers up something of great value: from his sheep (4:4). Kayin offers up something of much lesser value: “from the fruit of the ground” (4:3). See Rashi. Lesson: Do not serve G-d with your leftover time or resources.
Because Yosef spoke badly about them to their father the brothers were convinced that he was another Eisav who was trying to take their father’s blessings for himself. Plus: Yehudah and the brothers viewed the service of G-d differently from Yosef. See Sotah 10b: “Yosef sanctified G-d’s name in a hidden way and Yehudah in a public way.” Ultimately the two ways are fused as stated in Yechezkel 37:16–19 where “the tree of Yehudah and the tree of Yosef become one tree.”
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