A Perfect World?
A thought on Parashas Bereishis
Choosing a topic for this newsletter presents a rewarding challenge every week. This week, as I reflect on Parashas Bereishis – my favorite Parashah – I find myself grappling with a lack of focus and struggling to properly learn the Parashah.
Yet, a specific thought has been popping into my head with me over the past week.
The Midrash1 tells us that Hashem created multiple iterations of Creation before settling on the world we inhabit today. This final version was without flaw. Everything proceeded harmoniously until Man sinned. Since that moment, we've been in a continuous state of Tikkun, working to restore the world to its original state of perfection.
Why did Hashem leave us to spend the next several thousand years bringing the world back to where it was? Why didn't Hashem simply discard this version and begin anew?
I believe the answer is both simple and profound. Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, foresaw every event in this world. He knew about Man's sin, the descent of the Jewish people into Egypt, the construction of the golden calf, the rebellion in the desert, and the idol worship in Israel. He even knew about the sins leading to our expulsion from Eretz Yisrael and subsequent lengthy galus.
Hashem also knew that there would be a process of tikkun. He foresaw Avraham guiding humanity towards recognizing the Creator, Moshe leading the Jewish people out of Egypt and receiving the Torah on Sinai, the legacy of King David, the Beis Hamikdash, and our persistent efforts to sustain our dedication to the Torah throughout our prolonged and challenging exile. Hashem knew about every attempt and effort to achieve tikkun.
Hashem envisioned a world where its inhabitants would recognize their errors and work diligently to correct them. Such a world, in essence, is the epitome of perfection.
Even though we face our own shortcomings, both individually and collectively, with severe repercussions at times, the path of Teshuva is always open, to perfect those mistakes to bring us to a state of tikkun. This purpose underpins our world's creation.
Midrash Rabba 3;7