Hebrew Word Study – Two Beginnings – Bereishith – בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית Beth Resh Aleph Shin Yod Taw
Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
II Corinthians 12:2: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.”
Note: This is a sample of our In Depth Study which will posted this week as well as the topic of our discussion in our Weekly Hebrew/Aramaic Bible Study and Discussion on Monday September 30 at 7:00PM. Plan to join us. If you are unable to attend our online class you may listen to the recording of our class discussion on the Two Beginnings on or All Access site.
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Just what was this third heaven that Paul was taken up into. In Aramaic the word for heaven is in a plural form.cognate to the Hebrew word shamyim. Most commentators follow a reasoning that Paul is simply adopting a classification passing through three regions on his way to paradise. The first region is the aerial which includes the clouds and atmosphere. Then you reach the second region, the starry heavens the heavens that contain the sun, moon and stars and then finally the third region which is the spiritual or supernatural realm. Paradise is some sort of inner recess in third heavens. This third heaven is the seat of the divine Majesty, the residence of the angels and the souls of the departed saints. The Talmud teaches that this is where the third temple is located and will come from heaven to the earth during the Messianic era, similar in our eschatology הַשָּׁמַ֖יִםthe millennium when, as taught by our Christian teachers on prophecy heaven will come down on earth and there will be a thousand years of peace.
In taking a deeper dive into Jewish thought on this matter of a third heaven, I discovered something not really spoken about in our commentaries nor have I heard discussed in my years of seminary and Bible college. That is the possibility of two beginnings. A beginning for the world and a beginning for the heavens. This seems to be a logical conclusion to the basic thought offered by our commentators. God created two regions the natural world and the region of the universe or the natural heavens, that is the starry heavens. All this was done from a third realm which is a spiritual realm which was and is the dwelling place of God.
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We find this possibility from the very first word in the Bible bereishit or “in the beginning.” In the beginning God created the earth and He created the heavens. The sages teach that the letter beth is also the number two. Thus, the syntax could read, “God created two beginnings, the heavens and the earth.
This would shed some light on this matter of heaven and hell, the existence of a realm of the devil and his demons. The sages point out Genesis 1:2: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” When God created the earth there was darkness upon the face of deep. The word deep is tehom and according to Davidson Lexicon this comes from the root word hom which is an agitation or confusion or a billow which is a large undulating that is a smooth up and down motion of a mass of something like smoke, a cloud or steam. Whatever it was it was dark. Darkness wasn’t just there, God created it.
Then we learn in Genesis 1:3: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” The word “let there be” is yehi which means to be or to exist. But note this is in a Qal imperfect third person singular which would make this an imperfect tense when translated into to English we would rendering this as “there will be (light).” However, a Qal imperfect third person singular also denotes a Jussive form which is expressing a desire or wish. So, we could also render this as “Let there be (light).” God expressed a desire to put light into this darkness.
Now keep in mind when we say light here we are not talking about a luminary. The sun, moon and stars were not created until the fourth day, so there were no luminaries in existence at this time. In John 8;10 Jesus said: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Here Jesus is saying He is the Light of the world. This Light is the Light of life. The world that God created was created with darkness, that is without his presences, his essence, that lack of the Light of life. You will note that God did not create the Light but only expressed a desire or wish for the Light to enter this creation of darkness.
This world and this universe was created to be separated from the creation. That separation is called darkness. Later in the New Testament it is called outer darkness. Matthew 8:12: “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
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Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
The words are NOT the most difficult problem in Hebrew. Not by a long shot. The biggest problem is grammar. I have no clue about grammar, even reading about grammar in English goes right over my head. Grammar in Hebrew and Greek? I might as well read about meta-physics, or string theory. And I could care less about either of those.
I’ve tried to read about Niphal. My eyes glaze over. None of the example even seem to change the word to me. Yes, I never did like diagramming sentences. My idea of verbs is never the same as theirs. Verbs are action, and that’s it.
I can NEVER tell when anything is even in present tense. Pronouns are always there, but sometimes not needed. Hei prefixes and suffixes, are a complete puzzle if they aren’t the, or her/she will.
Why do they make things so complicated, and then not even put periods in?
I never thought that I would consider separate words for everything a treasured luxury.
I like doing translations, but I don’t have a clue about this extremely difficult language.
Hebrew is an absolute enigma. They have more rules than you can shake a stick at; and most of them are not on my cheat sheet!
Are you talking about Biblical Hebrew or Modern Hebrew? Did you know most of the grammar was added much later. Chaim teaches in a way that makes studying a verse, with grammar, simple and he’s always there if you have a question. For being an ancient language, we find that God has designed it in a way that anyone can do Word Studies especially with Chaim there to help and answer questions. Are you a member or have you ever been? Why don’t you join us if you’re not already a member. http://www.HebrewWordStudy.com
Just read the comments. Some plus some negative. Oct 7 was my 76 birthday. But the greatest day of my life was started on Oct 18th. Being born-again 52 yrs ago. You may wonder what does that have to do with this teaching? Nothing really about the teaching but about having access to such teaching. Do I agree with everything that is written, no, but it challenges me to seek God’s heart for truth. The insight I have received since becoming acquainted with Chaim’s teaching has transformed my life. My desire for the Creators heart has never been stronger. Compliments are like chewing gum. You chew on them for a short time and then spit it out, forgetting the taste. Chaim, in closing, my compliments are presented to you as gum. The sweetness is for a short time and will mean nothing when your last breath is taken. I thank you for inspiring my wife and I to draw closer to our Father.
You know Chaim, I just read your post on 1 Samuel 12:23 & how it is a sin to not pray for the whole world because it is a sin against GOD HIMSELF [quote]:
The word against could be a proper rendering, but the preposition is really just a Lamed with a definite article & is literally a sin to the LORD. This is not like a sin of stealing or adultery where you are sinning against some other person. This sin is a sin directly to GOD, a personal sin to GOD. If you have the slightest inclination to pray for someone, you had better do it for it is likely that it is the HOLY SPIRIT putting that person on your heart. Maybe it is someone who has hurt you or someone who may wish you harm, but GOD loves them and cannot do anything for them because of free will.
[this made me cry] HE can only invade that will through you, by answering your prayer for them. [And it makes me cry for people like Maggie Smith, what if..? I hope she is up there with GOD in Heaven rather than Hell]
All this talk of light & dark-chaos makes one think of the warning in John 9:4 [Berean] While it is daytime, we must do the works of HIM WHO sent ME. Night is coming, when no one can work.
This also relates to how this light is spread out to everyone both the righteous & the wicked, maybe it speaks of the Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde or the world at large, but there is outer darkness which will cover the world when the SPIRIT’s restraint is taken away [2 Thessalonians 2:7] Is it just me or does the outer darkness sound like it’s a lot larger than the Kingdom of Heaven? The remnant is just a stump compared to the broadway, where the bulk of humanity is marching into the Lake of Fire.
I am encouraged by these word studies, it opens up a whole new world to understanding GOD. Thank you for continuing in it, though you are constantly reminded & embittered by the worldly success of others. two mites is worth more to GOD than a fraction of what they put it Chaim
His purpose was not to judge the translation, he was just quoting it so you’ll have to take this up with James. Chaim has his PhD related to the Biblical/Semitic languages, studied and taught for over 50yrs and is quite aware of the Lamed and its grammatical meaning. However, we’re glad your enjoying the studies and thank you for your thoughts.
Thank you for you Tov and deep diving. Amazing! 😊
Woot woo! Hallelujah to the feet that carry the Gospel of Peace!
The only thing I would interject/make more clear is the the angels/divine council are not in the 3rd heavens but the second.
Though they have access and courts are held, atleast from the way I have gathered things, still you stun me!
Thank you! I’d be very interested in getting your view on the syntax used in Gen 1:1-2. Two things in particular: The use of the Sheva vowel on the Bet, and the disjunctive Vav/WaW! Cant wait to garner your insights!
Thank you for this very informative lesson. It is very good. I get much of my information from the Jews too ,but I also want to get information from Christian teachers as well. Still no matter what, I research as best I can what I’ve been told. However I ask God to help me know what is true.
Now It is my belief that God didn’t need to create light because God IS Light. I believe that God is made of light, a very pure and beautiful Light. A Light beyond infrared light, ultraviolet and laser light. Yet a Light with form and substance! A Light that you could touch and feel if you could get close enough!
We would not be able to see this Light with the eyes we have in fact there are colors that exist but we can see them and there are people that see more color than the average person.
I believe that when God said “Let there be Light He was also saying “Let there be God” He said this as a way of introducing Himself.
I came to these ideas after studying quantum physics and the properties of the light that is around us! Perhaps this light is the very edge of the Essence of God. Who’s to say?
Beloveds family here schema of Abba times revealed to Bro Kim in Korea 2020
Hope that helps
Thank you Bro Chaim , 2023 I had a dream a Big WAVE (Tsunami) raising but keeping under my feet for this 2024 , 02.10.2024 could be at eclipse Signal start of this event , N.Y. (Ninive) Judgement time is coming ,YAH keep His children 🫶🏻🙌🏻🦥🦦
Last week I dreamed our Messiah comming at clouds in great Glory and we shouted plenty of Joy and happiness 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🕊️🫒