The End in the Beginning

A most basic human instinct is the hope for a better world. This hope was implanted in us from the very beginning of creation. It is the underlying meaning of the first Torah verse: “In the beginning.” The goal of creation was to actualize the plan that was embedded in the world from the moment of creation.

The Most Fundamental Principle

There is a principle in Kabbalah (Sefer Yetzirah) that “the end is wedged in the beginning and the beginning in the end.” This conveys the idea that we can find a thematic connection between the beginning of a process or a text and its end.

And so as we approach the very beginning of the Torah, which deals with the genesis of existence, it stands to reason that the “end” of history will be represented in its beginning.

What is the end of history?

It is axiomatic in the teachings of our Sages and our Chassidic masters, that the “end”, or is the objective of creation; a perfect world. It is a world that, in the words of the Midrash (Tanchuma 16), becomes a “dwelling place for G-d.” This is what Judaism defines as the Messianic Age (Tanya Chapter 36).

Based on the concept that the “end” is present in the beginning and the beginning is present in the end, the belief in Moshiach and the Messianic Age can be understood as more than just a belief in an utopian age. For even more than the Jewish liberation from exile and the establishment of true peace for all of humankind, it will be the culmination of all that G-d had in mind in the beginning, when He Created the world.

Cumulative Belief

The belief that this Age will occur, and that it will be ushered in by a great Jewish leader who is called Moshiach, is one of the thirteen principles of faith upon which all of Judaism is founded (Maimonides, Commentary on Mishnah, Sanhedrin, Chapter 11).

But the belief in Moshiach is actually more than just one of the thirteen principles.

Indeed, the belief in Moshiach is a belief that incorporates most, if not all, of the preceding eleven principles of faith. For, in the words of the prophet Isaiah (11:9) the Messianic Age will bring about the promise: “the world will be full of the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea.” Knowledge of G-d implies the knowledge that He is the one and only, incorporeal and omniscient G-d. In the days of Moshiach, it will also become apparent to all that it is G-d who has communicated the Torah to us and that our commitment to His Torah throughout the ages has transformed the world into a dwelling place for G-d. All will understand that the transformation of the world was the ultimate purpose for which the world was created.

In other words, belief in Moshiach really entails the belief in all of the principles of faith, which can be broken down into the belief in a perfect, infinite G-d, who has communicated to us the way we should live so that we, though our efforts, will realize a world of perfection, where G-d’s existence will become a manifest reality.

So fundamental is the belief in Moshiach that the Chofetz Chaim, a non-Chassidic sage of the past generation, declared that it is “Ikar Haikarim, the most fundamental of the fundamental principles of faith because… then the entire world will recognize G-d’s sovereignty….” (Chofetz Chaim on Torah, Parshas Noach).

This statement must be understood to incorporate some, if not all, of the other principles into the belief in Moshiach. Certainly, the Chofetz Chaim was not suggesting that the belief in a Messianic Age is more fundamental to Judaism than the belief in G-d. In fact, the belief in the Messianic Age includes the belief in G-d and all the other fundamentals of Judaism. They all come to life with the coming of Moshiach.

Moshiach in Bereishis

The twin beliefs in Moshiach and the Messianic Age can be found in numerous verses throughout Biblical literature, as one would expect. Consistent with the expectation of a thematic connection between the end and the beginning (Sefer Yetzirah), it seems reasonable that the Torah would have alluded to the concept of Moshiach in the very beginning of the Torah as well. Indeed, the Midrash on the words, “And the spirit of G-d hovered over the waters,” states that this is a reference to “the spirit of Moshiach.” (Bereishis Rabbah 2:4) By the same reasoning, it can be assumed that Moshiach would also be hinted at in the very first word of the Torah—Bereishs.

In the dimension of hints and gematria (Torah numerology, where words are analyzed based on their numerical value) we find a fascinating fact: The word Bereishis numerically is 913. The phrase: “Moshiach the son of David, Elijah the prophet; they will come speedily to redeem us” also adds up to 913!

As intriguing and fascinating as this hint may be, there must be a more conceptual connection of Bereishis to Moshiach. This we will discover by better understanding the significance of the first word of Torah.

Bereishis! The very first word of the Torah! More than any other word, it encapsulates all of the Torah. The Rebbe has stated on numerous occasions that the name of a book is its very soul.

Moreover, the very first word of the Torah is its head. As a head controls and actually comprises the life force of the entire body, similarly, the word Bereishis, the head of the Torah, represents and defines the life-force of the entire Torah.

Indeed, the word Bereishis contains within it the word rosh, which means head. It is safe to assume that this word encapsulates all of the body of Torah.

The Purpose of Creation and Finding Meaning in Life

Of all the multitudes of meanings our sages have revealed on this word, the foundational teaching is the one given by Rashi, the principle Bible commentator. He writes that Bereishis actually means: “the world was created for the sake of Torah and for the sake of Israel.”

In the simplest of terms this means that the universe was created for both the Torah and Israel. It is also obvious that the creation of the universe was not intended for Torah and Israel as two separate entities, but for their synthesis, i.e., as Israel implements the will of G-d (i.e. Torah) within the framework of the world.

What Rashi says encapsulates the extensive and profound analysis that Chassidic thought offers concerning creation. G-d created the universe, because “He desired a dwelling place in the lowliest levels of existence,” our sages declare. Chassidic thought explains that when a Jew performs a Mitzvah it introduces the Divine within the mundane. Ultimately, at the time of Redemption, the effects of this ongoing process will be felt and the world will become a G-dly world.

The Messianic Age should, therefore, be understood not merely as a reward for our actions, but, as the culmination and objective of a process that began at creation. Furthermore, we should appreciate the need for Moshiach and the Redemption not only because their arrival will constitute the world reaching a state of perfection, but, more importantly, reaching that point is the very raison d’être for our existence and indeed, all of existence.

There is no feeling more exciting than knowing that we are legitimate. And, conversely, there is nothing more unsettling than to believe that we have no purpose. Even the so-called “secularists” in our society are now clamoring to find and introduce meaning into their lives. People are dissatisfied with just living for the sake of living.

Even the hedonists of our age often feel compelled to devote some of their energies to finding legitimacy for themselves by doing positive things. This positive phenomenon is obviously one of the effects of living “on the threshold of the Redemption.”

It is no wonder then that the first time we read Bereishis is on what is arguably the happiest day on the Jewish calendar: Simchas Torah! What greater joy can there be than knowing that we have a purpose; we are legitimate and we have proven ourselves by virtue of having completed the entire cycle of the Torah.

Finding Ultimate Meaning in Life

Obviously, not everyone’s attempt at finding meaning in their lives is successful. To be successful, we have to remember that our lives have meaning only to the extent that they conform to the purpose for which they were created. The world was created for the realization of its purpose of providing a “dwelling place” for G-d, which will occur with the coming of Moshiach.

Of all of G-d’s creation, only the human being is capable of knowing that there is a purpose and is capable of pursuing it.

Of all the peoples of the world, the Jewish people were entrusted with the Torah, which not only informs us that there is a purpose and that we should pursue it, but even how it could be achieved. The Jewish nation was chosen to be a light unto the nations. This does not simply mean that we should be good role models but, moreover, we should also inform the world of its purpose and how each and every individual has a role in making this purpose come to fruition; Jews by observing their 613 commandments and non-Jews by observing their seven “Noahide commandments.”

Of all the Jews in the world, the Tzadikkim, the righteous and the spiritual leaders, are referred to as “the eyes of the community,” because they can see clearly where to go and to how best reach our destination. They can be compared to a person standing on the top of a mountain who can see the whole picture, as opposed to someone on the ground, whose vision is limited. And, of course, they themselves are the ideal role models, whose every action exemplifies the realization of the purposefulness of life.

The Unique Human Being

Of all Jewish leaders, it is Moshiach who, more than anyone before him, realizes his G- d given potential. Moshiach, because he is our leader at the end of exile, is endowed with a more acute sense of knowing where we are and how close we are to the realization of our goal.

Possessing the cumulative spirituality of millennia of Jewish leadership, Moshiach sees the world in a way no one before him has. And only when Moshiach will usher in the era of Geulah for the entire world will the world’s existence be totally validated.

In effect, all of our lives have meaning only in the context of the coming of Moshiach and his ushering in of the Messianic Era of Geulah-Redemption. In the words of the Talmud: “The world was created only for Moshiach.” (Sanhedrin 98b).

This does not contradict Rashi’s statement that the world was created for Torah and Israel, but complements it. Moshiach is the one who embodies the holiest and best of Israel. And the Messianic Age is when the Jewish people, through Moshiach’s inspiration, make the entire world receptive to the Torah’s plan and design for the universe.

The “Bereishis” of Torah is thus the awareness that the world was created for a purpose. And this purpose is to implement G-d’s Master Plan for the world through our observance of Torah and Mitzvot and by serving as a light unto the nations [as well].

World events, statements from the greatest Jewish leaders of this century and particularly the declaration of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that “Higia Zman Geulaschem-The Time of Your Redemption has Arrived,” make it clear that this purpose is about to unfold.

Why is it Important to Believe in a Human Moshiach?

In another commentary of our sages (Bereishis Rabbah 1:4) the word “Bereishi-In the beginning” is interpreted as a reference to Moshiach, whose name preceded the very creation of the world. Moshiach is thus Bereishis, the very beginning of creation.

There is another very important insight to be gleaned from the Torah’s allusion in the beginning not only to the Messianic Age, but also to Moshiach himself.

It seems that our sages wish to convey that not only is it important for us to know that the world was created for the Messianic Age, it is also important for us to know Moshiach’s name and understand his characteristics as well.

What, we may ask, is so crucial about the name of Moshiach? Isn’t Moshiach just G-d’s instrument?

The answer lies in the realization that Moshiach embodies the characteristics of Redemption even before it has fully unfolded. To be sure, Moshiach is a human being. But, he is one who breaks through the barriers of galus-exile because he has a special soul; a soul that has not been affected by galus conditions.

Yinon: The Name of Moshiach

According to the foregoing Midrash, the name of Moshiach that precedes creation[, according to the Midrash] is Yinon, which alludes to Moshiach’s capacity to awaken even those who are dead.

This has dual meaning. First, it is taken literally by our Sages. In the Messianic Age, Moshiach will be the medium through which the dead will be brought back to life. The belief in the Resurrection of the Dead is actually the thirteenth principle of faith that follows immediately the twelfth principle of belief in Moshiach.

But even before that time, Moshiach figuratively awakens the dead. Exile conditions desensitize us to everything G-dly and spiritual. Moshiach is the Jewish leader who sees through the concealment of exile and arouses us from our sleep. Moshiach challenges us and doesn’t let us fall back into exile slumber.

Judaism’s belief in a Moshiach who will usher in a Messianic Age is crucial to the process itself. In order for us to go out of our internal and external exile, we must associate ourselves with and follow Moshiach. It is his inspiration and spiritual energy that empower us to transcend the constraints of exile.

The Talmud (see Sanhedrin 98b) suggests that in every generation there is one tzadik who is worthy of being Moshiach. Identifying with Moshiach is a useful exercise if it leads us to look to that person as our role model and following his example. Looking for Moshiach is another way of looking for a way to live where our existence will be legitimized and validated.

When we focus on Moshiach, it helps us to elicit the spark of Moshiach within (Me’or Einayim), making us an active part of the process of Redemption. This is what makes Bereishis, the original plan for the world, become a reality.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Breishis by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.