As we begin again the cycle of Torah readings with Bereishit, we notice something interesting.  A central feature of both Divine and human activity is naming things.  G-d names the various parts of creation, Adam names the animals and his wife, and Eve names Cain.  This importance of giving names to objects, places and people continues throughout the Parshah and throughout the book.  This giving of names is seen as a important and even holy act.  A name is not merely a means of identification but says something significant about the thing being named.  It is a source of identity and meaning.  We thus find that how we call ourselves and others reflects upon how we regard ourselves and others.  The double naming of Eve by Adam shows how he regards her both as an intimate companion – ‘isha’ and as the bearer of his children ‘hava’.  The names of Jacob’s sons reflect the troubled relationship between him and his wives and often the future characteristics of, and relationship between, the tribes.  Names as a source of identity and meaning have no less significance today.  It is noteworthy that virtually all ethnic minorities in England refer to themselves as British – ‘British Jew’, British Muslim’ and so on; almost never as English.  Yet in Scotland we are proud to refer to ourselves as ‘Scottish Jews’ or ‘Scottish Muslims’.  This difference in names tells us much about the relative perceived inclusivity of British and Scottish culture as opposed to the English.  The same can be said for the way faith communities label themselves.  We have Hebrew ‘congregations’ and Jewish ‘communities‘; Mosques, Mandeas and Temples and Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist ‘centres’.  This differing terminology signifies a different purpose and often a divergent message as to who is welcome.  A congregation or a temple, for example, signifies a group gathering for worship or an other narrowly defined religious purpose.  A centre, on the other hand, may encompass a wide range of activities, from educational to social.  A community gives a different message still.  This describes a level of integration and concern that goes beyond a single purpose and indicates a bond absent from other designations.  So from the beginning to today, we often are what we choose to call ourselves.

                     ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Sidra Statistics

Parshat Bereishit

·               is the  1st  in Genesis,  1st  in the Torah

·               5th longest in Genesis,  7th  longest  in the Torah  

·                has  one pos mitzvah 

Whose wine is serpentine?

 Either Israel’s or their enemies.

PARSHAH PUZZLE

Named but not satisfied.

WEEKLY HALAKHA