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Bereshit: Introduction/Summary

Bereshit / בְּרֵאשִׁית is the first distinctive word of this Torah Portion.

From Wikipedia Bereshit:

Bereshit, Bereishit, Bereshis, Bereishis, B'reshith, Beresh't, Beresheet, or Bereishees (בְּרֵאשִׁית – Hebrew for "in a beginning," the first word in the parashah) is the first weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. The parashah consists of Genesis 1:1–6:8. In the parashah, God creates the heavens, the world, Adam and Eve, and Sabbath. A snake convinces Eve, who then invites Adam, to eat the fruit of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden to them. So God curses them and expels them from the Garden of Eden.

One of their sons, Cain, becomes the first murderer, killing his brother Abel out of jealousy. Adam and Eve have other children, whose descendants populate the Earth. Each generation becomes more and more degenerate until God, despairing, decides to destroy humanity. Only one man, Noah, finds God's favor.

The text is Genesis 1:1-6:8.

Bereshit: Text

English Language Translations

Hebrew Texts

Commentaries

Historic Jewish Commentaries

Modern Commentaries

Trivia

From Wikipedia Bereshit:

The parashah is made up of 7,235 Hebrew letters, 1,931 Hebrew words, 146 verses, and 241 lines in a Torah Scroll (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, Sefer Torah).

Jews traditionally read it on the first Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in October, or rarely, in late September or early November. Jews also read the beginning part of the parashah, Genesis 1:1–2:3, as the second Torah reading for Simchat Torah, after reading the last parts of the Book of Deuteronomy, Parashah V'Zot HaBerachah, Deuteronomy 33:1–34:12.

Liturgical Resources

Jewish

Bereshit: Shabbat Dates (in the disaspora, as listed by Hebcal)

Other Jewish Liturgical Resources

Christian