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Names of the Book

THE CREATION OF ADAM- Michelangelo

English:  Genesis
Hebrew:  בּראשׁית
Transliterated:  Bereshit
("In the beginning")
Other names:   

 

whoWho

Wrote the book:  Moses
Are the key people:  Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Josef
Is it written to:  The people of Israel

 

whatWhat

The Creation and the story of Adam (Genesis 1:1-5:32)
The Flood and the story of Noach (Genesis 6:1-11:32)
The Promise and the story of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov (Genesis 12:1-36:43)
The Salvation and the story of Yosef (Genesis 37:1-50:26)

 

whenWhen

Was it written:  c 1476-1436 BCE
Did the events occur:  c 3924-1615 BCE
Was it canonized:  c 499-100 BCE
(see the Timeline of the Tanakh)

 

whereWhere

Was it written:  At Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24:4)
Did the events occur:  The garden of Eden, Ur, the Land of Israel, Egypt

 

whyWhy

Genesis was written to inform us that: 
G-d is the Creator.
G-d is the Judge of all mankind.
G-d is the Promise-maker and the Promise-keeper.
G-d is the Savior.

 

whyIntroduction

The book of Genesis is a narrative history that describes G-d's creation of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.  It tells us about the beginning of everything and shows us that G-d is the Creator and Ruler of all. It also relates the tragedy of humanity's fall into sin and death and G-d's promise of redemption.  This book relates the history of Adam and Eve and their descendants down through Noah and the time of the Flood.  It also tells us about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and concludes with the life of Joseph and the people of Israel living in Egypt.

 

  

Torah Portion

unknown

 

 

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Today is

Yom Sh'lishi, 9 Adar II, 5784

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

 

Learn more about this date in history.