17. Bereshit — Abarbanel on the Torah, Section 17

The True Meaning of Creation

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The conclusion from all this is that the expression beriah, in its primary and true sense, refers to the bringing into existence of something from absolute nothingness. All other usages are by way of borrowing, to draw an analogy to the first creation, in one form of resemblance or another, as the verses demonstrate. And from what I have recalled here, you may judge concerning what I have not recalled. Yet what remains to be determined is this: when the term beriah is used in its primary sense, do we understand it as the bringing into being of potential existence out of prior non-existence, or only as the production of a complete existence following absolute nothingness?¹

You should know that the prince, Rabbi Abraham ben Rabbi Chiyya², wrote in his book Megillat ha-Megalleh that the Holy One, blessed be He, first brought into existence the beginnings of all things in a potential state, before they emerged into actuality. He explained that when God granted existence in potentiality, Scripture called this beriah (“creation”), but when He brought things into actuality, Scripture called this asiyah (“making”) or yetzirah (“forming”). Concerning this it is written: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, on the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven” (Genesis 2:4)—meaning, first they were created in potential existence, and afterwards He made them when He brought them into actuality in their forms. Likewise: “On the day when God created man, in the likeness of God He made him” (Genesis 5:1). And as it is said: “Everyone that is called by My Name, and for My glory I have created him, I have formed him, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7). For in all cases, beriah refers to granting potential existence, whereas asiyah or yetzirah refers to bringing it forth into actuality.

Similarly, in the words of our Sages (Nedarim 39b): “Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight.” They did not say “were made,” because at that time they were given potential existence, so that they might come forth into actuality at the proper time of need. And concerning this the prophet said: “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I, the Lord, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7).

For the light, which has form, Scripture used the term yotzer (“fashioned”), while for darkness—which is the absence of light, and its potential to be brought into light—it used the term bara (“created”), for in darkness the light exists in potential. It mentioned the light, which benefits the world by giving illumination, and the darkness, which withholds by concealing³.

And if one should raise a difficulty from what is written, “I made the earth, and man upon it I created” (Isaiah 45:12)—where “made” (asiti) is mentioned first, followed only afterward by “created” (barati)—the answer is this⁴: the earth, on the first day, had its work completed and had come into actuality; therefore it says, “I made the earth.” But man, who at that time still existed only in potential—for no man was created until the sixth day—about him it says, “And man upon it I created,” to indicate that the earth already existed in actuality while man still remained in the potentiality of creation.

This is the opinion of the Prince (Rabbi Abraham ben Chiyya), together with his proofs. From this he derived that the verse “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” means that, at the start, God gave potentiality and possibility to the higher and lower elements He had brought forth, and afterward, during the six days of Creation, He gave them form and brought them into actuality.

There is no doubt in my mind that Ramban drew from this view when he interpreted this verse, as I mentioned in the first question on the first section. Even though Ramban did not cite him by name, nor reinforce the matter with his proofs as the Prince had done, it is evident.

However, when one examines the Prince’s understanding of the term bara, one finds it neither correct nor true according to the sense of Scripture. For the word bara is used for bringing a thing into existence in its completeness, with its full form and proper beauty, not for something that exists merely in potentiality.

For this reason, the term bara is also borrowed for what is good and pleasing in its kind: beri’ut (health), tovot (good things), “Eglon was a very robust man” (Judges 3:17), “and their flesh appeared healthy” (Daniel 1:15). You will not find it applied to anything deficient or merely potential.

The proof is in the verse: “For on it He rested from all His work which God created to do” (Genesis 2:3)⁵. This cannot be understood except as meaning that He brought it into existence as a complete reality, such that it might continue in being and perpetuate itself. Likewise: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created” (Genesis 2:4)—clearly, their offspring came only after their own perfection⁶. “Male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27)⁷. “I will blot out man whom I have created” (Genesis 6:7)⁸. “Why did You create all mankind in vain?” (Psalms 89:48)⁹. “The people that shall be created will praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19)¹⁰. “For He commanded and they were created, and He established them forever and ever” (Psalms 148:5–6)¹¹. “Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these” (Isaiah 40:26)¹². And similar verses, none of which can be explained—according to sound understanding—except as referring to a complete, actual creation, not to deficient potentiality.

Therefore I maintain that the term bara, in its primary and proper sense, denotes the bringing into existence, out of nothing, of a complete and actual reality, and nothing else.

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