Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does 'Let there be light' mean in Genesis 1:3?
A: According to Rashi, this 'light' was a special spiritual light created by Hashem, different from the sunlight we know today. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 3:6) explains that this original light was so pure that it allowed Adam to see from one end of the world to the other. This light was hidden after the first day and reserved for the righteous in the World to Come.
Q: Why is light the first thing Hashem created?
A: The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 2:30) teaches that light represents wisdom and divine revelation. By creating light first, Hashem showed that spiritual enlightenment precedes physical creation. The Talmud (Chagigah 12a) also notes that light represents the Torah, which is called 'light' in Proverbs 6:23, showing the primacy of Torah in creation.
Q: How does Genesis 1:3 apply to our lives today?
A: The verse teaches us that just as Hashem brought light into darkness at creation, we must bring spiritual light into the world through Torah study and mitzvot. The Sefat Emet explains that each day we have the opportunity to create 'light' through our good deeds, illuminating the world with holiness.
Q: What's the significance of 'And there was light' appearing immediately after Hashem spoke?
A: The immediate fulfillment shows Hashem's absolute power - His word instantly becomes reality. The Baal HaTurim notes that the phrase 'וַיְהִי־אוֹר' (and there was light) has the same numerical value (232) as 'הַכֹּל בִּרְצוֹנוֹ' (everything is according to His will), teaching us that creation operates solely by divine will.
Q: If the sun wasn't created until day 4, what was this light on day 1?
A: Traditional Jewish sources explain this was a primordial light of creation. Rashi states it was a supernatural light that functioned independently of celestial bodies. The Zohar (Bereishit 31b) describes it as the hidden light of creation that gives vitality to all existence. This explains why we bless Hashem as 'Yotzer Or' (Creator of light) in morning prayers, referring to this original light.
The Divine Utterance of Creation
The verse "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי־אוֹר" (And God said, Let there be light: and there was light) marks the first act of creation in Bereishit (Genesis). According to Rashi, this light was not the ordinary sunlight (which was created on the fourth day), but a primordial, spiritual light that enabled Adam HaRishon to see "from one end of the world to the other" (Chagigah 12a). This light was hidden after the sin of Adam and is reserved for the righteous in the World to Come.
The Power of Divine Speech
Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 2:30) explains that God's creation through speech demonstrates His absolute will—unlike human speech, which requires effort. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 3:1) emphasizes that the phrase "וַיְהִי־אוֹר" (and there was light) signifies immediate fulfillment, teaching that God's word is instantly effective without delay or resistance.
The Nature of the Light
Kabbalistic Insights
In Kabbalah (Etz Chaim, Heichal HaK'dumah), the light represents the Sefirah of Chesed (kindness), the first emanation of divine energy into the void. The Ari z"l (Rabbi Isaac Luria) teaches that this light contained the potential for all subsequent creation, later condensed into the physical universe.