meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Kitzur Baal Haturim/Torah/Kitzur Baal Haturim on Genesis/English/merged.txt"}
text: Kitzur Baal Haturim on Genesis
  קיצור בעל הטורים על בראשית
  merged
  
  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
  -Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology
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  -Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 Source:
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  -Sefaria Community Translation
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  Kitzur Baal Haturim on Genesis
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  In the beginning, created: has a numerical equivalent (<i>gematria</i>) of 'On Rosh Hashanah was created (the world).' <i>Bereishit</i> (In the beginning) is the acronym of <i>berishona raah Elohim sheyikablu yisrael Torah</i> (first God saw that Israel would accept the Torah). The last letters of <i>Bereishit bara Elohim</i> (In the beginning, God created) form the acronym, <i>emmet</i> (truth), [which] teaches that God created the world with truth, as it is stated (Psalms 119:160), "The beginning of Your word is truth;" and so [too], there are many verses, which the last letters of of its words form the acronym, <i>emmet</i>. 
  
  Verse 2
  
  And the spirit of God was hovering: has a numerical equivalent (<i>gematria</i>) of 'this is the spirit of messiah.'
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  The light: has a numerical equivalent (<i>gematria</i>) of 'in the Torah' and adds up to six hundred and thirteen (the traditional numerical sum of the Torah's commandments).
  <i>E<u>t</u> haoh<u>r</u> k<u>i</u> to<u>v</u></i> (the light, that it was good): The last letters [of which] form the acronym, <i>brit</i> (covenant). And God saw the light that it was good and He separated: From here [we learn], that we do not make a blessing on the candle [at the Havdalah (separation) service] until we derive use from its light; and [that last phrase] adds up to the numerical equivalent of 'and He separated - we separate during the year at the end of the Shabbats.'
  
  Verse 5
  
  5 times the word 'light' is written in this section, representing the 5 books of the Torah which are called LIGHT...
  ...ה פעמים 'אור' כתוב בפרשה, כגגד חמשה חמשי תורה שנקראו אור
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  From above the firmament: There are two [places this appears] according to the tradition: here and the other is (Ezekiel 1:25), "and there was a voice from above the firmament," in the chariot [apparition] of Ezekiel. And in the same way that we don't teach about 'the story of creation' in public, so [too] do we not teach about 'the story of the chariot' [in public].
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  <u>Ma</u>zria <u>ze</u>ra <u>le</u>mineihu (that gives off seed according to its species): forms the acronym, <i>mazal</i> ('constellation'); as there is no grass that does not have a 'constellation' above [governing] it.
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  Luminaries (<i>meorot</i>): is [written in its] incomplete spelling [meaning that it lacks the letter <i>vav</i>], since only the sun was created to give light. And the moon was only created so that [people] would not worship the sun, [which might have been the case] had it been alone.
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  And the birds: There are three [places this appears] according to the tradition: [here, where it states,] "and the birds shall increase;" "and the birds ate them" (Genesis 40:17); "this is the law of the beasts and the birds" (Leviticus 11:46). [This is] a hint to that which they said (Chullin 63b), "pure birds are more numerous than impure birds;" this is [what is alluded to by] "and the birds shall increase," meaning that they will be more, [but] which? "And the birds ate them," meaning those that are pure, and so [too], "this is the law, etc." refers to the pure ones.
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  <i>Haadam</i> (man): [has the same] letters [as] <i>adamah</i> (earth), since he was created from the earth. <i>Adam</i> is the acronym of <i>efer, dam, marah</i> (ash, blood, bile).
  
  Verse 28
  
  And have dominion (<i>ouredu</i>) upon the fish of the sea: There are two [places this appears] according to the tradition: here and the other is "and go down (<i>ouredu</i>) to Gat of the Philistines" (Amos 6:2). If you will have merit, you will have dominion even over the fish of the seas; but, if not, you will go down to Gat; meaning to say, you will be subjugated to the Philistines.
  
  Verse 29
  
  Fruit of the tree (<i>pri etz</i>): There are two [places this appears] according to the tradition: [here, where it states,] that has within it the fruit of the tree;" [and] "fruit of a beautiful tree" (<i>pri etz hadar</i>) [in Leviticus 23:40]. This is a hint for the opinion that holds that the tree that Adam ate from here was a citron (<i>etrog</i>) [since that is what the verse in Leviticus refers to]. 
  Male: has a numerical equivalent (<i>gematria</i>) of 'blessing.' Female has a numerical equivalent (<i>gematria</i>) of 'in a curse.' 
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  <i><u>Y</u>om <u>ha</u>shishi <u>va</u>yekhulu <u>ha</u>shamayim</i> (the sixth day. And He finished the skies): [forms] the acronym of [God's] name [that consists] of four letters, with which he [here] sealed the story of creation. And so [too in Psalms 96:11] "<i>yismechu hashamayim vetagel haarets</i>" ("Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice") [forms] the acronym of [God's] name [that consists] of four letters, with which he [also] sealed the world, with the name of four letters.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  Seven days (<i>leshiv’as yamim</i>). The numerical value of this phrase is equal to that of “the days of mourning for Mesushelach” (<i>liymei eivel Mesushelach</i>).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  "Go, yourself," A hint to him, "When you will be 100 years old (30+20+30+20), then I will make you a great nation." For then Isaac will be born.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  
  Verse 38
  
  
  
  Verse 39
  
  
  
  Verse 40
  
  
  
  Verse 41
  
  
  
  Verse 42
  
  
  
  Verse 43
  
  
  
  Verse 44
  
  
  
  Verse 45
  
  
  
  Verse 46
  
  
  
  Verse 47
  
  I placed (<i>asim</i>) a nose ring. The word <i>asim</i> is written defective (i.e. missing a <i>yud</i>) to indicate that he did not actually touch her face or even her hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  And he arrived at the place – the word place is used three times in this verse, which is a hint to the three pilgrimage holy days on which his children would come up to that place in the future (see Chullin 91b)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
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  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Mothers and children together - There are two in the tradition, this one and "mother and children dashed." This is about Sanheriv, the king of Ashur, whi said to destroy Israel, and then Esav who came to make war against Yaakov, and so "do not take mother and children alike" is a hint regarding exile.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  Lest you become impoverished. Leaving the Holy Land was preferable to becoming impoverished in his Torah knowledge through the vicissitudes of famine.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  In the end of days. See Rashi. When the Divine Presence departed he was concerned that his sons were tainted with sin, but they pointed out that the root letters of the word <i>cheit</i> — “sin” — do not even appear in their names. He replied that neither do the letters comprising <i>keitz</i> — “the end [of days]”.