B’reishith - Losing Control

We begin a new year of weekly Torah readings, with the parasha of B'reishith, the first portion of Genesis. We learn how Hashem created the world just for man, and more specifically, for man to get to know Hashem…this is the very purpose of creation. Yet by the end of the portion, mankind forgot all about Hashem, and became totally corrupted. Moral of the story: It is much easier to forget Hashem than it is to remember Him! To be ever conscious of G-d is the simple goal of life, yet it requires tremendous effort, self-discipline, and a strong desire to be close to Hashem. Yet as wayward as we sometimes are, Hashem still believes in us, and waits for us to seek Him out and find Him. Eating from the Tree of Knowledge confused man and created the illusion that we are in control of everything. But in reality only G-d is in control. The more we can understand that Hashem is in control, and relinquish our need to be in control to Him, the greater the light of the Divine Presence can shine in our lives.