By Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

Shabbos Bereishis. Back to the very beginning. Restarting the weekly cycle. Parshas Bereishis opens with the story of creation. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt”l, teaches that we should understand Bereishis not as a part of the past, but as an ongoing constant creation. Every moment is a new bereishis, a new beginning. Each day brings opportunities to make personal life changes and recreate ourselves.

We are just coming off the Yomim Tovim of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Succos/ Simchas Torah. We are on a spiritual high. Hold on to the inspiration. As we start reading the weekly parshah once again, let’s make an extra effort to increase our Torah learning. How fortunate we are to be living in a time when there is a plethora of Torah literature, live and online classes. All we have to do is avail ourselves of all the resources out there. Make this Shabbos your bereishis, your new beginning. Make it a Shabbos of learning.

In 1973, my mother, The Rebbetzin, had her “bereishis” moment. She did something that had never been done before—she stood in Madison Square Garden and spoke about what it means to be a Torah Jew. Before diving into an undertaking of such magnitude, my mother, together with her father, HaRav Avraham HaLevi Jungreis zt”l, sought out the brachos of several rabbonim. Amongst them was HaRav Yosef Henkin, one of the most senior Torah sages at that time. Rav Henkin gave his blessings, saying that any project undertaken l’shem Shamayim, for the sake of HaShem, will surely succeed.

Rav Henkin then added poignant words, asking my mother to teach the Jewish people to use their years on earth to strengthen their soul with Torah and mitzvos. This will enable them to stand before The One Above after 120 with dignity and confidence. Rav Henkin was elderly and frail at the time. His eyesight was failing. He asked my mother to share with her listeners that she met a rabbi whose eyes were no longer able to see, eyes that became “tzvei shtick fleish”, two pieces of flesh that are no longer able to do their job.

Rav Henkin’s words were powerful – how important it is to study while one is still able to do so. As Pirkei Avos (2:4) teaches us, “Al tomar k’sheh’efneh eshneh, do not say when I have free time I will learn, shemah lo tiphaneh, because you may never have free time. A strong warning against procrastination, specifically regarding spiritual growth, self-improvement, and learning.

The Talmud teaches us about not making excuses for neglecting Torah study. It depicts a scene in the Heavens Above. The neshamos of three individuals are called upon to stand before the Beis Din shel Ma’aloh, The Heavenly Court. Separately, each one is asked why they didn’t allot time for Torah study.

The first tells of living a poverty-stricken life. With great difficulty he scraped together a meager living. To which the tribunal responds, “Were you poorer than Hillel?” Hillel worked hard as a woodcutter, yet he didn’t allow his life circumstances to stop him from Torah study. His love for learning was so intense, that when he lacked the few coins to enter the Beis Medrash of Shmaya and Avtallion, he climbed to the rooftop, laying down with his ear pressed to the skylight, taking in words of learning. Once, on a cold winter day, Hillel fell asleep and was soon blanketed with snow. The next morning, as Shmaya and Avtallion entered the beis medrash, they noticed that it was unusually dark. They looked above and saw the form of a man blocking the skylight. A frozen Hillel was brought down and quickly warmed up. Hillel obligates the poor.

Next, the second soul appears before The Heavenly Court, He, too, is asked why he didn’t occupy himself with Torah learning. He responds that his wealth got in the way. He was totally preoccupied managing his assets, his funds, his properties. “Were you wealthier than Rabbi Elazar ben Charsom?” Rabbi Elazar inherited a vast fortune from his father, 1,000 cities and 1,000 ships. Yet, he lived a modest and humble life, making time daily for Torah study.

Rabbi Elazar ben Charsom obligates the financially well-off.

The third soul now stands before the tribunal. When asked why he didn’t set aside time for Torah study, he said his life was filled with passion and temptation, distracting him from Torah learning. To him, the court gives the example of Yosef HaTzaddik. Yosef was a slave in Egypt, separated from his family and source of support, yet he resisted and ran from the advances of his master’s wife. Yosef found strength by always remembering the Torah he learned from his father, Yaakov. Teachings that gave him to willpower and capacity to withstand the influence of Egyptian society.

Yosef obligates the sinful and immoral. There will always be reasons. There will always be excuses. But when it comes to Torah, there can be no excuses. We all have life. Stress. Distractions. Pressures. Temptations. Obligations. Issues. But the time is now. It’s Shabbos Bereishis. Utilize it well.

On Shabbos Bereishis, not only do we begin a new parshah cycle, but we also bentch the new month of Cheshvan. Shabbos Bereishis is our bridge from Tishrei, our month of spiritual inspiration, to Cheshvan, and the rest of the months of the year.

The Tzemach Tzedek teaches, “The way one stands on Shabbos Bereishis, sets the blueprint and momentum for the entire year.” Our attitude and our desire to grow with Torah knowledge on Shabbos Bereishis remains with us the entire year. Torah study gives us hadrachah, a way of life. A value system. My mother would often quote Ben Bag Bag’s famous teaching, “Hafoch bah, v’hafoch bah, d’kula bah, Delve into it, and continue to delve into it, for everything is in it.” No matter how many times one studies, no matter how many times we read the parshah, we will always find new understandings, teachings and wisdom. Every pasuk, every word, every letter, comes with its life lessons. It’s up to us to explore the words of the Torah, to learn and relearn the parshah.

It is said that when we daven, we are talking to HaShem. When we learn Torah, HaShem is talking to us. Let’s use our Shabbos Bereishis well. To start the year with learning, listening to HaShem’s messages to us. Let’s remember Rav Henkin’s words, to study while we still can. To think of Hillel, Rav Elazar ben Charsom and Yosef. And may this Shabbos Bereishis be a lasting bridge to all the months of the year.