Surrounded By People But All Alone: D’var Torah for Parshat Bereishit
Parshat Bereishit
Surrounded By People But All Alone
When the first person was brought into the world, was he alone? In the parsha of Bereishit, Hashem declared:
“לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ”
“It’s not good for Adam to be by himself. I will create a helpmeet for him.”
And that is why Eve was created. However, there’s an intriguing passage in the Talmud, Masechet Sanhedrin Daf נט ע״ב – there, our sages tell us that Adam was very fortunate. He didn’t have to lift a finger because there were ministering angels who would bring him food to eat and wine to drink. He was treated like royalty.
Therefore, we see that Adam was definitely not alone. So how can the Torah tell us “It’s not good for Adam to be by himself”?
You see, if one is living only in order to receive, if you’re only on the receiving end, then you’re not participating in family, in community, in society.
It is only when you give to others that you are properly connected with them, and in the absence of that, you’re actually alone. And that is why the Torah tells us that Adam was alone, because he saw no value in actually contributing to anyone or to anything.
Hashem created Eve, therefore, so Adam and Eve could have a reciprocal relationship of giving. In that way, their lives would be enhanced and they would never be alone.
To this very day, under a Chuppah, a bride and a groom become husband and wife at the point when a gift is given – when the groom gives a ring that belongs to him and places it on the forefinger of the bride’s right hand. In that way, קִידּוּשִׁין, holy matrimony, takes place. The presence of Hashem is in their relationship because they are there not just to receive, but also to give.
So therefore, right at the beginning of our Torah, we’re given an exceptionally important and powerful message: we are all here on earth in order to give.
Shabbat Shalom.