The Torah is Optimistic
[Commentary on the Torah - Reishit, p. 24-25]
Hashem separated between the light and the darkness, and He saw that the light was good (Bereshit 1:4)! Baruch Hashem, there are good things in the world. The expression "it was good," is repeated over and over, and at the end of creation: "Very good" – an optimistic outlook. If the ancient religions of the Far East wrote the Torah, they would have written: "And G-d saw that it was bad," "And he saw all that He did and it was very bad." These are pessimistic religions. Everything is bad, everything is lost, everything lacks hope, everything is despair, the body is bad and the soul is bad.
We, however, say that the world is good. But there are so many trials and tribulations? – I know. I do not live on the moon. I noticed. I learned that Adam sinned and Kayin killed Hevel. I know that this is not exactly the Garden of Eden. But we are talking in principle – this world is the Garden of Eden. The world is good. The second day of Creation was even better, even if it is not written in the Torah. And the third day was even better still. In fact, this is the best of all worlds! But this does not happen in one day, rather in stages. And we are partners with Hashem in this work. Hashem Himself testifies that this world is good, and that it is the Garden of Eden. And if it is not currently the Garden of Eden - it is a temporary setback, and with the help of Hashem, we will succeed in freeing ourselves from it. All-in-all the world is good, the world is wonderful and the world is full of light.
Hashem separated between the light and the darkness, and He saw that the light was good (Bereshit 1:4)! Baruch Hashem, there are good things in the world. The expression "it was good," is repeated over and over, and at the end of creation: "Very good" – an optimistic outlook. If the ancient religions of the Far East wrote the Torah, they would have written: "And G-d saw that it was bad," "And he saw all that He did and it was very bad." These are pessimistic religions. Everything is bad, everything is lost, everything lacks hope, everything is despair, the body is bad and the soul is bad.
We, however, say that the world is good. But there are so many trials and tribulations? – I know. I do not live on the moon. I noticed. I learned that Adam sinned and Kayin killed Hevel. I know that this is not exactly the Garden of Eden. But we are talking in principle – this world is the Garden of Eden. The world is good. The second day of Creation was even better, even if it is not written in the Torah. And the third day was even better still. In fact, this is the best of all worlds! But this does not happen in one day, rather in stages. And we are partners with Hashem in this work. Hashem Himself testifies that this world is good, and that it is the Garden of Eden. And if it is not currently the Garden of Eden - it is a temporary setback, and with the help of Hashem, we will succeed in freeing ourselves from it. All-in-all the world is good, the world is wonderful and the world is full of light.
Originally posted by Torat HaRav Aviner
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