"Berasith bara elohim"

[eye_of_the_storm]

any interpretation is correct hmm

 

and Theurgy wonders why I think it is dangerous

 

I can basically turn "the divine word of god" into anything I wish?

 

In the beginning was White Wolf and he looked upon the chaos waters and he fashioned the chaos to his desire and made order out of it.

 

From the water White Wolf created the fire of life and...

Edited May 9, 2012 by White Wolf Running On Air

[Naziri]

No. That's not exactly what i said. Any reading of the letter combinations of the Torah is valid and correct, even when it seems to contradict others.

[eye_of_the_storm]

fair enough

[Vmarco]

 

I can basically turn "the divine word of god" into anything I wish?

 

 

What so-called divine word do you mean? If the word is elohim,...well, that word is plural,...and according to Hasidic Jews I've spoke with, is plural because it refers to both a male and female god,..or god and goddess,....the Elohim (plural for god) made man in their image, after their likeness, and let Them (male and female) have dominion. Male and female, the Elohim created them,...Genesis 1:26-27

 

Of course, this wasn't adam and Eve,...Eve was not "formed" until Chapter 2.

 

The word ELOHIM (plural, meaning gods) appear 2570 times in the OT. The singular version El (appears 226 times) and Eloah (57 times, 41 of which in Job).

Modern scholars say its etymology has not thus far been satisfactory explained. However, the christian faithful claim that ELOHIM is really singular because it is near singular verbs.

Here's a few examples for you to judge:

Gen 1:26 "And ELOHIM said, let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness"

Gen 3:22 " And ELOHIM said, behold, the man is become as one of US".

Gen 11:7 "let US go down and confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech".

The first time a singular god is mentioned in the Bible is in Exo 2.

 

 

"And when Gaia expressed through one language,

the people were One and in Peace,

and nothing was restrained from them,

which they had the imagination to do.

So the Elohim said,

let us create beliefs in their thoughts,

which will confound their language,

that they may not understand one another's speech,

so they shall know Peace no more".

Genesis 11:6-7

 

"Anyone who gives you a belief system is your enemy"

Edited May 10, 2012 by Vmarco

[Informer]

"Berasith bara elohim" is considered to be the first phrase of the Bible. Most believe the translation as "In the beginning god created..."

This subject was broached during the end of a recent conversation,...and entered my thinking again a few moments ago.

 

I studied this subject in the 1980's and still have the same view.

 

To me, Berasith translates to "In Wisdom."

 

The theosophical glossary said, Bere'shith, B'raisheeth (Hebrew) The first two words of the Hebrew Genesis. As Hebrew was originally written from right to left in a series of consonants, without vowels, several renderings may be made of any passage, according to the manner of inserting vowels and of dividing the consonants into words. Thus the original Hebrew {Hebrew char} (b r ' sh th) may be divided as be-re'shith, as is common in European translations, and rendered "in the beginning" [be in + re'shith beginning from re'sh or ro'sh chief, head, first part, summit]; a second translation could be "in the first part." If the meaning "head" be taken, then as head signifies wisdom, the rendering "in wisdom" follows. But this same combination of letters could be rendered "by arrangement" or "by establishment," by dividing it as bare'-shith [from bare' forming + shith establishment, arrangement].

 

The second word is "bara," which I define as manifest, or more correctly, was manifested.

 

The third word is "elohim," a plural, meaning "gods", has long been mistranslated by christians and Bible translators.

 

The word ELOHIM (plural for gods) appear 2570 times in the OT. The singular version El (appears 226 times) and Eloah (57 times, 41 of which in Job).

Modern scholars say its etymology has not thus far been satisfactory explained. However, the christian faithful claim that ELOHIM is really singular because it is near singular verbs.

Here's a few examples for you to judge:

Gen 1:26 "And ELOHIM said, let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness"

Gen 3:22 " And ELOHIM said, behold, the man is become as one of US".

Gen 11:7 "let US go down and confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech".

The first time a singular god is mentioned in the Bible is in Exo 2.

 

OK,...now let's put those three words together correctly,...that is, using their most probable translation, and just as important, in their correct order.

 

In Wisdom/was manifested/the gods.

 

Or, as Lao Tzu said, "The Tao gives birth to One [Wisdom]. One gives birth to yin and yang [Elohim]. Yin and yang give birth to all things."

 

Why contemporary religionists put bara after their god is simply due to the delusion of their faith.

 

V

 

Wow Vmarco, very nice correlation!

[Informer]

Why does every religion seemingly have a creation story saying that we were created by something?

 

It seem like they all have that in common as well as teaching love, although it is sometimes misconstrued, but I can see that the intention was there regardless of how distorted it has become over the millenia.

[Cat Pillar]

This is what i really dislike about internet forums. People seem to assume that the other person they are talking TO (not with) is ignorant of their theories.

 

You seem to assume:

 

1. That i am not a "Kabbalist" (this is the assumption in speaking of M'qubalim in the third person), and

2. That i have not studied with Modern Chassidim (in fact, i belong to a branch of Judaism that is a Medieval-era form of Chassidut that predates the Besht and those dynasties emanating from him).

 

In fact, you seem to only be aware of one of half a dozen or more MAJOR variant readings of the first line of Sefer Berashit. You are speaking as though the Zohar only offers one alternative translation. The history of variant readings of this line is something which i have discussed in much detail with Zohar translator Daniel Matt. Perhaps you would gain more insight into the matter if you listened at least as much as you tried to tell me that i don't know what you know.

 

Are you familiar with Bardon's works? I'd be interested in hearing your viewpoint on them if you are.

[eye_of_the_storm]

Vmarco What so-called divine word do you mean?

 

I wasn't referring to anything in particular

 

I agree "Anyone who gives you a belief system is your enemy"