Chattan Bereishit

Visible layers

CHATTAN BEREISHIT

The following is the first chapter of the Torah and recounts God's creation of the world in six days. On Simchat Torah, we read the final chapter of the Torah and then immediately begin to read it again from the beginning. This demonstrates that one can never finish studying the Torah, for it is endless.

Chattan Bereishit

Congregation says the shaded words, followed by the reader.

Hebrew

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת
הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ: וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה
תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ
אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם: וַיֹּאמֶר
אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי־אוֹר: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים
אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין
הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ: וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים |
לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב
וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי
רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין
מַיִם לָמָיִם: וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ
וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ
וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ וַיְהִי־
כֵן: וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם וַיְהִי־
עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם שֵׁנִי: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים
יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל־מָקוֹם
אֶחָד וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה וַיְהִי־כֵן: וַיִּקְרָא
אֱלֹהִים | לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם
קָרָא יַמִּים וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא
עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע עֵץ פְּרִי עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי
לְמִינוֹ אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ עַל־הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי־
כֵן: וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ
זֶרַע לְמִינֵהוּ וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה־פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר
זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב:
וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי: וַיֹּאמֶר
אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם
לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה וְהָיוּ
לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים: וְהָיוּ

Sephardi

Bereishit bara Elohim et
hashamayim v'et ha'aretz: Veha'aretz hayetah
tohu vavohu vechoshech al-p'nei tehom v'ruach
Elohim merachefet al-p'nei hamayim: Vayomer
Elohim yehi or vayehi-or: Vayar Elohim
et-ha'or ki-tov vayavdel Elohim bein
ha'or uvein hachoshech: Vayikra Elohim |
la'or yom velachoshech kara lailah vayehi-erev
vayehi-voker yom echad: Vayomer Elohim yehi
rakia b'toch hamayim vihi mavdil bein
mayim lamayim: Vaya'as Elohim et-harakia
vayavdel bein hamayim asher mitachat larakia
uvein hamayim asher mei'al larakia vayehi-
chen: Vayikra Elohim larakia shamayim vayehi-
erev vayehi-voker yom sheni: Vayomer Elohim
yikavu hamayim mitachat hashamayim el-makom
echad vetera'eh hayabashah vayehi-chen: Vayikra
Elohim | layabashah eretz ulemikveh hamayim
kara yamim vayar Elohim ki-tov:
Vayomer Elohim tadshe ha'aretz deshe
esev mazria zera etz peri oseh peri
lemino asher zar'o-vo al-ha'aretz vayehi-
chen: Vatotze ha'aretz deshe esev mazria
zera leminehu ve'etz oseh-peri asher
zar'o-vo leminehu vayar Elohim ki-tov:
Vayehi-erev vayehi-voker yom shelishi: Vayomer
Elohim yehi me'orot birkia hashamayim
lehavdil bein hayom uvein halailah vehayu
le'otot ulemo'adim ul'yamim veshanim: Vehayu

English

In the beginning of the creation of the universe, God created the heavens and the earth. At this point the earth was completely void of anything and there was only darkness covering over the surface of the deep waters, aside from the spirit of God that was hovering over the surface of the water. God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good for the universe and that it should be separated from the darkness, so God separated between the light and the darkness. God created the existence of time and called the time for light to shine "day," and He called the time for darkness "night." And there was evening—darkness—and then there was morning—daylight—forming one complete day. The world was full of water; God wanted to part the water to eventually reveal the land, so He said: Let there be a sky in the midst of the waters, and let it separate between the waters above the earth and the waters below, on earth. God thereby made the sky, and it separated between the waters that were on earth, beneath the sky, and the waters that were above the sky, and so it was. After it was firmly in place, God called the sky "heaven." Again, there was evening and then there was morning, making a second complete day. At this point, the earth was completely covered in water. Then God said: Let the waters below the heaven gather in one place, and let the dry land appear. And so it was. God called the dry land "earth," and He called the gathering of the waters "seas," and God saw that it was now good and fit for habitation. At this point, the earth was bare of all vegetation, and so, God said: Let the earth sprout vegetation, all kinds of plants that have seed growing within it, and fruit trees that produce fruit of its species and have its seed within it, upon the earth. And so it was. The earth brought forth vegetation, each plant yielding seed according to its specific species, and trees producing fruit, with each fruit having its seeds within it according to its species, and God saw that it was good. Again, there was evening and then

Congregation says the shaded words, followed by the reader.

Hebrew

לִמְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־
הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי־כֵן: וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־שְׁנֵי
הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים אֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַגָּדֹל
לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן
לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים: וַיִּתֵּן
אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר
עַל־הָאָרֶץ: וְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה
וּלְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ וַיַּרְא
אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב: וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר
יוֹם רְבִיעִי: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ
הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף
עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם:
וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים
וְאֵת כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה | הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר
שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם וְאֵת כָּל־עוֹף
כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב:
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ
וּמִלְאוּ אֶת־הַמַּיִם בַּיַּמִּים וְהָעוֹף
יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ: וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם
חֲמִישִׁי: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ
נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ־
אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי־כֵן: וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים
אֶת־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה
לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כָּל־רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים
נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ וְיִרְדּוּ
בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה
וּבְכָל־הָאָרֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶמֶשׂ הָרֹמֵשׂ
עַל־הָאָרֶץ: וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים | אֶת־
הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא
אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם: וַיְבָרֶךְ
אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ

Sephardi

lime'orot birkia hashamayim leha'ir al-
ha'aretz vayehi-chen: Vaya'as Elohim et-shenei
hame'orot hagedolim et-hama'or hagadol
lememshelet hayom ve'et-hama'or hakaton
lememshelet halailah v'et hakochavim: Vayiten
otam Elohim birkia hashamayim leha'ir
al-ha'aretz: Velimshol bayom uvalailah
ulehavdil bein ha'or uvein hachoshech vayar
Elohim ki-tov: Vayehi-erev vayehi-voker
yom revi'i: Vayomer Elohim yishretzu
hamayim sheretz nefesh chayah ve'of ye'ofef
al-ha'aretz al-p'nei rekia hashamayim:
Vayivra Elohim et-hataninim hagedolim
v'et kol-nefesh hachayah | haromeset asher
sharetzu hamayim lemineihem v'et kol-of
kanaf leminehu vayar Elohim ki-tov:
Vayevarech otam Elohim leimor peru urevu
umile'u et-hamayim bayamim veha'of
yirev ba'aretz: Vayehi-erev vayehi-voker yom
chamishi: Vayomer Elohim totze ha'aretz
nefesh chayah leminah behemah varemes vechayto-
eretz leminah vayehi-chen: Vaya'as Elohim
et-chayat ha'aretz leminah ve'et-habehemah
leminah v'et kol-remes ha'adamah leminehu
vayar Elohim ki-tov: Vayomer Elohim
na'aseh adam betzalmenu kidmutenu veyirdu
bidgat hayam uve'of hashamayim uvabehemah
uvechol-ha'aretz uvechol-haremes haromes
al-ha'aretz: Vayivra Elohim | et-
ha'adam betzalmo betzelem Elohim bara
oto zachar unekevah bara otam: Vayevarech
otam Elohim vayomer lahem Elohim peru

English

there was morning, making a third complete day. God wanted to illuminate the earth, so He said: Let there be luminaries in the sky of the heaven to separate between the day and the night; they shall be signs for mankind—the Jewish Nation will be able to calculate the correct times to celebrate the festivals, and people will know the cycles of days and years. They shall be luminaries in the sky of the heavens to shine light upon the earth. And so it was. God thereby created the two great luminaries, the large luminary—the sun—to rule and shine during the day, and the smaller and lesser luminary—the moon—to rule during the night; then God created the stars to shine at night together with the moon. God placed them in the sky of the heavens to illuminate the earth, and to rule by day and by night, and also to separate between the light and the darkness, and God saw that it was good. Again, there was evening and then there was morning, making a fourth complete day. Then God said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures and birds that fly over the earth, across the sky of the heavens. God thereby created the great giant-fish of the sea and all living creatures that crawl, which came forth from the waters, each according to its species, and all winged birds according to its species, and God saw that it was good. God blessed the living creatures that had been created thus far, saying: Be fruitful and multiply; the fish should fill the waters of the seas and the birds shall multiply upon the earth. Again, there was evening and then there was morning, making a fifth complete day. God said: Let the earth bring forth living animals, each to its species; animals, creatures that creep, and every wild beast of the earth according to its species. And so it was. God made the wild beasts of the earth, the domestic animals, and all the creatures that creep on the ground, each kind according to its species, and God saw that it was good. After all living creatures were created, God said to His Heavenly Court: Let us make man to reflect Our spiritual image and in Our likeness—with the ability to understand and gain wisdom. Mankind shall rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds that fly in the heavens, over the animals, and over all else that is upon the earth,