Bs”d
Parshas Bereishis (5766)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Rashi opens the awesome gates to his perush on the Chumash with the Medrash of R’ Yitzchok which is of primary importance and significance. It is reasonably complex, deep and full of difficulties. A possible enlightenment would be that the benefit of starting the Chumash with the first mitzvah would have been a statement from Hashem that He runs the world within the parameters of the ordinances of the Torah; a very basic issue. Hashem conducts the world and “confines Himself” to the laws of the Torah. However, the nations would complain—how do You explain Klal Yisoel’s conquering and seizing of the lands of the 7 nations? Irrelevant of how the nations obtained it, presently the land was in their hands. Taking it by force is contrary to Your Torah guidelines.
Torah, yes, but above all the priority of My conducting the universe is that I am the Creator and the Giver of all. This is the message of opening the Chumash with the Creation. Bnei Yisroel, stealing? Where and how did you gain ownership in the first place, if not from Me? I run the world first and foremost with this principle.