Dear friends,

We are about to read how G‑d created the world in six days, Adam and Eve sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and Cain and Abel’s rivalry lead to the first murder. These all took place within a very short amount of time.

But then the narrative speeds up and, before we know it, we are at the cusp of the great flood a millennium and a half later. What happened in between? Many important events, I am sure, each a step forward as mankind explored and mastered the world. The discovery of the wheel, the harnessing of fire, and the invention of bread all measure high on my chart of notable things that happened sometime in the past.

But the Torah is not just a history book. Torah means “guidance,” and everything contained therein teaches us how to live. Who pitched the first tent is probably fascinating, but it is not terribly instructive to me, so the Torah does not include it.

With this in mind, let us approach Genesis not as a mere beautiful account of the far-off past, but as a guide to our lives today. We can study it, learn from it, and be instructed.

Menachem Posner,
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team