Celebrating Creation
by Rabbi David Eidensohn
Celebrating Creation leads us to the Creator. “Lift up your eyes on high and see Who created these.”[1] Maimonides tells us that it is by witnessing and studying the marvels of Creation that we begin to acquire awe of G-d who created such a marvelous universe.[2]
But when we, puny people, gaze at the heavens, or when we study the systems of the body and nature and are awed, we may feel small. This is wrong. The true message of the Creation after we absorb its wonders is to appreciate ourselves.
The Talmud says, “Each person must say, ‘for my sake the world was created.’” Creation tells us not only that God created the world, but that one person is the purpose of Creation. G-d worked six days and put one person in the world. Thus, all of the wonders of Creation are for people and people are higher than the cosmic systems.
Of course, when we see the heavens we are aware of our limited abilities and small size and energies compared to the mighty forces in nature. King David said “When I see Your heavens, Your handiwork, the moon and the stars that you established: What is man that You should remember him, and the son of man that you should notice him?” This thrust of modesty and humility is not negative. David follows this by saying, “And You made him but a bit smaller than the heavenly creatures; and You crowned him with honor and glory.” Moses went to heaven and all of Israel heard the Heavenly Voice at Sinai giving the Commandments. This glory is far beyond that of heavenly orbs. We are the purpose of those orbs, indeed, of all Creation.
Thus, there are several steps. One we see the sun, moon and stars and are amazed at the Creation. We begin to contemplate the greatness of G-d the Creator. Thinking of the Creator, in turn, leads to the celebration of Creation. Creation is not just an amazing system of rocks and energy. Creation is an act of G-d and a divine doing.
Celebrating Creation leads us to celebrate ourselves.
Celebrating Creation means that we understand that sin can destroy Creation, and that good deeds can improve and sustain it.
We must rejoice with Creation. We must celebrate our challenge, our role, as the End product of Creation. We sustain Creation by obeying G-d.
We have merited G-d’s great love that we cannot understand, and we rejoice and celebrate this.
Our lives rise or fall based upon whether our personal self-value and appreciation is high or low.
The Sabbath is the time when G-d rested. It is a time to celebrate Creation. It is a time to celebrate ourselves.
Noahides as well as Jews must celebrate Creation, and what better time than the Sabbath? Some opinions in the Talmud held that a person who profanes the Sabbath has denied Creation. Therefore, even Noahides must keep the Sabbath.
There are several opinions in the Talmud about this. Although the Codes of Laws have all decided that Noahides may work on the Sabbath, the fact that some opinions in the Talmud felt that Noahides should rest, at least partially, on the Sabbath, tells us something. Even if Noahides may work on the Sabbath, they should celebrate Creation.
Jews teach their children on the Passover about the Exodus from Egypt. This is the founding force of Israel’s relating to G-d. Noahides should teach their children on the Sabbath, because celebrating the Creation is the way Noahides come to G-d.
What a wonderful thing it is for family and even groups of Noahides coming together on the Sabbath to celebrate Creation.
Noahides are not Jews, and do not have the restrictions of Jews. Nor do they have the obligations or even the ceremonies of Jews. Therefore, Noahides do not celebrate the Creation and the Sabbath in the manner of Israel. But all Creations must praise G-d and celebrate the Creation.
Jews celebrate the Sabbath by reciting Kiddush, the biblical paragraph about G-d resting on the seventh day. “And the heavens and earth were finished, and all of their host. And G-d completed, on the seventh day, the work He did. And He rested on the seventh day from all of the work that He did. And G-d blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it. For on it He rested from all of His work that G-d created to function.”
Noahides can recite this as well, as Jews do, on a glass of wine, if they find this meaningful. But Noahides should not say the second paragraph of the Kiddush which has a Jewish theme. Jews rest on the Sabbath, but Noahides do not.
There is thus a Jewish and a Noahide way of celebrating Creation. It is one Creation. There is one G-d. But there are two ways to celebrate.
Indeed, with the celebration of the Sabbath, as with other areas of religious life, we see the difficult situation of the Noahide. He is different than the whole world, and is not even part of Israel. He is the greatest minority of a minority.
Our challenge is to increase the number of Noahides, with outreach and successful congregations and communities.
Only when Jews have inspired others, Noahides, to take their rightful place at the table, does Creation achieve its purpose. Indeed, the Talmud says that Israel was created to go into exile. And the exile was to inspire the gentiles.
This is the purpose of Creation.
[1] Isaiah 40:26
[2] Maimonides in Mishneh Torah, Yesodei HaTorah I:6 indicates that seeing Creation and observing the heavens brings one to know the Creator and fulfill the first of the Ten Commandments, the belief in G d. In Guide to the Perplexed II:19 he elaborates on this theme quoting many prophets.