Awesome Creation: A Study of the First Three Verses of Genesis, with the aid of Modern Science

by Yosef Bitton

The first three verses of the Torah are perhaps the best-known sentences of the Hebrew Bible. They may also very well be the least understood. In Awesome Creation, Rabbi Yosef Bitton delves into these verses with an open mind and an open heart. Drawing on classical Jewish sources as well as current scientific data, Rabbi Bitton offers a fresh reading of the initial words of Scripture. Among the subjects covered are the coincidences and differences between the Big Bang theory and the Biblical Creation story, the unexplored consequences of Creation ex nihilo, the controversies surrounding the age of the universe, the state of our planet upon its creation, the natural forces used by the Creator to reshape His world, and the enigma of the nature of primeval light. Throughout his book, Rabbi Bitton emphasizes the importance of an accurate comprehension of Biblical Hebrew, as explained by the Rabbis of the Talmud and the classical Torah commentators. Through a precise understanding of each word of these verses and thanks to today s modern scientific knowledge we are able to appreciate, as never before, the beauty and sophistication of the Biblical story of Creation.

226 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Eric Chevlen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rabbi Yosef Bitton seems to be trying to accomplish two different tasks in this book. One is to give a deeply incisive dikduk- (strict grammar-) based translation and elucidation of the first three verses of the Torah. The second is to offer a reasonable speculation about the early stages of planet creation to be in conformity with the biblical text. At the first job he succeeds marvelously. For anyone who truly enjoys the details of Hebrew syntax, I heartily recommend this book. There are great mysteries and misunderstandings tucked away in the text. In this task, the book is enlightening on several levels. At the second task, the author achieves less success. Realistically, planetary science is not his métier, and the book at times seems likes a learned abstract based on secondary sources.