While there are many appropriate themes with which the Torah
could have begun (Abraham, Mt. Sinai, etc.), it begins instead
with a day-by-day description of the creation of the world,
commencing with the creation of heaven and earth on Day One and
concluding with the creation of humankind on Day Six. In fact,
the description of creation is lengthened by extensive
repetition, as much of the action is first declared by God and
then described as it happens. For instance: “And God said: ‘Let
the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit-tree
bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon
the earth’ And it was so. And the earth brought forth grass,
herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit,
wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it
was good” (Genesis 1:11-12). Why the repetition? “When God
created the first human, Heshowed him all the trees in the
Garden of Eden..and said to him, ‘See My handiwork, how
beautiful and choice they are… be careful not