Creation

I am studying the Nachmanides commentary on Genesis ( translated by Rabbi Dr. Charles B. Chavel), and I have a question concerning the use of capitalization in one specific instance in the section under "And G-D called the firmament heaven." There is a sentence that ends with "and all Separate Intelligences which are incorporeal." Is the reason behind the use of capitalization here something that is allowed to be relayed? Thank you for your time.

How was year one of Jewish history determined? How did it come to pass that we are beginning the year 5785 with the coming new year?

1) question on genesis: i will just go verse by verse so you can see my thought process 1 - god begins creating the universe 2 - the earth is unformed, but there are waters??? (I can see this being poetic or symbolic) 3 - some form of light is made 4 - light is separated from darkness 5 - light is day, dark is night 6 - water is separated from water (waters from 1:2??) 7 - the sky (atmosphere is created) 8 - the expanse is called heaven 9 - dry land appears from waters ... we know that land came before water, so how could this be? 10 - dry land is called earth 11 - plants come to fruition ... we know that plants need the sun, so how did they grow?? 12 - more vegetation 13 - evening / morning stuff 14 - the sun / other stars are created 2) questions on ages: if the ancient hebrews (such as avraham) followed a solar calender, then how did they live so long? humans couldnt not have physically lived that long. this would naturally lead me to think they measured years differently, but the torah makes it seem like a solar calender is in place (genesis 1:14 for example)

Hello, I am a high school student in Australia studying Judaism and their different beliefs about certain beginning and end of life technologies. For my essay, i have chosen the ethical debates surrounding the use of IVF. I was wondering what perspectives the different branches (reform, conservative, and/or orthodox Jews) believe regarding the following dilemmas: the status of the embryo, especially regarding the surplus embryos that don't get used for the pregnancy the emotional pressures of the mother, especially for multiple rounds of IVF and the financial cost and access, regarding who has access, and the pressures of the finances on the mother. any help will be greatly appreciated! I look forward to hearing back from you, Ruby

Good morning, I have a question concerning Genesis 2:23 "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Can you please tell me if there is any hint, any clue in this text in the Hebrew as to HOW WILL OTHER PEOPLE KNOW that the woman was taken out of man? Could you please recommend any teaching, lectures on this subject and send me a few links or names I could find online? I do appreciate your help. every blessing to you

Hi Rabbi, I know that Adam and Eve had two sons, named Cain and Abel. I assume that Cain got married but I am not sure that Abel ever married since Cain killed him. My question: Who was Cain’s wife? Was she Eve's daughter? Did Eve even have daughters? Thank you

Hello Rabbi, I am trying to believe in the bible, i have questions though can you please help me. 1] What does the torah mean "and the waters that are above the firmament" how are we to understand that? 2] How do we reconcile the seeming contradiction between Genesis 1:12 and chapter 2:5? Rashi gives an explanation but its really hard to believe it since the texts seem to clearly contradict (the verse in genesis 1:12 says that the earth gave forth). 3] when did the blessing of God to adam and Eve in 1:28-30 take place, before or after they were in the garden of eden? From Ch. 2 it seems like eve did not exist yet till adam was already in the garden, and yet the blessing in 1:28 is adressed to "them" ie: man and woman, and this leads to believe that it was after they were kicked out of the garden, but how does that make sense that its after they sinned and kicked out from the garden and cursed by God, only to be blessed in 1:28 and then in 1:31 God says "God saw all that He made and it was very good", how can that be said after the sin, rather it must be before the sin.... I thought, okay, so maybe the blessing of 1:28 is in the garden, after God made eve but before the sin of the tree, but that doesnt make sense either because 1:29 says "all the herbage is given to you on the entire face of the earth" if they were in garden, why would God tell them anything about the fruits and herbage thats all over the planet unless they were already kicked out of garden, and it cannot be before adan was placed in the garden since eve wasn't made yet till adam was in garden and the blessing in 1:28 is plural to both adam and his half. So i thought either A] the blessing was in the garden before the sin, and they had permission to come and go from gan eden as they pleased (till they were kicked out) and that's a novelty and i dont like it, or B] as Jews say that God made them like siamese twins back to back, and so really in 1:29 is before they were in the garden, but they were still back to back and not seperate, they were blessed and then put in the garden and there God split them, but that too is very difficult because it refers to adam as a singular in the beginning of ch. 2 before making eve, and it refers to them as a plural in 1:28 as if theyre separate beings. 4] When the torah says "it was evening and it was morning day 1", it sounds like by the morning it is already the start of day 2, "it was evening, and then morning, a full day" ie: the day was finished in the morning, and then God began creating of day two that morning. But Jews believe the day starts at night-time, isn't this a contradiction?   I know this may sound silly, but to me it bothers me all day, i cannot find any answers and it bothers me greatly. If you can please help me in any way i would be extremely greatful 🙏

I recreantly came across an academic publication in which a Jewish professor made the statement that Jewish patriarchs, like Yakob and Moshe, were credited with a role in creation according to Jewish midrash. I am aware of a post-Talmudic midrash, Pirke Rabi Eliezer, in which Yakob's stone in Genesis 28:18 is taken to represent the navel of the earth. Are you aware of any texts/teachings that say similar things regarding Moshe's supposed role in Creation? Thank you