## Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit

###### Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:1
[Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma%20Buber/s/Bereshit/r/11:1)

אמר ר' יצחק לא היה צריך לכתוב את התורה אלא מהחדש הזה לכם, ולמה כתב מבראשית, להודיע כח גבורתו, שנאמר כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו לתת להם נחלת גוים (תהלים קיא ו).

**Midrash Tanhuma, S. Buber Recension; trans. by John T. Townsend, 1989.:**
R. Isaac said: It was only necessary to write the Torah from the words (in Exod. 12:2): THIS MONTH SHALL BE FOR YOU.²⁸, which does in fact begin here. Why did he write from the words (in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING? To make known his mighty power. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 111:6): HE HAS DECLARED TO HIS PEOPLE THE POWER OF HIS WORKS IN GIVING THEM THE HERITAGE OF THE GENTILES.

footnotes:
²⁸ I.e., from where the actual commandments begin. Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael


###### Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:2
[Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma%20Buber/s/Bereshit/r/11:2)

אמר ריש לקיש כביכול דבר היה מפי הקב"ה, בדבר ה' שמים נעשו (שם לג ו), וכתיב בו ברא, אלא ליפרע מן הרשעים שמאבדין את העולם שנברא בעמל ביגיעה, וליתן שכר טוב לצדיקים שמקיימין את העולם שנברא בדבר ה', הוי (אומר) בראשית ברא אלהים.

**Midrash Tanhuma, S. Buber Recension; trans. by John T. Townsend, 1989.:**
Resh Laqish said: A word, as it were, came from the mouth of the Holy One (according to Ps. 33:6): BY THE WORD OF THE LORD WERE THE HEAVENS MADE. It is also written (in Gen. 1:1-27) that by it he CREATED. This account was simply for exacting retribution from the wicked who destroy the world, which was created with toil and wearisome labor, and to give a good recompense to the righteous who preserve the world, which was created by the word of the LORD. Ergo (in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS ….²⁹ 5:1.

footnotes:
²⁹ Cf. Avot


###### Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:3
[Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma%20Buber/s/Bereshit/r/11:3)

אמר ר' אחא דיבר הקב"ה לשמים שיבראו והיו נמתחין והולכין, שאלמלא שאמר להם די, היו נמתחין והולכין עד שיחיו המתים.

**Midrash Tanhuma, S. Buber Recension; trans. by John T. Townsend, 1989.:**
R. Aha said: When the Holy One spoke to the heavens that they should be created, they went on expanding. If he had not said: Enough, they would have gone on expanding out until the dead arose.³⁰

footnotes:
³⁰ See below, 3:25; 10:12, 17.


###### Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:4
[Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit 11:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma%20Buber/s/Bereshit/r/11:4)

בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים, שמים הללו מהיכן נבראת, מגוש של שלג, שנאמר כי לשלג יאמר הוי ארץ (איוב לז ו), וברכם הקב"ה והיו פרים ורבים, אמר דוד יברכך ה' מציון עושה שמים וארץ (תהלים קלד ג).

**Midrash Tanhuma, S. Buber Recension; trans. by John T. Townsend, 1989.:**
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS: These are heavens. From what was the earth created? From a lump of snow, as stated (in Job 37:6): FOR TO THE SNOW HE SAYS: BECOME EARTH. So the Holy One blessed them, and they became fruitful and multiplied. David said (in Ps. 134:3): MAY THE LORD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH BLESS YOU FROM ZION.