Genesis (Heb. bereshit)
The first book of the Torah, fifty chapters long, opens the entire
Bible. In Hebrew, the book takes its name from the very first word in it,
bereshit, "In the beginning." The story of Genesis covers the creation of
the world, the early history of mankind, the beginnings of the people of
Israel, their descent to Egypt and Joseph's death there. Genesis holds a
special place of honor on account of the principles of religious faith
established in it. Moral and theological concepts are intertwined
throughout, from Creation and the story of the Garden of Eden, through the
stories of Cain and Abel, of Noah and the Flood, and of the Tower of Babel,
to the narratives of the Patriarchs, until Joseph's death. The primary focus
of the book is on the creation of the world and humanity, and on God's
election of Israel's patriarchs. It also constitutes a document that
provides detailed testimony about the development of the world's peoples and
the lineage of the people of Israel.