Why does the Torah start with Bet instead of Aleph?

Answer 1

Because the first word of the Tanach starts with the letter bet. In terms of Jewish belief, the "bet" represents the "second" quality, which should clarify that the normal translation, "In the beginning", creating a solid start, is incorrect. A better translation would be "At the beginning of creation" (Rashi commentary).

Answer 2

Answer 1

Several conjectures, hypotheses, commentaries, and theories have been

suggested. For just one example, aleph is also the initial of the Hebrew word

for "curse", whereas bet initializes the Hebrew word for "blessing".

But for a true and reliable answer to your "why", you'd obviously have to take

your question to the author. I heartily recommend that.

Jewish Answer

Because the first word of the Tanach starts with the letter bet. In terms of Jewish belief, the "bet" represents the "second" quality, which should clarify that the normal translation, "In the beginning", creating a solid start, is incorrect. A better translation would be "At the beginning of creation" (Rashi commentary), because God existed before Creation. Additionally, "bet" is a letter that starts on the right as one point and ends on the left as two, explaining the growth of world from a single point. Aleph, by contrast does not have this quality.

Some commentaries have written that the letter Bet is shaped like an opening parenthesis, hinting that the first moment of Creation (and before) is beyond our ken (Breishis Rabbah).

Other commentaries point out:

1) That the first and last letters of the Torah spell the word Lev - heart.

2) The three sides of the letter Bet are similar to this world, which was created incomplete. The job of humankind is thus to complete Creation by perfecting it. We do this through our mitzvot and good deeds and by making the world a better place to inhabit.

3) The Hebrew numerical value of Bet is two. Two represents duality and plural­ity. Living things in Creation were created in pairs of male and female. This bifurcation reminds us that only God is completely One (Ibn Ezra commentary). For mankind to reproduce, two are required.

Also, the "two" of the Torah's first letter hint that there are two worlds, not one: this world and the afterlife of Olam HaBa.

4) The literal meaning of Bet is a home. Why did God create the world? The Midrash (Tanhuma, Naso 16) tells us that God desired a home.

Answer 3

In terms of Jewish belief, the "bet" represents the "second" quality, which should clarify that the normal translation, "In the beginning," creating a solid start, is incorrect. A better translation would be "At the beginning of creation" (Rashi commentary), because God existed before Creation. Additionally, "bet" is a letter that starts on the right as one point and ends on the left as two, explaining the growth of world from a single point. Aleph (the first Hebrew letter), by contrast does not have this quality.

Some commentaries have written that the letter Bet is shaped like an opening parenthesis, hinting that the first moment of Creation (and before) is beyond our ken (Breishis Rabbah).

Other commentaries point out:

1) That the first and last letters of the Torah spell the word Lev - heart.

2) The three sides of the letter Bet is similar to this world, which was created incomplete. The job of humankind is thus to complete Creation by perfecting it. We do this through our mitzvot and good deeds and by making the world a better place to inhabit.

3) The Hebrew numerical value of Bet is two. Two represents duality and plural­ity. Living things in Creation were created in pairs of male and female. This bifurcation reminds us that only God is completely One (Ibn Ezra commentary). For mankind to reproduce, two are required.

Also, the "two" of the Torah's first letter hint that there are two worlds, not one: this world and the afterlife of Olam HaBa.

4) The literal meaning of Bet is a home. Why did God create the world? The Midrash (Tanhuma, Naso 16) tells us that God desired a home.

Answer 4

Because the first word of the Tanach starts with the letter bet. In terms of Jewish belief, the "bet" represents the "second" quality, which should clarify that the normal translation, "In the beginning", creating a solid start, is incorrect. A better translation would be "At the beginning of creation" (Rashi commentary), because God existed before Creation. Additionally, "bet" is a letter that starts on the right as one point and ends on the left as two, explaining the growth of world from a single point. Aleph, by contrast does not have this quality.
Some commentaries have written that the letter Bet is shaped like an opening parenthesis, hinting that the first moment of Creation (and before) is beyond our ken (Breishis Rabbah).

Other commentaries point out:
1) That the first and last letters of the Torah spell the word Lev - heart.
2) The three sides of the letter Bet is similar to this world, which was created incomplete. The job of humankind is thus to complete Creation by perfecting it. We do this through our mitzvot and good deeds and by making the world a better place to inhabit.
3) The Hebrew numerical value of Bet is two. Two represents duality and plural­ity. Living things in Creation were created in pairs of male and female. This bifurcation reminds us that only God is completely One (Ibn Ezra commentary). For mankind to reproduce, two are required.
Also, the "two" of the Torah's first letter hint that there are two worlds, not one: this world and the afterlife of Olam HaBa.
4) The literal meaning of Bet is a home. Why did God create the world? The Midrash (Tanhuma, Naso 16) tells us that God desired a home.