Not yet, but I like that idea and want it.

I agree that they didn't even stop to consider their choices. I don't think they had faith in what G-d was trying to teach them. Or even thought that G-d was trying to teach them.

It's funny and yet interesting because my understanding is that he created night and then day, hence the reason that all Jewish holidays begin at sundown, which is a very significant thing to us considering Shabbat begins on Friday night.

To be a help mate.

3 days...with a rookie like me, we might be a month. LOL

Wow, you guys are in a hurry to get to chapter 3 aren't you. I'm still thinking about chapter 1 and 2 and you guys are all over the fall and marriage for some reason...

OK, we'll skip most of chapter two and go right for the good part, chapter 2 verse 15 and onward...We'll include chapter three while we are at it, so you guys can talk about boundaries and choices and all of that kind of stuff...

Mark

Actually, if you examine the text it does support your assumption Queenie. Since the text states that there was evening and then there was morning in each case, we can assume that the night came before the day. And this is in fact where the idea of the day beginning not at sunrise but at sunset comes from. Until the sun shone its light on the earth there would be no day and so night must have preceded the day by that reasoning as well.

I'm reading along and I want to go read up on the two verses as well.

I seem to remember that each time that G-d created a new night and then day, it he looked at it and saw that it was good.

I guess one could think that he was being arrogant and admiring his own work. And that there is a bad mark so to speak to G-d. I say this because of when we get later in to the portion.

Or G-d was taking an accounting of what he was creating and seeing that it was good, helps to shape what he created next.

I want to go back and read that and see if I am right.

Be back after awhile.

I'm going to bed. See you guys later...

Mark

Personally I want to stay in 1 and 2 a little longer and since I started this... I win... just for a little while longer.

You guys are way more knowledgeable and I want to grasp this.

Ok

Woo hoo....

I knew something.

I'm doing the dance.

Ok, time for me to read up and examine..

Night Mark,

Thank you for this.

LOL, yep I guess she wins. I'm up for it.

Mark your explanation makes sense.

Hi TMTS,

What are you doing up at this hour?

Thank you. I am off to go read a little Torah and come back with a little knowledge.

I wish I had more time to get really involved with all of this. We move in just a few weeks, so things are hectic right now.

I did want to share a website that you all might find helpful:
Classic Sinai- free Jewish mp3s

I have a few of these on my iPod and I find them extremely interesting.

I was up becasue of you and Mark. LOL

Really, it's because we both had an unscheduled nap after supper. That and I was getting into the scripture study, went back and read chapters 1 and 2 a couple of times.

Wow I just stumbled across this thread, VERY interesting!

One of the big things for me in Genesis is the whole 'free choice' perspective. I've heard so many people make excuses for so many things in the thought of God has everything planned out so whatever happens is destiny. I personally think Genesis proves that is not the case.

My 2 cents...with that and $5 you can get a cup of coffee!

Thanks Mojo,

Come back and join us when you can. Where are you moving too?

Hi MVG,

You are welcome here anytime.

I think I might agree with everything you said with the understanding that G-d knows all that can happen and leaves those choices up to us and will turn those choices into good or bad.

Maybe something as basic and G-d instructing Adam and Eve into not eating from the tree of knowledge of good and bad. Torah talks about how G-d took the man and placed him in the garden to till it and tend to it. And then he commanded the man "Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat io fit, for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die.

G-d knows what will happen if you choose either way. I think he allows us the choices to choose, but the consequences or benefits are planned out.

I think that what happens and maybe this is too soon, and I have learned this experience is that G-d will turn bad choices into good someway if you allow him. He lets us choose, is there watching over us, hurts for our choices and loves us when we come back to his fold and make different choices.

I hope that makes sense.

A few things that I picked up on when reading last night and would like to read again and see where it takes me...

I think Mark you mentioned it....

Gen 1:26 - Amd G-d says, "Let us make man in our imagne and after our likeness.

From the beginning it talks about G-d as a single entity, and up until then he is the one making things happen, but at this point and really only at this point it is, let US make man in OUR image. The inference that someone else is involved here. Who, I have no idea.

And then the rest of the portion goes back to G-d doing.

The other thing I noticed and am just commenting on, not sure why is that G-d let's Adam name all the animals. Why? He has done everything else up to here, why this? Is there some significance to it?

Can we leave the Eve part for later on. This is HUGE in my book. I also want to mention that Eve is the name of the OW in my life. Is there some significance to that?

I could be wrong, but I think of the plural showing up when it comes to man as the Trinity which would be so necessary for man to live... the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The naming of the animals makes me chuckle. It seems to be a perfect example of how God provides everything for us, but he doesn't do everything for us. God knew that Adam would have charge over the animals. Bringing each animal before him to name, gave God the opportunity to teach Adam and show him all that God had done.

The first two chapters, for me, are confidence builders. They tell us who provides everything for us and how special we are to Him. He has created everything we need physically and spiritually. In 2:7, He not only created us in his image, but it indicated that we weren't really living beings until God had breathed life into us. How dear is that? He spoke all creatures into existance, but we are the only ones that He gave His breath to. I think it reflects the intimacy of God's relationship with us and is a precursor (if not the first instance) of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Hi Exodus,

Nice to see you. This is where it will get fun for all of us.

Since I don't believe in the holy trinity I don't know if that is something I personally can agree with. What I can do is search it out with my rabbi and see what she says.

I hadn't ever thought of it like that. Very interesting.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by confidence builders.