InPraiseofTohuva-Vohu.docVIP

Bar-Ilan University Parshat Hashavua Study Center Bereshit 5774/October 18, 2014 This series of faculty lectures on the weekly Parsha is made possible by the Department of Basic Jewish Studies, the Paul and Helene Shulman Basic Jewish Studies Center, the Office of the Campus Rabbi, Bar-Ilan Universitys International Center for Jewish Identity and the Computer Center Staff at Bar-Ilan University. For inquiries, please contact Avi Woolf at: opdycke1861@. 1090 In Praise of Tohu va-Vohu By Miriam Faust( The first verse of Genesis deals with the creation of the world, the greatest act of creation of all time. The second verse describes the primal state of the universe prior to this act of creation: The earth was unformed and void (tohu va-vohu), with darkness over the surface of the deep (Gen. 1:2). Viewing the story of Creation as a model from which to learn about the human process of creating, it is interesting to examine whether a cognitive state of unformed and void relates to the processes by which human beings are creative. For example, everyone who creates might have to break and disorganize the familiar picture of the world in order to free himself from it and view reality in another way. Current research dealing with creative thought indeed supports this assertion and points to the need for a sort of tohu va-vohu, or a certain measure of what one might term cognitive chaos, in order to discover and create something new in all walks of human creativity. These findings associate the state of being unformed and void that preceded Creation with a universal human state which is a precondition for the ability to create. Creative thought is a supreme human characteristic that enables important achievements which further humanity in all areas and all times. This ability is relevant not only to great discoveries in science, art, music, medicine, technology and any field of human activity that changes the world, but also to the petty creativity needed i