Midrash
Midrash Tanchuma (Buber), Bereshit 3 מדרש תנחומא (בובר), בראשית ג׳
Part of: Siman 3
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אמר ר' יהודה בר שלום בזכות ישראל נברא העולם, מקדם ברא אלהים אין כתיב כאן, ומתחילה אין כתיב כאן, אלא בראשית, מהו בראשית, אלו ישראל שנקראו ראשית, שנא' קדש ישראל לה' ראשית תבואתה וגו' (ירמיה ב ג), (ממה שנקראו ראשית בענין שנאמר) [מנין ממה שקרינו בענין] בראשית ברא אלהים וגו':
R. Judah bar Shallum said: The world was created for the sake of Israel.9See 4 Ezra 6:55, 59; 7:11; 8:1; Gerim 1:5; Lev. R. 36:4. "From of old" is not written here (in Gen. 1:1), nor is "from the start" written here, but IN THE BEGINNING. What is the meaning of IN THE BEGINNING? This is Israel, which is called BEGINNING. It is so stated (in Jer. 2:3): ISRAEL IS HOLY TO THE LORD, THE BEGINNING OF HIS HARVEST. {From what < verse is it shown > that they were called BEGINNING? In the verse where it is stated:} [Where < is the original proposition shown >? From what we read on the subject:] IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED….
R. Judah bar Shallum said: The world was created for the sake of Israel.9See 4 Ezra 6:55, 59; 7:11; 8:1; Gerim 1:5; Lev. R. 36:4. "From of old" is not written here (in Gen. 1:1), nor is "from the start" written here, but IN THE BEGINNING. What is the meaning of IN THE BEGINNING? This is Israel, which is called BEGINNING. It is so stated (in Jer. 2:3): ISRAEL IS HOLY TO THE LORD, THE BEGINNING OF HIS HARVEST. {From what < verse is it shown > that they were called BEGINNING? In the verse where it is stated:} [Where < is the original proposition shown >? From what we read on the subject:] IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED….