בראשית

בְּרֵאשִׁית(b. h.) in the beginning, as a cosmological term (ref. to Gen. 1:1) creation, primeval period, Nature, Universe. Targ. Is. 28:29; a. e.מִבְּ׳ from the beginning. Ib. 41:4.מעשה ב׳ a) creation. Gen. R. s. 3; a. fr.b) cosmogony, contrad. to מעשה מרכבה theosophy, Ḥag.II, 1; a. fr.Y.Shebi.I, beg.33a שבת ב׳ the Sabbath commemorative of creation, i. e. the regular weekly Sabbath, contrad. to Holy Days. (In later Hebr. שבת ב׳ the Sabbath on which the first section of the Pentateuch is read.Ber.IX, 2 ברוך עושה (מעשה) ב׳ praised be the Author of creationa formula of benediction for awe-inspiring natural phenomena; v. ib. a. Y. ib. 13c bot.ששת ימי ב׳ from the six days of creation. Keth.8b נתיב הוא מש׳וכ׳ this is the way (the lot of humanity) since the world existed.Tosef.Maasr.III, 14: a. fr.Y.Taan.II, 65a bot. מי ב׳; Lam. R. to III, 40 מימי ב׳ primeval waters, Ocean (v. Gen. 1:9 sq.).ספר ב׳ The Book of Genesis. Gen. R. s. 3; a. e.ב׳ רבה Breshith Rabbah (Gen. R.), name of the first book of the Midrash Rabbah.

פִּילּוּגm. (פָּלַג) division, separation. Y.Ber.I, 2c bot. וכל פ׳ מי בראשית מתפלגין מתחתיו whatever be the divisions into which the waters of creation parted, they started from under it (the tree of life); (Gen. R. s. 15, a. e. וכל מימי בראשית מתפלגין מתחתיו).