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So there we were, gathered at Sinai to hear our marching orders—how the Creator of the universe wanted us to live as a unique and holy nation among humanity. When the revelation ended, Moses presented it all in the form of an enormous ink-and-parchment scroll. Rolling it open, we discovered something surprising. Its opening—and rather hefty—section offers hardly any directives. Instead, it presents a tapestry of fascinating, perplexing narratives: the origins of existence and the formative experiences of our earliest ancestors. Not Shabbat candles and kosher diets but a fruit- promoting serpent and a floating zoo. Not tefillin straps and mikveh waters but a fractured offering and an abducted matriarch. And the stories rarely resolve cleanly—they leave us questioning. Why would the Author of a brilliant universe begin the Torah not with law but with story? Because these are not introductions to the law. They are its foundation. These narratives map the perspectives, tensions, attitudes, and inner dynamics that make a life of purpose possible. They are breathtaking in their depth—if we can uncover their “supernal truths and sublime secrets” and bring them to life. Enter Next Genesis. A seven-part journey into the early narratives of Genesis, uncovering layers of meaning—from ethical insight to mystical structure. The Torah does not only command—it educates and transforms. These stories are not accounts of what was but blueprints of what is. They do not merely describe the first human beings—they describe the human being. And they do not end in Genesis. They continue in every generation. In you. G‑d is a Teacher par excellence and teaches through story as well as instruction. No detail is incidental. Every twist is deliberate. Each narrative shapes character, refines perspective, and guides choice. This course brings those stories forward, transforming them from ancient accounts into personal encounters. What began as a story will continue with you. To view the full p |