Another book of creation – Sh’mot
This week’s sidra brings us into the second book of the Torah, Sh’mot (Exodus). Like the first book, B’reshit (Genesis), this one is also focused on Creation.
In Genesis, God applies His Divine wisdom to creating a world that will worship Him. In Exodus, man uses his human wisdom to create a community centred on the worship of God.
As God used wisdom, understanding and knowledge to create His world, so in Exodus man must use his refraction of the same qualities to build a community.
Rashi defines wisdom, chochmah, as what one learns from others; understanding, t’vunah, as finding the meaning in what one has learnt; and knowledge, da’at, as inspiration.
Some expand Rashi by explaining that chochmah comes from others, t’vunah from oneself and da’at from God.
