"Ohr Ha-Ganuz"

The very first act of creation recorded in Genesis is the creation of light. "And God said, 'There shall be light'"  (Gen. 1:3). But what kind of light was this?

It cannot be the light that we are familiar with, the light emanating from the sun and the stars — the heavenly bodies were created much later, on the fourth day. The Sages called this primordial light "Ohr Ha-Ganuz", the Hidden Light. What is the nature of this special illumination introduced at the beginning of creation?

The Sages taught (Shemot Rabbah 15:22) that certain topics mentioned only cryptically in the Torah were later elucidated by David in the book of Psalms. For example, the Torah relates that God created light after creating heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1-3). In Psalms, however, the order is reversed. There the verse indicates that God first created the light and only afterward the heavens:

"He wrapped Himself in light like a garment, and spread out the heavens like a curtain." (104:3)

This concept, however, is difficult. The verse in Psalms does not explain the Torah's account, but rather contradicts it, switching the order of creation as set down in Genesis. Furthermore, what does it mean that God 'wrapped Himself in light like a garment'?

Chomer and Tzurah

The philosophers distinguished between chomer, the raw material, and tzurah, the inner form or purpose. For example, wood is a raw material (chomer) that may be used in many different functional objects. Once it is designated for use as a table, the wood also has tzurah, having acquired a particular purpose.

At the very beginning of Creation, there was only chomer. God created many varied elements, but they were without tzurah, lacking function and purpose. This state of disorder and dissonance is referred to as darkness — "darkness on the face of the depths" (Gen 1:2). The Torah calls this unstable primeval stage Tohu and Bohu, meaning that it was chaotic and empty of form.

Then God created the "Ohr Ha-Ganuz". This special light played a critical role in creation. Just as regular light allows us to see and relate to our surroundings, the Hidden Light enabled the different elements of creation to relate to one another. It dispelled the initial state of darkness when all objects were isolated, unable to relate and connect to each other.

To use the terminology of the philosophers, the illumination of the first day stamped a functional tzurah on the material chomer of creation. Through this special light, the universe's myriad objects gained purpose and function, and were able to work together towards a common goal.

To Wear Light

The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 3:4) writes that "God wrapped Himself in (the light) like a garment, and illuminated the splendor of His glory from one end of the world to the other." What does it mean for God to 'wear light'? This phrase indicates that the light took on God's qualities of oneness and unity, just as a garment takes on the shape of the one wearing it. When 'God wrapped Himself in light,' He introduced an underlying unity into all aspects of creation, "from one end of the world to the other." 

In summary, the description in Psalms does not contradict the account in Genesis. At first, God created heaven and earth in an isolated state, as chomer without form and purpose. This was the unstable state of Tohu and Bohu described in Genesis, when the diverse elements of creation existed in chaotic darkness, lacking an underlying unity.

Then God said, "There shall be light." God bound the matter together with a common purpose through the creation of the special "Ohr Ha-Ganuz". With this unifying light, the universe was stabilized and completed. God first 'wrapped Himself in the light,' giving the light His trait of oneness. Only afterwards did He 'spread out the heavens,' as the formation of a stable universe took place after creating the Hidden Light. The psalm continues to describe the stability of the world after the creation of light: "He founded the earth on its foundations, so that it will never falter" (104:5).

(adapted from Midbar Shur pp. 95-96)

Copyright © 2006 by Chanan Morrison