Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does 'firmament' (rakia) mean in Genesis 1:6?
A: The word 'rakia' (firmament) refers to the expanse or dome that G-d created to separate the upper and lower waters. Rashi explains that this rakia was a thin, solid substance stretched across the heavens, like a canopy. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 4:2) describes it as being made of compressed water or ice.
Q: Why did G-d separate the waters in Genesis 1:6?
A: According to Ramban (Nachmanides), the separation of waters was necessary to create space for the physical world to exist. The upper waters represent spiritual realms, while the lower waters became the seas and oceans. This division teaches us about G-d's orderly creation, where everything has its proper place (Talmud Chagigah 12a).
Q: How does the concept of 'dividing waters from waters' apply to our lives today?
A: The separation of waters teaches us the importance of boundaries in our lives. Just as G-d established order in creation, we must create proper boundaries between holy and mundane, work and rest, and different aspects of our lives (based on Rambam's teachings about balance in Hilchot De'ot). The Midrash Tanchuma (Bereishit 5) also sees this as a lesson about separating good from evil.
Q: What is the significance of G-d creating with speech ('And G-d said') in this verse?
A: The fact that G-d created the rakia through speech (unlike human builders who use physical labor) shows His absolute power and the effortless nature of creation. The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 32a) teaches that the Ten Utterances of Creation (including this one) correspond to the Ten Commandments, showing how speech connects creation with Torah.
Q: Are the 'upper waters' mentioned in this verse still present today?
A: Yes, traditional Jewish sources maintain that the upper waters still exist above the rakia (firmament). The Talmud (Ta'anit 9b) explains that rain comes from these upper waters, and Rashi (on Genesis 1:7) notes that they are suspended by G-d's command. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 4:3) describes them as being stored above the heavens.
Rashi's Explanation of the Firmament
Rashi (Genesis 1:6) explains that the word רָקִיעַ (firmament) refers to a stretched-out expanse, like a sheet spread out. He cites the Targum Onkelos, which translates it as יְקַר (a beaten-out sheet), emphasizing that the firmament was a solid dome-like structure separating the upper and lower waters.
Rambam's Philosophical Perspective
In Moreh Nevuchim (2:30), Rambam interprets the firmament as the celestial sphere that divides the physical waters below from the metaphysical "waters" above. He aligns this with Aristotelian cosmology, where the firmament represents the boundary between the sublunar and celestial realms.
Midrashic Interpretations
Kabbalistic Insight (Zohar)
The Zohar (Bereishit 31b) describes the firmament as a spiritual barrier separating the revealed world (lower waters) from the hidden divine realms (upper waters). This reflects the dichotomy between physical and spiritual existence.
Halachic Implications (Talmud)
Chagigah 12a discusses how the firmament's thickness is equivalent to a journey of 50 years, emphasizing the vastness of creation. This serves as a reminder of human humility before the divine.