I''m going to let AI summarize this, because I want you to see that it is not me just imaginging things. But simply copying and pasting Bereshit Rabbah 1:5 directly into AI analysis provides the following direct quotes that are plainly readable. I have eyeballs, I've read it, I see it, I know it is there. I want you to see that it is not just me, it's right there in the text:
From Google's AI text reviewer:
Bereshit Rabba 1:5, The source explicitly states that the earth began as
"emptiness and disorder" (tohu vavohu). This understanding is derived from the verse in Genesis (1:1-2): "In the beginning, God created...from what? 'The earth was emptiness and disorder'".
The sources discuss the creation of the world from disorder, or "emptiness and disorder" (
tohu va'vohu), primarily within the context of whether speaking about this origin is permissible or honors God.
Key points regarding creation out of disorder:
1.
The Starting Material is Recognized: The text explicitly quotes Genesis 1:2, confirming the starting state of the world:
"The earth was emptiness and disorder". This is the source from which God created, following the initial statement "In the beginning, God created".
2.
Potential for Insult/Contempt: There is a concern that mentioning the world's origin in disorder is offensive to God's honor. The text offers a comparison:
◦ When a mortal king builds a palace in a location that was previously a
place of sewers, refuse, or malodorous, stating this fact is generally considered an insult.
◦ Similarly, the text poses a rhetorical question, suggesting that
anyone who says: ‘This world was created from emptiness and disorder,’ is this not an insult?.
3.
Justification for Stating the Origin: Despite the potential for insult, Rav Huna, in the name of bar Kapara, explains that this fact
must be stated because
"Were the matter not written explicitly it would not have been possible to say it". The scriptural account itself reveals that God created
from the state of "emptiness and disorder".
4.
Context of Divine Honor: This discussion is framed by the opening of Psalms 31:19, concerning the silencing of "lying lips" that speak "harsh words" against the Eternal Righteous One. These "harsh words" (
atak) are characterized as matters that God concealed from His creations. The text suggests bewilderment at those who might boast about expounding the act of Creation or show contempt for God's honor.
In summary, the sources confirm that the world originated from a state of "emptiness and disorder," but emphasize that this fact is only known because God revealed it in Scripture, and mentioning it runs the risk of showing contempt for the Divine honor, similar to insulting a builder by pointing out the foul ground upon which a magnificent structure was raised.
Furthermore, the sources consistently stress that God acted alone in the creation process. The creation was not spontaneous chaos yielding to order, but an intentional act of a sole creator, who looked in the
Torah, which served as His
artisan's tool (
uman) or blueprint, to create the world. The Torah itself is considered to have preceded the world's creation.
And you can read Bereshit Rabba 1:5 right here, its pretty plainly stated:
Rav Huna began in the name of bar Kapara: “May they be silenced [te’alamna], those lying lips [that speak harsh words against the righteous one with arrogance...
www.sefaria.org
If you want me to use my computer to provide screenshots or photographs of the text of Bereshit Rabba 1:5, so that you can see where it says the above, let me know and I will send you photographs or screenshots. But otherwise, if you have eyeballs, it is right there for you to see and to read.