TT #1 · Bereishis 1:1 · Rosh Hashanah 32a

Complete Passuk

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Rosh Hashanah 32a.

Core Text

כְּנֶגֶד עֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. הֵי נִינְהוּ? וַיֹּאמֶר דִּבְרֵאשִׁית תִּשְׁעָה הָווּ! בְּרֵאשִׁית נָמֵי מַאֲמָר הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״בִּדְבַר ה׳ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ״.

[The ten verses of Malchuyos correspond] to the ten utterances with which the world was created. Which are they? The “And He said” phrases in Bereishis are [only] nine! “Bereishis” is also an utterance, as it is written: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Tehillim 33:6).

The sugya explains why ten verses are required for each of the three special berachos on Rosh Hashanah (Malchuyos, Zichronos, Shofaros). One view ties the number ten to the ten maamaros of creation. Explicit “Vayomer” statements total only nine; the opening word “Bereishis” is counted as a maamar via Tehillim 33:6.

Type of Learning: Middah #2 of the 13 (gezeira shava) — “Bereishis” counted as a maamar via Tehillim 33:6 (“By the word of the Lord”).

What Is Learned: The opening word of the Torah is itself treated as a creative utterance, completing the set of ten maamaros and justifying the number of verses in Rosh Hashanah Mussaf.