TT #5 · Bereishis 1:1 · Chagigah 12a

Complete Passuk

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Chagigah 12a.

Core Text

מַאי שָׁמַיִם? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא: שָׁם מַיִם. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: שָׁמַיִם — אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֱבִיאָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּטְרָפָן זֶה בָּזֶה וְעָשָׂה מֵהֶן רָקִיעַ.

What is “shamayim”? Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said: “sham mayim” — there is water. It was taught in a baraita: Shamayim — fire and water; this teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them and mixed them together and made from them the firmament.

The sugya enumerates the ten things created on the first day. In explaining the components of creation it offers midrashic etymologies of “shamayim.”

What Is Learned: The word “shamayim” is read as “there is water” or as a compound of fire and water, indicating the composition of the firmament.