1. The Torah Portion of Bereishit Bereishit, the first Torah reading of the year is read at the end of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. This is the month of the High Holidays and marks the beginning of the year.

2. This means that it can teach us lessons for the entire year! One thing which this portion tells us about is the first commandment which was given to Adam: “Do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge!”

3. The Midrash explains that Adam was given this commandment at about 3:00 in the afternoon. Just three hours later, on Shabbat, he would have been allowed to eat the fruit!

4. Adam was G-d Almighty’s handy work! In many ways he was the greatest person who ever lived! How is it possible that he could not control himself for three hours!

5. The explanation is as follows: The evil inclination was given an important job by G-d. His job is to try to stop us from keeping commandments and not committing sins!

6. This teaches us something very important! The more important a job is, the harder the evil inclination will try to stop us. This is true whether it’s more important for us or for the world.

7. This is something that we can all see in our own lives: Sometimes there will be a Mitzvah which is logically easier to perform, yet I find it more difficult to fulfill.

8. This is true even if the mitzvah which is harder for me to do is a less “serious” Mitzvah, or even just a custom! This is because this particular Mitzvah (or custom) is especially important for the purpose of my creation.

9. This is the reason that the Sages said, “Whomever is greater than his friend has a more powerful evil inclination.”! If one is greater, it means that his Mitzvot have a greater effect on the world. Hence the evil inclination works harder to stop him.

10. This is one of the reasons that the Sages said, “Whomever is greater than his friend has a more powerful evil inclination.”! If one is greater, it means that his Mitzvot have a greater effect and influence on the world. Hence the evil inclination works harder to stop him.

11. This is why Adam could not control himself for three short hours! It was because he was so great. Because he was G-d’s handiwork his evil inclination was stronger than we can imagine.

12. This is especially obvious from the fact that his mistake caused so much damage! It brought death into the world for all generations. That is why the evil inclination, in the form of the snake, used everything he could to bring down Adam.

13. When G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, he asked that it be given to the women first. This was because one cause of the eating of the fruit was that Eve did not hear the commandment directly from G-d, but rather from Adam. Therefore she added the words “Do not touch it.” If she would have heard it directly from G-d, she would have influenced Adam not to eat the fruit no matter how hard it was.

14. We started off by saying that all of the stories in the Torah, especially in this portion, teach us fundamental lessons. This story teaches us a particular lesson regarding every Jewish home. The “mainstay” of the house, the wife, is the one who assures that the home is a sanctuary where G-d can be “comfortable.”

15. Jewish girls and women must be taught everything in a kind and gentle way.. Then they will be able to protect the entire household from stumbling in some area of Torah observance.

16. This is what the 5 th Lubavitcher Rebbe said: Just as putting on Tefillin every day is an obligation for all; scholar and lay person alike, so too is it an obligation upon everyone to set aside half an hour every day to think about the education of his children, and to do everything possible to bring it about!

17. When this happens, the husband’s observance will also be improved. His wife will be a true help in Torah and Mitzvot!

18. This is why one of the seven blessings we recite at a wedding is “as You caused your creation to rejoice in the Gan Eden in the past.” Everyone knows that Gan Eden was in the past. But rather it means that we wish the couple that G-d should allow them to rejoice in the beginning of Gan Eden – In other words before the sin!