maʿase bereshit

Jewish literature

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June 30, 2026

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The term ma'aseh bereshit translates to "work of creation" in Hebrew. This refers to a genre of early Jewish mystical literature that deals with mystical cosmology and cosmogony. These texts explore the creation of the universe, often drawing connections between the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the 10 divine numbers, or sefirot, as the means by which God created the cosmos. Together, these were considered the "32 paths of secret wisdom". The Sefer Yetzirah, or "Book of Creation," is the oldest known text of this kind, falsely attributed to Abraham. This mystical tradition profoundly influenced later Jewish thought, including concepts like the sefirot and their correlation to the human body, making humanity a microcosm of creation.12

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Ishmael ben Elisha
…of the type known as maʿase bereshit (“work of creation”) and several in the genre of maʿase Merkava (“work of the chariot,” a reference to the divine chariot seen by the prophet in Ezekiel I). Maʿase bereshit dealt with mystical cosmology and cosmogony, while maʿase Merkava was the basic element…
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…of the type known as maʿase bereshit (“work of creation”) and several in the genre of maʿase Merkava (“work of the chariot,” a reference to the divine chariot seen by the prophet in Ezekiel I). Maʿase bereshit dealt with mystical cosmology and cosmogony, while maʿase Merkava was the basic element…
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