Bereshith: Creationism

The first chapter of the Torah ends with the creation of Shabbath. It ends with a passage that is repeated in the Friday night liturgy, the prayers that welcome the Shabbat.  (Translation modified from Metsudah, 2009)

וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכׇל־צְבָאָֽם׃ 

The heavens and the earth were completed, and [so were] all their conglomerations. 

וַיְכַ֤ל אֱ  בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ 

E completed by the seventh day [Gd's] work which [Gd]had made, and [Gd] abstained on the seventh day from all [Gd's] work which [Gd] had made. 

וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱ   אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱ   לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ {פ}

E blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it [Gd] abstained from all [Gd's] work, which E had created to do.

The first word of this passage is וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ, vayichulu. The root of the word is כַ֤ל, kol, meaning "all", complete. 

 When a thing is completed, it becomes a unit(y). In this case, Gd had created the ultimate unity, the universe, The one entity that contains all. The ultimate unity  (Gd) created the all inclusive unit (the universe). 

There is a complexity to the completeness of creation.  Continued existence, with the changes (evolution?) that it entails, informs us that creation was not complete with respect to time.  The expanding universe (implied by the red shift, a radio astronomical observation that points to  the big bang) tells us (moderns, "science believers") that the universe was, and is, not complete in its extent.  What was completed?

Perhaps the end of the passage sheds light on this question. 

כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱ   לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ {פ}

[Gd] abstained from all [Gd's] work, which E had created to do.

The simplest understanding of this passage, with its three gerunds, is that Gd, the initial maker of all things, had a plan, a set of tasks, מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ ( milachto), Gd's works. This itinerary was the essence of creation, בָּרָ֥א (bara).  These were the actions to do  לַעֲשֽׂוֹת (la'asoth).  

Perhaps this sentence helps define the second word in the Torah, בָּרָ֥א (bara). 

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱ   אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ 

In the beginning E created  (בָּרָ֣א, bara) the heavens and the earth.

This sentence could have sufficed. But we are given a list of actions. These actions seem to be the  intended tasks (  מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ ( milachto)). 

 The tasks are accomplished by statements., וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ( vayomer).  In our world, the miraculous nature of achievement by statement  falls away. We can say a few words within "earshot" of an electronic device and an action or series of actions will ensue: the TV station will change, Amazon will deliver a coat, etc. How do we handle the demystification of miracles? Does it  eliminate the need to invoke the supernatural?  Gd's function goes far beyond the explanation. The story lets us know that nature needs an explanation. The battle between the (literal) story and the discoveries of physics and astronomy can be energizing for both sides. 

The creation (בָּרָ֣א, bara) was complete as blueprint, a computer program. The universe was set in motion. Calculable consequences ensue. To the human, there is uncertainty, much of it stemming from ignorance. Eating from the tree of knowledge, like many intoxicants, brought more confidence than insight and good judgment. 

I am trying to do ( לַעֲשֽׂוֹת (la'asoth)) the works ( מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ ( milachto)) that emanate from the plan that led to my creation ( (בָּרָ֣א, bara)). 

But on Shabbath, I will rest. 

Shabath Shalom