Good writers know the first few sentences matter. They tell readers what kind of story they’re about to enter.

So, if you were writing the ultimate guidebook of the Jewish people, what would your opening line(s) be?

This week, as we begin Bereshit and start the Torah all over again, I found myself wondering: what’s the very first message Judaism wants us to hear?

The answer is hope.

The Torah opens with a world that is chaotic, empty, and dark. And God’s first response isn’t despair. It’s creation. It’s light.

That’s been the Jewish story ever since.

Again and again, we’ve faced moments that felt uncertain and unfinished. Exile. Loss. Destruction. And yet Judaism insists that another chapter can always be written. Light can still emerge from darkness.

Maybe that’s why the Torah starts here. Not with a perfect world, but with a messy one.

Because Bereshit means “in the beginning.” And no matter where we find ourselves, spiritually, emotionally, or otherwise, beginnings are always possible.

That’s a pretty good opener.