Ramban, the great medieval Jewish sage, concludes his study
of Genesis with a remarkable statement.
Reflecting on the characters in the book and the journeys they took, their pain and suffering as well as their growth and joys, and mostly on the presence and role of God in their and our lives, Ramban weaves together this prose from various pieces of sacred text:
"And to the Creator of all beginnings,
Him that rides the skies,
Many praises and myriads of thanksgivings.
By Him actions and causes are weighed;
He uncovers deep things and lofty opinions,
And brings the thoughts to light.
It is He who leads me in the path of righteousness,
In the midst of the path of justice,
Who vouchsafes benefits unto the undeserving."
It is well worth our time before we move on to Sh'mot, the book we call Exodus, to spend a few moments letting our memories of our encounter with Genesis swirl in our hearts and minds as we read and ponder these words from Ramban.