Core Text
Core Textדָּרַשׁ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי: בַּתְּחִלָּה הָיָה הָעוֹלָם מַיִם בְּמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם״. חָזַר וַעֲשָׂאוֹ שֶׁלֶג וַעֲשָׂאוֹ אָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי לַשֶּׁלֶג יֹאמַר הֱוֵא אָרֶץ״.
English of Core Text: Rabbi Yehudah ben Pazi expounded: At first the world was water upon water, as it is said “and the spirit of God was hovering upon the face of the waters.” He then made it snow and made it earth, as it is said “For to the snow He says, ‘Be earth.’”