Derasha 2 on Bereishis 1:4

TT #16 · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 4

Complete Passuk

וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Chagigah 12a (verified).

E-Daf image (Chagigah 12a)

Core Text

Core Textאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן אָדָם צוֹפֶה בּוֹ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ; כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּסְתַּכֵּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וּבְדוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מְקֻלְקָלִים עָמַד וּגְנָזוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לְעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב״ — וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא צַדִּיק.
English of Core Text: Rabbi Elazar said: The light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day — a person could see with it from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One, blessed be He, looked at the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion, whose deeds were corrupt, He arose and hid it away for the righteous in the future, as it is said “And God saw the light that it was good,” and there is no good except a righteous person.
On the daf / in context: Immediately after identifying “tov” with the tzaddik, the Gemara records the tradition that the primordial light was hidden because of the wickedness of later generations and reserved for the righteous.
Type of Learning: Custom (hiding of the primordial light)
What Is Learned: The light of day one was of extraordinary intensity and was stored away for the righteous of the future.