Derasha 2 on Bereishis 1:5

TT #20 · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 5

Complete Passuk

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Yerushalmi Berachos 8:10 (verified).

Core Text

Core Textמָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי שָׂרִים, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בַּיּוֹם וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בַּיּוֹם. קָרָא לָרִאשׁוֹן וְאָמַר לוֹ הַיּוֹם יְהֵא תְּחוּמְךָ, וְקָרָא לַשֵּׁנִי וְאָמַר לוֹ הַלַּיְלָה יְהֵא תְּחוּמְךָ. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם — לָאוֹר אָמַר הַיּוֹם יְהֵא תְּחוּמְךָ, וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ אָמַר הַלַּיְלָה יְהֵא תְּחוּמְךָ.
English of Core Text: A parable of a king who had two officers, each saying “I will serve by day.” He called the first and said “The day shall be your domain,” and called the second and said “The night shall be your domain.” That is what is written “And God called the light Day” — to the light He said “the day shall be your domain,” and to the darkness “the night shall be your domain.”
On the daf / in context: The Yerushalmi elaborates the same jurisdictional idea with a mashal of two competing officers. The naming is an act of assigning exclusive territories.
Type of Learning: Custom (parable of domain assignment)
What Is Learned: Light and darkness each received an exclusive domain by Divine decree.