בראשית א:א
בְּרֵאשִית בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים אֵת הַשָּמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ
In the beginning of... God created the heavens and the land.
[Rashi is famous for his modest choice of opening by quoting a midrash from Yalqut Shim`oni, rather than beginning with his own opinion(s).]
בְּרֶאשִית: אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא מֵהַחֹדֶש הַזֶּה לָכֶם שֶהִיא מִצְוָה רִאשוֹנָה שֶנִצְטַוּוּ בָהּ יִשׂרָאֵל
Rabbi Isaac said 'It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from 'This month is for you...' since that was the first mitzvoh that was commanded on Israel.
וּמַה טַעַם פָּתַח בִּבְרֶאשִית
And what is the reason it opens with 'In the beginning of...'?
[Now it is clear why Rashi opened with the quote. According to Rabbi Isaac, we don't have to begin the Torah until Israel starts receiving law as a nation. Therefore, it is necessary to ask why we started here.]
מִשוּם: כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו לְעַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָכֶם נַחֲלַת גוֹיִם
Because 'Strength of His deeds in for his people, to give to you an inheritance of nations.' [Psalms 111:6.]
שֶאִם יֹאמְרוּ אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם לֹיִשְׂרָאֵל: לִסְטִים אַתֶּם שֶכְּבַשְתֶּם אַרְצוֹת שִבְעָה גוֹיִם, הֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם: כָּל הָאָרֶץ שֶל הַקָּדוֹש בָּרוּךְ הוּא היִא. הוּא בְרָאָהּ, וּנְתָנָהּ לַאֲשֶר יָשַר בְּעֵינָיו. בִּרְצוֹנוֹ נְטָלָהּ מֵהֶם וּנְתָנָּהּ לָנוּ
That if the nations of the world will say to Israel: 'You are thieves, that you conquered the lands of the seven nations (of Canaan)' they will say to them 'All the land belongs to the Holy One, Blessed Be He. He created it, and gives it to those who are upright in his eyes. In His will he gave it to them, and in His will he took it from them and gave it to us.'
