This Saturday the Torah reading cycle begins again. The section read this Saturday is called Bereshit, which is generally translated as "In the beginning.".
However, when one analyzes the original Hebrew text more closely with its commentators, one quickly realizes that this first word of the Torah presents different syntactic difficulties.
There is a commentator named Yaakov ben Asher (1269-1343) who wrote a very short book, the Baal HaTurim, which explains the Torah in terms of Gematria—the sum of the letters in each word—and Ramazim—the hidden meanings within the text. One of the most interesting aspects of this book is that it functions as a window into wonder, through which one can glimpse the infinitude and enchantment of the Torah.
The following is one of the ideas brought by the Baal HaTurim: the word "Bereshit" has the same numerical value as "israel baja baamím" (God chose Israel from among the peoples) and "tariag yatzar" (He formed 613 [precepts]), that is, God created the world so that the Jewish people could fulfill the 613 Mitzvot.
In other words, the entire universe exists for the purpose and objective of providing a framework within which the Jewish people can observe Mitzvot, and therefore that framework can never oppose such observance, because it would go against its very essence and purpose of life.
On this Shabbat, which begins the worldly year, so to speak, let us make good resolutions for the future to advance in our connection with God, to make this city and the whole world a dwelling place for His presence.