A close reading of Bereshit (Genesis) 2:7–17 from the Torah, exploring the distinction between “God” and “the LORD God” in the narrative, and approaching creation through conscience, reason, and the idea of an ordered “alphabet” of frequencies.
This commentary is part of a series examining passages of the Tanakh through moral reflection and conscience.
Related passages in this series:
- Torah (Pentateuch)
- Prophets
Contents: Bereshit (Genesis) 2:7–17 — Creation and the Question of Authority
Bereshit (Genesis) 2:7–17
2 On the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing, and He ceased on the seventh day from all the work that He had done.
3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation that He had done.
4 Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created. When the LORD God made earth and heaven—
5 when no shrub of the field was yet on earth and no grasses of the field had yet sprouted, because the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil,
6 but a flow would well up from the ground and water the whole surface of the earth—
7 the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
8 The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom He had formed.
9 And from the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad.
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15 The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat;
17 but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die.” *
Creation, LORD God, and the Question of Authority
In Bereshit (Genesis) 2:7–17 of the Torah, the figure of LORD God (יהוה) appears — often translated as Jehovah, YHWH, or Adonoy Elohim.
Here, LORD God is depicted acting within a world that had already been created by the Almighty, shaping something of his own on earth and under heaven — realms that had previously been brought into existence by God.
The passage emphasises obedience to LORD God, yet the Almighty is not mentioned.
The Almighty creates through the Word and through the ordered frequencies of creation, while LORD God forms the human being from the dust of the ground and breathes life into him.
A related discussion of creation and the distinction between “God” and “the LORD God” is explored in the Bible Commentary on Genesis 2.
The “Note Alphabet” of Creation
Each letter carries a sound — a vibration or frequency.
When letters are combined, they form a sequence of frequencies that shape meaning.
This ordered system of frequencies can be understood as a kind of “note alphabet” of creation. Expressed in numerical form, it appears not only in language but throughout the structure of the world — in the human body, in the planetary system, and in the wider universe.
D. Vogt suggested that the Torah may contain layered symbolic coding systems designed to preserve knowledge across long periods of time.
This order was established by the Creator and can be altered only by His will.
Even a basic understanding of this “note alphabet” of earthly creation is difficult without knowledge of the seven lampstands of God, whose meaning has remained hidden from humanity for thousands of years.
Only the Almighty knows the true “note alphabet” of the soul, and it is He who places within the soul the spark that allows it to grow toward the light.
The Soul and the Knowledge of Good and Evil
The Almighty leads toward eternity those who choose the path of truth and allow their souls to grow.
In the narrative of Bereshit, access to the knowledge of good and evil becomes restricted. Under such conditions, the development of the soul remains limited, and human life risks remaining confined mainly to instinct and material existence, rather than unfolding as the conscious growth of a soul guided by conscience and spiritual understanding.
If the Almighty is recognised as the only God of the Universe, an important question arises: how should the figure called LORD God in the narrative be understood, and what place does it occupy in relation to the Creator?
Another question concerns access to sacred knowledge itself.
The Question of Hidden Knowledge in the Talmud
In later Jewish tradition, the question of access to sacred knowledge is addressed directly. In the Talmud (Chagigah 13a), the following statement appears:
Rabbi Ami said: The secrets of the Torah are given only to one who possesses five qualities: “a prince of fifty, a man of honor, a counselor, a wise craftsman, and one who understands whispers.”
Rabbi Ami also said: The words of the Torah are not to be given to a non-Jew, as it is written: “He has not done so for any other nation; they do not know His judgments.”
Talmud, Chagigah 13a
This passage reflects a tradition in which certain teachings were regarded as restricted and entrusted only to a limited circle.
Yet the truths of the Creator cannot belong to a single people or remain hidden from humanity. The Almighty speaks to humanity through conscience and through His messengers, addressing not one nation alone but all people.
* The text is quoted from the Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, published by JPS (1985). ↑ back
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