Torah was the first of the seven fundamental concepts. It preceded the creation of the world by two thousand years (Avodah Zarah 9a). Why was this necessary?
The Torah says, "I served as the architect's instrument in building the world!"
By which diagram was the world built?
The Torah says, "I was Hashem's master plan in the construction of the world! Hashem had me in front of Him during the Six Days of Creation. He looked at the verse "In the beginning G-d created heaven and earth" (Bereishit 1:1), and, accordingly, created heaven and earth. He looked at the words, "and G-d said, 'Let there be light' (1:3), and fulfilled these words by creating light. Thus He followed the words of the Torah step by step throughout creation, fashioning the universe according to the plan of the Torah.
G‑d looked into the Torah and created the world. Man looks into Torah and sustains the world.
- Midrash Says; Zohar
