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At the onset of the third day, the earth was still immersed in water. Hashem commanded, "Let the waters gather!" At this, hills and mountains began to emerge, allowing the water to descend into the valleys.

G-d commanded the earth to grow all different kinds of plants that exist. He ordered that each plant propagate its own kind, and that it contain seeds for planting. He further commanded that earth to grow trees which produce fruit, the wood having the same taste as the fruit. This fruit must have seeds with which new trees could be planted. Each kind of tree grows alone, away from other types; a pear tree does not grow near an apple tree.

Every plant and tree has a guardian angel which tells it to grow and ripen (Zohar Chadash 10b), except the Four Species taken on Sukkot - the etrog (citron), date palm, myrtle and willow. G-d Himself oversees these; this is one reason why the blessing is recited over them on Sukkot.

All plants were made in the manner prescribed by G-d. Even trees that are now fruitless originally had fruit so as to fulfill G-d's command. (Ramban; Yalkut)

Another opinion is that there is no difference between the original trees and the way they are now. (Abarbanel)

Some say the Etz Hadaat (Tree of Knowledge) in Gan Eden had wood which had the same taste as its fruit.

At the same time as it produced the trees and grass of the entire world, the earth also brought forth the vegetation of Gan Eden. (Bereishit Rabbah) Yet Chazal considered Gan Eden a separate creation. This is because the trees and grass of Gan Eden, unlike those of the rest of the world, are eternal.

Each tree in Gan Eden is symbolic of a higher spiritual purpose. Gan Eden is Hashem's palace on earth. Today, no one knows its location, for Hashem concealed it from us. It was in the Garden of Delight that Hashem placed Adam before he sinned and which the tzaddikim will once again enter.

To give us a concept of the enjoyments of Gan Eden, our chachamim have described to us its pleasures in human terms.

When a tzaddik enters Gan Eden, the angels remove the garments he wore in the grave and clothe him in eight layers of Clouds of Glory. They place two crowns on his head, one of pearls and one of gold. He is given eight myrtle branches to hold.

Each tzaddik in Gan Eden possesses his own chuppah according to the level of his spiritual attainment.

In every chuppah there is a table of pearls and diamonds. Sixty angels standing at the head of each tzaddik say to him, "Go and eat honey with joy because you have studied the Torah which is like honey. Drink wine made from the grapes preserved from the Six Days of Creation because you have studied Torah which likened to wine."

There are 800,000 trees in Gan Eden, each one different from the next in shape and appearance. The Tree of Life is in the center, over-shadowing the entire garden.  It is comprised of 500,000 different flavors and its sweet scent radiates to the ends of the world. Underneath it sti the talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) who expound upon the Torah and learn it from Hashem, Who dwells in their midst.

No one in this world, not even the prophets, ever envisioned the complete picture of the reward which Hashem will bestow in Gan Eden upon a person who lives a Torah life, as it states, "No eye (not even that of a prophet) has ever envisioned what He will do for one who waits for Him, besides yourself, G-d."

Nevertheless, some of the chachamim were allowed glimpses of Gan Eden.

Sources: Midrash Rabbah, Meam Loez

Bereishit 1:7 "G-d said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide between water and water.'
7 G-d made the firmament, and He divided between the waters that are below the firmament, and between the waters that are above the firmament, and it was so."


At the beginning of the second day, the firmament (rakia) existed, but it was immersed in water just like the earth. Hashem then commanded, "Let the firmament become stable!"  As a result, the waters above the firmament were divided from the waters below the firmament. The water above the firmament evaporated from the heat of the firmament which is fire, and this water later condensed to form rain. (Bereishit Rabbah 4:2)

Upon completing the firmament, Hashem named it shamayim (heaven). The name shamayim reveals the secret of the substances from which it was fashioned - aish (fire) and mayim (water), combining to form the composite, shamayim (heaven). (Bereishit Rabbah)  Fire represents the Attribute of Justice. Water stands for the quality of Mercy. The heaven which is the residence of Hashem's glory is comprised of a combination of these two attributes.

At this time, all of creation consisted of water. G-d then commanded that a firmament be made, dividing this water. Part was on top, another part on the bottom, and the firmament was in the middle.

The distance between the earth and the firmament is the same as between the firmament and the upper waters. (Tanchuma)

This teaches that the upper waters are suspended in space through the power of G-d's word. (Ralbag; Abarbanel) Unlike the waters that rest on the ground, they float high above the firmament.

The "water" above the firmament is not a physical liquid, but an ethereal fluid which we call "spiritual substance." (Alshich) Still, we must believe in a sense this is actually water. King David thus sang, "Praise Him O you heaven of heavens, and you waters that are above the heavens" (Tehillim 148:4; Zohar Chadash 10d; Toledot Yitzchak

The waters of purgatory become salty from the heat of the heavens. King David noticed that when water is left on the fire, it becomes more and more salty.

One stream emerges from the abyss, another comes from purgatory, and both appear to be about to meet. At the last moment, the firmament comes between them, and the waters of purgatory return to their place, and do not poison the waters of the depths. But it is impossible that none of the water from purgatory escape, and it is for this reason that there are some springs that are bitter and noxious. (Zohar Chadash 11a; 15b) The springs of Eretz Yisrael, however, all yeild healthy water, and some also have curative powers.

Although heaven was created on the first day, the firmament was created on the second. This firmament is what Yechezkel saw over the head of the angels called Chayot. (Pirkei Rabbi Eliezer; Yalkut) This firmament has a brilliant light prepared for the righteous to enjoy in the Olam Haba (World to Come), as it is written, "The enlightened shall shine like the glow of the firmament" (Daniel 12:3).


Source: Torah Shleimah; Midrash Says; Meam Loez

"And G-d saw that it was good. And it was evening, and it was morning, one day."

On the first day, Hashem created time. He assigned a twenty-four hour period to day and night. (Rashi)  He commanded the light, "Your dominion is by day!" To the darkness, He said, "Your dominion is by night!" (Bereishit Rabbah)

Not, "the first day" because there is no "first" without a "second," which had not yet eventuated. (Ramban)

Earthly and human measurement of time, by a clock of human manufacture, cannot apply to the first three days, as the sun was not then in existence.

"And it was evening, and it was morning, one day" - "One" (and not first) is employed because Yisrael was destined to proclaim G-d's unity with that word, as we read, "Hear O Yisrael, Hashem our G-d, Hashem is One" (Devarim 6:2). For that reason the first day is called one day, because whoever asserts the unity (oneness) of His Name acknowledges that He is the Creator of His world, blessed be He and blessed be His Name.

Source: Midrash Says; Torah Shleimah