This is really cool.
Imagine opening the Hebrew Bible and seeing the very first words:
“In the beginning…”
In Hebrew, the first word is Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית). But what’s even more fascinating is the very first letter used in the text—Bet (ב).
Why does this matter? Wouldn’t it make sense for the Bible to begin with Aleph (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet? After all, Aleph always represents God—One, Achad, the beginning of all things.
Yet, the Bible begins with the second letter, Bet (ב).
And this is where the story gets interesting.
A Letter with a Picture
Unlike modern English, ancient Hebrew letters were originally pictographs—symbols that carried deep meaning.
The letter Bet (ב) was not just a letter; it was a picture—a house.
In Hebrew, “Bet” (בֵּית) means house. Over thousands of years, the pictograph has evolved, but originally, it was a simple drawing of a nomadic tent.
But this symbol represents more than just a building.
It represents family.
Think of biblical phrases like:
• “House of Jacob”
• “House and lineage of David”
• Bethlehem (Beth Lechem) – “The House of Bread”
The idea of a house isn’t just about four walls—it’s about community, belonging, and a place where life begins.
The very first letter of the Bible immediately says this story is about a house. The household of all creation. And this house is a place where all created life begins.
– The House of Creation!
A House with an Open Door
Lets look at the actual pictograph, the shape of the letter Bet ( ב ).
It’s closed on three sides—above, behind, and below—but open in the front.
This symbol. The pictograph holds a powerful message: (Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 1:10)
We are meant to look forward, not backward.
• We don’t dwell on what was before creation.
• We don’t speculate about what is above or below.
• We move forward into what God has revealed.
The Bible begins with an open door, inviting us on a journey—not just into the text, but into life itself.
– The house of creation has an open door where all journeys begin. The journey of life
The Invitation
This letter, Bet, is more than ink on a page.
It’s an invitation.
A call to step out of our comfortable dwellings and journey into the mysteries of God and creation.
The door is open.
It’s calling.
The adventures of our lives await.