Why did G-d start with night rather than day?
Interesting the way you’ve asked your question. Many people ask why Jewish holidays start at nightfall, and the answer is your question – because the Torah tells us that first there was night and then there was day. You’ve cut to the chase and asked why days were originally created in that order.
I once learned from a teacher of mine in Jerusalem, Rabbi Moshe Shapiro, shlit”a, that herein lies a significant point of Jewish philosophy. In short, day follows night. First there must be night before there can be day. Night is a time of darkness, lack of clarity and longing. This world is compared to night. Our ability to perceive or to fully connect to G-d is limited. Truth and light are ultimately unavailable. Day, on the other hand, is a time of clarity, knowledge and true goodness. The world to come is symbolized by day. After we have struggled in this world to earn a share in the world to come, night will turn into day.
This paradigm is symbolically how we view all of history. This is not to say that this world is intrinsically bad or painful. Judaism is a religion that firmly stresses the importance of life, of living well and thereby reaping the most pleasure that can be derived out of this world. By comparison, however, the spiritual pleasures of eternal reward in the world to come will dwarf any pleasure that can fit in this world. A similar idea is expressed by the following teaching of our Sages, “One who prepares during the week has something to eat on Shabbos.” If we cook during the week, we will have a Shabbos feast. If not, Shabbos will lack some of the enjoyment it could contain. So, too, the world to come will be a time to enjoy the fruits of our deeds in this world. Thus the emphasis on living well while we have the chance.
Regards,
Rabbi Raphael Leban