Why Beit not Alef?

Hebrew is a language where each letter has significance. For example, each letter represents a certain number, as well as other meanings. When you study the Bible, you may ponder why certain words were chosen over others. God is the author of the Bible and every letter was chosen for a purpose.

One question asked through the ages, is why the Bible starts with beit, the second letter of the alphabet and not Alef, the first. This is especially wondering since the name of God used in the first sentence and in word for God that means "I am that I am".

In the Jewish midrash tradition, the sages reply “Because alef is the first letter of the word arur — 'cursed,' whereas beit is the first letter of the word baruch — 'blessed.'” But this explanation is not fully understandable. Alef is also the first letter of beautiful words, such as ahavah which means “love,” while beit is also the first letter of bad words such as beliya’al or“wickedness.” So why give such a non-conclusive answer. Is there more behind that explanation?

As I mentioned above, the letters of the Hebrew alphabet also serve as numbers. Each has a number-value: alef equals one, beit, two, and so on. Therefore, alef can mean to care about only one person, oneself, and to forget about others, general selfishness, etc. Beit, on the other hand, means coexistence, caring and getting along with one another. Beit also represents the word "house" and begins the word "son".

Perhaps the Torah begins with a beit to teach us that caring about others is baruch, the source of all blessing, and that alef, selfish caring only about oneself, is arur, cursed. With this, even very first letter of the Torah teaches us the importance of loving one’s neighbor and caring for others.

God did not create us in selfishness and he doesn't want us to be selfish. As John 3:16 says, he loves us so much that he gave us his only begotton son to save us! Selfishness leads to sin and sin leads to separation from God. God wants us to love because he loves us and he desires a relationship with us. We show that we are living in his house by loving others.

1 John 4: 7-21
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.