A thought on Parshas Vayeira
"... im na matzasi chen adono'i...""...if I might please find favor, my lords..." (18:3)
We all know that the word for lord in the Holy Tongue, adon, becomes adonee
in first person possessive, or "my lord." When written and read in the first person plural form, it becomes adon-o'i which generally gets transposed into the Name of HaShem, even though in vernacular usage it would merely mean "my lords." It is for this reason that we find debate among our sages as to its meaning in our verse. Was Avraham referring to the three messengers as "my lords" or was he speaking in an aside to "my Lord" HaShem?
Rabbeinu Bachya takes this word pronunciation-word meaning matter to enlighten us about a deep secret in understanding HaShem's Torah and its vastness. Ever wondered what Dovid HaMelech is referring to (Tehillim 29) when he proclaims "kol HaShem" seven times? We chant this every Friday night as we greet the Shabbos. "Kol HaShem ba'koach!" - the voice of HaShem is mighty! "Kol HaShem al ha'mayim" - the voice of HaShem is over the waters! "Kol HaShem shover arazim" - the voice of HaShem breaks down cedar trees! "Kol HaShem b'hadar, chotzev lahavos esh, yachil midbar, yecholel ayalos."
Many years ago, a friend took me to his father's shtiebel in Boro Park to pray with the chassidim of Jikov. They chanted this psalm loudly and with each kol their voices thundered louder and louder until the room seemed to tremble.
What is Dovid referring to here?Rabbeinu Bachya tell us that the medrash (Shmos Rabba 28:4) says that the Torah was given with seven voices. Shlomo HaMelech writes (Mishlei 9:1) "its pillars are seven." What are these seven voices which are the seven pillars?Rabbeinu Bachya surprises us: the seven voices are the seven nekudos or sounds with which we give voice to the letters of the alef-bais! Think of it: komatz, patach, tzerei, segol, cholom, shuruk, chirik - aw, ah, ei, eh, o, u, ee. It is with these sounds that our letters come to life and attain meaning. These are the seven voices with which the entire world comes to life. These are the seven sounds which are the very pillars of our existence. All that is depends upon these seven sounds.
The letters are the body. The sounds are the soul. The voice of HaShem, the Torah, is mighty indeed.
When we learn and when we pray, think deeply into the splendor of these seven sounds upon which all things rest. Within your voice you can hear the seven voices, beneath which you may sense a trace of the Voice Above.
Wishing you a good Shabbos. D. Fox
We all know that the word for lord in the Holy Tongue, adon, becomes adonee
in first person possessive, or "my lord." When written and read in the first person plural form, it becomes adon-o'i which generally gets transposed into the Name of HaShem, even though in vernacular usage it would merely mean "my lords." It is for this reason that we find debate among our sages as to its meaning in our verse. Was Avraham referring to the three messengers as "my lords" or was he speaking in an aside to "my Lord" HaShem?
Rabbeinu Bachya takes this word pronunciation-word meaning matter to enlighten us about a deep secret in understanding HaShem's Torah and its vastness. Ever wondered what Dovid HaMelech is referring to (Tehillim 29) when he proclaims "kol HaShem" seven times? We chant this every Friday night as we greet the Shabbos. "Kol HaShem ba'koach!" - the voice of HaShem is mighty! "Kol HaShem al ha'mayim" - the voice of HaShem is over the waters! "Kol HaShem shover arazim" - the voice of HaShem breaks down cedar trees! "Kol HaShem b'hadar, chotzev lahavos esh, yachil midbar, yecholel ayalos."
Many years ago, a friend took me to his father's shtiebel in Boro Park to pray with the chassidim of Jikov. They chanted this psalm loudly and with each kol their voices thundered louder and louder until the room seemed to tremble.
What is Dovid referring to here?Rabbeinu Bachya tell us that the medrash (Shmos Rabba 28:4) says that the Torah was given with seven voices. Shlomo HaMelech writes (Mishlei 9:1) "its pillars are seven." What are these seven voices which are the seven pillars?Rabbeinu Bachya surprises us: the seven voices are the seven nekudos or sounds with which we give voice to the letters of the alef-bais! Think of it: komatz, patach, tzerei, segol, cholom, shuruk, chirik - aw, ah, ei, eh, o, u, ee. It is with these sounds that our letters come to life and attain meaning. These are the seven voices with which the entire world comes to life. These are the seven sounds which are the very pillars of our existence. All that is depends upon these seven sounds.
The letters are the body. The sounds are the soul. The voice of HaShem, the Torah, is mighty indeed.
When we learn and when we pray, think deeply into the splendor of these seven sounds upon which all things rest. Within your voice you can hear the seven voices, beneath which you may sense a trace of the Voice Above.
Wishing you a good Shabbos. D. Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 12:36 PM
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