SONG OF THE SEA: this is my G-d, and
I will make Him a habitation, the G-d of my father, and I will ascribe to Him
exaltation.
HAFTORAH:
Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes;
I, to the Lord I shall sing,
TALMUD SOTAH: Daf 3 - Receiving a
Divine Spirit.
GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO THE LAST
KING OF JUDAH: Enosh
JOURNEYS IN THE DESERT: They journeyed
from Succoth and camped in Etham, at the edge of the desert.
The third week is that of Sukkot. The
verses of the Song of the Sea are about making a home to honor Hashem, and the Sukkah
is such a home. Also, the principle of Zeh Keili v’Anvehu is one of the main
themes of Sukkot –having a nice Etrog; a nice Lulav.
The Haftorah verses are about
hearing. Sukkot is connected to the ear. (See Books 1 and 2) Anochi is repeated
twice. This is a reference to the great revelation that takes place under the Sukkah,
comparable to receiving the Torah anew. (Rashi on Judges 5:3) (See Book 2, Week
36) We are pardoned from our sins (the Torah was given a second time onYom Kippur)
and feel so happy that we sing.
Similarly, Daf Gimmel (Folio 3) of Sotah,
discusses how a Divine spirit (“Ruach”) enters a person. Sukkot was known for
the time in which people received Ruach HaKodesh.
Enosh is also a term to refer to all
mankind, and in Sukkot we pray on behalf of the entire world.
In the third week, the Jews journey
from Succoth and camped in Etham, at the edge of the desert. The personal
journey for this week is to internalize the concept of Hashem as our protector,
and now focus on being on the “edge of the desert.” We have to make the most of
our time engrossed in receiving Hashem’s blessings, so that when we go out into
civilization, we can influence it properly. Etham can also denote a fortress
(which is similar to a Sukkah):
Etam, in ancient Egyptian, means
“seashore.” Some identify Etham with the Egyptian Chetem, which denotes a
fortress. After early childhood, when we are completely dependent on parents
for sustenance and protection, we begin to emerge from the “fortress” as we
start to develop a sense of independence. This stage is comparable to a
“seashore,” a boundary between exploring the new world around us and scurrying
back for approval and guidance from our parents. At this phase in our lives we
are not yet quite thrown into the desert, yet we are its edge, as we become
acquainted with an alien and insensitive world. (http://meaningfullife.com/oped/2008/06.13.08$BehaalotchoCOLON_42_Journeys_Part_1.php)
An important lesson we learn from
Enosh in our approach to prayer and Divine service is understanding our weaknesses
and what requires improvement. The Hayom Yom for the 4th of Elul states as
follows:
In describing the unique qualities of humankind, four terms are used:
·
Adam
refers to the quality of mind and intellect;
·
Ish
to the quality of heart and emotion;
·
Enosh,
weakness in either intellect or emotion or both;
·
Gever,
who overcomes inner weakness and removes obstacles and hindrances to the
attainment of an intellectual or emotional quality.I.e. Gever works upon Enosh
to elevate him to the plane of Ish or Adam.
Since it is
possible to turn Enosh into Ish or Adam, it is obvious that Enosh already possesses
the qualities found in Ish and Adam.
As also alluded to in the Hayom Yom,
we must believe with complete faith that we can improve. As Rebbe Nachman would
say, if you believe you can break, believe that you can fix.
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