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Orchard of Delights
in fact, is the basis for all Hebrew words. The Hebrew letters that
form any name or word contain the very essence and Divine life force
animating that being or entity.
The numerical value of the Hebrew words “hu shemo” (“that
was its name”; taken from Genesis 2:19) is 358, which is also the
numerical value of the Hebrew word Mashiach, meaning Messiah.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach would often use the expression “seeing
with Mashiach eyes” when he wanted to express how we need to see
beyond the superficial appearances of this world to the inner essence
of reality. The Arizal taught that the three letters of Adam’s name
(ם-ד-א) form an acronym, which stands for three other personalities:
Adam, David, Mashiach. The Mashiach, a descendant of King David,
will recognize and teach others to perceive the very essence of reality
as Adam did when he named the animals.
The numerical value of the word “shemo” (its name) is 346, the
same as the numerical value for the Hebrew word “ratzon” (will).
The essence of each and every facet of reality is intrinsically
connected to the Divine will animating it. Herein lies a profound
truth about humanity: we can only realize the essence of who we
are, if we succeed in perceiving what God’s general and specific
purposes were when He created us. Each individual enters this world
with two purposes animating him or her: a purpose shared with all
humanity, arising from the very reasons that God created the world,
and a unique purpose, specific to each person. We come to “own” our
own names, to realize our full potential and essence, when we fulfill
both our shared and unique purposes. When we do so our names are
transformed from being merely what we are called to reflecting who
we truly are.
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should be; a moment when everything about life makes sense and we
feel an immediate urge to thank and praise God.
The ten songs span the course of history from Adam, the first
human, to the Mashiach, who will lead Israel and the entire world
to the consummate and final redemption at the End of Days. These
songs are sung by men and women, kings and judges, lone individuals
and the entire people. Targum Yonatan, in commenting on the first
verse of King Solomon’s Song of Songs, enumerates them. (See The
Mystical Power of Music, pp. 32-37, for more on the ten archetypal
songs.)
The first song was sung by Adam after God expelled him from the
Garden of Eden. According to the Midrash, Adam approached Cain
after he killed Abel and asked how God had judged him (Bereishit
Rabbah 22:28). Cain told him that after God decreed he would
be a fugitive and wander the earth, Cain had cried out that this
punishment was greater than he could bear because now anyone who
came across him would kill him. Cain had then repented, and God
had responded by mitigating the punishment, offering a compromise
of sorts. According to a literal reading of the text, Cain must still
wander, but “whoever slays Cain vengeance will be taken on him
seven fold. And God set a mark upon Cain in order that none who
found him should smite him” (Genesis 4:10-15).
The Slonimer Rebbe (Netivot Shalom, Genesis, p. 29) quotes the
Rebbe of Milkovitz’s explanation of the compromise God offered
Cain. Since the sin of killing Abel could not be completely erased,
during the week Cain must wander like a fugitive, but as a reward
for his repentance, he may rest and attain peace of mind on Shabbat.
The notion that Cain could find rest on the Shabbat stems from the
use of the Hebrew word for “sign” (ot) to describe the mark God
set upon Cain. The Rebbe of Milkovitz understands that the mark
placed on Cain is the very same “sign” (ot) that quite literally marks
the relationship between God and the Jewish people, the Shabbat,
as the Torah states: “Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the
Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations, for a
perpetual covenant. It is a sign (ot) between Me and the children of
Israel forever” (Exodus 31:16-17). Therefore, on Shabbat Cain could
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