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