Chasidut for Genesis 2:19
וַיִּצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ׃
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them; and whatsoever the man would call every living creature, that was to be the name thereof.
Mareh Yechezkel on Torah
The Gates of Zion
“And brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name” (Genesis 2:19): This verse is very difficult to understand. For what reason is there for this calling; especially according to that which they said in the Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 17:4) that the Holy One, blessed be He, exalted Himself over the angels about that which they could not call the animals, names. It is difficult – what wisdom is there in this? And also that which He said, “I am the Lord, since that is the name that the first man (Adam) called me.” And also Rashi had to stretch a great deal to explain the end of the verse. But we shall not be lengthy about the nuances.
“And brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name” (Genesis 2:19): This verse is very difficult to understand. For what reason is there for this calling; especially according to that which they said in the Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 17:4) that the Holy One, blessed be He, exalted Himself over the angels about that which they could not call the animals, names. It is difficult – what wisdom is there in this? And also that which He said, “I am the Lord, since that is the name that the first man (Adam) called me.” And also Rashi had to stretch a great deal to explain the end of the verse. But we shall not be lengthy about the nuances.
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