Comentario citado sobre Génesis 4:26

אז ישיר, “Then Moses sang, etc.” According to Bereshit Rabbah the Torah introduced the subject of man committing idolatry (Enosh) with the word אז (Genesis 4,26) and according to tradition G’d reacted with flooding one third of the surface of the earth. Moses, as an act of restoring G’d’s glory therefore commenced his song with the word אז, seeing this time the drowning of part of mankind had worked for the benefit of the Jewish people. Another reason why he may have commenced his song with the word אז is because he himself had challenged G’d’s masterminding the history of His people by claiming thatמאז באתי אל פרעה, “ever since I came to Pharaoh (in Your name to lighten the burden of the Jewish people) he has made their burden harsher, etc”. (Exodus 5,23) It was Moses’ way of apologizing for having been too rash in criticizing G’d’s ways.

The Mechilta also mentions that the word אז is sometimes used in the future tense and sometimes in the past tense. Examples of the word occurring in the past tense are Genesis 4,26, Exodus 4,26, Numbers 21,17, Joshua 10,12 and others. At the same time there are numerous examples of the word אז referring to future events such as in Isaiah 60,5 אז תראי ונהרת, Isaiah 58,8 אז יבקע כשחר אורך, Isaiah 35,6 אז ידלג כאיל and many others. Moses reasoned that since he had used the word אזwhen he had criticised G’d’s apparent indifference to Pharaoh’s additional decrees worsening the condition of the Jewish slaves (Exodus 4,10), it was now up to him to make amends by using the same word in exalting Him. The word אז, i.e. 1+7, is an allusion to the Unique One who reigns supreme above the seven heavens.
According to a Midrash Tanchuma on Genesis 4,26 the Israelites reasoned that seeing that word had been used when G’d punished mankind for the first time collectively when He caused one third of the dry land mass to be inundated in response to the idolatry introduced by the generation of Enosh, it was appropriate to use the same word at a time when G’d’s sovereignty on earth had been demonstrated by means of the water which had been made to retreat even from its own habitat.
The words משה ובני ישראל לאמור, teach that Moses and the Children of Israel had the good fortune to personally use this formula of exalting G’d, i.e. praising the attribute called זאת לה'. This was like the bride who applauds her husband the King and says: שיר השירים אשר לשלמה. [This mystical approach is based on the apparent redundancy otherwise of the extra words את השירה הזאת. Ed.] The author promises to deal with this in greater detail in Numbers 21,19.

AND G-D BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND HE SANCTIFIED IT. He blessed it through the Manna. [On all other days of the week there fell one portion per person, whereas on the sixth day — the eve of the Sabbath — a double portion fell.] And He sanctified it through the Manna [by not having it fall on the Sabbath]. And the verse is written here with reference to the future. Thus are the words of Rabbeinu Shlomo [Rashi] as quoted from Bereshith Rabbah.²⁴¹11:2. In the name of the Gaon Rav Saadia²⁴²Mentioned in Ibn Ezra here. they have said that the blessing and sanctification refer to those who observe the Sabbath, meaning that they will be blessed and sanctified. However, from the intimation of the verse it does not appear that it refers to something which will happen in the future.
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the blessing signifies additional well-being, that on the seventh day there is a renewal of procreative strength in the body, and in the soul, a greater capacity in the functioning of the reasoning power. And He sanctified it by not working on it as He did on the other days. Now Ibn Ezra’s interpretation is correct to those who believe in it for this additional well-being he speaks of is not perceptible to human senses.
The truth is that the blessing on the Sabbath day is the fountain of blessings and constitutes the foundation of the world. And He sanctified it that it draw its sanctity from the Sanctuary on high. If you will understand this comment of mine you will grasp what the Rabbis have said in Bereshith Rabbah²⁴³11:9. concerning the Sabbath: [“Why did He bless the Sabbath? It is] because it has no partner,”²⁴⁴“Because it has no…” (l’phi sh’e) is a direct quote from the Midrash there. (See Theodore’s ed. of Bereshith Rabbah, p. 95, variants.) In the printed edition of the Midrash, the word l’phi (because) is missing. and that which they have further related [that G-d said to the Sabbath]: “The congregation of Israel will be thy partner.” And then you will comprehend that on the Sabbath there is truly an extra soul.