Commentaire de citation sur La Genèse 2:6

For this reason, the phrase “And God appeared to him” is not mentioned at the beginning of this vision. Rather, it only appears after he entered the land [of Israel], for then he was ready to see divine visions. But before this, while he was still outside the Land [of Israel], he only heard the voice of words, for God had not yet appeared to him until he came to the Land, as will be explained shortly. Therefore, he called that place “Sulama of Tzur” [the ladder of the rock], as it appears in the Yalkut on this portion: “When Abraham reached Sulama of Tzur, he said ‘Let my portion be in this land.’” How did the author of the Midrash know that Abraham reached Sulama of Tzur? Certainly, his intention refers to Mount Moriah, for that is the location of the ladder that Jacob saw standing in Beth El, and through that ladder souls ascend and descend, and there is the rock from which the body is hewn, as it is written Look to the rock from which you were hewn (Isaiah 51:1). For from that rock, which is called the Foundation Stone [Even Shetiyah], the general world was founded, and also man, who is called a small world, was formed from the place of that rock, where the ladder for the soul is also located, as mentioned. And for this reason, the phrase “lech lecha” is used here, and in the story of the Binding [of Isaac], and similarly in the verse I will go for myself to the mountain of myrrh, and the rain is over and gone for itself — it has gone to its source, for mist rises from the earth. And similarly Rise up and cross over the brook for yourselves (Deuteronomy 2:13) — this also refers to the Land of Israel. And likewise I will go for myself to the great ones (Jeremiah 5:5) — for there is the dwelling of the complete ones. And so too, all instances of “li” [for/to me], “lo” [for/to him], “lecha” [for/to you], and “lahem” [for/to them] in Scripture are explained in this way, and Abraham understood from the words lech lecha to go to the land of Canaan, even though he was not told which land to go to.

A further comment in Mechilta (Shirah, 2): the words כי גאה גאה are a reminder that anyone who dares act arrogantly in the knowledge that there is a G’d who is superior to him will be punished. A number of examples are listed there. 1) The Egyptians expressed their arrogance by boasting of their unfailing water supply, the river Nile. Hence G’d punished them through water. The generation of the deluge boasted that they did not need rain (a symbol of blessing from heaven) as they depended on the mist rising from the earth (compare Genesis 2,6). As a result of this boast G’d punished them by water (40 days unceasing rain, plus the opening of subterranean sources of water gushing forth, Genesis 7,11). The people of Sodom, etc., boasted of their wealth and the gold and silver they had amassed. They were so arrogant that they legislated against anyone staying in their cities overnight so that they should not have to share their wealth with any traveler. As a result of this insufferable behavior G’d wiped out both them and their belongings. This is the meaning of Job 28,4: “they open up a shaft far from where men live, in places forgotten by wayfarers, destitute of men, far removed.” We also read in Job 12,5: ”in the thought of the complacent; there is contempt for calamity; it is ready for those whose foot slips.” Ezekiel 16,49 describes the sin of the people of Sodom in the following words: “only this was the sin of your sister Sodom: arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquillity; yet she did not support the poor and the needy.” Pharaoh boasted of the might of his chariots as we read in 13,14: “he took 600 choice chariots.” As a result of his reliance and boast of the invincibility of these chariots, G’d punished him by means of these very chariots as we read in 15,4. Siserah also was proud of his iron chariots (horse-drawn tanks), as reported in Judges 4,13. G’d punished him by means of these chariots as we know from Judges 5,20. Samson who had boasted of getting what was “good in his eyes,” was punished by being deprived of his eyesight (Judges 14,3 and 16,1). He had committed a sin at Azzah by sleeping with a harlot (Judges 16,1). He was taken prisoner at Azzah and humbled (Judges 16,21). Avshalom used to boast of his hair only to be eventually caught by it which led to his violent death (Samuel II 18,9). Sancheriv, King of Assyria used to boast of his chariots (Isaiah 37,24). In the end G’d sent an angel to destroy his entire military encampment (Kings II 19,35). Nebuchadnezzar had also boasted saying that he would ascend to the clouds and match the Most High (Isaiah 14,14). G’d dealt with him by consigning him to the deepest part of gehinom (Isaiah 14,15). He said to him: “you elevated yourself above mankind, I will separate you from mankind by placing you far below” (Compare Daniel 4,22). The Torah wrote in our verse גאה גאה to teach us this lesson.

ויקרא אליו השם. G'd called out to him. As soon as G'd noticed that Moses was ascending, G'd called out to him. You have to remember that it is in the nature of קדושה, sanctity, not to make the first move towards a person until that person has made active preparations to welcome such sanctity. The Zohar third volume page 92 phrases it is as "invitations from the terrestrial regions being followed by invitations from the celestial regions." This is the mystical dimension of Genesis 2,6: "and a vapour rose from the earth and it irrigated (from above) the whole surface of the earth." When the Torah uses the term ויקרא for G'd calling to Moses it alludes to יקר, precious, (which is part of the word ויקרא.

They These wicked people are the generation of the Flood, who rebelled because of אור, because of the rain; because it would ascend from the earth, they needed nothing.

and what will it avail us What benefit do we have if we pray to Him? We do not need Him for the drops of rain, because “a cloud would ascend from the earth” (Gen. 2:6).