Comentários de Citação sobre Jó 12:9

THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED. Scripture now relates the account of the heaven and the earth as regards rain and growth after they had been created and put in proper order, that the heavens shall give their dew²⁷⁶Zechariah 8:12. and rain, and the ground shall give her increase,²⁷⁶Zechariah 8:12. these making possible the existence of all living beings. And in the word b’hibaram (when they were created) — [which could be read as if it were two words: b’hei baram] — Scripture alludes to what the Rabbis have said:²⁷⁷Menachoth 29b., “He created them with the letter hei” [which is the last of the four letters of the Tetragrammaton]. It is for this reason that Scripture until this point mentioned only the word Elokim. This is explained in the verse: For all these things hath My hand made;²⁷⁸Isaiah 66:2. The last letter (hei) of the Tetragrammaton is in the Cabala considered the yad hashem (the hand of G-d). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 32. and so did Job say, Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the Eternal hath wrought this?²⁷⁹Job 12:9. This being so, the expression, in the day that the Eternal G-d made, refers covertly to the word bereshith (in the beginning).²⁸⁰See Ramban above at the end of 1:1 and see also Note 64.

A kabbalistic approach to the word בהבראם, understands it to mean that He (G-d), created it with the letter ה. This letter is the last letter in the Ineffable four-lettered name of G-d, and it is written in smaller than usual script in the Torah; it was emanated from the energy which is part of the attribute of אלוקים, and it was this part of G-d’s “energy” which created the universe On other occasions this part of G-d’s “energy” is called יד ה', “the hand of G-d,” such as in Isaiah 66,2 ואת כל אלה ידי עשתה, “and all of these (phenomena, the universe) My hand has made.” We find a verse with a similar meaning in Job 12, 9 מי לא ידע בכל אלה כי יד ה' עשתה זאת? “Who amongst all these does not know that the hand of G-d has made all this?” Whenever the wordאלוקים is mentioned in the first chapter of Genesis, it refers to the emanation called תשובה, i.e. the first letter ה in G-d’s Ineffable Name. It is this letter and what it represents that we speak of in our prayers on New Year’s day which is the Day of Judgment, the anniversary of when the universe was completed. This emanation תשובה extends (presides) for the duration of the Ten Days of Penitence which are called עשרת ימי תשובה. This is why our sages have inserted a paragraph in the principal prayer עמידה during these days in which we acknowledge G-d as מי כמוך אב הרחמים, “who is like You father of mercy?” The reference is to the two letters ה, i.e. א, ב הרחמים which appear in the Ineffable Name. The letter ה is the letter which was added to Avraham’s name when it was changed from אברם to אברהם The addition of that letter enabled him to procreate [together with Sarah, seeing he had fathered Ishmael before that letter was added to his name. Ed.] Our sages have said (Bereshit Rabbah 44,12) “Avram could not produce viable sperm, Avraham could.” I will explain this further on Genesis 29, 32 in connection with the words והיה שמך אברהם in Genesis 17,5-6. Here the Torah simply drew attention to the fact that the very letter which was instrumental in creating the universe was the one added to Avram’s name in order to give him the ability to produce his son Yitzchak. He who had created the laws of nature is at liberty to change these laws when it suits Him. There is no power which is able to prevent Him from exercising His will.

AND IN ALL THE MIGHTY HAND. This alludes to the division of the Red Sea concerning which it is said, And Israel saw the great hand.³⁴⁷Exodus 14:31. AND IN ALL THE GREAT TERROR. This is a reference to the Revelation³⁴⁸Literally: “‘the stand’ (ma’amad) at Mount Sinai.” See Vol. II, p. 251, Note 17. concerning which it is stated and that His fear may be before you.³⁴⁹Exodus 20:17. He mentioned concerning these [two events] that they were done in the sight of all Israel, because he had already referred to all that was done to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land.³⁵⁰Verse 11. And in the Sifre it is stated:³⁵¹Sifre, end of Brachah. “And in all the mighty hand — this refers to the smiting of the firstborn, about which it is said, for by a mighty hand shall he send them away.³⁵²Exodus 6:1. And in all the great terror — this alludes to the division of the Red Sea. Another interpretation: And in all the great terror — this is the Giving of the Torah.”
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the mighty hand is the attribute of justice, similar to the expressions: the hand of the Eternal was upon me;³⁵³Ezekiel 37:1. for the hand of the Eternal hath wrought this.³⁵⁴Job 12:9. Therefore it is said with reference to [His] judgment, for the hand of the Eternal is gone forth against me.³⁵⁵Ruth 1:13. And the great terror is the attribute of mercy, similar to what is written, Him shall ye sanctify, and let Him be your fear.³⁵⁶Isaiah 8:13. The Rabbis in the Sifre³⁵¹Sifre, end of Brachah. meant this when referring to the smiting of the firstborn [which was done by the mighty hand, alluding to the attribute of justice] and the division of the Red Sea [which is alluded to in the phrase and in all the great terror referring to the attribute of mercy], for concerning them it is written, to make Thyself a Glorious Name.³⁵⁷Ibid., 63:14. The rescue of Israel at the Red Sea displayed G-d’s mercy to His people just as the retributive punishment upon the Egyptian firstborn manifested His justice. Both were to make Him a glorious Name.