Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 April 1977 — Page 6

Mesorah Publications and Ziontalis / Book Division

proudly announce the next publication in the ArtScroll Tanach Series

iwV

Bereshis / Genesis

Vol.I

harmonized

Many see the plural form as pluralis

reators are ignorant

terpre

nothing without first consulting the Heavenly famahe The intention of the*

The ArtScroll Tanach Series The most ambitious and successful English-language Torah project of the century. The ArtScroll Series began with a concept and a vaccum. The English reader needed a translation and commentary to the Twenty Four Books of Scripture that offered him all this: ■ A translation completely faithful to Jewish tradition as expounded by over 2,000 years of Rabbinic writings. ■ A commentary anthologizing the major thoughts of the classic Torah scholars from Talmud and Midrash to Has hi and Ram ban to Malbim and Netziu. ■ Overviews providing wide-ranging expositions of Hashkafa - philosophical perspective on the major themes of each book. ■ All in lucid, literate, flowing English with stunningly beautiful covers and graphics - an overall quality that would do credit to any publication in any language.

s thought by the ignorant to assert that G-d spoke, deliberated, or that he actually ulted and sought the help of other beHow could the Creator seek help from

w that all

ought

mgs Mow could the (

those He created? They only shoi parts of the Universe are produced through angels, for natural forces and angels are

reh, 2 6)

2 36) This i

, and we

identical (Moreh.

G-d spoke to the angel an' We ourselves will

;els Let us make

man' We ourselves will engage in his creation, not the water or earth!’ (Ibn

Ezra)

Ramban is of the opinion that the plural denotes G-u and the earth Concerning the living soul G-d commanded 'Let the earth br: .g forth.' But in the case of man He said Let us make' — i.e I and the earth The earth to bring forth the animal body from its elements as it did the cattle and beasts (cf. 2 4), and the higher spirit would come from the mouth of G-d

[2 9)

According to the Vilna Gaon, G-d was thus addressing all of creation bid ding them each to contribute a portion of their characteristics to man For man s strength is traced to the lion, his swiftness to the eagle his cunning to the fox. his capacity for growth to the

flora and his living soul to

ma/estatis [the royal we ]

Th

to a plurality c

because they do not know that the Hebrew language gives a distinguished person license to say Let us do. Let us make, though he is but a solitary individual Thus Balak said [Number* 22 6) Perhaps I shall prevail that we smite them', similarly, David said

dream,

will tell its interpretation to the king' and there are many other examples in Scripture (Rav Saadiah Gaon). The use of the pluralis majestatis, with which human kings proclaim their will to their subjects, suggests that the ruler is not issuing orders from the vantage point of satisfying his own whim, but only from the point of view of the general interest and well-being It is only as representative of the people that the king rules Similarly, the Creator announces to the world the appearance of its master - man — as an act of consideration for the world s interest

(Hirsch).

Others — e g Ibn Janach, Rabbeinu Meyuchas, Ibn Caspi - hold that the plural form here is non-iestrictive. and they cite many passages where Seri] tures change gender, tense, and numl

i e g™d of coi

npber

genet

mankind as a whole As evidenced in 5:2 the term applies to both the male

the living and female He called their name

Rashi explains that G-d did not allow the spurious interpretation of future heretics to deter

n implyir

suit with others

Him from implying, by use of the plural form

punous interpret n the ethical iess«

Nevertheless, the Talmud (Megillah <?a) records that when King Ptolemy [Philadelphus] as

and placed them eac h in separate rooms ordering them to translate

stead of *

sembled seventy-two elders and placed them each in separate rooms ordc’i prompted each one of them and (instead of writing Uijbya D^ic ntpyj let us'

nbjn DTK riU/yK / will make n

enty-t

the Torah G-d pi make man m dur' likeness ‘ [Thu

tage ) they all » s done so that I

that Ptolemy would not

implicitly recognizes the existence of

idols

pretext lo cljim thji thr Tor*h

crpbi5 IttKn D’pbg KT_] « K vrvi unims unbyn dik ntpya 13

aU) ’3 O'pbK Kin — And G-d saw that it was good l.e that even though there are injurious creatures among them the overall usefulness of animals was obvious (Radak)

creation, G-d then said Let us make man!' Like a person who builds a palace and, after having furnished and decorated it, ushers in its owner (Rav Saadiah Gaon).

D'pbn ipK*! - And G-d said There

i spec ial rmap,

tof rr

tal rryocc utterance dedicated to the making of man in recognition of his

superiority (Ramban)

Dili ntpj

This preamble indicates that man was created with great deliberation and-

f/yj - Let us make

ible ir

gre.

wisdom G-d did not associate man s creation with the earth by decreeing Let the earth bring forth' as He did with other creatures, but instead attributed it to the deepest involvement of Divine Providence and wisdom (Abarbanel). B’chor Shor notes that the verb ntpyj make, here implies — as it does in verses

final completion

When He was about to place man over them as ruler and governor, Fie did not do so suddenly He first prepared them by saying 'Let us make man', like a king about to levy a tax on his p>eople. who announces Come, let us levy a tax on the land for your benefit (Rechastm

leBik'ah)

Man was created last, says the Talmud [Sanhedrin 38a), so he should find all things ready for him If he is worthy he is told All things were created in your behalf At ihe same time his late appearance on earth con veys an admonition of humility If man

iroud he is reminded Lven

e order c thical re

[i e one pair ) was created

» the order of creation

i too proi eceded yo

yiishfidh offers ethical reasons whv

i In

order to prevent feuds

should not be able to say to his fellow, my ancestor was greater than yours' Finally, the creation of only one man exhibits the p>ower

of G-d, Who. by means of only one produces so many various typ>es Adar single progenitor of all mankind, and how

hfferent menure from

brmgi The ii

ntent is Let us

bring to perfection the as yet uncreated vhose image and form awesomely

him to rule and govern

his announcement heralding man s creation parallels the preamble

equip him This am

mage i i rule ^

pream

preceding woman s creation ‘It is not good for man to be alone I will make

companion' Such announce-

ments were not made preceding the

ings. This illustrates

G-d s righteousness to all His creatures

good

him

creation of other being

[Sanhedrin 4 5) rnpyj - Let us make [The use of the plural is noted by the commentators.) Targum Yonasan paraphrases And G-d said to the Ministering Angels who had been created on the se cond day of the creation of the world. Let us make man' ■ ,l1 — These are the angels who minister before Him continually, such as Michael, Gabriel, etc. They are the ones referred to by the Sages as S(p toSp? nSy»?. the heavenly household', and it was with them, the Sages tell us, that He consulted before creating man (Ahavas Yonasan)

1 (When Moses wrote the Torah and t Sovereign of the Universe' Why do You thus furnish mg that there is a plurality of divinities vm? Write! G-d replied Whoever wishes to err will e Creator who created all. yet when He came to create ma:

Angels (Midrash)

As Rav Yochanan said In all the passages that the herei for their heresy, their refutation is found near at hand Thu

h says e to the

heretics for maintain

He took counsel with the Ministering

' 'mage "g*- (S

says (in th«

while the next verse continues (in the singular) and G-d K73 created r

iterpreted a« gioi ? plural) Let us n

Sanhedrin 38b).]

Since February 1976, six books have been published — Megillas Esther, The Book of Ruth, Eichah/Lamentations, Koheles/Ecclesiastes, Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs and, in a

companion series. The Passover Haggadah.

Has the series justified the hopes of its producers? The Jewish public has decided: Well over 150,000 books are in print - a figure never before approached in the history of

English-language Torah literature.

And now. the next volume in the Series: Bereishis/Genesis Vol I (Bereishis & Noach) Translation and anthologized commentary by Overviews by

RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN

RABBI MEIR ZLOTOWITZ

Planned publication date: MAY 30, 1977

ZIONTALIS/Bock Division 48 Eldridge Street / New York, N Y. 10002 / (212) 925-8558 Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ Please send me the following, postage paid:

LIBRARY EDITION:*

$7-

□ Bereishis/Genesis Vol. I □ Bereshis/Genesis Vol.I □ Megillas Esther □ Book of Ruth □ Eichah/Lamentations □ Koheles/Ecclesiastes □ Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs □ The Passover Haggadah

(Library Ed.) $10.95 (Students Ed.) 7.95 (Library Edition Only) 6.75 (Library Edition Only) 6.75 (Library Edition Only) 6.75 (Library Edition Only) 7.50 (Library Edition Only) 7.50 (Library Edition Only) 7.50

Volume One / Available in two editions:

:$10 95 STUDENT EDITION (Paper):.

(Approximately 400 pages)

Now available to readers of the Jewish Post and Opinion at a special INTRODUCTORY DISCOUNT OF 10% on all pre-paid orders received before May 15th

Published by: MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.

Distributed by:

□ Please send brochure on ASTS Book Club.

Sub Tota

LESS 10% DISC.

TOTAL

NYS residents: Please add applicable sales tax* TOTAL ENCLOSED

Name Address City, State, Zip.

Please allow 4—6 weeks for delivery *NYS Nonprofit Organizations, please include Tax exempt number

To order Bereishis/Genesis Vol. I at special introductory price, or other ArtScroll Publications, fill out the form. Would you like to receive these and future outstanding books upon publication post-paid at a 10% discount? JOIN THE ASTS BOOK CLUB. For information, return the coupon. Other volumes in the Series soon to appear: Tehilim/Psalms by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer Yechezkel/Ezekiel by Rabbi Moshe Eisemann lyov/Job by Rabbi MJ. Tannenbaum Pirkei Avos/Ethics of the Fathers by Rabbi Avrohom Davis

BBHH