Salvation of Man and Beast:

Noach, Shofar and the Ultimate Mercy

he Rosh Hashana liturgy is

a window into the character
of this extraordinary day.
Often, a familiar theme is given vivid
expression via the Machzors rich
and poetic language. Occasionally,
the message only emerges through
a careful analysis of the text and its
linguistic nuances.
Vayizkor Elokim Es Noach:
The Lead Reference of the
Zichronos Blessing
A passage from Zichronos one of
the three core blessings of the Musaf
Amida exemplifies the latter
phenomenon.
After affirming G-ds omniscience, the
prayer segues into a string of scriptural
proof texts. The lead reference states
that Hashem remembered Noach
along with the beasts and animals that
were his companions in the teiva; He
caused a wind to pass over the earth
and the waters subsided. The Machzor
introduces this verse as follows:

,
.

. .




You also remembered Noach with love
and You were mindful of him with
salvation and mercy when You brought

Rabbi Elchanan Adler

Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS

flood waters to destroy all flesh because

of their evil deeds. Therefore, his memory
comes before You, G-d our Lord, to make
his descendants like the dust of the earth
and his progeny like the sand of the sea.
As it states in Your Torah And G-d
remembered Noach and all of the beasts
and the cattle that were with him in the
ark, and G-d caused a wind to blow over
the land and the water calmed.
Mussaf for Rosh Hashana

Israels covenantal relationship with

Hashem; it is, after all, the Jews who are
commanded to affirm His Kingship,
and who fervently seek favorable
mention in the merit of the Patriarchs.
How puzzling then that of all the verses
cited to affirm G-ds omniscience, it is
the one that seemingly lacks any Jewish
connection that is accorded the greatest
prominence!

It is interesting that the remembrance

referenced here lacks an overt Jewish
connection. On the one hand, this is
understandable given that universal
motifs overlap comfortably with the
central themes of Rosh Hashana and
find expression within its liturgy.1 On
the other hand, there are indications
that something more profound is at
play with regard to this particular verse.

The Remembrance of Noach:

A Symbol of Jewish Survival

First, this verses universalism is

in marked dissonance with the
subsequent citations, all of which speak
of Jewish destiny.2 Additionally, aside
from being first in the list, this citation
distinguishes itself from the rest by
virtue of the elaborate introduction
that provides its background (You
also remembered Noach with love
etc.). Finally, to the degree that
Rosh Hashana embraces universal
themes, these aspects are ancillary to
5

These linguistic clues would suggest

that, notwithstanding its universal
overtones, this verse carries powerful
symbolic significance for the Jewish
people.
This finds support in Yeshayahus
prophecy, which links Hashems
promise not to abandon His chosen
Nation to His promise never to bring
another flood upon the world, with
the latter serving as a metaphor for the
former:


:

:
, - :

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776

This is for me like the waters of Noach:

as I swore that the waters of Noach will
never pass over the earth, so have I sworn
not to be angry with you or rebuke you.
For the mountains will move and the
hills will falter but My kindness will
never move from you and My covenant of
peace will never falter, said G-d Who has
compassion on you.
Yeshayahu 54:9-10
R. Yehuda Halevi (1075-1141), the
prolific poet, incorporates this notion
in the popular Shabbos hymn, Yom
Shabason Ein Lishkoach:3

.
The nation that has wandered like a
straying flock May He remember for
them the covenant and the oath
So that no harm should happen to them,
as You swore regarding the waters of
Noach.
If the Divine promise to never again
destroy the world doubles as a
guarantee for the viability of the
Jewish people, then, by extension, the
promises harbinger stage G-ds
remembrance of Noach and the
animals should likewise embody
within it a favorable element for Klal
Yisrael.
Yeshua VeRachamim:
Allusions and Associations
The connection between Vayizkor
Elokim es Noach and Hashems

everlasting love for His people may

be sharpened by analyzing the phrase
yeshua verachamim, used in the
Machzor to provide context for this
verse:

.
You also remembered Noach with love
and You were mindful of him with
salvation and mercy.
What is the origin of this phrase?
What is the significance of the
juxtaposition of its two words
yeshua and rachamim? Why is this
particular word combination used to
describe the remembrance of Noach?
Abudarham (14th cent.) identifies
two verses which he pairs,
respectively, with the words yeshua
and rachamim. Both carry contextual
associations with the story of Noach:
.
, ) ,(
) , (
.
You were mindful of him with salvation
and mercy. Salvation is based on [the
verse] G-d saves man and animal;
mercy is based on the verse regarding
the waters of Noach said G-d Who has
compassion on you.
The first reference, Adam uveheima
toshia, Hashem, speaks of a salvation
that encompasses man and animals.
This aligns well with the verse at
hand which describes Hashem
remembering Noach along with the
animal inhabitants of the teiva.

The source of the second reference,

amar merachameich Hashem, is
the aforementioned prophecy in
Yeshayahu This is for me like
the waters of Noach ... that links
Hashems eternal love for His people
with His promise to never bring
another mabul upon the earth.
In light of the above, it is surely no
coincidence that the very choice
of words used to depict Hashems
remembrance of Noach contains an
allusion to Hashems bond with His
Nation.
In this vein, it is noteworthy that the
phrase yeshua verachamim recurs in
the closing paragraph of the Zichronos
blessing:


.
Our Lord and the Lord of our
forefathers, remember us with a
favorable remembrance before You
and be mindful of us with a directive
of salvation and mercy from the most
ancient of heavens.
In beseeching Hashem to remember
us favorably, we harken back to the
phrase that appeared in conjunction
with the verse Vayizkor Elokim es
Noach. Apparently, the special quality
of mercy extended to Noach remains
available for the Jewish People to draw
on as well.4

In beseeching Hashem to remember us favorably, we harken back to the

phrase that appeared in conjunction with the verse Vayizkor Elokim
es Noach. Apparently, the special quality of mercy extended to Noach
remains available for the Jewish People to draw on as well.
6

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Rav Aharon Lichtenstein

ztl on the Value of
Rambans Commentary on
the Torah
,
;
.




,
,
,
. .
,
.
-
40 ,
If the Guide for the Perplexed
would have been destroyed
(and never published), it would
have been a loss, but not a huge
loss. The [Torah theology of
the] nation of Israel would have
been sustained. However, if the
commentary of Ramban on the
Torah would have been destroyed,
I feel that it would have been
catastrophic The image of the
Ramban and his commentary to
the Torah support the spiritual
world of the Jewish nation
From a historical perspective,
the [commentary of] Ramban
is an amalgamation of the Torah
of Germany and the Torah of
Spain, of Rashi and Ibn Ezra, of
all different places. But this is
not all. It also contains a multilayered synthesis, a synthesis of
disciplines....
From Mevakshei Panecha: Sichot Im
HaRav Aharon Lichtenstein p. 40

Yeshua Verachamim: A
Transcendent Ethereal Mercy
Let us explore additional liturgical
associations of the phrase yeshua
verachamim. When requesting
the benevolent remembrance of
yeshua verachamim at the close of
Zichronos, we describe it as emanating
mishmei shmei kedem from the
most ancient of Heavens. Whatever
its kabbalistic connotations,5 this
appellation indicates, at the very least,
that the mercy being described has a
transcendental quality and descends
from a loftier channel than does
ordinary mercy.

Vayizkor Elokim es Noach:

A Reemergence of the
Primordial Will
What makes yeshua verachamim
mercy so transcendent? What sets it
apart from ordinary mercy?
I believe that the answer is found in
the comments of the Ramban on
Vayizkor Elokim es Noach (Bereishis
8:1).

The Ramban is troubled by the

verses description of the animals
being the beneficiaries of Hashems
mindfulness. Whereas human beings
who exercise free will are rewarded
in a manner that is commensurate
We may discern the connection
with their accrued merit, animals are
between the phrase yeshua verachamim creatures of instinct and should not be
and transcendental mercy in the Yaale singled out for special remembrance.
VeYavo prayer whose entire theme is
What, then, is the meaning of G-ds
remembrance.6 After a lengthy list of
remembering the animals?8
entreaties to be remembered favorably
yaale veyavo veyagia zochreinu The Ramban offers a profound
Hashem Elokeinu bo letova etc. the explanation:
closing words incorporate a plea for

yeshua verachamim:
-
.

. ,
.
,
In accord with the word of salvation and

mercy, spare us and be gracious to us,
.
have compassion on us and save us.
,
At first glance, this request seems
,
anticlimactic. Many appeals to

remembrance and mercy have already
,
been made why beg for additional
, .
mercy?
: ,
And G-d remembered Noah, and every
Apparently, the mercy implicit in the
phrase yeshua verachamim refers to
living thing, and all the cattle. The
a heretofore unmentioned type of
remembrance of Noah was because
grace that transcends the bounds of
he was a perfectly righteous man, and
7
ordinary mercy and serves, in effect,
He had made a covenant with him
as the mercy of last resort.
to save him. The word Noah here
includes his children that were there with
him. Scripture did not mention them
specifically, though, for they were saved
by his merit. However, the remembrance
7

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stated concerning beast and cattle was

not on account of merit, for among living
creatures there is no merit or guilt save
in man alone. But the remembrance
concerning them was Because He
remembered His holy word which
He had spoken, causing the world
to come into existence, and the Will
which was before Him at the creation
of the world arose before Him and He
desired the existence of the world with
all the species that He created therein.
Thus He now saw fit to bring them forth
so that they should not perish in the ark.
Scripture does not mention the fowl and
the creeping things for the remembrance
of the living thing is similar to their
remembrance, and the companion
thereof telleth us concerning it. (Chavel
Translation)
According to the Ramban, the
remembrance of the animals is a
manifestation of the primordial will
which brought the world into being,
complete with the animal kingdom
and all of its distinct species. While
the mabul raged, this aspect of
the Divine Will lay dormant, and
reemerged at the pivotal juncture
referred to in this verse.
Building on Rambans thesis, we may
extrapolate that the manifestation
of the primordial process was not
limited to animals but extended
to Noach and the human race as a
whole. For all intents and purposes,
the mabul constituted a suppression
of the primordial Will with respect to
mankind and animals alike. Only now
did Hashem allow it to resurface9 on
both of these levels.10

The Rambans insight provides

a valuable frame of reference to
conceptualize the mercy epitomized
by the phrase yeshua verachamim and
why it is said to emanate from shmei
shmei kedem the ancient heavens.
By definition, this manifestation of
primordial mercy cannot be predicated
on the normal pathways of reward that
are commensurate with the human
exercise of free will that are a part of
a post-creation world. Rather, it is a
unilateral gesture of Divine grace that
is self-justifying, and independent
of the recipients worthiness. Just as
He Willed the world into existence
amar vehaya haolam with a
boundless sense of infinite mercy - so
did He Will - to make his [Noachs]
descendants like the dust of the earth
and his progeny like the sand of the sea.

of Shiras Haazinu, the song taught

by Moshe Rabeinu to bnei Yisrael
on the last day of his life. Among
other things, Shiras Haazinu foretells
dire circumstances that will befall
the Jewish people at the end of days.
The Song concludes on a positive
note, stating that when all seems lost,
Hashem will intervene on behalf of
His people so that the enemies of
Israel not gloat and attribute Jewish
suffering to their own military prowess.
The unmistakable impression is that
despite their failings, and even when
their collective merit is depleted, the
Jewish People will still have recourse
to a Divine grace that assures their
continuity. The Ramban (Devarim
32:26) explains that in such instances,
the Divine intervention is performed
for His own sake. He eloquently
summarizes this idea as follows:

The Primordial Will and the

Survival of Am Yisrael

,
,
, .][

) ( ,

,

,
( )
:
) (

( ,
.)
, ,
.

,
,

How does this serve as an inspiration

for the Jewish People? How does
Klal Yisrael tap into this reservoir of
primordial mercy?
Axiomatic to a Torah-based theology
is that the Jewish People are
indispensable to the worlds existence.
Through fidelity to Hashems
commandments, Am Yisrael serves
as or lagoyim ambassadors to
the world at large, leading the world
toward its state of tikun. Consequently,
Am Yisraels continued existence
is forever bound up with the act of
Creation itself.
This concept is explicated by the
Ramban as one of the central motifs

Find more shiurim and articles from Rabbi Elchanan Adler at

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8

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 ,

.
,
,
,
.
,
,

,
,
:
Thus Scripture states that according to
the attribute of justice we should remain
in this condition of Exile forever were
it not that I was in dread of the wrath
from the enemy. This teaches that, in our
present exile, [the protecting influence of]
the merits of the patriarchs have ceased
and we have no deliverance from the
hands of the nations except for the sake
of His Great Name, similar to what He
stated in the Book of Ezekiel (20:41),
when I bring you out from the peoples,
and gather you out of the countries
wherein ye have been scattered; and I
will be sanctified in you in the sight of
the nations. And ye shall know that I am
the Eternal, when I have wrought with
you for My Names sake, not according
to your evil ways, nor according to your
corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel. And
so also it is further stated, But I wrought
for My Names sake, that it should not be
profaned in the sight of the nations etc.
Therefore Moses mentioned in his prayer
(Numbers 14:15), then the nations
which have heard the fame of Thee will
speak, saying etc. and G-d, blessed be
He, acknowledged him in this (Numbers
14:20), And the Eternal said: I have
pardoned according to thy word.
This plea is not meant to demonstrate
His power among His enemies, for All
the nations are as nothing before Him;
they are accounted by Him as things of
nought, and vanity. (Isaiah 40:17)

Rather, [the explanation thereof is

as follows:] G-d created man among
the lower creatures in order that he
acknowledge his Creator and be thankful
to His name, and He placed in his hand
the choice to do evil or good. But when
people sinned willingly and they all
denied Him, only this people [Israel]
remained devoted to His name, and so
He made known through them by means
of signs and wonders that He is G-d
of gods, and Lord of lords, (Devarim
10:17) and this became known to all
nations. Now, if He were to reconsider
and their memory [i.e., of Israel] be
lost, the nations will forget His wonders
and His deeds and they will no longer
recount them. And if a person should
mention them, they will think that it
was [done by] one of the powers of the
constellations which is overflowing as
he passeth through, (Isaiah 8:8) and
thus the purpose of the creation of man
will be annulled completely, for no one
will be left among them who knows his
Creator only those who provoke
Him. Therefore, it is appropriate as
a consequence of the [Divine] Will
which existed at the creation of the
world to establish for Himself a

people for all time, who are nearer

to Him and who know Him more
than all the [other] peoples. (Chavel
Translation)
In providing a theological rationale
for Divine intervention in the face
of chilul Hashem, the Ramban
equates the force that ensures Israels
continuity with the Divine Will
integral to the act of Creation. Pieced
together with the Rambans own
comments on the verse vayizkor
Elokim es Noach, it becomes
abundantly clear that the latter verse
embodies the extraordinary secret of
Jewish survival; hence, the prominent
place that it holds among the verses of
Zichronos is most appropriate.
Activating the Channels of
the Primordial Mercy: Instinct
over Intellect
Let us sketch the main ideas
developed thus far:
1. The message of Hashems
eternal concern for Am Yisrael is
metaphorically linked to His promise
to never again destroy the world.

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2. This promise was foreshadowed by

Hashems remembrance of Noach and
the calming of the raging waters.
3. This remembrance is a
manifestation of an attribute of mercy
associated with the phrase yeshua
verachamim, which emanates from
the Ancient Heavens (shmei shmei
kedem) and is synonymous with the
Primordial Will of Creation.
4. Inasmuch as the Jewish People are
essential for the world to achieve its
purpose, their survival is vital to the
worlds continued existence.
5. Consequently, the same attribute
of mercy that keeps the world going is
what sustains Klal Yisrael, and when
all else fails, can serve as the mercy of
last resort.
Our analysis raises something of
a paradox. Presumably, yeshua
verachamim mercy may be accessed
at any given time, on a collective or
individual level.11 But if becoming a
beneficiary of this transcendent mercy
is not contingent on merit, then
what factors, if any, contribute to the
opening of such channels? Is there
a process by which the flow of this
transcendent mercy is generated?
Perhaps an answer lies in the
phraseology of the verse Vayizkor
Elokim es Noach which identifies
Noach and the animals, despite
their vast dissimilarities, as joint
beneficiaries of the Divine grace. This
depiction is reminiscent of the verse
Adam uveheima toshia Hashem
(cited by Abudarham as the source

for the word yeshua in the phrase

yeshua verachamim), which speaks
of a salvation that bridges man and
animals.
Taken homiletically, the message of
this verse is that the equalizing of
man and animals holds the key to
opening the channel of primordial
mercy. The quality common to
animals and humans is that both are
creatures of G-d. However, the driving
force behind animal behavior is
instinct while a human beings actions
are rooted in cognition and free will.
While the human ability to think
and act autonomously is a gift that is
meant to be channeled in the service
of G-d, there are occasions when ones
rational human qualities should be
sublimated in favor of an instinctive
loyalty to G-d. Otherwise, ones
intellectual capacities can potentially
compromise basic faith.
This concept is accentuated by
Chazal in the following homiletic
interpretations on the verse Adam
uveheima toshia Hashem:
,
:
.
:
[The verse states] G-d saves man and
animal, Rav Yehuda said in the name
of Rav: This refers to people that are
sophisticated yet conduct themselves
[humbly] like animals.
Chullin 5b

10

,


.

[The verse states] G-d saves man and
animal, G-d will save in the merit of
animals. The Jewish people said: Master
of the Universe, we are like man, please
save us like [You save] animals because
we are drawn after You like an animal.
Vayikra Rabbah, Parsha no. 27
Thus, the secret to becoming the
beneficiary of special Divine grace
may be the ability of a human being
to suspend his sophisticated, rational
faculty in favor of simple faith,12
amidst a recognition that when all
is said and done, he, along with the
animals and beasts of the field, are
merely creatures of the One and Only
G-d who fashioned us all.
Dependency on Hashem:
Our Eyes Turn To You
The self-awareness of being a creature
of G-d reinforces within oneself a
faith and dependency on the One
above. On the most instinctive level,
this visceral sense of dependency
spans humans and animals and is aptly
captured in a verse recited thrice daily:

.
,

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The eyes of all turn to You with hope and You give them their food in the
proper time.
Tehillim 145:15
In effect, gaining access to the primordial mercy entails a measure of
subverting our cognitive-based, autonomous self-image and adopting
the mindset of being a creature that is dependent on its Creator for its
basic needs.
This paradigm shift may be discerned in the phraseology accompanying
the closing request of the Yaale VeYavo prayer Uvidvar yeshuah
verachamim which, as noted earlier, is a reference to the
transcendent mercy that is tied to the primordial will of creation:
-
.
In accord with the word of salvation and mercy, spare us and be gracious to
us, have compassion on us and save us because our eyes are turned to You,
because You are a G-d, a King who is merciful and compassionate.
Our appeal for the ultimate mercy is followed by three words that
capture succinctly the sentiment of dependency on G-d that is
necessary for eliciting this extraordinary level of mercy ki eleicha
eineinu because our eyes are turned to You. We conclude with
because You are a G-d, a King who is merciful and compassionate
to reinforce the idea that the mercy is a manifestation of G-ds
extraordinary grace.
Accessing this mercy is not a function of merit, nor of erudition or
cognition; it lies deep in the recesses of ones inner being in the
instinctual awareness of being a creature of G-d and in a feeling of
utter dependence upon Him.
The Power of the Shofar: Embracing an Animal-like
Temimus
Chazal teach us that the Jews blowing the shofar has the capacity to
transform the attribute of judgment into mercy:
( )
...



[The verse states] The Lord rose with a blast, God, with the sound of the
shofar. When the Holy One Blessed be He ascends and sits on the throne of
judgment, He rises with judgment And when the Jewish people take their
shofars and blow them before the Holy One Blessed be He, He rises from the
throne of judgment and sits on the throne of mercy as it states God, with the
sound of the shofar. He fills them with mercy, has compassion on them and
transforms strict judgment to mercy.
Vayikra Rabbah, Parsha no. 29
11

In Summary

1. The message of Hashems

eternal concern for Am Yisrael is
metaphorically linked to His promise
to never again destroy the world.
2. This promise was foreshadowed by
Hashems remembrance of Noach and
the calming of the raging waters.
3. This remembrance is a manifestation
of an attribute of mercy associated
with the phrase yeshua verachamim,
which emanates from the Ancient
Heavens (shmei shmei kedem) and is
synonymous with the Primordial Will
of Creation.
4. Inasmuch as the Jewish People are
essential for the world to achieve its
purpose, their survival is vital to the
worlds continued existence.
5. Consequently, the same attribute
of mercy that keeps the world going is
what sustains Klal Yisrael, and when all
else fails, can serve as the mercy of last
resort.
6. The secret to becoming the
beneficiary of special Divine grace
may be the ability of a human being
to suspend his sophisticated, rational
faculty in favor of simple faith.
7. Accessing this mercy is not a
function of merit, nor of erudition or
cognition; it lies deep in the recesses of
ones inner being in the instinctual
awareness of being a creature of G-d
and in a feeling of utter dependence
upon Him.
8. By blowing shofar, a Jew momentarily
sets aside his autonomy and embraces
his fragile existence as a creature of G-d,
not unlike the animals. This very gesture
generates a measure of reciprocity on
the part of HaKadosh Baruch Hu in
the form of a primordial mercy that
emanates from the ancient heavens.

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What is the nature of the shofars

transformative power? What kind of
feeling does it evoke?
In light of what we have seen, it
would be compelling to equate the
mercy engendered by the shofar with
the primordial grace synonymous
with creation.13 The transformative
quality inherent in this mitzvah is
based on a Jews ability to set aside
his rational faculties and embrace an
animal-like simplicity as symbolized
by the origin of the physical shofar
itself.14 This motif also lies at the heart
of the episode of akeidas Yitzchak
whose symbolism the Talmud (Rosh
Hashana 16a) invokes in connection
with the mitzvah of shofar.15
The blowing of the shofar is the
epitome of simplicity without
illusions, trappings, or pretensions.
By blowing shofar, a Jew momentarily
sets aside his autonomy and embraces
his fragile existence as a creature of
G-d, not unlike the animals. This
very gesture generates a measure of
reciprocity on the part of HaKadosh
Baruch Hu in the form of a primordial
mercy that emanates from the ancient
heavens.
May we be the beneficiaries of
this extraordinary manifestation
of Heavenly grace; inscribed,
individually and collectively, for a
shana tova umesuka.
Notes:
1. For example, the prayers repeatedly
acknowledge that Hashem is Sovereign over
the entire universe and that His inscrutable
judgment extends to every human being.
2. As, for example, the repeated references to
recalling the covenant, or of Israels loyalty in
following Hashem into the wilderness.
3. Interestingly, the first part of the songs
refrain Yona matzah vo manoach also
contains an allusion to the story of Noach.

4. Additionally, it should be noted that this

phrase appears in the prayer Av harachamim
Hu yerachem am amusim, recited as the sefer
Torah is brought from the Aron Kodesh to the
bima. The tefila focuses on the welfare of the
Jewish people and concludes with a petition
that our wishes be fulfilled in good measure
(bemida tova) with yeshua verachamim. Here,
too, it is evident that this mercy has special
significance for Jewish destiny.
5. Within a Kabbalistic framework, the
allusion is most likely to the sefira of keser, the
loftiest of the ten sefiros through which the
Divine celestial energy flows into the world
below.
6. See Tur (OC 591) who cites approvingly
a custom to recite the prayer of Yaale VeYavo
within the Zichronos prayer.
7. It is fascinating to note that according
to the Gaon of Vilna (Siddur Ishei Yisrael,
quoted also in printed editions of Shulchan
Aruch Orach Chaim at the beginning), the
various expressions connoting remembrance
that appear at the outset of the Yaale VeYavo
prayer (yaale, yavo, yagiah etc.) correspond
to the seven Heavens listed by the Talmud
(Chagiga 12b), each with its own designated
name and unique description. Hence, it
would be appropriate for the closing request
of uvidvar yeshua verachamim to be linked
to a source that that transcends the standard
seven Heavens. This may correspond with
the shemei shmei kedem (the ancient heaven
of heavens) the appellation that is used in
connection with this very phrase at the close
of the Zichronos prayer.
8. See Rashi ibid who cites an answer
based on a midrash. By contrast, Rambans
resolution reflects a more peshat-oriented
approach.
9. For an elaboration on the concept of
Hashems activating an attribute of mercy at
a given time, see Chidushei HaGriz al HaTorah
on this verse.
10. Apparently, the rescuing of the
teiva inhabitants need not constitute a
reaffirmation of the primordial will to
repopulate the earth, but may be interpreted
as merely providing safe haven in the interim.
Interestingly, this approach may shed light
on Rashis comments to 6:17 that Hashem,
in informing Noach about his intention to
bring the flood, was acceding to the angels
argument against the creation of man.
Ramban questions Rashis explanation given

12

that in the very next verse Hashem instructs

Noach to build an ark, thus ensuring the
future of mankind. In defense of Rashi, we
may suggest that Hashems instructions to
Noach to build an ark notwithstanding, there
was as yet no renewed commitment to the
continuity of life thereafter; hence, the mass
destruction of the world still represented a
concession to the argument put forth by the
angels. (See, however, 7:3 which implies that
at least with regard to birds there already
existed a Divine mandate to perpetuate the
species in the aftermath of the mabul. For
further elaboration, see Yekev Ephraim 6:17.)
11. It is undoubtedly this transcendental
mercy that underlies a mystical concept
associated with the 13 attributes of mercy in
which Hashem promises: vechanosi es asher
achon - af al pi sheeino hagun I will show
grace to whomever I show grace even if
they are unworthy (Berachos 7a). Elaboration
goes beyond the scope of this essay.
12. Interestingly, the Ramban, in the
continuation of the passage quoted above that
ascribes the Divine intervention on behalf
of Israel to the primordial will, highlights
Israels loyalty and steadfastness to Hashem
in bearing the hardships of the long exile.
This suggests that displaying simple loyalty is
a prerequisite to benefiting from the Divine
grace.
13. This would parallel the notion suggested
by many Hassidic works that the blowing
of the shofar is reminiscent of the verse
depicting the creation of man through
Hashems blowing into him the breath of
life Vayipach beapav nishmas chayim
(Bereishis 2:7).
14. Additionally, the wordless sound
of the shofar lacks the sophistication
that is characteristic of human verbal
communication.
15. Apropos the akeidas association with the
primordial mercy, it is noteworthy that the
parshas haakeidas appearance in the daily
liturgy (after Birchos HaShachar) features
an introductory prayer reminiscent of the
petition at the end of Zichronos: ufakdeinu
bifkudas yeshua verachamim mishmei shmei
kedem and be mindful of us with a
directive of salvation and mercy from the
most ancient of heavens.

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776