Hayom Yom 4 Elul - Four terms describe humanity: Adam, Ish, Gever, Enosh

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

סֵדֶר בִּרְכוֹת הַתּוֹרָה

The manner in which the blessings before the public Torah Reading are recited is as follows:

נוֹגֵעַ בְּטַלִּיתוֹ בִּתְחִלַּת הַקְּרִיאָה וּבְסוֹפָהּ

[After the Torah scroll has been rolled open, the congregant called to the reading] should touch the beginning and end of the passage [that is about to be read for him] with his tallis

נוֹשֵׁק הַטַּלִּית בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּגַע בַּסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה

and then kiss the part of the tallis that touched the scroll.

גוֹלֵל הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה

After rolling it closed,

מַפְנֶה פָּנָיו, קְצַת, לְיָמִין וּמְבָרֵךְ

he turns slightly to the right and recites the blessing,

פּוֹתֵחַ הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה וְקוֹרֵא

then opens the scroll, and [it is read].

בְּמַעֲלַת מִין הָאֱנוֹשִׁי, יֶשְׁנָם אַרְבָּעָה תוֹאֲרִים

Four terms are used to describe the uniqueness of humanity:

אָדָם — מַעֲלַת הַמּוֹחִין וְהַשֵּׂכֶל

Adam reflects the quality of intellect that is lodged in the brain;

אִישׁ — מַעֲלַת הַלֵּב וְהַמִּדּוֹת

Ish refers to the quality of emotion that is lodged in the heart;

אֱנוֹשׁ — הַחֲלִישׁוּת בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם בְּשֵׂכֶל אוֹ בְּמִדּוֹת, אוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶם

Enosh indicates weakness in either or both the intellectual and emotional abilities;

גֶּבֶר — מִתְגַּבֵּר עַל עַצְמוֹ לְהָסִיר הַמְּנִיעוֹת וְעִכּוּבִים לְהָשִׂיג אַחַת הַמַּעֲלוֹת אוֹ בְּשֵׂכֶל אוֹ בְּמִדּוֹת

and Gever denotes a person who overcomes his own limitations, removing the blocks and obstacles that would hinder his attainment of the positive quality of intellect or of emotion.

הַיְנוּ דְּגֶּבֶר עוֹסֵק עִם הָאֱנוֹשׁ לְהַגְבִּיהוֹ לְמַעֲלַת אִישׁ אוֹ אָדָם.

That is to say, the Gever works with the Enosh [within himself] to elevate him to the level of Ish or of Adam.

וּמֵאַחַר דְּאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵאֱנוֹשׁ אִישׁ אוֹ אָדָם

Hence, since an Enosh can be made into an Ish or an Adam,

הֲרֵי בְּהֶכְרֵחַ דְּגַם בֶּאֱנוֹשׁ יֶשְׁנָם כָּל אוֹתָם הַמַּעֲלוֹת שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם בְּאִישׁ וְגַם בָּאָדָם

we must say that an Enosh has [in potential] all the positive qualities that both an Ish and an Adam possess.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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