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Notice that the 10 Commandments begin "Anokhi Hashem Elokekha", while Shema ends "Ani, Hashem Elokeikhem." And how Yaakov says "וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל אָבִיו, "אָנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בְּכֹרֶךָ עָשִׂיתִי כַּ...
Answer
#1: Post edited
by
msh210
·
2020-08-31T23:10:24Z (over 4 years ago)
<p>Notice that the 10 Commandments begin "<strong>Anokhi</strong> Hashem Elokekha", while Shema ends "<strong>Ani</strong>, Hashem Elokeikhem." And how Yaakov says "וַיֹּ×מֶר יַעֲקֹב ×ֶל ×ָבִיו, "<strong>×Ö¸× Ö¹×›Ö´×™</strong> עֵשָׂו בְּכֹרֶךָ עָשִׂיתִי ×›Ö·Ö¼×ֲשֶ×ר דִּבַּרְתָּ ×ֵלָי (Bereishis 27:19) While the real Esav says וַיֹּ×מֶר לוֹ יִצְחָק ×ָבִיו "מִי ×ָתָּה?" וַיֹּ×מֶר "<strong>×Ö²× Ö´×™</strong> ×‘Ö´Ö¼× Ö°×šÖ¸ בְכֹרְךָ עֵשָׂו." (Ibid. v. 32)</p><p>Therefore commentators were motivated to look at the difference. But this is in terms of connotation and <em>derashah</em>, not translation.</p><p>Rav SR Hirsch (Shemos 2:20, on the first commandment) says that "<em>ani</em>" refers to the person in contrast to other people, whereas "<em>anokhi</em>" refers to the person in relation to the listener. The Malbim (on Bereishis 27) and similarly Shadal write that "<em>ani</em>" is the normal word for "I", whereas "<em>anokhi</em>" is used to emphasize "and not others".</p><p>So in general, "<em>ani</em>" would mean that the emphasis of the phrase in on the who, whereas "<em>anokhi</em>" would emphasize what it was that I did or that happened to me.</p><p>I think all of these are consistent with a <em>derashah</em> R' Yochanan makes on Shabbos 105a on the "Anokhi" at the start of the Commandments. He says Hashem used "<em>Anokhi</em>" as an acronym for "×× × × ×¤×©×™ כתיבת יהבית -- I Myself [lit: My Soul] made this writing." Generalize that to what you think "<em>Anokhi</em>" connotes across the board, and you have the kinds of ideas we see above.</p><p>(In the Zohar, it says that Hashem's "<em>Ani</em>" refers to the Lower Throne [Malkhus as it is manifest within creation], and His use of "<em>Anokhi</em>" refers to the Upper Throne [comprised of <em>Binah</em> as connected to <em>Malkhus</em>]. I have no idea what that means.)</p>
- Notice that the 10 Commandments begin "**Anokhi** Hashem Elokekha", while Shema ends "**Ani**, Hashem Elokeikhem." And how Yaakov says "וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל אָבִיו, "**אָנֹכִי** עֵשָׂו בְּכֹרֶךָ עָשִׂיתִי כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ אֵלָי (Bereishis 27:19) While the real Esav says וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יִצְחָק אָבִיו "מִי אָתָּה?" וַיֹּאמֶר "**אֲנִי** בִּנְךָ בְכֹרְךָ עֵשָׂו." (Ibid. v. 32)
- Therefore commentators were motivated to look at the difference. But this is in terms of connotation and *derashah*, not translation.
- Rav SR Hirsch (Shemos 2:20, on the first commandment) says that "*ani*" refers to the person in contrast to other people, whereas "*anokhi*" refers to the person in relation to the listener. The Malbim (on Bereishis 27) and similarly Shadal write that "*ani*" is the normal word for "I", whereas "*anokhi*" is used to emphasize "and not others".
- So in general, "*ani*" would mean that the emphasis of the phrase in on the who, whereas "*anokhi*" would emphasize what it was that I did or that happened to me.
- I think all of these are consistent with a *derashah* R' Yochanan makes on Shabbos 105a on the "Anokhi" at the start of the Commandments. He says Hashem used "*Anokhi*" as an acronym for "אנא נפשי כתיבת יהבית -- I Myself [lit: My Soul] made this writing." Generalize that to what you think "*Anokhi*" connotes across the board, and you have the kinds of ideas we see above.
- (In the Zohar, it says that Hashem's "*Ani*" refers to the Lower Throne [Malkhus as it is manifest within creation], and His use of "*Anokhi*" refers to the Upper Throne [comprised of *Binah* as connected to *Malkhus*]. I have no idea what that means.)