Rabbi Roodyn

Rav Hirsch makes a very important point on the previous pasuk that we need to return to before proceeding with the continuation of the chapter.

מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ:

what is man that You should remember him, and the son of man that You should be mindful of him?

He explains that the word זכר is related to the word סגר  or סכר and therefore should be translated as ‘to store in one’s memory’, as opposed to שכח  which means ‘to forget’. When used with reference to Hashem and His relationship with man, זכרון  is more than just remembering. Rather it means not to leave someone to their fate, rather to take an interest in their deliverance.  Rav Hirsch brings many examples from Tanach to back this up, such as Hashem ‘remembering’  Noach, Shimshon, Klal Yisrael etc.

This is different to the word פקד which is used with reference to Hashem shaping a person’s fortunes and carries the additional connotation of installing a person into office. Examples of the use of this term  include Yosef being installed in a position of authority in Potifar’s house and in prison.

Both of these terms are major themes of Rosh Hashana which is both the yom hazikaron and the day when we read vaHashem pakad es Sara.

The pasuk therefore is interpreted as follows:

‘When I behold Your heavens, the uniform work of Your forming fingers, the moon and the stars that You have established in their paths, who, then, is man, degenerate, violent, that You should remember him, and the son of pure mankind, that You appoint him as your representative?’

The difference between אנוש and אדם is crucial in drawing a lesson from this pasuk and for understanding the rest of the chapter, this will PG be discussed in coming days.