Rabbi Roodyn

ח) צֹנֶה וַאֲלָפִים כֻּלָּם וְגַם בַּהֲמוֹת שָׂדָי:

ט) צִפּוֹר שָׁמַיִם וּדְגֵי הַיָּם עֹבֵר אָרְחוֹת יַמִּים:

Flocks and cattle, all of them, and also the beasts of the field; the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, he traverses the ways of the seas.

This perek draws to a close with a description of man’s dominance over the animal kingdom using some unusual words to refer to familiar animals.

Tzoneh and alafim are explained by Rashi, Radak and others to refer to sheep and cattle. The other beasts of the field are interpreted by Radak as being horses, donkeys and camels who are not domesticated in the same way that sheep and cattle are. As such, man needs to use greater ingenuity to harness the power of horses, donkeys and camels than he does for domesticated animals. Similarly it requires a significant amount of expertise to trap and utilise fish and birds.

Rav Hirsch explains these unusual terms for sheep and cattle by first elaborating on the names that are more commonly used.

צאן which is normally used for sheep is related to the word שאן, because it is an animal that is in constant need for protection by men, and needs a man made shelter. בקר, cattle is related to the words בכר and פקר which are a type of animal that are more independent and can be left to their own devices.

The unusual word צנה is related to the word צנע which implies modesty and a timid nature. It is also related to the word צנח which means to descend from a height (in Modern Hebrew, the paratroopers are called צנחנים). So the term צנה refers to all animals that are timid, placid and domesticated.

אלפים on the other hand are those beasts that assume leadership in their herd by virtue of their superior strength and larger size. Therefore the Torah uses the term אלופים to refer to leaders and princes (and in Modern Hebrew an אלוף is a general).

Therefore Rav Hirsh offers a broader interpretation to the pasuk saying that צנה ואלפים  means ‘the tame and the strong’. In dealing with tame animals man will show his mildness but he will use all the power of his intelligence in attempting to cope with the beast. The term וגם בהמות שדי means that man also tames the beasts of the great outdoors which do not attach themselves to man of their own accord.

He knows how to tame the בהמות so that they can be pedestals for his own dominion.