Hebrew prose is often very wordy, because it uses repetition far more than English does. Phrases like, “[the angels] are all beloved, they are all choice, they are all heroic, they all do G-d’s will with love and fear,” (from the first blessing before the Sh’ma) are quite common. Similarly, “Your words are…sweet and pleasant and precious, good and beautiful and beloved,” from the blessing right after the Sh’ma.
On the other hand, there are certain brief phrasings that in their simplicity convey incredibly important messages. The first blessing before the Sh’ma, which focuses on G-d as creator, opens with these words: “He who illumines the earth and those who dwell upon it with mercy.” In Hebrew, five words.
To understand why this particular phrasing is so crucial and decisive, let us consider a similar sounding alternative: “He illumines those who dwell upon the earth with mercy.” What’s the difference? In this hypothetical phrasing, the earth serves merely as a location for those who dwell upon it. And it is the “dwellers” who are the beneficiaries of G-d’s mercy.
Had the prayer been phrased this way, we would hardly have noticed. It would seem like a perfectly normal theological statement about our loving G-d and His relationship with us.
But….that’s not what the prayer says. Let’s look at the original text again: “He who illumines the earth and those who dwell upon it with mercy.” Here, the earth is not merely “the setting” where the action takes place. The earth is an actor in the drama—in fact, a coequal actor with “those who dwell upon it.” In fact, that very phrasing takes on a different meaning in the actual text. We, the “dwellers” are specifically defined as “earth dwellers.” This is no coincidence. It harkens back to the very origin of humanity, where the first human is named “Adam” because he was taken from the “Adama,” i.e., the earth.
Put another way, us being able to dwell on the earth is a big deal. We owe a debt. We don’t just get to exploit the earth. We also have to tend the earth. The mercy that illumines both the earth and us “dwellers upon it” brings with it a sense of mutuality (and hopefully, humility). The earth is merciful to us, we need to return the favor. The world is not simply our smorgasbord, ready for exploitation. It is as incredibly complex as we are.
Here’s an example. There are about 400,000 plant species in the world. Only 20,000, a mere 5%, are edible. And human beings get 90% of our food from only 20 species. The second, hypothetical phrasing mentioned above would seem to imply that we only need to care about those 20 species, or, at most those 20,000 species. Thankfully, though, our rabbis have demonstrated greater wisdom by making it clear that the world is not merely an object for our exploitation, but a subject in its own right.
It was an act of Divine mercy to make it that way. It was an additional act of Divine mercy to remind us that it is made that way.
Consider yourself illumined.