ספר בראשית - פרשת בראשית - ב:כ-ג:כא - שלישי

Adam called names to all the animals, to the birds of the sky, and to all the beasts of the field. But for Adam, he did not find a helpmate corresponding to him. In other words, Adam was searching for a partner, but he did not find one among all the animals.

Hashem Elokim caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. This describes how Hashem put Adam to sleep and took one of his sides to create woman.

Rashi explains that when Hashem brought the animals before Adam, He brought each kind, male and female. Adam said, 'They all have a mate, but I do not have a mate.' Immediately, Hashem caused a deep sleep to fall upon him. This is from Bereishis Rabbah.

Rashi says that the word MiTzalo'osav means from his sides, like it says regarding the side of the Mishkan. This is what they say, that two faces were created. VaYisgor means the place of the cut. VaYishan VaYikach – He put Adam to sleep and took it so that Adam would not see the piece of flesh from which woman was created and be repulsed by her.

Hashem Elokim built the side that He had taken from Adam into a woman, and He brought her to Adam. This means Hashem formed the side into a woman and presented her to Adam.

Rashi explains that VaYiven means like building: wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, to be able to bear children, like a storehouse of wheat that is wide at the bottom and narrow at the top so its weight does not press on the walls. VaYiven Es HaTzela LeIsha means to be a woman, just as it says, 'VaYa'as Oso Gidon LeEifod' – to be an ephod.

Adam said, 'This time, this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman (Isha), because she was taken from man (Ish).' Adam recognizes that woman was created from him and names her accordingly.

Rashi explains that Zos HaPa'am teaches that Adam had relations with all the animals and beasts, but his mind was not settled with them until he was with Chava. LeZos Yikarei Isha Ki MeiIsh – the language matches up, showing that the world was created in Lashon HaKodesh, the holy tongue.

Therefore, a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh. This verse explains that a man will leave his parents and unite with his wife to become one unit.

Rashi says that Al Kein Ya'azov Ish – the spirit of holiness is saying this, to forbid forbidden relationships to Bnei Noach. LeVasar Echad – the child is created by both of them, and there their flesh becomes one.

They were both naked, Adam and his wife, and they were not ashamed. This means that Adam and Chava were unclothed, but they did not feel shame.

Rashi explains that they were not ashamed because they did not yet know the way of modesty to distinguish between good and evil. Even though Adam had the knowledge to name the animals, he did not have the evil inclination until he ate from the tree, and then he knew the difference between good and evil.

The serpent was more cunning than all the beasts of the field that Hashem Elokim had made. He said to the woman, 'Did Hashem really say you shall not eat from any tree of the garden?' The serpent begins to entice Chava, questioning Hashem's command.

Rashi asks, what is this doing here? It should have followed the verse about Hashem making garments for Adam and his wife. Rather, it teaches you from what advice the serpent jumped upon them: he saw them naked and engaging in relations in public, and he desired her. Arum Mikol – according to his cunning and greatness was his downfall: 'Arum Mikol' here, 'Arur Mikol' later.

Rashi explains the serpent said, 'Perhaps Hashem said you shall not eat from any tree?' Even though he saw them eating from other fruits, he spoke at length to her so she would respond and he could bring up the topic of the forbidden tree.

The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden.' Chava responds that they are allowed to eat from the other trees.

But from the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, Hashem said, 'You shall not eat from it, and you shall not touch it, lest you die.' Chava adds that they are not allowed to even touch the tree, not just eat from it.

Rashi says, VeLo Sigu Bo – she added to the command, and therefore came to diminish it. As it says, 'Do not add to His words.'

The serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die.' The serpent contradicts Hashem's warning and assures her she will not die.

Rashi explains, he pushed her until she touched the tree and said, 'Just as there is no death from touching, so too there is no death from eating.'

'For Hashem knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' The serpent claims that eating from the tree will make them wise like Hashem.

Rashi says, Ki Yodea – every craftsman hates those of his craft: from the tree He ate and created the world. ViHeyisem KeElokim – you will be creators of worlds.

The woman saw that the tree was good for food, desirable to the eyes, and pleasant to make one wise. She took from its fruit and ate, and also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Chava was enticed by the appearance and promise of the tree, ate from it, and gave to Adam as well.

Rashi explains: "VaTeireh HaIsha" – she saw the words of the serpent and they appealed to her, and she believed him. "Ki Tov HaEitz" – to be like God. "VeKi Taavah Hu LaEinayim" – as he said to her, 'your eyes will be opened.' "VeNechmad HaEitz LeHaskil" – as he said to her, 'knowing good and evil.' "VaTitein Gam LeIshah" – so that she should not die and he live and marry another woman. "Gam" – to include the cattle and the beasts.

"VaTipokachnah Einei Shneihem" – and the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles.

Rashi explains: "VaTipokachnah..." – the verse is speaking about wisdom, not about literal sight, and the end of the verse proves it. "VaYeidu Ki Erumim Hem" – even a blind person knows when he is naked, so what does it mean? It means they had one commandment and became stripped of it. "Aleh Te'einah" – that is the tree from which they ate; with the very thing they sinned, they were rectified, but the other trees prevented them from taking their leaves. Why was the tree not identified? Because Hashem does not want to grieve any creature, so that people should not shame it and say, 'this is the tree that caused the world to suffer.'

"VaYishme'u Es Kol Hashem Elokim Mis'haleich BaGan LeRuach HaYom" – and they heard the voice of Hashem Elokim walking in the garden to the direction of the sun, and the man and his wife hid from Hashem Elokim among the trees of the garden.

Rashi says: There are many Midrashim, and our sages have already arranged them in Bereishis Rabbah and other Midrashim. But I have come only to explain the simple meaning of the verse, and the Agadah that clarifies the words of the verse, each word in its proper way.

Rashi explains: What did they hear? They heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, walking in the garden. "LeRuach HaYom" – to the direction in which the sun sets, which is the west, for towards evening the sun is in the west, and they sinned in the tenth hour.

"VaYikra Hashem Elokim El HaAdam VaYomer Lo Ayeka" – Hashem Elokim called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?'

Rashi explains: "Ayeka" – He knew where he was, but He asked him in order to enter into conversation with him, so that he would not be frightened to answer if He should punish him suddenly. Likewise, by Kayin, He said, 'Where is Hevel your brother?' and by Bilam, 'Who are these men with you?' The purpose is to enter into conversation with them. And likewise with Chizkiyahu regarding the emissaries of Merodach Baladan.

"VaYomer Es Kolecha Shamati BaGan VaEira Ki Erum Anochi VaEchavei" – and he said, 'I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.'

"VaYomer Mi Higid Lecha Ki Erum Atah HaMin HaEitz Asher Tzivisicha Levilti Achol Mimenu Achalta" – and He said, 'Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?'

Rashi explains: "Mi Higid Lecha" – from where do you know what shame there is in standing naked? "HaMin HaEitz" – this is an interrogative, a question.

"VaYomer HaAdam HaIsha Asher Nasata Imadi Hi Nasna Li Min HaEitz VaOchel" – and the man said, 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.'

Rashi explains: "Asher Nasata Imadi" – here Adam showed ingratitude.

"VaYomer Hashem Elokim LaIsha Mah Zos Asis" – and Hashem Elokim said to the woman, 'What is this that you have done?' "VaTomer HaIsha HaNachash Hishiani VaOchel" – and the woman said, 'The serpent enticed me and I ate.'

Rashi explains: "Hishiani" – he enticed me, he deceived me. Like we find in Melachim Beis, 'Al Yashi Lachem Chizkiyahu' – let not Chizkiyahu deceive you.

"VaYomer Hashem Elokim El HaNachash Ki Asisa Zos Arur Atah Mikol HaBehemah UmiKol Chayas HaSadeh Al Gechoncha Teileich VeAfar Tochal Kol Yemei Chayecha" – and Hashem Elokim said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle and more than all the beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.'

Rashi explains: "Ki Asisa Zos" – from here we learn that we do not intercede in favor of one who entices others to idolatry. Had He asked him, 'Why did you do this?' he could have answered, 'The words of the master and the words of the pupil, whose words do you obey?' In other words, Adam and Chava should have obeyed Hashem rather than the serpent. "MiKol HaBehemah UmiKol Chayas HaSadeh" – if he was cursed more than the cattle, whose gestation period is long, he was surely cursed more than the beast, whose gestation period is shorter. Our Rabbis established this Midrash in Bechoros, to teach that the gestation period of a serpent is seven years. "Al Gechoncha Teileich" – it had legs, but they were cut off.

"VeEivah Ashis Beinecha UVein HaIsha UVein Zaracha UVein Zarah Hu Yeshufcha Rosh VeAta Teshufenu Akev" – and I will place hatred between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he will crush your head, and you will bite his heel.

Rashi explains: "VeEivah Ashis" – you intended that man should die when he would eat first and you would marry Chava, and you came to her first only because women are easily enticed and they know how to entice their husbands. Therefore, 'I will place hatred.' "Yeshufcha" – he will crush you, as in 'I crushed him.' "VeAta Teshufenu Akev" – you will not stand upright and you will bite him on the heel, and even from there you may kill him. The expression 'Teshufenu' is like 'Nashaf Bahem' – when a snake comes to bite, it blows with a sort of hiss, and since the two expressions sound alike, the Torah uses the expression of 'blowing' in both cases.

"El HaIsha Amar Harbeh Arbeh Itzvoneich VeHeironeich BeEtzev Teildi Vanim VeEl Isheich Teshukaseich VeHu Yimshol Bach" – to the woman He said, 'I will greatly increase your sorrow and your pregnancy; in pain you shall bear children, and to your husband will be your desire, and he will rule over you.'

Rashi explains: "Itzvoneich" – this refers to the pain of child rearing. "VeHeironeich" – this refers to the pain of pregnancy. "BeEtzev Teildi Vanim" – this refers to the pain of childbirth. "VeEl Isheich Teshukaseich" – for intimacy. But nevertheless, you will not have the audacity to demand it of him with your mouth, but 'he will rule over you' – everything is from him and not from you. "Teshukaseich" – your desire, as in 'a yearning soul.'

"UleAdam Amar Ki Shamata LeKol Ishtecha VaTochal Min HaEitz Asher Tzivisicha Leimor Lo Sochal Mimenu Arurah HaAdamah BaAvurecha BeItzavon Tochlena Kol Yemei Chayecha" – and to Adam He said, 'Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat from it, cursed is the ground for your sake; with toil you shall eat from it all the days of your life.'

Rashi explains: "Arurah HaAdamah BaAvurecha" – it will bring up cursed things for you, such as flies, fleas, and ants. This can be compared to one who falls into evil ways, and people curse the breast from which he nursed.

"VeKotz VeDardar Tatzmiach Lach VeAchalta Es Esev HaSadeh" – and it will cause thorns and thistles to grow for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field.

Rashi explains that when the verse says Vekotz Vedardar Tatzmiach Lach, it means that when you plant different types of seeds, the earth will sprout thorns and thistles—these are artichokes and cardoons, which are only edible after some preparation. Rashi continues: What kind of curse is this? Wasn’t it already said in the blessing, 'Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing herb'? Rather, what is said here refers back to the beginning of the section: 'Cursed is the ground because of you, with toil you shall eat from it.' After you toil, then 'thorns and thistles will grow for you'—when you plant legumes or garden vegetables, the earth will produce for you thorns, thistles, and other grasses of the field, and you will be forced to eat them.

With the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, because from it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you will return. This is the curse that man will have to work hard for his food all his life, and in the end, he will return to the earth from which he was created.

Rashi explains Bezeas Apecha—with the sweat of your face—means after you have toiled greatly for it, only then will you eat.

And the man called his wife's name Chava, because she was the mother of all life. Adam gives his wife the name Chava, recognizing that she is the source of life for all future generations.

Rashi explains on Vayikra HaAdam—the Torah returns to its earlier topic, as it said before, 'And the man called names.' The only reason it interrupted was to teach that through the act of naming, Chava was paired with Adam, as it says, 'But for Adam, he did not find a helpmate,' and therefore, 'He caused a deep sleep.' And since the Torah wrote, 'And they were both naked,' it placed the section of the serpent next to it, to let you know that because the serpent saw her nakedness and saw them engaged in intimacy, he desired her and came upon them with thought and trickery. The name Chava is related to the word Chaya, meaning 'living,' because she gives life to her offspring, just as you would say, 'What is happening to a man,' using the word 'haya.'

And Hashem Elokim made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and He clothed them. After the sin, Hashem provided clothing for Adam and Chava, covering their nakedness.

Rashi explains Kosnos Or—garments of skin—some say these were smooth like fingernails and attached to their skin. Others say it was something that comes from skin, like rabbit wool, which is soft and warm, and Hashem made garments for them from it.