Parshat Breishit - What Was The Snake Thinking?

Shiurei Midrash Aggada on Parshat HaShavua - שיעורי מדרש אגדה על פרשת השבוע

(טו) וַיִּקַּ֛ח יקוק אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעָבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשָׁמְרָֽהּ׃ (טז) וַיְצַו֙ יקוק אֱלֹקִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃ (יז) וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃ (יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יקוק אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ ... (כא) וַיַּפֵּל֩ יקוק אֱלֹקִ֧ים ׀ תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה׃ (כב) וַיִּבֶן֩ יקוק אֱלֹקִ֧ים ׀ אֶֽת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם׃ (כג) וַיֹּאמֶר֮ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־זֹּֽאת׃ (כד) עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד׃ (כה) וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֖א יִתְבֹּשָֽׁשׁוּ׃

Genesis 2

(1) The heaven and the earth were finished, and all their array. (2) On the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing, and He ceased on the seventh day from all the work that He had done. (3) And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation that He had done. (4) Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created. When the LORD God made earth and heaven— (5) when no shrub of the field was yet on earth and no grasses of the field had yet sprouted, because the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil, (6) but a flow would well up from the ground and water the whole surface of the earth— (7) the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. (8) The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom He had formed. (9) And from the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad. (10) A river issues from Eden to water the garden, and it then divides and becomes four branches. (11) The name of the first is Pishon, the one that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where the gold is. ( (12) The gold of that land is good; bdellium is there, and lapis lazuli.) (13) The name of the second river is Gihon, the one that winds through the whole land of Cush. (14) The name of the third river is Tigris, the one that flows east of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. (15) The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it. (16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; (17) but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die.” (18) The LORD God said, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him.” (19) And the LORD God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name. (20) And the man gave names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to all the wild beasts; but for Adam no fitting helper was found. (21) So the LORD God cast a deep sleep upon the man; and, while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that spot. (22) And the LORD God fashioned the rib that He had taken from the man into a woman; and He brought her to the man. (23) Then the man said, “This one at last Is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called Woman, For from man was she taken.” (24) Hence a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh. (25) The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, yet they felt no shame.

בראשית ג׳

(א) וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יקוק אֱלֹקִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃ (ב) וַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל׃ (ג) וּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃ (ד) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃ (ה) כִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹקִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃ (ו) וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃ ... (יד) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יקוק אֱלֹקִ֥ים ׀ אֶֽל־הַנָּחָשׁ֮ כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּאת֒ אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וּמִכֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ֣ תֵלֵ֔ךְ וְעָפָ֥ר תֹּאכַ֖ל כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (טו) וְאֵיבָ֣ה ׀ אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ וּבֵ֣ין זַרְעָ֑הּ ה֚וּא יְשׁוּפְךָ֣ רֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּ עָקֵֽב׃ (ס) (טז) אֶֽל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אָמַ֗ר הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֵ֔ךְ וְה֖וּא יִמְשָׁל־בָּֽךְ׃ (ס)

Genesis 3

(1) Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?” (2) The woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the other trees of the garden. (3) It is only about fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said: ‘You shall not eat of it or touch it, lest you die.’” (4) And the serpent said to the woman, “You are not going to die, (5) but God knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad.” (6) When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed together fig leaves and made themselves loincloths. (8) They heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of day; and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) The LORD God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (10) He replied, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” (11) Then He asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the tree from which I had forbidden you to eat?” (12) The man said, “The woman You put at my side—she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (13) And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done!” The woman replied, “The serpent duped me, and I ate.” (14) Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you did this, More cursed shall you be Than all cattle And all the wild beasts: On your belly shall you crawl And dirt shall you eat All the days of your life. (15) I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your offspring and hers; They shall strike at your head, And you shall strike at their heel.” (16) And to the woman He said, “I will make most severe Your pangs in childbearing; In pain shall you bear children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” (17) To Adam He said, “Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ Cursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it All the days of your life: (18) Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. But your food shall be the grasses of the field; (19) By the sweat of your brow Shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground— For from it you were taken. For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” (20) The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. (21) And the LORD God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. (22) And the LORD God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever!” (23) So the LORD God banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the soil from which he was taken. (24) He drove the man out, and stationed east of the garden of Eden the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.

בראשית רבה כ׳

(ה) רַבִּי אָסֵי וְרַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִיךָ מֶלֶךְ עַל הַבְּהֵמָה וְעַל הַחַיָּה וְאַתָּה לֹא בִּקַּשְׁתָּ, אֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא מְהַלֵּךְ קוֹמְמִיּוּת כְּאָדָם, וְאַתָּה לֹא בִּקַּשְׁתָּ, עַל גְּחֹנְךָ תֵלֵךְ. אֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא אוֹכֵל מַאֲכָלוֹת כְּאָדָם, וְאַתָּה לֹא בִּקַּשְׁתָּ, וְעָפָר תֹּאכַל כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ, אַתָּה בִּקַּשְׁתָּ לַהֲרֹג אֶת הָאָדָם וְלִשָֹּׂא אֶת חַוָּה, וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית בֵּינְךָ וּבֵין הָאִשָּׁה, הֱוֵי מַה שֶּׁבִּקֵּשׁ לֹא נִתַּן לוֹ, וּמַה שֶּׁבְּיָדוֹ נִטַּל מִמֶּנּוּ. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּקַיִן וּבְקֹרַח וּבִלְעָם וּבְדוֹאֵג וַאֲחִיתֹפֶל וְגֵיחֲזִי וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וּבַאֲדוֹנִיָּהוּ וּבְעֻזִּיָּהוּ וּבְהָמָן, מַה שֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ לֹא נִתַּן לָהֶם, וּמַה שֶּׁבְּיָדָם נִטַּל מֵהֶם:

Bereshit Rabbah 20

(3) ... three have intercourse face-to-face, because the Shekhinah speaks with them.

(5) ... [The snake was created] “ruler over beast and animal / melekh `al hab’heimah v`al hachayah” [and] “erect like Adam / qom’miyut k’adam”

(12) "And the Lord God made for the human and for his woman clothing of skin, and dressed them" (Gen 3:21). In the Torah of Rabbi Meir we find written "clothing of light" - these garments of the primordial human resembled a torch: narrow at the top and wide and the bottom. Rabbi Yitzchak the Greater says: This clothing was like fingernails, effulgent like pearl. Rabbi Yitzchak says: Like garments of the finest linen, like the kind that comes from Beit Sh'an. "Garments of skin" - because they clung to the skin.

רש"י על בראשית ג׳

(טו) ואיבה אשית. אַתָּה לֹא נִתְכַּוַּנְתָּ אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּמוּת אָדָם כְּשֶׁיּאֹכַל הוּא תְּחִלָּה וְתִשָּׂא אֶת חַוָּה, וְלֹא בָאתָ לְדַבֵּר אֶל חַוָּה תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים קַלּוֹת לְהִתְפַּתּוֹת וְיוֹדְעוֹת לְפַתּוֹת אֶת בַּעְלֵיהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית:

(טז) עצבונך. זֶה צַעַר גִּדּוּל בָּנִים (עירובין ק'): והרנך. זֶה צַעַר הָעִבּוּר: בעצב תלדי בנים. זֶה צַעַר הַלֵּדָה: ואל אישך תשוקתך. לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְאַעַפִּ"כֵּ אֵין לָךְ מֵצַח לְתָבְעוֹ בַּפֶּה, אֶלָּא הוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ, הַכֹּל מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא מִמֵּךְ: תשוקתך. תַּאֲוָתֵךְ, כְּמוֹ נֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹקֵקָה (ישעיהו כ"ט):

Rashi on Genesis 3

(1) והנחש היה ערום AND THE SERPENT WAS MORE SUBTLE — What connection is there between the following narrative and the statement just made? The latter should have been followed by: “and He [the Lord God] made for Adam and his wife garments of skin and clothed them” (3:21), but Scripture informs you with what plan the serpent assailed them: he saw them naked and unashamed and he coveted her (Eve) (Genesis Rabbah 18:6).,ערום מכל MORE SUBTLE THAN ALL — Corresponding with his subtleness and his greatness was his downfall; “more subtle than all” — “more cursed than all” (see 5:14). (Genesis Rabbah 19:1).,‘אף כי אמר וגו ALTHOUGH GOD HATH SAID — The meaning is, “Perhaps He has said unto you” ‘לא תאכלו מכל וגו YE SHALL NOT EAT OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN — And although he saw them eating of the other fruits yet he entered into a long conversation with her so that she should answer him, and so that he might then have an opportunity to talk about that particular tree. (2) (3) ולא תגעו בו NEITHER SHALL YE TOUCH IT — She added to God’s command (which did not forbid touching the tree, but only eating of its fruit) therefore she was led to diminish from it. It is to this that the text refers (Proverbs 30:6): “Add thou not unto His words” (Genesis Rabbah 19:3). (4) לא מות תמתון YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE — He pushed her until she touched it. He then said to her, “Just as there is no death in touching it, so there is no death in eating it” (Genesis Rabbah 19:3). (5) כי ידע FOR [GOD] KNOWS — Every artisan detests his fellow-artisans (“Two of a trade never agree”). The serpent suggested to her: God ate of the tree and created the world (Genesis Rabbah 19:4) so if you eat ..., והייתם כאלהים YE WILL BE AS GOD — Creators of worlds. (6) ותרא האשה AND THE WOMAN SAW — She approved the words of the serpent — they pleased her and she believed him (Genesis Rabbah 19:3).,כי טוב העץ THAT THE TREE WAS GOOD to make her become like God.,וכי תאוה היא לעינים AND THAT IT WAS A DELIGHT TO THE EYES — even as he had said to her: “then your eyes shall be opened”.,ונחמד להשכיל AND IT WAS TO BE DESIRED TO MAKE ONE WISE — even as he had said to her: “knowing good and evil”.,ותתן גם לאשה AND SHE GAVE ALSO TO HER HUSBAND so that she should not die and he remain alive to take another wife (Genesis Rabbah 19:5).,The word גם, also, may be understood to include cattle and beasts (that is, that she gave to these and also to her husband) (Genesis Rabbah 19:5). (7) ‘ותפקחנה וגו [AND THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM] WERE UNCLOSED — Scripture speaks here with reference to intelligence (the mind’s eye) and not with reference to actual seeing; the end of the verse proves this for it states,,וידעו כי ערומים הם AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE NAKED — Even a blind person knows when he is naked! What then does “and they knew that they were naked” signify? One charge had been entrusted to them and they now knew they had stripped themselves of it (Genesis Rabbah 19:6).,עלה תאנה FIG LEAVES — This was the tree of which they had eaten; by the very thing through which their ruin had been caused was some improvement effected in their condition (Sanhedrin 70b). The other trees however prevented them from taking of their leaves. And why is not the name of the tree clearly mentioned? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, never wishes to grieve anything He has created: hence its name is not mentioned in order that it might not be put to shame by people saying, “This is the tree through which the world suffered” (Midrash R. Tanchuma 1:4:14). (8) וישמעו AND THEY HEARD — There are many Midrashic explanations and our Teachers have already collected them in their appropriate places in Genesis Rabbah and in other Midrashim. I, however, am only concerned with the plain sense of Scripture and with such Agadoth that explain the words of Scripture in a manner that fits in with them. וישמעו AND THEY HEARD — What did they hear? They heard the sound of the Holy One, blessed be He, as He walked in the garden (see Genesis Rabbah 19:12).,לרוח היום IN THE WIND OF THE DAY — (רוח is used also in the meaning of direction,— north, east, — etc.) in that direction to which the sun travels (באה לשם) which is the west, for towards evening the sun is in the west, and they committed the sin in the tenth hour (Sanhedrin 38b). (9) איכה WHERE ART THOU — He knew where he was, but He asked this in order to open up a conversation with him that he should not become confused in his reply, if He were to pronounce punishment against him all of a sudden. Similarly in the case of Cain, He said to him, (4:9) “where is Abel thy brother?” Similarly with Balaam, (Numbers 22:9) “what men are these with thee?” — to open up a conversation with them; so, also, in the case of Hezekiah with reference to the messengers of Merodach-baladan (Isaiah 39:3). (10) (11) מי הגיד לך WHO TOLD THEE? — Whence has the knowledge come to you what shame there is in standing naked?,המן העץ HAST THOU EATEN OF THE TREE — The ' ה of the word המן expresses a question. (12) אשר נתת עמדי WHOM THOU GAVEST TO BE WITH ME — Here he showed his ingratitude (Avodah Zarah 5b). (13) השיאני means HE DECEIVED ME; — we find the word in the same meaning in (2 Chronicles 32:15), “Now therefore let not Hezekiah beguile you” (Genesis Rabbah 19). (14) כי עשית זאת BECAUSE THOU HAST DONE THIS — From here we infer that we should not occupy ourselves with what may be in favour of one who seduces people to idolatry, for had He asked it, “Why hast thou done this?”, it could have answered Him, “When the words of the teacher and those of the pupil are contradictory, whose orders should be obeyed?” (Sanhedrin 29a). (i. e. if You told them one thing and I another, should they not have obeyed You?).,מכל הבהמה ומכל חית השדה FROM AMONG (or, MORE THAN) ALL CATTLE AND ALL THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD — If it was cursed more than the cattle whose period of gestation is longer than that of beasts does it not necessarily follow that it was cursed more than the beasts? Our Rabbis have definitely established the correctness of the following deduction in treatise Bekhorot 8a, that it (viz., the use of these apparently superfluous words “and more than all the beasts of the field”) teaches that the period of gestation of the serpent is seven years.,על גחנך תלך UPON THY BELLY SHALT THOU GO — It had feet but they were cut off (Genesis Rabbah 20:5). (15) ואיבה אשית AND I WILL SET ENMITY — Your sole intention was that Adam should die by eating it first and that you should then take Eve for yourself (Genesis Rabbah 20:5), and you came to speak to Eve first only because women are easily influenced and know how to influence their husbands; therefore “I shall put enmity [between thee and the woman]”.,הוא ישופך HE WILL BRUISE (or, POUND) THEE— Like (Deuteronomy 9:21), “And I beat in pieces” which Onkelos translates by ושפית “I pounded it.”,ואתה תשופנו עקב AND THOU SHALT BRUISE HIS HEEL — As you will have no height (not stand erect) you will be able to bite him only on the heel, but even at that spot you will kill him. The word תשופנו is of the same import as the verb in (Isaiah 40:24). נשף בהם “It bloweth upon them.” When a serpent comes to bite, it blows with a kind of hissing sound. Although the words ישופך and תשופנו have different meanings, since they constitute “a play upon words” by sounding similar, they are both used here. (16) עצבנך THY PAIN — viz., the trouble of rearing children (Eruvin 100b).,והרונך AND THY CONCEPTION— viz., the pain of pregnancy.,בעצב תלדי בנים IN PAIN THOU SHALT BEAR CHILDREN — This refers to the pangs of childbirth (Eruvin 100b).,ואל אישך תשוקתך AND TO YOUR HUSBAND WILL BE YOUR DESIRE — for sexual relations. And, nonetheless, you will not have the temerity to proposition him with [your] mouth, but rather HE WILL RULE OVER YOU — everything will come from him and not from you. ,תשוקתך THY DESIRE — Similar to (Isaiah 29:8), ונפשו שוקקה “and his soul hath appetite”, (desires). (17) ארורה האדמה בעבורך CURSED BE THE GROUND FOR THY SAKE — It will produce to you cursed objects such as flies, fleas and ants; it may be compared to the case of one who gets into depraved ways, and people curse the breasts at which he was suckled (Genesis Rabbah 5:9). (18) וקוץ ודרדר תצמיח לך THORNS ALSO AND THISTLES SHALL IT BRING FORTH TO THEE— תצמיח has for subject the earth; when you sow it with various kinds of grain, it shall bring forth thorns and thistles — artichokes and cardoon — which are fit for food only after special preparation (Genesis Rabbah 20:10).,ואכלת את עשב השדה AND THOU SHALT EAT THE HERB OF THE FIELD — What curse is involved here? Was he not told as a blessing, (1:29) “Behold I have given unto you every herb yielding seed”? But what is stated here at the beginning of this passage? “Cursed be the ground etc.… in toil shalt thou eat of it.” And after all your toil “thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee”. This means when you sow it with cereals and vegetables it shall bring forth for you thorns and thistles and other weeds, and you will perforce have to eat them for lack of other food (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 14). (19) בזעת אפיך IN THE SWEAT OF THY FACE — after you have taken all this great trouble. (20) ויקרא האדם AND THE MAN CALLED — Scripture now reverts to its previous topic (Genesis 2:20) beginning with “and the man gave names”. It broke it off (that is, interpolated the story of the serpent) only to tell you that through the giving of names Eve became his mate, as it is written (Genesis 2:20) “but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him,” and that therefore “the [Lord God] caused to fall a deep sleep upon him” and formed Eve. But because Scripture writes at the end of the story of creation of Eve (Genesis 5:25), “and they were both naked”, it therefore follows on with the passage dealing with the serpent, to inform you that because he saw her nakedness and that they displayed no feeling of shame in their actions, he desired her, and he came upon them with his evil plan and with deceit.,חוה EVE — חוה has the same sound as חיה (and similar meaning “life”) — she was so called because she gives life (birth) to her children; the interchange of ‘י and ‘ו is similar to that in (Ecclesiastes 2:22), מה הוה לאדם “for what hath a man”, where הוה is used in the sense of היה “to be.” (21) כתנות עור GARMENTS FOR THE SKIN — There are Agadoth which say that they were smooth as fingernails, cleaving to their skin; whereas some say that they were made of material that comes from skin, as for example, the hair of hares which is soft and warm, and of this He made garments for them (Genesis Rabbah 20:12). (22) היה כאחד ממנו IS BECOME LIKE ONE OF US (or, like the Being who is One, Unique amongst us) — Lo, he is unique among the terrestrial ones, even as I am unique among the celestial ones. And in what does his uniqueness consist? In knowing good and evil, which is not so in the case of cattle and beasts (Genesis Rabbah 21:5).,ועתה פן ישלח ידו AND NOW, LEST HE PUT FORTH HIS HAND… [AND EAT AND LIVE FOR EVER] — And if he does live forever he is likely to lead people astray, so that they may say, “He, also, is a god”; there are also Agadic Midrashim, but they are not in keeping with its (the verse’s) plain sense. (23) (24) מקדם לגן עדן AT THE EAST OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN — Not in the eastern part of the Garden but eastward of the garden of Eden and outside the garden.,את הכרבים THE CHERUBIM — Angels of destruction (Exodus Rabbah 9:11).,החרב המתהפכת THE SWORD TURNING ITSELF — It was a revolving sword and consequently had a להט, a flashing flame for the purpose of frightening him so that he should not enter again into the garden. The Targum of להט, however, is שגן, like (Sanhedrin 82a) שלף שגגא he drew his blade; old French lame. There are Agadic Midrashim, but I come only to explain it according to its plain sense.

אבות דרבי נתן א׳

(ז) מי גרם לנגיעה זו סייג שסג אדם הראשון שעשה לדבריו. מכאן אמרו אם סג אדם לדבריו אין יכול לעמוד בדבריו. מכאן אמרו אל יוסיף אדם על דברים ששומע. ר׳ יוסי אומר טוב עשרה טפחים ועומד ממאה אמה ונופל. מה חשב נחש (הראשון) [הרשע] באותה שעה. אלך ואהרוג את אדם ואשא את אשתו ואהיה מלך על כל העולם כולו ואלך בקומה זקופה ואוכל כל מעדני עולם:

Avot DeRabbi Natan 1

(1) Moses was sanctified in a cloud, and received the Torah from (Mount) Sinai as it states: (Ex. 24) "And the Glory of God dwelt on Mount Sinai" - for Moses in order to purify him. - This (the resting of the cloud) occurred after the Ten Utterances; these are the words of Rabbi Yosei The Galilian. Rabbi Akiva says: (ibid.) "and the cloud covered it (for) six days" - (in preparation) for Moses(' ascent). That is what is written: (ibid.) "and He called to Moses on the seventh day from within the cloud" - to give honor to Moses. Rabbi Nathan said: Why was Moses delayed for those six days and the Speech did not rest upon him? So that he may clear (himself) of all eating and drinking in his innards until the point (when) he became sanctified and became like the ministering angels. Rabbi Mathia son of Heresh said to him (Rabbi Nathan): Master, they only told him this, threatening him to make sure he would accept the words of Torah out trepidation, fear, out of trembling and perspiring. As it states: (Ps. 2) "Serve God out of fear and rejoice with trembling." There was a happening which occurred with Rabbi Yosiah and Rabbi Mathia son of Heresh, that both of them were sitting, (and were) involved in the words of Torah . Rabbi Yosiah left to a trade (lit. the way of the world). Rabbi Mathia son of Heresh said to him: "Master, why would you leave the words of the Living God to wash (immerse yourself) in the way of the world?And even though you are my master and I, your pupil, (I tell you that) it is not good (suitable,fit) to leave the words of the Living God to immerse in the way of the world." And they (the sages) said: "whenever they sit, (and are) involved in the words of Torah, they would seem as though they are vengeful of one another. And when they part, they would seem as though they were lovers from (their days of) youth.

(2) Through (lit. through the hands of) Moses was the Torah given at Sinai, as it states: (Deut. 5) "and He wrote them (the ten utterances) on two tablets of stone and He gave them to me (Moses)." And later it states: (Lev. 26) "These are the statutes and the laws and the instructions that God placed between Him(self) and between the Children of Israel on the Mountain Sinai through the hands of Moses." God did not give it (through anyone) but through Moses, as it states: "between Me and between the Children of Israel." Moses merited to be the agent between the Children of Israel and the Omnipresent. Moses did (the service of) the inaugural ram and the anointing oil, and used it to anoint Aaron and his sons during the seven days of inauguration. And from that oil, high priests and kings were anointed (as well). And Elazar burned the heifer of cleansing (red heifer), from which the impure would purify for posterity. Rabbi Eliezer said: "Great is this measurement (of the anointing oil) that it serves to work for generations. As Aaron and his sons were sanctified with the anointing oil, as it states: "(Ex. 30) "and you shall anoint Aaron and his sons and you shall sanctify them to serve me as priests."

(3) Joshua received (the Torah) from Moses, as it states: (Num. 27) "And you (Moses) shall place (a portion) of your splendor on him (Joshua), so that the entire congregation of the Children of Israel shall hear." The Elders received it from Joshua, as it states: (Judges 2) "And the nation served God during all the days of Joshua and all the days of the Elders, who saw the great deeds that God performed for Israel, whose life spanned for days after Joshua('s)." The Judges received it from Joshua, as it states: (Ruth 1) "And it was in the days of the rule of the Judges." The Prophets received from the Judges, as it states: (Jeremiah 7) "and I sent My servants, the prophets, to you daily, betimes and often." Haggai, Zakhariah and Malakhi received it from the Prophets. The Men of the Great Assembly received it from Haggai, Zakhariah and Malakhi. And they said three things: "Be patient in judgement, and appoint many students and make a fence for the Torah.

(4) How should one be patient in judgement? This comes to teach that one should wait in judgement. For all who wait in judgement - (their minds) are settled in judgement. As it states: (prov. 25) "These too are the parables of Solomon, which the men of Hizkiyah, King of Judah, copied over." And (the meaning of the verse) is not that they copied over, rather that they waited. Abba Shaul says (the meaning is) not that they waited, rather that they explained: in the earlier days, they would say that that Proverbs and Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes were to be put away, as those texts spoke parables and were not of the Holy Scriptures - and so they stood (in decisive judgement) and hid them away. (and these texts remained hidden away) Until the Men of the Great Assembly came allong and explained them. As it states: (Prov. 7) "And I saw amongst the simple, understood that amongst the lads, that there was youth lacking heart (understanding) ... and Lo! a woman toward him, set as a harlot, with designed purpose. She is bustling and restive; her legs dwell not in her own home. At times outside and at times in the street; and she lays in ambush at every street corner. And she grabs him and kisses him; brazenly, she tells him. ''I was obligated to bring a sacrifice; today I have paid my vow. Therefore I went out to greet you, seeking you, and have found you. I have made my bed with covers of dyed Egyptian cotton. I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloe and cinnamon. Let us drink our fill of lovers till morning, let us delight in loving. For the man is not is not in his house; he is off on a distant journey. He has taken the money bag in his hand, (only on) the day of the throne/covering (mid-month) shall he return." And it is written in Song of Songs: "Let us go, my lover; we shall go out to the field; we shall sleep in the villages. Let us arise to the vineyards to see if the vine has flowered, if the blossoms have opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom; there I shall give you my love." And it is written in Ecclesiastes: "Rejoice, young man, in your childhood, let your heart and go according to the paths your heart lays out or what your eyes see. Just know, that that for all of these things, God will bring you to justice." And it is written is Song of Songs: "I am my beloved's and his desire is upon me." It is (evident), they did not wait, rather they explained. Another explanation: how so to be patient in judgement? This teaches that one should be patient in his dealings and not quick to anger in his dealings. For one who is quick to anger in his dealings, forgets matters. As we find by our master Moses who forgot his matters. As it states: (Num. 31) "And Eleazar the Priest said to the men of the legion, going to war: 'this is the statute of the instruction which God commanded Moses.' " God commanded Moses, but God did not command me (Eleazar). He commanded Moses my father's brother, and not me. (This implies that although God commanded Moses exclusively, Eleazar had to deliver this law because Moses forgot it.) And where, then, do we find that Moses got angry about his matter? The verse states concerning the officers of the army: (ibid.) "and Moses was inflamed toward the officers of the army and he told them 'You have left all females to live!' " What then does the verse mean "all females?" This must then be (referring) to the plot what Bil'am plotted against Israel. As it is written: (ibid. 24) "And now I shall return to my nation; go and I shall suggest to you what this nation shall do to yours in later days." He (Bil'am) said to him (Balak): "This nation, what you hate - be it hungry for food or thirsty for drink - they have naught what to eat but the manna. Go forth and make boxes and place food and drink in them, and place beautiful women, daughters of kings, there, so that the nation shall stray to (worship) Baal Peor, and they shall fall in the hands of the Omnipresent." Balak immediately went to o all that the evil Bil'am had told him. See now what the evil Bil'am caused among Israel; that (because of the harlots) twenty-four thousand fell from Israel. As it states: (ibid. 25) " and those that died in the plague totaled twenty-four thousand." And is the matter not deductible a fortiori? Our master Moses who was a wise man, greatest of the greats, father (greatest) of all prophets - he forgot matters when he got angry, how much more so would we. This teaches that one should be patient with matters and not quick to anger about them. Son of Azzai says: be careful of your words (to ensure you hold back) from wasting (them).

(5) "and create a fence around the Torah" and create a fence around your words just as God created a fence around His, and First Man made a fence round his, The Torah made a fence around its words, Moses made a fence around his words and even Job and even the prophets and sages made a fence around their words. What safeguard did God make for His words? The verse states: (Deut. 29) "and all of the nations shall say 'for what did God do thus (destroy and exile) to this land (Israel)?' " This teaches that it was revealed before He who spoke and the world became that coming generations would say as follows: "for what did God do thus (destroy and exile) to this land (Israel)?" Therefore, God told Moses: "Moses, write down and leave for the coming generations, 'and they (Israel) shall respond 'it is because they left the covenant of God ... and they went and served other deities and bowed to them - other deities with whom they were not familiar nor that they had place with." From here you learn that God made a safeguard for His words. And it is written after this what they would still say this in the future, that God gave reward to His creations in peace. What safeguard did First Man make for his words? The verse states: (Gen. 2) "And YKVK God commanded man, saying, 'you may eat from all the fruits of the garden; however from the tree (which provides) knowledge of good and evil you may not eat, for the day on which you will eat from it, you will surely die.' " First Man did not want to tell this to Eve in the same manner God had told it to him, rather he told her thus, making a safeguard for his words, (restrictive) to a greater extent than what the Holy One, Blessed be He, told him: (ibid.) "and concerning the fruit of the tree in (the center of) the garden, God said 'do not eat of it and do not touch it, lest you die.' " Because he wanted to guard himself and Eve from the tree - not even to touch. At that time, the evil Snake plotted in his heart, and said: "since I cannot make the Man stumble, I will go to make Eve fail. He then went and sat by her and had lengthy conversation with her. He told her: "if you say that God commanded us (against) touching - see that I will touch it and I will not die; you as well - if you touch it you will not die. What did that evil Snake do then? He stood and touched the tree with his hands and feet and made it shake until its fruit fell to the ground. Once that tree saw (noticed) him, it screamed at him and told him: "wicked, wicked one - do not touch me! As it states: (Ps. 36) "Bring me not to the foot of haughtiness, nor expel me to the hands of the wicked."

(6) Another interpretation: "Bring me not to the foot of haughtiness, nor expel me to the hands of the wicked." This refers to the wicked Titus, what his bones grated down because he showed with his hand and struck on top of the altar, saying: Locus, Locus (Omnipresent?)

(7) Eve was then cursed with ten curses, as it states: (Gen. 3) "To the woman He said 'I shall greatly increase your pain and your travail; with pain shall you birth children; and your desire shall be to your husband and he shall rule over you." These (the double expression of "greatly increase") refer to two quarter measures of blood: the one, the painful blood of menstruation and the other, the painful virgin blood. "...Your pain ... - " this refers to the pain of raising children. " ... Your travail ... - " this refers to the pain of gestation. "... With pain shall you birth children ... - " this refers to its plain meaning. " ... And your desire shall be to your husband ... - " this teaches that the woman desires for her husband when he goes out on a journey. " ... And he shall rule over you ... - " this means that the man demands with his mouth and the woman demands with her heart (thoughts). Enwrapped as a mourner, and incarcerated of all men in the dungeon, and ostracized of all men. Who caused this affliction? It was the safeguard that First Man placed around his words. From here the sages said: "If one safeguards his words, he may not be able to abide by them." From this the sages said: "One should not add onto things that he heard." Rabbi Yosei says: "Ten hand-breadths and still standing bests one-hundred cubits and fallen over." What was the wicked snake thinking then? "I shall go and kill Adam and marry his wife and I shall then be king over all the world, and I shall stride upright and eat all of the delicacies of the world." The Holy One, Blesses be He, said to him: "You said 'I shall kill Adam and marry Eve?' I will therefore "place a hatred (between the snake and the children of Eve)." You said 'I shall become king over all the world?' Therefore, "you shall the most cursed of all the beasts." You said "I shall stride upright?" Therefore "on your belly shall you go." You said 'I shall eat of all the delicacies of the world?' Therefore "And you shall eat dust all the days of your life." Rabbi Simon son of Menasia says

ילקוט שמעוני על התורה מ״ז:ד׳

פעם אחת היה רבי אבהו מהלך בדרך ונתלוו לו גוים אמרו לו כתוב בתורה ויצו יקוק אלקים על האדם אדם נצטוה שלא יחטא אבל האשה לא נצטותה אמר להם מה אמר הכתוב על האדם לאמר מהו לאמר לאבריו וחוה נבראת מצלעותיו:

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 47:4

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מהרש"א על עין יעקב סוטה ט:

אהרוג אדם ואשא את חוה כו'. שהוא נתכוון שימות אדם שיאכל הוא תחלה וישא את חוה כו' עכ"ל פירש"י בחומש והוא דחוק דמשמע מן הכתוב שהסית חוה לאכול ממנו וא"כ גם היא תמות והנראה בזה כי צווי הש"י לאדם שלא יאכל מעץ הדעת היה קודם שנבראת חוה ממנו ומיהו גם חוה נצטווה באכילתה שהרי נענשה באכילתה דבין למ"ד פרצוף היה בין למ"ד זנב היתה היא חלק ממנו והחלק בכלל הכל ואדם הראשון עשה סייג לדבריו יותר ממה שא"ל הקב"ה ואמר לה אלקים אמר לא תאכלו ממנו ולא תגעו בו גו' והנחש נטל עצה בלבו כיון שאת אדם לא אוכל להכשיל שהוא יודע האמת שלא נצטוה על הנגיעה אכשיל את חוה והשתא הנחש היה סבור כיון דלא נבראת עדיין חוה בשעת הצווי לא נצטוותה כלל כדעת העובד כוכבים ההוא שהיה מתלוה עם רבי אבא ואם כן אף אם תאכל ממנו לא תמות אלא דלפי סברת אדם וחוה שהיו סבורים שגם חוה בכלל הצווי אמר הנחש להטעות את האדם שע"י שידחוף את חוה ולא תמות בנגיעה תטעה חוה ותאכל ג"כ ממנו לפי סברתה שגם הנגיעה בכלל הציווי ואחר שתאכל האשה ולא תמות הנה גם אדם יטעה לומר שאין ממש בציווי הקב"ה דלפי סברתו גם האשה בכלל הצווי והרי לא מתה ויאכל גם הוא ממנו וימות ואז אח"כ אשא את חוה שלא היתה בכלל הצווי ודברים אלו ברורים הם:

יבמות ס״ג א

וא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (בראשית ב, כג) זאת הפעם עצם מעצמי ובשר מבשרי מלמד שבא אדם על כל בהמה וחיה ולא נתקררה דעתו עד שבא על חוה:

Yevamot 63a

and who lends a sela to a pauper at his time of need, about him the verse states: “Then shall you call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say: Here I am” (Isaiah 58:9). § The Gemara provides a mnemonic device for a series of statements cited in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Woman; and land; helper; this; two; the blessings; merchants; lowly. The Gemara presents these statements: Rabbi Elazar said: Any man who does not have a wife is not a man, as it is stated: “Male and female He created them…and called their name Adam” (Genesis 5:2). And Rabbi Elazar said: Any man who does not have his own land is not a man, as it is stated: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth He has given to the children of men” (Psalms 115:16). And Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I will make him a helpmate for him [kenegdo]” (Genesis 2:18)? If one is worthy his wife helps him; if he is not worthy she is against him. And some say a slightly different version: Rabbi Elazar raised a contradiction: It is written in the Torah with a spelling that allows it to be read: Striking him [kenagdo], and we read it as though it said: For him [kenegdo]. If he is worthy she is for him as his helpmate; if he is not worthy she strikes him. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Yosei encountered Elijah the prophet and said to him: It is written: I will make him a helpmate. In what manner does a woman help a man? Elijah said to him: When a man brings wheat from the field, does he chew raw wheat? When he brings home flax, does he wear unprocessed flax? His wife turns the raw products into bread and clothing. Is his wife not found to be the one who lights up his eyes and stands him on his feet? And Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23)? This teaches that Adam had intercourse with each animal and beast in his search for his mate, and his mind was not at ease, in accordance with the verse: “And for Adam, there was not found a helpmate for him” (Genesis 2:20), until he had intercourse with Eve. And Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed [nivrekhu]” (Genesis 12:3)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Abraham: I have two good shoots to graft [lehavrikh] onto you: Ruth the Moabite, the ancestress of the house of David, and Naamah the Ammonite, whose marriage with Solomon led to the ensuing dynasty of the kings of Judea. “All the families of the earth” means: Even families that live in the earth, i.e., who have land of their own, are blessed only due to the Jewish people. Similarly, when the verse states: “All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18), it indicates that even ships that come from Galia to Hispania are blessed only due to the Jewish people. And Rabbi Elazar said: All craftsmen are destined to stand upon and work the land, as it is stated: “And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land” (Ezekiel 27:29). And Rabbi Elazar said: There is no occupation lowlier than working the land, as it is stated: “And they shall come down,” implying that one who works the land is of lower stature than even a sailor. The Gemara similarly relates: Rabbi Elazar saw land that was plowed across its width. He said to it: Even if they plow you once more lengthwise, for further improvement, conducting business is better than farming with you, as the potential profits gained by selling merchandise are far greater than those from working the land. The Gemara relates a similar incident: Rav entered between the sheaves in a field and saw them waving in the wind. He said to them: If you want to wave go ahead and wave, but conducting business is better than farming with you. Rava similarly said: One who has a hundred dinars that are invested in a business is able to eat meat and wine every day, whereas he who has a hundred dinars worth of land eats only salt and vegetables. And what is more, working the land causes him to lie on the ground at night in order to guard it, and it draws quarrels upon him with other people. Rav Pappa said: Sow your own produce and do not buy it. Even though they are equal to each other in value, these that you sow will be blessed. Conversely, buy your clothes rather than weave [teizul] them yourself. The Gemara comments: This applies only to mats [bistarkei], but with regard to the cloak one wears, perhaps he will not find it precisely to his liking, and therefore he should make his own cloak, which fits his measurements. Rav Pappa further advised: If there is a hole in your house, close it up and do not enlarge it and then plaster it, or at least plaster it and do not knock it down and build it again. As, whoever engages in construction becomes poor. Hurry to buy land so that you do not lose the opportunity. Be patient and marry a woman who is suitable for you. Descend a level to marry a woman of lower social status, and ascend a level to choose a friend [shushevina]. Rabbi Elazar bar Avina said: Calamity befalls the world only due to the sins of the Jewish people, as it is stated: “I have cut off nations, their corners are desolate; I have made their streets waste” (Zephaniah 3:6), and it is written: “I said: Surely you will fear Me, you will receive correction” (Zephaniah 3:7). This indicates that other nations were punished so that the Jewish people would mend their ways. The Gemara cites more statements with regard to wives. When Rav was taking leave of his uncle and teacher, Rabbi Ḥiyya, upon his return from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: May the Merciful One save you from something that is worse than death. Rav was perplexed: Is there anything that is worse than death? He went, examined the sources, and found the following verse: “And I find more bitter than death the woman, etc.” (Ecclesiastes 7:26). Rabbi Ḥiyya was hinting at this verse, and indeed, Rav’s wife would constantly aggravate him. When he would say to her: Prepare me lentils, she would prepare him peas; if he asked her for peas, she would prepare him lentils. When Ḥiyya, his son, grew up, he would reverse the requests Rav asked him to convey to her, so that Rav would get what he wanted. Rav said to his son Ḥiyya: Your mother has improved now that you convey my requests. He said to Rav: It is I who reverse your request to her. Rav said to him: This is an example of the well-known adage that people say: He who comes from you shall teach you wisdom; I should have thought of that idea myself. You, however, should not do so, i.e., reverse my request, as it is stated: “They have taught their tongue to speak lies, they weary themselves to commit iniquity, etc.” (Jeremiah 9:4). If you attribute such a request to me, you will have uttered a falsehood. The Gemara relates a similar story. Rabbi Ḥiyya’s wife would constantly aggravate him. Nevertheless, when he would find something she would appreciate, he would wrap it in his shawl and bring it to her. Rav said to him: Doesn’t she constantly aggravate you? Why do you bring her things? Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: It is enough for us that our wives raise our children and save us