וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת (בראשית ב, יח), תְּנֵינַן בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן (בראשית א, א): בְּרֵאשִׁית (בראשית א, ב): וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת (בראשית א, ג): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר (בראשית א, ו): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ (בראשית א, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם (בראשית א, יא): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְּשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ (בראשית א, יד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת (בראשית א, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם (בראשית א, כד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ (בראשית א, כו): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם. מְנַחֵם בַּר יוֹסֵי מוֹצִיא וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת, וּמֵבִיא וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם. אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בֶּן קוּרְשָׁאי מַאֲמָר נִתַּן לָרוּחַ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ. “The Lord God said: It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper for him alongside him” (Genesis 2:18).
“The Lord God said: It is not good that [the man] should be” – we learned: The world was created with ten [divine] utterances.1Avot 5:1. These are: “In the beginning [God created the heavens and the earth]” (Genesis 1:1);2Although the words “God said” are not written here, it was through God’s command that the heavens and earth were created (see Psalms 33:6). “the wind3The Midrash interprets the word ruaḥ to mean wind, unlike the more common translation, “spirit.” of God hovered [over the surface of the water]” (Genesis 1:2);4Here too, although the words “God said” are not written, it was through God’s command that the wind came about. “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3); “God said: Let there be a firmament” (Genesis 1:6); “God said: “Let the water be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). “God said: Let the earth sprout [grass]” (Genesis 1:11). “God said: Let there be lights” (Genesis 1:14). “God said: Let the water swarm” (Genesis 1:20). “God said: “Let the earth produce” (Genesis 1:24). “God said: Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26). Menaḥem bar Yosei removes: “The wind of God hovered,” and inserts: “The Lord God said: It is not good that the man should be.” Rabbi Yaakov ben Kurshai said: A special utterance was devoted specifically to the wind.5Rabbi Yaakov concurs with the original count of the ten utterances.
לֹא טוֹב, תָּנֵי רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב כָּל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אִשָּׁה, שָׁרוּי בְּלֹא טוֹבָה בְּלֹא עֵזֶר בְּלֹא שִׂמְחָה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה בְּלֹא כַּפָּרָה. בְּלֹא טוֹבָה, לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ. בְּלֹא עֵזֶר, אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. בְּלֹא שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יד, כו): וְשָׂמַחְתָּ אַתָּה וּבֵיתֶךָ. בְּלֹא כַפָּרָה, (ויקרא טז, יא): וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ. בְּלֹא בְרָכָה (יחזקאל מד, ל): לְהָנִיחַ בְּרָכָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ. רַבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר אַף בְּלֹא שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א כה, ו): וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר אַף בְּלֹא חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת ט, ט): רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר גַּמְדָא אָמַר אַף אֵינוֹ אָדָם שָׁלֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ה, ב): וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמָם אָדָם, שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד קְרוּיִים אָדָם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף מְמַעֵט אֶת הַדְּמוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט, ו): כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם, מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (בראשית ט, ז): וְאַתֶּם פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. “It is not good” – Rabbi Yaakov taught: Anyone who does not have a wife is without good, without help, without joy, without blessing, without atonement. Without good – “it is not good that the man should be alone.” Without help – “I will make a helper for him alongside him.” Without joy – as it is stated: “You shall rejoice, you and your household” (Deuteronomy 14:26). Without atonement – “he shall atone for himself and for his household” (Leviticus 16:11). Without blessing – “to lay a blessing upon your house” (Ezekiel 44:30).
Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: He is also without peace, as it is stated: “You shall be in peace, and your household shall be in peace” (I Samuel 25:6). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: He is also without life, as it is stated: “Appreciate life with a woman whom you love” (Ecclesiastes 9:9). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Gamda said: He is not even a complete man, as it is stated: “He blessed them, and He called their name Man, on the day they were created” (Genesis 5:2) – when both of them are together they are called “Man.” Some say he even diminishes the [divine] image, as it is stated: “As He made man in the image of God” (Genesis 9:6). What is written thereafter? “And you, be fruitful, and multiply” (Genesis 9:7).6A man’s being in the image of God is contingent upon marrying and producing offspring.
אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, אִם זָכָה עֵזֶר, וְאִם לָאו כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה אִם זָכָה, כְּאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר חֲכִינָאי, וְאִם לָאו, כְּאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲוָה לֵיהּ אִנְתְּתָא בִּישָׁא, וַהֲוַת בְּרַתָּא דַּאֲחָתֵיהּ, וַהֲוַת בָּזֵית לֵיהּ קֳדָם תַּלְמִידוֹי, אָמְרִין תַּלְמִידָיו שַׁבְקָא לַהֲדָא אִנְתְּתָא בִּישָׁא דְּלֵיתָא מְיַקְרָךְ. אֲמַר לְהוֹן פּוּרְנָא רַב עָלַי, לֵית בְּיָדִי מָה אֶשְׁבּוֹק לָהּ. חַד זְמַן הֲווֹן יָתְבִין פָּשְׁטִין הוּא וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, דְּמִן חַסְלִין אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַשְׁגַּח רַבִּי וַאֲנַן סָלְקִין בְּבֵיתָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, סָלֵיק, כִּי סְלֵיק אַמַּכַת לְאַפָּהּ וּנְפַקַת לָהּ, צָפָה בְּהַהִיא קְדֵרָה, אֲמַר לָהּ אִית בְּהַהִיא קְדֵרָה כְּלוּם, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ אִית פַּרְפְּרָיִין, אָזַל גַּלֵּיתָהּ וְאַשְׁכַּח פַּרְגָיִין, יָדַע רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה מַה הוּא שָׁמַע, יָתְבוּן לְהוֹן אָכְלִין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי לָא אֲמַרַת אֶלָּא פַּרְפְּרָיִין וְהָא אַשְׁכַּחְנַן בְּגַוָּהּ פַּרְגָיִין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַעֲשֶׂה נִסִּים הֵן. מִן דְּחַסְלִין אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שְׁבוֹקָא הַהִיא אִנְתְּתָא מִינָךְ, דְּלֵית הִיא עָבְדָא לִיקְרָתָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ פּוּרְנָא רַב עָלַי וְלֵית בִּי מָה אֶשְׁבּוֹק לָהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲנַן יַהֲבִינַן לָהּ פּוּרְנָא וְשַׁבְקֵית מִינָךְ. עֲבַדּוּן לֵיהּ כֵּן פְּסַק לָהּ פּוּרְנָא וּשְׁבַק יָתָהּ מִינֵיהּ וְאַסְבוּן יָתֵיהּ אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא טָבָא מִינַהּ, גַּרְמוּן חוֹבִין דְּהַהִיא אִתְּתָא וַאֲזַלַּת וְאִתְנַסְבֵית לְסַנְטְרִין דְּקַרְתָּא, לְבָתַר יוֹמִין אֲתוֹן יִסּוּרִין עָלָיו וְאִתְעַוֵּר, וַהֲוַת צָיְירַת בִּיְדֵיהּ וּמְחַזְרָא לֵיהּ עַל שְׁקָקַיָא דְּקַרְתָּא, כֵּיוָן דַּהֲוַת מַטְיָא בִּשְׁקָקַיָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי הֲוַת קָיְימָא לָהּ וְחָזְרָה לַאֲחוֹרָהּ, מִן דַּהֲוָה הַהוּא גַבְרָא חַכִּים קַרְתָּא אֲמַר לָהּ לָמָּה אַתְּ לֹא מוֹבַלְתְּ לִי לִשְׁכוּנְתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי, דַּאֲנָא שָׁמַע דְּהַהוּא עָבִיד מִצְוָה. אֲמַרַת לֵיהּ מַשְׁבַּקְתֵּיהּ אֲנָא, וְלֵית בִּי דְּלֶחֱמֵי סְבַר אַפּוֹהִי. חַד זְמַן אֲתוֹן קָרוֹן בִּשְׁכוּנְתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אַרְגֵּישׁ בַּהּ יוֹם קֳדָמוֹי, וְיוֹם תִּנְיָן וּשְׁרֵי מָחֵי לָהּ, וַאֲזֵיל קָלְהוֹן וַהֲווֹן מִתְבַּזִּין בְּכָל קַרְתָּא, אוֹדִיק רַבִּי יוֹסֵי לְקָלְהוֹן וַחֲמְהוֹן מִתְבַּזִּין בְּגוֹ שׁוּקָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַתְּ מָחֵי לָהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ כָּל יוֹם הִיא מוֹבְדָה פַּרְנָסָתֵיהּ דְּהָדֵין שְׁקָקַיָּה מִנִּי, כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁמַע רַבִּי יוֹסֵי כֵּן נְסַבֵיהוֹן וִיהֵיב יָתְהוֹן בְּחָדָא בֵּיתָא מִן דִּידֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה מְפַרְנֵס יָתְהוֹן כָּל יוֹמֵי חַיֵּיהוֹן, עַל שֵׁם (ישעיה נח, ז): וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ לֹא תִתְעַלָּם. “I will make a helper for him alongside him [kenegdo]” – if one merits, she [his wife] is a helper, but if not, she is against him [kenegdo]. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: If he merits, [his wife will be] like the wife of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥakhinai, but if not, she will be like the wife of Rabbi Yosei the HaGelili. The wife of Rabbi Yosei [HaGelili] was malicious, though she was his sister’s daughter. She would humiliate him in the presence of his students. His students said: Be rid of that malicious wife7Divorce her. who does not respect you. He said to them: Her marriage contract is too large for me, and I do not have enough [money] to be rid of her. One time he and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya were sitting and studying. When they finished, he [Rabbi Yosei] said to him: ‘Rabbi, accept my suggestion, and let us go up to my house [to eat].’ He said to him: ‘Yes, let us go up.’ When he went up, she looked downward and walked out. He saw a pot and said to her: ‘Is there anything in that pot?’ She said to him: ‘There is only relish.’ He went and opened it and found pieces of chicken. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya realized what he had heard.8He realized that Rabbi Yosei and his wife had a difficult relationship. They sat and ate. He said to him: ‘Rabbi, did she not say there was only relish? Yet we found pieces of chicken in it.’ He said to him: ‘They [came about] through a miraculous act.’ When they finished, he said to him: ‘Rabbi, be rid of that wife, because she does not act respectfully towards you.’ He said to him: ‘Her marriage contract is too large for me, and I do not have enough [money] to be rid of her.’ He said: ‘We will pay her the marriage contract, and you can be rid of her.’ They did this for him, and he was able to pay her marriage contract and be rid of her. He married a different wife, who was better than her.
The sins of that women brought about that she went and married the city watchman. Some time later, he experienced suffering9He contracted a disease. and became blind. She would hold his hand and take him around the city streets.10To beg for charity. When she reached the street of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, she stopped and turned back. Because that man knew well the [layout of the] city, he said to her: ‘Why did you not take me to the neighborhood of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, of whom I heard that he gives charity?’ She said to him: ‘I am his divorcée, and I cannot bear to see his face.’
One time, they came and called11They sought charity. in Rabbi Yosei’s neighborhood. He realized what she was doing12He sensed that she was turning around. on the first day and the second day, and then he began to hit her. Their voices were loud and audible, and they became disgraced throughout the city. Rabbi Yosei looked in the direction of their voices, and he saw them becoming disgraced in the streets. He said to him: ‘Why are you hitting her?’ He said to him: ‘Every day she causes me to lose the support [that I could take in] from this street.’ When Rabbi Yosei heard this, he took them and put them up in a house that he owned and supported them all the days of their lives, due to [the verse]: “Do not disregard your own flesh” (Isaiah 58:7).
וַיִּצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה (בראשית ב, יט), בְּעוֹן קוֹמֵי רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, כְּתִיב (בראשית א, כד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ, וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וַיִּצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, אָמַר לָהֶן לְהַלָּן לַבְּרִיאָה, וְכָאן לְכִבּוּשׁ, הֵיאַךְ מַה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים ב, יט): כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת הָאָדָם, נִמְלַךְ בְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, אָמַר לָהֶן (בראשית א, כו): נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ אָדָם זֶה מַה טִּיבוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶן חָכְמָתוֹ מְרֻבָּה מִשֶּׁלָּכֶם, הֵבִיא לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶת הַבְּהֵמָה וְאֶת הַחַיָּה וְאֶת הָעוֹף, אָמַר לָהֶם זֶה מַה שְּׁמוֹ וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין, הֶעֱבִירָן לִפְנֵי אָדָם, אָמַר לוֹ זֶה מַה שְּׁמוֹ, אָמַר זֶה שׁוֹר, זֶה חֲמוֹר, זֶה סוּס וְזֶה גַּמָּל, וְאַתָּה מַה שְּׁמֶךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֲנִי נָאֶה לְהִקָּרֵא אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרֵאתִי מִן הָאֲדָמָה, וַאֲנִי מַה שְּׁמִי, אָמַר לוֹ לְךָ נָאֶה לְהִקָרְאוֹת אֲדֹנָי, שֶׁאַתָּה אָדוֹן לְכָל בְּרִיּוֹתֶיךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲחָא (ישעיה מב, ח): אֲנִי ה' הוּא שְׁמִי, הוּא שְׁמִי שֶׁקָּרָא לִי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. חָזַר וְהֶעֱבִירָן לְפָנָיו זוּגוֹת, אָמַר לַכֹּל יֵשׁ בֶּן זוּג וְלִי אֵין בֶּן זוּג, (בראשית ב, כ): וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, אֶתְמְהָא, וְלָמָּה לֹא בְרָאָהּ לוֹ תְּחִלָּה, אֶלָּא צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לִקְרוֹת עָלֶיהָ תִּגָּר, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא בְּרָאָהּ לוֹ עַד שֶׁתְּבָעָהּ בְּפִיו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁתְּבָעָהּ, מִיָּד (בראשית ב, כא): וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה וגו'. “The Lord God formed from the ground every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens, and brought them to the man to see what he would call it; and whatever the man would call every living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19).
“The Lord God formed from the ground [every beast of the field]” – they raised a question before Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakai: It is written: “God said: Let the earth produce living creatures after their kinds” (Genesis 1:24). Why then does the verse state [here again]: “The Lord God formed [vayitzer] from the ground every beast of the field”? He said to them: There [the previous verse] it was referring to the creation [of the animals], and here it refers to domination,13He claims that “vayitzer” does not mean “God formed” the animals, but that He placed them under man’s domination. as it says: “When you besiege [tatzur] a city many days” (Deuteronomy 20:19).
Rabbi Aḥa said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create man, He consulted with the ministering angels. He said to them: “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26). They said to Him: ‘This man, what is his nature?’ He said to them: ‘His wisdom is greater than yours.’ He brought the animals, the beasts, and the birds before them and said to them: ‘What is its name of this one?’ And they did not know. He passed them before Adam and said to him: ‘What is the name of this one?’ He said: ‘This is an ox; this is a donkey; this is a horse; this is a camel.’ [He then asked:] ‘And you, what is your name?’ He said to Him: ‘It is appropriate that I be called Adam, as I was created from the ground [adama].’ [He asked further:] ‘And I, what is My name?’ He said to Him: ‘It is appropriate to call you my Lord [adonai], as You are the Lord [adon] over all your creatures.’ Rabbi Aḥa said: “I am the Lord, that is My name” (Isaiah 42:8) – that is My name that Adam the first man called Me.
He then passed them [the animals] before him in pairs. He [Adam] said: All of them have partners, but I do not have a partner – “and for the man, he did not find a helper to be alongside him” (Genesis 2:20). This is bewildering; why, in fact, did He not create her for him at the outset? The explanation is that the Holy One blessed be He foresaw that he [Adam] would complain about her in the future;14See Genesis 3:12. therefore, He did not create her until he requested her explicitly. After that, “the Lord God cast a deep slumber…” (Genesis 2:21).
וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה (בראשית ב, כא), רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר תְּחִלַּת מַפָּלָה שֵׁנָה, דָּמַךְ לֵיהּ וְלָא לָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, וְלָא עָבֵיד עֲבִידְתָּא. רַב אָמַר שָׁלשׁ תַּרְדֵמוֹת הֵן, תַּרְדֵּמַת שֵׁנָה, וְתַרְדֵּמַת נְבוּאָה, וְתַרְדֵּמַת מַרְמִיטָה. תַּרְדֵּמַת שֵׁנָה וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל הָאָדָם וַיִּישָׁן. תַּרְדֵּמַת נְבוּאָה (בראשית טו, יב): וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם. תַּרְדֵּמַת מַרְמִיטָה (שמואל א כו, יב): אֵין רֹאֶה וְאֵין יוֹדֵעַ וְאֵין מֵקִיץ כִּי כֻלָּם יְשֵׁנִים כִּי תַּרְדֵּמַת ה' נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אַף תַּרְדֵּמָה שֶׁל שְׁטוּת, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה כט, י): כִּי נָסַךְ עֲלֵיכֶם ה' רוּחַ תַּרְדֵּמָה. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר שָׁלשׁ נוֹבְלוֹת הֵן, נוֹבֶלֶת מִיתָה, שֵׁנָה. נוֹבֶלֶת נְבוּאָה, חֲלוֹם. נוֹבֶלֶת הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שַׁבָּת. רַבִּי אָבִין מוֹסִיף עוֹד תַּרְתֵּין, נוֹבֶלֶת אוֹרָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה, גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה. נוֹבֶלֶת חָכְמָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה, תּוֹרָה. “The Lord God cast a deep slumber upon the man, and he slept. He took one of his sides, and He closed it with flesh in its place [taḥtena]” (Genesis 2:21).
“The Lord God cast [hipil] a deep slumber” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The beginning of downfall [mapala] is sleep. When a person sleeps, he does not toil in Torah and does not do any work.15Too much sleep is a recipe for ruin. Hipil literally means, “He caused to fall down.”
Rav said: There are three slumbers: the slumber of sleep, the slumber of prophecy, and the slumber of a trance. The slumber of sleep – “the Lord God cast a deep slumber upon the man, and he slept.” The slumber of prophecy – “it was when the sun was setting, and a deep slumber fell upon Abram” (Genesis 15:12). The slumber of a trance – “No one saw, and no one knew, and no one awoke, as they were all asleep, because a deep slumber from the Lord had fallen upon them” (I Samuel 26:12). The Rabbis said: There is also the slumber of foolishness, as it is written: “For the Lord poured upon you a spirit of deep slumber” (Isaiah 29:10).
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: There are three microcosms; sleep is a microcosm of death; a dream is a microcosm of prophecy; Shabbat is a microcosm of the World to Come. Rabbi Avin adds another two: The orb of the sun is a microcosm of the supernal light; Torah is a microcosm of the supernal wisdom.
וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו (בראשית ב, כא), רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר מִן סִטְרוֹהִי, הֵיךְ מַה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כו, כ): וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר עִלְעָא חָדָא מִבֵּין שְׁתֵּי צַלְעוֹתָיו נָטַל, תַּחְתֶּיהָ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (בראשית ב, כא): תַּחְתֶּנָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִידֵי מִתְּחִלַּת הַסֵּפֶר וְעַד כָּאן אֵין כְּתִיב סַמֶּ"ךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּבְרֵאת נִבְרָא שָׂטָן עִמָּהּ, וְאִם יֹאמַר לְךָ אָדָם (בראשית ב, יא יג): הוּא הַסּוֹבֵב, תֹּאמַר לוֹ בִּנְהָרוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק, עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹי לְתַחְתִּיתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יְהֵא מִתְבַּזֶּה כִּבְהֵמָה. רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי יַנַּאי חַד אָמַר עָשָׂה לוֹ מִנְעָל וַאֲפִיפּוֹרִין כָּבוּשׁ עָלָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יִצְטָעֵר כְּשֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב. וְחָרָנָא אָמַר עָשָׂה לוֹ כְּסָתוֹת. רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי אַמֵּי חַד אָמַר עָשָׂה לוֹ קְבוּרָה, וְחַד אָמַר עָשָׂה לוֹ תַּכְרִיכִין. “He took one of his sides [mitzalotav]”16Mitzalotav can mean either “one of his ribs” or “one of his sides.” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: “One of his sides” – as it says: “For the side [tzela] of the Tabernacle” (Exodus 26:20). Shmuel said: He took one rib from between two [other] ribs [tzalotav].17Mitzalotav thus means “from the midst of his ribs.” It is not written here, “in its place [taḥteha],” but rather, “in their place [taḥtena].”
Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rav Idi: From the beginning of the book until this point the letter samekh18Here it appears in the word vayisgor, “and He closed it”. is not written. [The allusion is this:] When she was created, Satan was created with her.19Satan begins with the letter sin, which is pronounced like samekh. With the creation of Eve, a course of events was set into action, culminating in Eve’s committing of the first sin, and Satan is the source of all sin. If a person will say to you [in objection]: “It is that which encircles [hasovev]” (Genesis 2:11, 13), say to him [in response]: ‘Those verses are referring to the rivers.’20Our verse contains the first samekh in regard to the narrative of Creation; those samekhs were merely describing the locations of the rivers.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He made an enhancement for his bottom so that he would not be disgraced like an animal.21His anus is concealed. The Midrash interprets taḥtena as “[He closed with flesh] his bottom.”
Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Yannai: one said: He made an enclosure and a seat attached to him, so that he would not be uncomfortable when he sits. The other said: He made cushions for him.22All these refer to the buttocks, which are unique to humans.
Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Ami: one said: He made burial for him.23i> He understands the phrase to mean, “And He closed the flesh underneath [taḥtena],” that is, underground. And one said: He made shrouds for him.24He understands the phrase to mean, “And He covered up the flesh underneath [taḥtena],” that is, after death man is covered with shrouds and placed underground.
מַטְרוֹנָה אַחַת שָׁאֲלָה אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אָמְרָה לוֹ, לָמָּה בִּגְנֵבָה, אָמַר לָהּ מָשָׁל אִם הִפְקִיד אָדָם לְיָדֵךְ אוּנְקְיָא שֶׁל כֶּסֶף בַּחֲשַׁאי וְחָזַרְתְּ לֵיהּ לִטְרָא שֶׁל זָהָב בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, זוֹ גְּנֵבָה. אָמְרָה לוֹ, לָמָּה בְּמַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת, וְאָמַר לָהּ בַּתְּחִלָּה בְּרָאָהּ לוֹ, וְרָאָה אוֹתָהּ מְלֵאָה רִירִין וְדָם הִפְלִיגָהּ מִמֶּנוּ, חָזַר וּבְרָאָהּ לוֹ פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה. אָמְרָה לוֹ מוֹסֶפֶת אֲנִי עַל דְּבָרֶיךָ, אֲמוּרָה הָיִיתִי לְהִנָּשֵׂא לַאֲחִי אִמִּי, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁגָּדַלְתִּי עִמּוֹ בַּבַּיִת הִתְכַּעַרְתִּי בְּעֵינָיו, וְהָלַךְ וְנָשָׂא לוֹ אִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת וְאֵינָהּ נָאָה כָּמוֹנִי. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּחָסִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה נָשׂוּי לַחֲסִידָה אַחַת וְלֹא הֶעֱמִידוּ בָנִים זֶה מִזֶּה, אָמְרוּ אֵין אָנוּ מוֹעִילִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, עָמְדוּ וְגֵרְשׁוּ זֶה אֶת זֶה, הָלַךְ זֶה וְנָשָׂא רְשָׁעָה אַחַת וְעָשְׂתָה אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, הָלְכָה זֹאת וְנִשַּׂאת לְרָשָׁע אֶחָד וְעָשְׂתָה אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק, הֱוֵי שֶׁהַכֹּל מִן הָאִשָּׁה. A noblewoman once asked Rabbi Yosei, saying to him: ‘Why [did God create Eve as if] by theft?’25Why did He take Adam’s side or ribs away from him without first seeking his permission? He said to her: ‘The analogy is: If one deposited with you an ounce of silver in private, and you returned to him a pound of gold in public, is that theft?’26Adam received something much more valuable than what was taken from him. She said to him: ‘Why was it done in stealth?’ He said to her: ‘At first He created her for him, but he saw that she was full of viscera and blood,27Having just been taken from his body. See Bereshit Rabba 18:4. so He took her away from him. He then fashioned her a second time.’ She said to him: ‘I will add to what you said: I was intended to marry my mother’s brother, but because I grew up with him in the same house, I was unattractive in his eyes,28Because he was familiar with how I looked as a small child. and He went and married a different woman who is less pretty than I.’
It happened once that there was a certain pious man who was married to a pious woman, and they did not produce offspring together. They said: We are of no use to the Holy One blessed be He [if we remain childless]. They arose and divorced each other. He went and married a wicked woman, and she turned him wicked. She went and married a wicked man, and she turned him righteous. Thus, everything comes from the woman.29The spiritual tone of the family is set by the wife.
שָׁאֲלוּ אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִישׁ יוֹצֵא פָּנָיו לְמַטָּה, וְאִשָּׁה יוֹצֵאת פָּנֶיהָ לְמַעְלָה, אָמַר לָהֶם הָאִישׁ מַבִּיט לִמְקוֹם בְּרִיָּתוֹ, וְאִשָּׁה מַבֶּטֶת לִמְקוֹם בְּרִיָּתָהּ. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִשָּׁה צְרִיכָה לְהִתְבַּשֵּׂם וְאֵין הָאִישׁ צָרִיךְ לְהִתְבַּשֵּׂם, אָמַר לָהֶם אָדָם נִבְרָא מֵאֲדָמָה וְהָאֲדָמָה אֵינָהּ מַסְרַחַת לְעוֹלָם, וְחַוָּה נִבְרֵאת מֵעֶצֶם, מָשָׁל אִם תַּנִּיחַ בָּשָׂר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים בְּלֹא מֶלַח מִיָּד הוּא מַסְרִיחַ. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִשָּׁה קוֹלָהּ הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא הָאִישׁ, אָמַר לָהֶם מָשָׁל אִם תְּמַלֵּא קְדֵרָה בָּשָׂר אֵין קוֹלָהּ הוֹלֵךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁתִּתֵּן לְתוֹכָהּ עֶצֶם מִיָּד קוֹלָהּ הוֹלֵךְ. מִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִישׁ נוֹחַ לְהִתְפַּתּוֹת וְאֵין הָאִשָּׁה נוֹחָה לְהִתְפַּתּוֹת, אָמַר לָהֶן אָדָם נִבְרָא מֵאֲדָמָה וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן עָלֶיהָ טִפָּה שֶׁל מַיִם מִיָּד הִיא נִשְׁרֵית, וְחַוָּה נִבְרֵאת מֵעֶצֶם וַאֲפִלּוּ אַתָּה שׁוֹרֶה אוֹתוֹ כַּמָּה יָמִים בַּמַּיִם אֵינוֹ נִשְׁרֶה. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִישׁ תּוֹבֵעַ בְּאִשָּׁה וְאֵין הָאִשָּׁה תּוֹבַעַת בְּאִישׁ, אָמַר לָהֶן מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאֶחָד שֶׁאָבַד אֲבֵדָה הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ אֲבֵדָתוֹ וַאֲבֵדָתוֹ אֵינָהּ מְבַקְשַׁתּוֹ. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִישׁ מַפְקִיד זֶרַע בָּאִשָּׁה וְאֵין הָאִשָּׁה מַפְקֶדֶת זֶרַע בָּאִישׁ, אָמַר לָהֶם דּוֹמֶה לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדוֹ פִּקָּדוֹן וּמְבַקֵּשׁ אָדָם נֶאֱמָן שֶׁיַּפְקִידֶנוּ אֶצְלוֹ. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָאִישׁ יוֹצֵא רֹאשׁוֹ מְגֻלֶּה וְהָאִשָּׁה רֹאשָׁהּ מְכֻסֶּה, אָמַר לָהֶן לְאֶחָד שֶׁעָבַר עֲבֵרָה וְהוּא מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם, לְפִיכָךְ יוֹצֵאת וְרֹאשָׁהּ מְכֻסֶּה. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הֵן מְהַלְּכוֹת אֵצֶל הַמֵּת תְּחִלָּה, אָמַר לָהֶם עַל יְדֵי שֶׁגָּרְמוּ מִיתָה לָעוֹלָם, לְפִיכָךְ הֵן מְהַלְּכוֹת אֵצֶל הַמֵּת תְּחִלָּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב כא, לג): וְאַחֲרָיו כָּל אָדָם יִמְשׁוֹךְ. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נִתַּן לָהּ מִצְוַת נִדָּה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁשָּׁפְכָה דָּמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, לְפִיכָךְ נִתַּן לָהּ מִצְוַת נִדָּה. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נִתַּן לָהּ מִצְוַת חַלָּה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁקִּלְקְלָה אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיָה גְּמַר חַלָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לְפִיכָךְ נִתַּן לָהּ מִצְוַת חַלָּה. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נִתַּן לָהּ מִצְוַת נֵר שַׁבָּת, אָמַר לָהֶן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁכִּבְּתָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, לְפִיכָךְ נִתַּן לָהּ מִצְוַת נֵר שַׁבָּת. They asked Rabbi Yehoshua: ‘Why does a male emerge [from the womb] face down, while a female emerges face up?’ He said to them: ‘The male looks to the place of his creation30The earth. and the female looks to the place of her creation.’31The body. ‘Why do women have a need to perfume themselves, but men do not need to perfume themselves?’ He said to them: ‘Man was created from the ground, and the ground never becomes malodorous, while Eve was created from a bone. The analogy is: If you leave meat for three days without salting it, it will immediately spoil.’ ‘Why does a woman have a voice that carries far away, whereas a man does not?’ He said to them: ‘If you fill a pot with meat, it does not make a loud sound [as it boils], but if you place a bone in it, immediately it will make a loud sound.’ ‘Why is a man easily persuaded, but the woman is not easily persuaded?’ He said to them: ‘Man was created from soil, and once you put a drop of water on it, it immediately becomes drenched. Eve was created from a bone, which, even if you soak it in water for several days, does not become drenched.’
‘Why is it that the man propositions the woman but the woman does not proposition the man?’ He said to them: ‘To what is the matter analogous? To one who lost an item; he seeks his lost item, but his lost item does not seek him.’32Adam’s rib (or side) is the “lost” item that he seeks to retrieve. ‘Why is it that the man deposits seed in the woman, and the woman does not deposit seed in the man?’33And the man would be the one to gestate and bear children. He said to them: ‘It is comparable to one who has in his possession an object he needed to deposit for safekeeping, and he seeks a reliable person with whom he can deposit it.’34The woman’s body, unlike that of the man, is shaped in a manner that makes her belly a suitable place for a fetus to grow. ‘Why do men go out [sometimes] with their heads uncovered, but a woman’s head is always covered?’ He said to them: ‘It is analogous to one who committed a transgression and is ashamed in front of people. That is why she goes out [only] with her head covered.’35Eve was the one who sinned first by eating the forbidden fruit. ‘Why do women walk in front of the dead [in a funeral procession]?’ He said to them: ‘It is because they caused death to exist in the world; that is why they walk in front of the dead.’ That is what is written: “Following him36A dead person. are all men, [and before him, those without number]” (Job 21:33).37The men follow the bier, while the women go in front. Women are called “those without number” because they are not counted in the Torah’s censuses.
‘Why were the laws involving menstruation given to her?’ ‘It is because she spilled the blood of Adam the first man; that is why she was given the laws involving menstruation.’ ‘Why was the mitzva of ḥalla38The separation of a portion of dough for the priest. given to her?’39See Mishna Shabbat 2:6. ‘It is because she brought ruin upon Adam the first man, who was the ḥalla at the completion of the world;40See Bereshit Rabba 14:1. that is why the mitzva of ḥalla was given to her.’ ‘Why was the mitzva of the Shabbat candle given to her?’ He said to them: ‘It is because she extinguished the [eternal] soul of Adam the first man; that is why the mitzva of the Shabbat candle was given to her.’