(כה) וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֖א יִתְבֹּשָֽׁשׁוּ׃
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they felt no shame.
(א) וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה ה׳ אֱלֹקִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
(1) Now the serpent was craftier than all the beasts of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Has God said, You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
(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 אֲכׇלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹקִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃
(2) And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
(3) but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
(4) And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die:
(5) for God knows that on the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
(ו) וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃
(6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.
(ז)וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃
(7)And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loincloths.
(א) הַחוֹבֵל בַּחֲבֵרוֹ חַיָּב עָלָיו מִשּׁוּם חֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים, בְּנֶזֶק, בְּצַעַר, בְּרִפּוּי, בְּשֶׁבֶת, וּבְבֹשֶׁת. (...)
בֹּשֶׁת, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַמְבַיֵּשׁ וְהַמִּתְבַּיֵּשׁ. הַמְבַיֵּשׁ אֶת הֶעָרֹם, הַמְבַיֵּשׁ אֶת הַסּוּמָא, וְהַמְבַיֵּשׁ אֶת הַיָּשֵׁן, חַיָּב. וְיָשֵׁן שֶׁבִּיֵּשׁ, פָּטוּר. נָפַל מִן הַגָּג, וְהִזִּיק וּבִיֵּשׁ, חַיָּב עַל הַנֶּזֶק וּפָטוּר עַל הַבֹּשֶׁת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כה) וְשָׁלְחָה יָדָהּ וְהֶחֱזִיקָה בִּמְבֻשָׁיו, אֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַל הַבֹּשֶׁת עַד שֶׁיְהֵא מִתְכַּוֵּן:
(1)One who injures another is liable to pay compensation for that injury due to five types of indemnity: He must pay for damage, for pain, for medical costs, for loss of livelihood, and for humiliation.(...)
How is payment for humiliation assessed?
It all depends on the stature of the one who humiliates the other and the one who is humiliated.One who humiliates a naked person, or one who humiliates a blind person, or one who humiliates a sleeping person is liable, but a sleeping person who humiliates another is exempt.
If one fell from the roof onto another person, and thereby caused him damage and humiliated him, then the one who fell is liable for the indemnity of damage, since a person is always considered forewarned, and exempt from the indemnity of humiliation, as it is stated: “and putting out her hand, she takes hold of his private parts” (Deuteronomy 25:11); a person is not liable for humiliation unless he intends to humiliate the other person.
(ו) הַתּוֹקֵעַ לַחֲבֵרוֹ, נוֹתֵן לוֹ (...)
זֶה הַכְּלָל הַכֹּל לְפִי כְבוֹדוֹ.
אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אֲפִילוּ עֲנִיִּים שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, רוֹאִין אוֹתָם כְּאִלּוּ הֵם בְּנֵי חוֹרִין שֶׁיָּרְדוּ מִנִּכְסֵיהֶם, שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם, יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב.
וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁפָּרַע רֹאשׁ הָאִשָּׁה בַּשּׁוּק, בָּאת לִפְנֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, וְחִיְּבוֹ לִתֵּן לָהּ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת זוּז. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי, תֶּן לִי זְמַן. וְנָתַן לוֹ זְמַן. שְׁמָרָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת עַל פֶּתַח חֲצֵרָהּ וְשָׁבַר אֶת הַכַּד בְּפָנֶיהָ, וּבוֹ כְּאִסָּר שֶׁמֶן. גִּלְּתָה אֶת רֹאשָׁהּ, וְהָיְתָה מְטַפַּחַת וּמַנַּחַת יָדָהּ עַל רֹאשָׁהּ. הֶעֱמִיד עָלֶיהָ עֵדִים, וּבָא לִפְנֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. אָמַר לוֹ, רַבִּי, לָזוֹ אֲנִי נוֹתֵן אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת זוּז. אָמַר לוֹ, לֹא אָמַרְתָּ כְּלוּם.
הַחוֹבֵל בְּעַצְמוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי, פָּטוּר.
אֲחֵרִים שֶׁחָבְלוּ בּוֹ, חַיָּבִין.
(6) One who strikes another must give him (...)
This is the principle of assessing payment for humiliation caused to another: It is all evaluated in accordance with the honor of the one who was humiliated, as the Gemara will explain.
Rabbi Akiva said: Even with regard to the poor among the Jewish people, they are viewed as though they were freemen who lost their property and were impoverished. And their humiliation is calculated according to this status, as they are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and are all of prominent lineage.
A story: And an incident occurred involving one who uncovered the head of a woman in the marketplace, and the woman came before Rabbi Akiva to request that he render the assailant liable to pay for the humiliation that she suffered, and Rabbi Akiva rendered the assailant liable to give her four hundred dinars. The man said to Rabbi Akiva: My teacher, give me time to pay the penalty, and Rabbi Akiva gave him time. The man then waited for her until she was standing by the opening of her courtyard, and he broke a jug in front of her, and there was the value of about an issar of oil inside the jug. The woman then exposed her own head and she was wetting [metapaḥat] her hand in the oil, and placing her hand on her head to make use of the oil. The man set up witnesses to observe her actions, and he came before Rabbi Akiva, and he said to him: Will I give four hundred dinars to this woman for having uncovered her head? By uncovering her head for a minimal benefit, she has demonstrated that this does not cause her humiliation. Rabbi Akiva said to him: You did not say anything, i.e., this claim will not exempt you.
One who injures himself, although it is not permitted for him to do so, is nevertheless exempt from any sort of penalty, but others who injured him are liable to pay him. In this case as well, the man was liable to compensate the woman for shaming her, despite the fact that she did the same to herself.
תַּנְיָא: ״בַּעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם״ — זוֹ בּוּשָׁה. ״לְבִלְתִּי תֶחֱטָאוּ״ — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַבּוּשָׁה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי יִרְאַת חֵטְא. מִיכָּן אָמְרוּ: סִימָן יָפֶה בְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא בַּיְישָׁן. אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: כׇּל אָדָם הַמִּתְבַּיֵּישׁ, לֹא בִּמְהֵרָה הוּא חוֹטֵא. וּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בּוֹשֶׁת פָּנִים — בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁלֹּא עָמְדוּ אֲבוֹתָיו עַל הַר סִינַי.
§ It is taught in a baraita: “That His fear may be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17); this is referring to shame, as shame causes one to blush. “That you not sin” (Exodus 20:17) teaches that shame leads to fear of sin. From here the Sages said: It is a good sign in a person that he is one who experiences shame. Others say: Any person who experiences shame will not quickly sin, and conversely, one who does not have the capacity to be shamefaced, it is known that his forefathers did not stand at Mount Sinai.
(ה)כָּל הַנּוֹהֵג מִנְהָג זֶה לֹא דַּי לוֹ שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ נַפְשׁוֹ וְטִהֵר עַצְמוֹ וְתִקֵּן דֵּעוֹתָיו אֶלָּא שֶׁאִם הָיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים יִהְיוּ נָאִים וּבַיְשָׁנִים רְאוּיִין לְחָכְמָה וְלַחֲסִידוּת. וְכָל הַנּוֹהֵג בְּמִנְהֲגוֹת שְׁאָר הָעָם הַהוֹלְכִים בַּחשֶׁךְ יִהְיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים כְּמוֹ אוֹתָם הָעָם:
(Moshe ben Maimon, Maimonides, Cordoba ca. 1135 - 1104 Cario)
(5) He who follows such conduct will not only sanctify his sould, and live in a state of purity, and improve his ideas, but if he will father children they will be refined and modest, prepared for wisdom and piety; but he who follows the conduct of the rest of the people who walk in darkness will father children in their likeness.
ובושת פנים ממוצע בין העזות והביישנות (פי' נראה מדברי רבותי' ז"ל שביישן אצלם הוא מי שיש לו רוב בושת, ובוש פנים הוא הממוצע מאמרם לא הביישן למד, ולא אמרו אין בוש פנים, ואמרו בוש פנים לגן עדן, ולא אמרו הביישן לגן עדן, ולזה סדרתים כך), וכן שאר, לא יצטרכו לשמות מונחות להם כשיהיו הענינים מובנים בהכרח:
(Moshe ben Maimon, Maimonides, Cordoba ca. 1135 - 1104 Cario)
And shyness (bashfulness) is the mean between impudence and embarassedness.
(The explanation of these latter terms, gleaned from the sayings of our sages (my their memory be blessed!) seems to be this. In their opinion, a man who experiences shame is one who is very bashful, and therefore "shamefacedness" is the mean.
This we gather from their saying (Pirke Avot 2:5), "a shamefaced man cannot learn".
They also assert (Pirke Avot 5:20) "one who has shame of face is worthy of Paradise", but they do not say this of a shamefaced man. Therefore, I have thus arranged them.)
רשב״א על יבמות קי״ד אאבלמפנישטבען של ישראל נח יותר משום דרגילי במצות והם רחמנים וביישנים בטבע, אף חלבן מגדל טבע כיוצא בהן. וז"ש במשה שלא רצה לינק מחלב הנכרית כמו שהוא באגדה .
Rashba (Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet, Barcelona (1235–1310)) on Yevamot 114a:4
Because the nature of Israel is more pleasant, because they are accustomed to do mitzvot and they area naturally merciful and capable of shame, even their milk raises a nature like them, and this is why it says about Moshe that he didn't want to suck the milk of a gentile womand, as it says in aggadah.
כלי יקרויתן על פניו מסוה. לפי שהיו הכל מסתכלין בו ומשה היה עניו גדול וביישן, והיה מתבייש על שמסתכלין בקירון עור פניו כי כך היא המדה בכל מי שהוא ביישן ע"כ נתן על פניו מסוה לכסות עינים אבל בבואו לפני ה׳ ללמוד תורה מפיו אז הוצרך להסיר מסוה הבושה מעל פניו כי לא הביישן למד (אבות ב ו) לכך נאמר ובבא משה לפני ה׳ לדבר אתו יסיר המסוה עד צאתו.
Kli Yakar (Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 - 1619, Poland)
on Exodus 34:33He placed a cover over his face. Moshe, in his great humility, was embarrassed when people gaped at the radiance of his face. But whenever he received instruction from God he was required to remove it, in keeping with the Sages’ principle that one who is prone to shame cannot learn (Pirkei Avos 2:5).
ישמח משה ,כי תצא י״ח
שאמרו רז"ל שיש באומה זו ביישנים רחמנים גומלי חסדים, הוא משום שיש לישראל דביקות יותר להבורא יתברך מכל הברואים ושוכן ביניהם, כאמור ושכנתי בתוך בני ישראל, על כן יש להם השפעה יותר מכל הברואים ממדותיו יתברך, וביישנים...הוא שורש ענוה, כי העזות היפך הביישן, וק"ל.
Yismach Moshe (Moshe Teitelbaum, Satmar Chassid, Hungary1759 – 17July 1841) on Ki Teitzei 18
The intent is to say that there are in this nation those who experience shame, and those with mercy, and those who perform deeds of lovingkindness, and this is because Israel cleaves more closely to God, may He be blessed, than any other creatures, and dwells among them, as it says, "I shall dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel." They therefore have greater influence than other creatures from His qualities, may He be blessed. And to experience shame...
this is the root of modesty, since harshness is the opposite of experiencing shame.
תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃
The poor man speaks beseechingly;The rich man’s answer is harsh.
[גְּמָ׳] תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר אוֹמֵר: מִשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בּוֹשׁוּ חֲבֵרִים וּבְנֵי חוֹרִין, וְחָפוּ רֹאשָׁם, וְנִדַּלְדְּלוּ אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה, וְגָבְרוּ בַּעֲלֵי זְרוֹעַ וּבַעֲלֵי לָשׁוֹן, וְאֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ וְאֵין מְבַקֵּשׁ וְאֵין שׁוֹאֵל,
GEMARA:The Sages taught: Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir says: From the time when the Second Temple was destroyed, the ḥaverim and free men of noble lineage were ashamed, and their heads were covered in shame, and men of action dwindled, and violent and smooth-talking men gained the upper hand, and none seek, and none ask, and none inquire of the fear of Heaven.
תָּנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר: מִפְּנֵי מָה נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן עַזִּין. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: ״מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ״. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רְאוּיִין הַלָּלוּ שֶׁתִּנָּתֵן לָהֶם דָּת אֵשׁ.
It is taughtin the name of Rabbi Meir: For what reason was the Torah given to the Jewish people? It is because they are impudent, and Torah study will weaken and humble them (Rashi ad. loc.). A Sage of the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught the following with regard to the verse: “From His right hand went a fiery law for them” (Deuteronomy 33:2); The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Based on their nature and character, these people, the Jews, are fit to be given a fiery law, a hard and scorching faith.
כְּמוֹ כֵן, מִי שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ שָׁפָל וְנִבְזֶה וְאֵין בּוֹ שׁוּם עַזּוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, אֵין לוֹ גַּם־כֵּן חֵלֶק בַּתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ביצה כה:): מִפְּנֵי מָה נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן עַזִּין. כִּי צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ עַזּוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות פ"ה): הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר.
(Nachman of Breslov, 1772 - 1810, Ukraine)
Likewise, a man who is lowly and abject, without any holy boldness, also has no share in the Torah. As our Sages teach: Why was the Torah given to Israel? Because they are bold (Beitzah 25b). For it is necessary to possesses holy boldness. As our Sages teach: Be bold as a leopard (Avot 5:20).
The midrash follows these three abstract examples with a more specific story, set among rabbis in the early second century CE.
(...) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָזַל לְחַד אֲתַר אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ פְּרֹס עַל שְׁמַע, אָמַר לָהֶן לֵינָא חָכֵם עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה. אָמַר לָהֶן לֵינָא חָכֵם, אָמְרִין דֵּין הוּא רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דֵּין הוּא דְּאַתּוּן מִתְגַּלְגְּלִין בֵּיהּ, עַל מַגָּן צָוְוחִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי. נִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָנָיו וְהָלַךְ לוֹ אֵצֶל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רַבּוֹ, אָמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה פָנֶיךָ חוֹלָנִיּוֹת, תָּנֵי לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ צָבֵי מָרִי דְּיֵלִיף, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, אִלְפֵיהּ. לְבָתַר יוֹמִין אָזַל לְהַהוּא אַתְרָא, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ פְּרֹס עַל שְׁמַע, פָּרַס. עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, עָבַר. אָמְרִין אִתְחַסַּם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְקוֹרִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חִסְמָא.
(...) Rabbi Elazar went to a certain place. They said to him: ‘Recite the blessings before Shema.’
He said to them: ‘I am not well-versed.’ ‘Pass before the ark.’ He said to them: ‘I am not well-versed.’
They said: ‘Is this Rabbi Elazar? Is this the one in whom you take pride? It is for naught that they call him rabbi.’
He turned pale and he went to his teacher Rabbi Akiva.
[Rabbi Akiva] said to him: ‘Why does your face look ill?’ He related the incident to him and he said to him: ‘Would my master like to teach me?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He taught him. Some time later, and he went to that place. They said to him: ‘Recite the blessings before Shema.’ He recited them. ‘Pass before the ark.’ He passed.
They said: ‘Rabbi Elazar has been fortified,’ and they called him Rabbi Elazar the strong.
