1In the beginning of God’s creation of heaven and earth— |
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אבְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ: |
בְּרֵאשִׁית - in the beginning of. Rabbi Yitzchak said: The Torah, which primarily teaches God’s commandments, need only have begun with the verse: “This month must be for you the beginning of the months,” which is the first commandment given to the people of Israel. For what reason, then, does it begin with the Book of Genesis? Because it wishes to communicate the concept expressed in the verse: “He has declared the power of His deeds (i.e., an account of Creation) to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations” – for if the nations of the world were to say to the people of Israel, “You are bandits because you conquered the lands of the seven nations of Canaan,” they would answer them, “The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whom He saw fit. When He wanted, He gave this land to them, and subsequently when He wanted, He took it away from them and gave it to us.” |
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בְּרֵאשִׁית.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק לֹֹֹֹֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא מֵהַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בָּהּ יִשׂרָאֵל, וּמַה טַּעַם פָּתַח בִּבְרֵאשִׁית? מִשׁוּם כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָהֶם נַחֲלַת גּוֹיִם (תהילים קי"א), שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְיִשְׁרָאֵל לִסְטִים אַתֶּם, שֶׁכְּבַשְׁתֶּם אַרְצוֹת שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם, הֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם כָּל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִיא, הוּא בְרָאָהּ וּנְתָנָהּ לַאֲשֶׁר יָשַׁר בְּעֵינָיו, בִּרְצוֹנוֹ נְתָנָהּ לָהֶם, וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ נְטָלָהּ מֵהֶם וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ:
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בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא - (lit.) In the beginning of…[God] created.
This verse calls out for an explanation, as indeed our rabbis explained it: God created the world for the sake of the Torah, which is called “the beginning of (רֵאשִׁית) His way,” and for the sake of Israel, who are called “the first of (רֵאשִׁית) His produce.” If, however, you wish to explain it according to its plain meaning, explain it as follows: In the beginning of creation of heaven and earth, when the earth was astonishingly void, with darkness…God said, “Let there be light.”
Scripture does not intend to teach us the order of Creation by stating that heaven and earth were created first, for if it intended to point this out, it should have written: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה בָּרָא אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו׳ “At first God created heaven…,” since whenever the word רֵאשִׁית occurs in Scripture it is only the construct form, as in, “In the beginning of (בְּרֵאשִׁית) the kingdom of Yehoyakim”; “the beginning of (רֵאשִׁית) his kingdom”; “the first part of (רֵאשִׁית) your grain.” Therefore, here, too, you must translate בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים וגו׳ as if it read בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרוֹא “at the beginning of God’s creating.” A similar grammatical construction, with a noun in the construct form followed by a verb, is תְּחִלַת דִּבֶּר ה׳ בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ, which means “At the beginning of God’s speaking with Hosea… God said to Hosea.”
You may suggest that Scripture is in fact pointing out that heaven and earth were created first, and its meaning is: “In the beginning of everything He created these,” thus combining the construct form with an assumed genitive word, “everything.” The omission of the word “everything” could be explained by the rule that there are verses which are elliptical, omitting a word, as we find: “for He did not close the doors of my mother’s womb,” where it does not state who is the one who did not close; and like: “He will carry away the spoil of Damascus,” where it does not state who will carry it away; and like: “Would he plow with cattle?” where it does not state: “Would a man plow with cattle?”; and: “Who foretells at the beginning, the end,” where it does not explicitly state: Who foretells at the beginning of the matter, the end of the matter. But if this were indeed so, that Scripture is telling us that heaven and earth were created first, you should ask yourself, “How could this be?” for in fact water was created beforehand, as it is written in the following verse: “and God’s spirit hovered over the surface of the water,” even though Scripture had not yet mentioned that water was created, from which we can infer that the creation of water preceded that of the earth. Furthermore, heaven was created from fire and water, proving that water existed beforehand. You must therefore admit that the Torah here teaches nothing about the sequence of Creation.
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בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא.
אֵין הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא דָּרְשֵׁנִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדְּרָשׁוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בִּשְׁבִיל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ (משלי ח'), וּבִשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִקְרְאוּ רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתוֹ (ירמיה ב'); וְאִם בָּאתָ לְפָרְשׁוֹ כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וְלֹא בָא הַמִּקְרָא לְהוֹרוֹת סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵלּוּ קָדְמוּ, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְהוֹרוֹת כָּךְ, הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה בָּרָא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' שֶׁאֵין לְךָ רֵאשִׁית בַּמִּקְרָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָבוּק לַתֵּבָה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו, כְּמוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית מַמְלֶכֶת יְהוֹיָקִים (שׁם כ"ז), רֵאשִׁית מַמְלַכְתּוֹ (בראשית י'), רֵאשִׁית דְּגָנְךָ (דברים י"ח, ד'), – אַף כָּאן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', כְּמוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרֹא; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ תְּחִלַּת דִּבֶּר ה' בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ (הושע א'), כְּלוֹמַר תְּחִלַת דִּבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל הוֹשֵׁעַ וְגוֹ'. וְאִם תֹּאמַר לְהוֹרוֹת בָּא שֶׁאֵלּוּ תְּחִלָּה נִבְרְאוּ, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית הַכֹּל בָּרָא אֵלוּ – וְֵישׁ לְךָ מִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁמְּקַצְּרִים לְשׁוֹנָם וּמְמַעֲטִים תֵּבָה אַחַת, כְּמוֹ כִּי לֹא סָגַר דַּלְתֵי בִטְנִי (איוב ג'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הַסּוֹגֵר וּכְמוֹ יִשָּׂא אֶת חֵיל דַּמֶּשֶׂק (ישעיהו ח'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי יִשָּׂאֶנּוּ; וּכְמוֹ אִם יַחֲרוֹשׁ בַּבְּקָרִים (עמוס ו'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ אִם יַחֲרוֹשׁ אָדָם בַּבְּקָרִים, וּכְמוֹ מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית (ישעיהו מ"ו), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית דָּבָר אַחֲרִית דָּבָר – אִם כֵּן, תְּמַהּ עַל עַצְמְךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַמַּיִם קָדְמוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם, וְעַדַיִין לֹא גִלָּה הַמִּקְרָא, בְּרִיאַת הַמַּיִם מָתַי הָיְתָה, הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁקָּדְמוּ הַמַּיִם לָאָרֶץ, וְעוֹד, שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם מֵאֵשׁ וּמַיִם נִבְרְאוּ, עַל כָּרְחֲךָ לֹא לִמֵּד הַמִּקְרָא סֵדֶר הַמֻּקְדָמִים וְהַמְאֻחָרִים כְּלוּם:
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בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים - God’s creation. It does not say: בָּרָא יהוה “God’s creating,” for originally God intended to create the world to exist entirely with the Order of Justice. He realized however that the world could not endure under such conditions, so He gave precedence to the Order of Mercy and allied it to the Order of Justice. Thus it is written: “On the day that God (signifying the Order of Mercy), God (signifying the Order of Justice), made earth and heaven.” |
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בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים.
וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּרָא ה', שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה עָלָה בְמַחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרֹאתוֹ בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּם, הִקְדִּים מִדַּת רַחֲמִים וְשִׁתְּפָהּ לְמִידַת הַדִּין, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם:
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2when the earth was astonishingly void, with darkness over the surface of the abyss, i.e., the water, and God’s spirit hovered over the surface of the water— |
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בוְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָֽיְתָ֥ה תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְח֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם: |
תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ - Astonishingly void. תֹּהוּ signifies “astonishment and amazement,” implying that a person seeing the world in this state would be astonished (תּוֹהֶה) and amazed at its emptiness (בֹּהוּ). |
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תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ.
תֹּהוּ לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ וְשִׁמָּמוֹן, שֶׁאָדָם תּוֹהֵא וּמִשְׁתּוֹמֵם עַל בֹּהוּ שֶׁבָּהּ:
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תֹהוּ - “estordison” in Old French (“astonishment”). |
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תֹהוּ.
אשטורדי"שון בְּלַעַ"ז:
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בֹהוּ - An expression of emptiness and desolation. |
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בֹהוּ.
לְשׁוֹן רֵקוּת וְצָדוּ:
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עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם - Over the surface of the abyss. This means over the surface of the water which is on the earth. |
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עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם.
עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ:
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וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת - And God’s spirit hovered. The Throne of Divine Glory was standing in space and hovering over the surface of the water by means of the breath of the Holy One, blessed be He, and through His utterance, like a dove hovers over its nest; “acoveter” in Old French (“to hover over”). |
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וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת.
כִּסֵא הַכָּבוֹד עוֹמֵד בָּאֲוִיר וּמְרַחֵף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם בְּרוּחַ פִּיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבְמַאֲמָרוֹ, כְּיוֹנָה הַמְרַחֶפֶת עַל הַקֵּן, אקוב"טיר בְּלַעַ"ז:
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3God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. |
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גוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִי־א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר: |
4God saw that the light was good, so God separated between the light and the darkness. |
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דוַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֽשֶׁךְ: |
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל - God saw that the light was good, so [God] separated. Here, too, we require words of aggadah to explain why the goodness of the light led to separation: He saw that the wicked were not worthy of using the light, and so He set it aside for the righteous in the World to Come. According to the plain sense, however, explain it as follows: He saw that it was good, and it was not appropriate that light and darkness should function together in a random manner, so He assigned this one’s sphere of activity to the day, and the other’s sphere of activity to the night. |
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וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל.
אַף בָּזֶה אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְדִבְרֵי אַגַּדָה, רָאָהוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְדַאי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵשׁ בּוֹ רְשָׁעִים, וְהִבְדִּילוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ, רָאָהוּ כִּי טוֹב, וְאֵין נָאֶה לוֹ וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְקָבַע לָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּיּוֹם, וְלָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה:
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5God called to the light and assigned it to the day, and He called to the darkness and assigned it to the night. Thus, there was first nightfall followed by the rest of the night, and then morning followed by the rest of the day, together constituting one full day. |
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הוַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַח֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד: |
יוֹם אֶחָֽד - one day. According to the subsequent style of the chapter it should have written here: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן “the first day,” just as it is written regarding the other days: “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. Why then does it write “one”? It is in order to convey that the Holy One, blessed be He, was then the sole being in His universe, for the angels were not created until the second day. So it is explained in Bereshit Rabbah. |
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יוֹם אֶחָֽד.
לְפִי סֵדֶר לְשׁוֹן הַפָּרָשָׁה הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּשְׁאָר הַיָּמִים שֵׁנִי, שְׁלִישִׁי, רְבִיעִי, לָמָּה כָתַב אֶחָד? לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָחִיד בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, שֶׁלֹא נִבְרְאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים עַד יוֹם שֵׁנִי, כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
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6God said, “Let there be a sky in the midst of the water, and it will separate between atmospheric water and ocean water.” |
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ווַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יְהִ֥י רָקִ֖יעַ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַמָּ֑יִם וִיהִ֣י מַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין מַ֖יִם לָמָֽיִם: |
יְהִי רָקִיעַ - Let there be a sky - means: “Let the sky be strengthened.” For although heaven was created on the first day, it was still in a fluid form and only became solidified on the second day, at the reprimand of the Holy One, blessed be He, when He said, “Let there be a sky.” This is to what the following verse refers: “The pillars of heaven were shaky” – throughout the first day, and on the second day – “they were astonished at His reprimand” – like a man who stands immovable, shocked at the rebuke of one who terrifies him. |
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יְהִי רָקִיעַ.
יֶחֱזַק הָרָקִיעַ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם בְּיוֹם א' עֲדַיִן לַחִים הָיוּ וְקָרְשׁוּ בַשֵּׁנִי מִגַּעֲרַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאָמְרוֹ יְהִי רָקִיעַ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתַב (איוב כ"ו) עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ – כָּל יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וּבַשֵּׁנִי יִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם וְעוֹמֵד מִגַּעֲרַת הַמְאַיֵּם עָלָיו:
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בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם - in the midst of the water - means: “in the center of the water,” for there is the same distance between the upper water and the sky as there is between the sky and the water on the earth. You can thus infer that the upper water is suspended in space by the command of the King. |
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בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם.
בְּאֶמְצַע הַמַּיִם, שֶׁיֵּש הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מַיִם הָעֶליוֹנִים לָרָקִיעַ כְּמוֹ בֵין הָרָקִיעַ לַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ, הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁהֵם תְּלוּיִים בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:
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7So God positioned the sky, and thus separated the water below the sky from the water above the sky. And so it was. |
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זוַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֘ אֶת־הָֽרָקִיעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֨יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָֽרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָֽרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן: |
וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽרָקִיעַ - (lit.) God made the sky - means: He placed it in its correct position, and this was “the making of it.” Similarly we find: “and she will let grow (וְעָשְׂתָה – lit., “make”) her nails.” |
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וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽרָקִיעַ.
תִּקְּנוֹ עַל עָמְדוֹ, וְהִיא עֲשִׂיָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ וְעָשְׂתָה אֶת צִפָּרְנֶיהָ (דברים כ"א):
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מֵעַל לָֽרָקִיעַ - above the sky. It does not say here עַל הָרָקִיעַ “upon the sky,” but מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ “above the sky,” for the upper water is suspended in space. And why does it not say “it was good” concerning what was created on the second day as it does concerning the other days? For the work associated with water was not completed until the third day, since God had only begun it on the second day, and something incomplete is not in a state of perfection and at its best to be termed “it is good.” However on the third day, when the work associated with water was completed and He began and completed other work, the phrase כִּי טוֹב “it was good” is written twice, once for the completion of the work of the second day, and again for the completion of that day’s work. |
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מֵעַל לָֽרָקִיעַ.
עַל הָרָקִיעַ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיִין בָּאֲוִיר. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּי טוֹב בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי? לְפִי שֶׁלֹא הָיָה נִגְמָר מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם עַד יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי, וַהֲרֵי הִתְחִיל בָּהּ בְּשֵׁנִי, וְדָבָר שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמַר אֵינוֹ בִּמְלוֹאוֹ וְטוּבוֹ; וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁנִּגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם וְהִתְחִיל וְגָמַר מְלָאכָה אֲחֶרֶת, כָּפַל בּוֹ כִּי טוֹב שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים, אַחַת לִגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַשֵּׁנִי וְאַחַת לִגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַיּוֹם:
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8God called the sky “Heaven.” There was nightfall followed by the rest of the night, and morning followed by the rest of the day, together constituting a second day. |
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חוַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שֵׁנִֽי: |
וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָֽרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם - God called the sky “heaven.”. The word שָׁמָיִם “heaven” is made up of the words: שָׂא מַיִם “carry water”; שָׁם מַיִם “over there is water”; and אֵשׁ וּמַיִם “fire and water,” which He mixed together and from them made heaven. |
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וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָֽרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם.
שָׂא מַיִם, שָׁם מַיִם, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, שֶׁעֵרְבָן זֶה בָזֶה וְעָשָׂה מֵהֶם שָׁמַיִם:
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9God said, “Let the water below the heaven be gathered to one place, the oceans, so dry land should be seen,” and so it was. |
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טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִקָּו֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם מִתַּ֤חַת הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ אֶל־מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וְתֵֽרָאֶ֖ה הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן: |
יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם - let the water be gathered. For at first they were spread over the surface of the whole earth, and God gathered them into the ocean, the largest sea of all the seas. |
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יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם.
שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּחִין עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וְהִקְוָם בָּאוֹקְיָנוֹס הוּא הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכָל הַיַּמִּים:
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10God called the dry land “Earth,” and He called the gathering of water “Seas.” God saw that it was good. |
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יוַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב: |
קָרָא יַמִּים - he called “seas.”. But is it not only one great sea, as explained in the previous verse? However, the reason it is termed “seas” is because the taste of fish that come up from the sea at Akko is not like the taste of the same kind of fish that come up from the sea at Aspamia. |
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קָרָא יַמִּים.
וַהֲלֹא יָם אֶחָד הוּא? אֶלָּא אֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה טַעַם דָּג הָעוֹלֶה מִן הַיָּם בְּעַכּוֹ לְטַעַם דָּג הָעוֹלֶה מִן הַיָּם בְּאַסְפַּמְיָא:
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11God said, “Let the earth begin to sprout vegetation underground: seed-bearing plants and trees whose bark tastes the same as its fruit that produce fruits with seeds according to their species, on the earth.” And so it was. |
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יאוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ דֶּ֗שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן: |
תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב - let the earth sprout vegetation: plants. דֶּשֶׁא cannot be termed עֵשֶׂב, nor can עֵשֶׂב be termed דֶּשֶׁא; and it would not be a correct expression of Biblical Hebrew to say: תַּעֲשִׂיב הָאָרֶץ, for the different species of vegetation are each individually called this or that עֵשֶׂב, but it is not linguistically correct for someone to say “this or that דֶּשֶׁא,” for the word דֶּשֶׁא is a general term meaning the state of the ground being covered fully with vegetation. |
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תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב.
לֹא דֶּשֶׁא לְשׁוֹן עֵשֶׂב וְלֹא עֵשֶׂב לְשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא, וְלֹא הָיָה לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא לוֹמַר תַּעֲשִׂיב הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁמִינֵי דְּשָׁאִים מְחֻלָּקִין, כָּל אֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב פְּלוֹנִי, וְאֵין לָשׁוֹן לַמְדַבֵּר לוֹמַר דֶּשֶׁא פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא הוּא לְבִישַׁת הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְמַלֵּאת בִּדְשָׁאִים:
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תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ - means: “Let it be filled and covered with a layer of plants.” In Old French דֶּשֶׁא is called “erbage,” meaning all species growing together collectively, whereas each individual plant is called עֵשֶׂב. |
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תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ.
תִּתְמַלֵּא וְתִתְכַּסֶּה לְבוּשׁ עֲשָׂבִים. בִּלְשׁוֹן לַעַז נִקְרָא דֶּשֶׁא ארבריץ, כֻּלָן בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְכָל שֹׁרֶשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב:
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מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע - seed-bearing - i.e., that its seed will grow inside it in order to replant from it in another place. |
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מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע.
שֶׁיְּגַדֵּל בּוֹ זַרְעוֹ לִזְרֹעַ מִמֶּנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
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עֵץ פְּרִי - Fruit trees - i.e., the taste of the tree should be like the taste of its fruit. However, the land did not do this, but: “The land sprouted…trees that produce fruit” and not that the trees themselves tasted like fruit. Therefore, when man was cursed for his sin, the land was also held accountable for its sin and cursed. |
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עֵץ פְּרִי.
שֶׁיְּהֵא טַעַם הָעֵץ כְּטַעַם הַפְּרִי, וְהִיא לֹא עָשְׂתָה כֵן, אֶלָּא וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי וְלֹא הָעֵץ פְּרִי, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁנִּתְקַלֵּל אָדָם עַל עֲוֹנוֹ נִפְקְדָה גַם הִיא עַל עֲוֹנָהּ וְנִתְקַלְּלָה:
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אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ - With seeds. This refers to the kernels of every fruit from which the tree grows when it is planted. |
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אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ.
הֵן גַרְעִינֵי כָל פְּרִי שֶׁמֵּהֶן הָאִילָן צוֹמֵחַ כְּשֶׁנּוֹטְעִין אוֹתוֹ:
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12The earth gave forth vegetation: plants bearing seeds according to their species, trees whose bark did not taste the same as their fruit, only producing fruits containing seeds according to their species. God saw that it was good. |
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יבוַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֨רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב: |
וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ וגו' - the earth gave forth… Although לְמִינֵהוּ “according to their various species” was not mentioned concerning the various kinds of vegetation when they were commanded to sprout, they heard that the trees were thus commanded and applied an a fortiori argument to themselves, as is explained in an aggadic passage in Chulin. |
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וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ וגו'.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לְמִינֵהוּ בַּדְּשָׁאִין בְּצִוּוּיֵיהֶן, שָׁמְעוּ שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ הָאִילָנוֹת עַל כָּךְ, נָשְׂאוּ קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּעַצְמָן, כַּמְּפֹרָשׁ בָּאַגָּדָה בִּשְׁחִיטַת חֻלִּין:
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13There was nightfall followed by the rest of the night, and morning followed by the rest of the day, together constituting a third day. |
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יגוַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שְׁלִישִֽׁי: |
14God said, “Let there be luminaries in the sky to separate between day and night. They will serve as signs, for setting the dates of the Jewish festivals, and for reckoning days and years. |
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ידוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיּ֖וֹם וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים: |
יְהִי מְאֹרֹת וגו' - let there be luminaries… They had already been created on the first day, but only on the fourth day did God command them to be suspended in the sky. Similarly, all things that developed from heaven and earth were created on the first day, but each one was put in its place on the day when it was so commanded. This is what is referred to in the explanation of the verse: אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם – the word אֵת comes to include that which developed from heaven – וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ – the word וְאֵת comes to include that which developed from the earth. |
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יְהִי מְאֹרֹת וגו'.
מִיֹּום רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ וּבָרְבִיעִי צִוָּה עֲלֵיהֶם לְהִתָּלוֹת בָּרָקִיעַ, וְכֵן כָּל תּוֹלְדוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִקְבַּע בַּיוֹם שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו, הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ:
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יְהִי מְאֹרֹת - The word מְאֹרֹת is written without a ו, and can therefore be read as מְאֵרֹת – “curses,” for the fourth day is a cursed day when children are liable to fall ill with diphtheria (אַסְכָּרָה). In reference to this we have learned: “On the fourth day of the week they would fast so that children not fall ill with diphtheria.” |
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יְהִי מְאֹרֹת.
חָסֵר וָי"ו כְּתִיב, עַל שֶׁהוּא יוֹם מְאֵרָה לִפֹּל אַסְכָּרָה בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת, הוּא שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְּד' הָיוּ מִתְעַנִּים עַל אַסְכָּרָה שֶׁלֹּא תִפֹּל בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת:
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לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה - to separate between day and night. This came into effect only after the original light was hidden and preserved for the righteous in the World to Come. However, during the seven days of Creation, the original light and darkness functioned together, both by day and by night. |
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לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה.
מִשֶּׁנִּגְנַז הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲבָל בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית שִׁמְּשׁוּ הָאוֹר וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים יַחַד בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה:
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וְהָיוּ לאותות - they will serve as signs - i.e., when the luminaries are eclipsed it is a bad omen for the world, as is implied from what it says: “Do not be frightened at the signs of heaven” – for when you fulfill the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, you have no need to worry about calamities. |
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וְהָיוּ לאותות.
כְּשֶׁהַמְּאוֹרוֹת לוֹקִין, סִימָן רַע הוּא לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מֵאֹתוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם אַל תֵּחָתּוּ (ירמיה י'), בַּעֲשׂוֹתְכֶם רְצוֹן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין אַתֶּם צְרִיכִין לִדְאֹג מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
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וּלְמוֹעֲדִים - for festivals. This is written concerning the future, when the people of Israel will be commanded about the festivals which are calculated according to the new moon. |
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וּלְמוֹעֲדִים.
עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד, שֶׁעֲתִידִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִצְטַוּוֹת עַל הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת וְהֵם נִמְנִים לְמוֹלַד הַלְּבָנָה:
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וּלְיָמִים - for days. The sun functions for half a day and the moon functions for the other half, together making a full day. |
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וּלְיָמִים.
שִׁמּוּשׁ הַחַמָּה חֲצִי יוֹם וְשִׁמּוּשׁ הַלְּבָנָה חֶצְיוֹ, הֲרֵי יוֹם שָׁלֵם:
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וְשָׁנִֽים - and years. At the end of 365 days the sun and the moon complete their course through the twelve signs of the Zodiac that serve them, and that is one year. They then begin again to move around in an orbit similar to their previous cycle. |
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וְשָׁנִֽים.
לְסוֹף שס"ה יָמִים (ס"א וּרְבִיעַ יוֹם), יִגְמְרוּ מַהֲלָכָתָם בְּי"ב מַזָּלוֹת הַמְשָׁרְתִים אוֹתָם, וְהִיא שָׁנָה, וְחוֹזְרִים וּמַתְחִילִים פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה לְסַבֵּב בַּגַּלְגַּל כְּמַהֲלָכָן הָרִאשׁוֹן:
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15They will also serve as luminaries in the sky, to shine on the earth.” And so it was, as follows: |
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טווְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן: |
וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת - they will serve as luminaries - i.e., they will also serve another function: they will give light to the world. |
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וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת.
עוֹד זֹאת יְשַׁמְּשׁוּ, שֶׁיָּאִירוּ לָעוֹלָם:
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16God positioned the two great luminaries, the sun and the moon. God assigned the greater light—the sun—to rule the day, and the smaller light—the moon—to rule the night, accompanied by the stars and planets. |
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טזוַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּֽוֹכָבִֽים: |
הַמְּאֹרֹת הגדולים - the great luminaries… They were created equal in size, but the moon was diminished because it complained and said, “It is impossible for two kings to use one crown (i.e., to rule over one kingdom – the world).” |
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הַמְּאֹרֹת הגדולים.
שָׁוִים נִבְרְאוּ וְנִתְמַעֲטָה הַלְּבָנָה עַל שֶׁקִּטְרְגָה וְאָמְרָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁנֵי מְלָכִים שֶׁיִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בְכֶתֶר אֶחָד:
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וְאֶת־הַכּֽוֹכָבִֽים - accompanied by the stars. Since God diminished the moon, He increased its attendant groups in order to appease it. |
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וְאֶת־הַכּֽוֹכָבִֽים.
עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּעֵט אֶת הַלְּבָנָה הִרְבָּה צְבָאָיהָ לְהָפִיס דַּעְתָּהּ:
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17God placed them in the sky to shine on the earth, |
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יזוַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
18to rule by day and by night, and to separate between the light and the darkness. God saw that it was good. |
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יחוְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֣ין הַח֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב: |
19There was nightfall followed by the rest of the night, and morning followed by the rest of the day, together constituting a fourth day. |
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יטוַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם רְבִיעִֽי: |
20God said, “Let the water teem with low-lying, swimming living creatures, and let fowl issue from the mud of the swamps and fly over the earth across the sky.” |
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כוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם שֶׁ֖רֶץ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֑ה וְעוֹף֙ יְעוֹפֵ֣ף עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י רְקִ֥יעַ הַשָּׁמָֽיִם: |
נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה - living creatures. i.e., creatures that will have life. |
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נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה.
שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהּ חַיּוּת:
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שֶׁרֶץ - Low-lying. Any living creature that in size does not reach much higher than the ground is called שֶׁרֶץ; among winged creatures – flies; among abhorrent creatures – ants, beetles and worms; among larger creatures – a weasel, a mouse, a snail, and other similar animals; and all fish. |
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שֶׁרֶץ.
כָּל דָּבָר חַי שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָבוֹהַּ מִן הָאָרֶץ קָרוּי שֶׁרֶץ: בָּעוֹף, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים, בַּשְּׁקָצִים, כְּגוֹן נְמָלִים וְחִפּוּשִׁים וְתוֹלָעִים, בַּבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּגוֹן חֹלֶד וְעַכְבָּר וְחֹמֶט וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם, וְכָל הַדָּגִים:
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21God created the great sea creatures, as well as every species of low-lying living creatures that swims, which the water produced, and every species of winged fowl. God saw that it was good. |
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כאוַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה | הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָֽׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־ע֤וֹף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב: |
הַתַּנִּינִם - The sea creatures. Large sea fish; and according to the words of aggadah this refers to the Leviathan and its mate, which God created male and female, but He killed the female and preserved it in salt for the righteous in the World to Come, for had the Leviathan been fruitful and multiplied, the world could not have endured because of them. This is alluded to by the fact that the word הַתַּנִּינִם is written without the second י, suggesting that something was lacking from its plural form. |
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הַתַּנִּינִם.
דָּגִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבַּיָּם, וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הוּא לִוְיָתָן וּבֶן זוּגוֹ שֶׁבְּרָאָם זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה וְהָרַג אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה וּמְלָחָהּ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁאִם יִפְרוּ וְיִרְבּוּ לֹא יִתְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם בִּפְנֵיהֶם:
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נֶפֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּה - living creatures. i.e., creatures that have life. |
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נֶפֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּה.
שֶׁיֵּש בָּהּ חַיּוּת:
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22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and prolific. Sea creatures, fill the water in the seas, and let the flying creatures multiply on the land.” |
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כבוַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֨יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָע֖וֹף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ: |
וַיְבָרֶךְ אותם - [God] blessed them. Since people diminish their numbers by hunting them and eating them, they needed a blessing. The beasts also needed a blessing for the same reason, but because of the serpent which was to be cursed in the future, He did not bless them, so that the serpent not be included. |
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וַיְבָרֶךְ אותם.
לְפִי שֶׁמְּחַסְּרִים אוֹתָם וְצָדִין מֵהֶם וְאוֹכְלִין אוֹתָם, הֻצְרְכוּ לִבְרָכָה, וְאַף הַחַיּוֹת הֻצְרְכוּ לִבְרָכָה, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַנָּחָשׁ שֶׁעָתִיד לִקְלָלָה, לְכָךְ לֹא בֵרְכָן, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הוּא בִכְלָל:
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פְּרוּ - Be fruitful. פְּרוּ is of the same root as פְּרִי and means: “bear fruit.” |
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פְּרוּ.
לְשׁוֹן פְּרִי כְּלוֹמַר עֲשׁוּ פֵּרוֹת:
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וּרְבוּ - and prolific. If God had just said, “Be fruitful,” each creature would have given birth to only one and no more. Therefore “and prolific” was added to indicate that one could give birth to many. |
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וּרְבוּ.
אִם לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא פְּרוּ, הָיָה אֶחָד מוֹלִיד אֶחָד וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, וּבָא וּרְבוּ שֶׁאֶחָד מוֹלִיד הַרְבֵּה:
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23There was nightfall followed by the rest of the night, and morning followed by the rest of the day, together constituting a fifth day. |
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כגוַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם חֲמִישִֽׁי: |
24God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their species: domestic animals, low-lying creatures, and other wildlife of the earth according to their species.” And so it was. |
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כדוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ נֶ֤פֶשׁ חַיָּה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ בְּהֵמָ֥ה וָרֶ֛מֶשׂ וְחַֽיְתוֹ־אֶ֖רֶץ לְמִינָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן: |
תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ - let the earth bring forth. This demonstrates that which I have previously explained, that everything was created on the first day, and all that was required was to produce them from the ground. |
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תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ.
הוּא שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא הֻצְרְכוּ אֶלָּא לְהוֹצִיאָם:
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נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה - living creatures. i.e., creatures that have life. |
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נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה.
שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חַיּוּת:
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וָרֶמֶשׂ - and low-lying creatures. This refers to creeping creatures which are low-set and creep on the ground, and thus appear as though they are being drawn along, since their manner of moving is not discernible. Any expression of רֶמֶשׂ and שֶׁרֶץ in Hebrew corresponds to “conmovres” (“crawling creatures”) in our language (Old French). |
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וָרֶמֶשׂ.
הֵם שְׁרָצִים, שֶׁהֵם נְמוּכִים וְרוֹמְשִׂים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְנִרְאִים כְּאִלּוּ נִגְרָרִים שֶׁאֵין הִלוּכָן נִכָּר. כָּל לְשׁוֹן רֶמֶשׂ וְשֶׁרֶץ בִּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ קונמו"בריש בלע"ז:
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25God made the wildlife of the earth according to their species, domestic animals according to their species, and low-lying creatures of the earth according to their species. God saw that it was good. |
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כהוַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֩ אֶת־חַיַּ֨ת הָאָ֜רֶץ לְמִינָ֗הּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב: |
וַיַּעַשׂ - [God] made. This means that He formed them into their desired shape and with their full stature. |
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וַיַּעַשׂ.
תִּקְּנָם בְּצִבְיוֹנָם וּבְקוֹמָתָן:
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26God said to His heavenly court, “Let us make a human in our image and according to our likeness. They will rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the domestic animals, and all the earth, as well as all the reptiles that crawl on the earth.” |
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כווַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
נַֽעֲשֶׂה אָדָם - let us make a human. We learn from here the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He. Since man resembles the angels and they might envy him, God therefore took counsel with them. Similarly, when He judges kings, He consults His heavenly council, as we find in the case of Ach’av, to whom the prophet Micah said, “I saw God sitting on His throne, with all the heavenly host standing by Him to His right and to His left.” Since He has no bodily form, is there a right side or left side with regard to Him?! But the meaning is that some stand to “His right,” presenting arguments in favor; and some stand to “His left,” presenting arguments to accuse. Similarly we find: “The matter has been determined through the decree of the destructive angels, and that proposed edict, after consultation with God, was determined through the word of the superior holy angels.” Here, too, He requested permission of His heavenly council, saying to them: “In heaven there are beings with a resemblance to Me. If on earth there are no beings with a resemblance to Me, there will be envy among those whom I have created.” |
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נַֽעֲשֶׂה אָדָם.
עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן, לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם הוּא בִּדְמוּת הַמַּלְאָכִים וְיִתְקַנְּאוּ בוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְלַךְ בָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָן אֶת הַמְּלָכִים הוּא נִמְלָךְ בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְאַחְאָב, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מִיכָה רָאִיתִי אֶת ה' יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ (מלכים א כ"ב), וְכִי יֵש יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל לְפָנָיו? אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ מַיְמִינִים לִזְכוּת וְאֵלוּ מַשְׂמְאִילִים לְחוֹבָה, וְכֵן בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא (דניאל ד'), אַף כָּאן בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלוֹ נָטַל רְשׁוּת, אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים כִּדְמוּתִי; אִם אֵין כִּדְמוּתִי בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הֲרֵי יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:
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נַֽעֲשֶׂה אָדָם - let us make a human. Although the angels did not assist Him in forming man, and the plural form leaves open an opportunity for heretics to express a rebellious argument, nevertheless Scripture did not refrain from teaching correct behavior and the virtue of humility, namely, that a greater person should consult and request permission of a lesser person; and if it had written, “I will make man,” we would not have learned that He spoke to His judicial council, but only to Himself. And the response to heretics He wrote immediately afterward: “He (singular) created man” – and He did not write: “They (plural) created.” |
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נַֽעֲשֶׂה אָדָם.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא סִיְּעוּהוּ בִיצִירָתוֹ וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם לַמִּינִים לִרְדּוֹת, לֹא נִמְנַע הַכָּתוּב מִלְּלַמֵּד דֶרֶך אֶרֶץ וּמִדַּת עֲנָוָה שֶׁיְּהֵא הַגָּדוֹל נִמְלָךְ וְנוֹטֵל רְשׁוּת מִן הַקָּטָן; וְאִם כָּתַב אֶעֱשֶׂה אָדָם, לֹא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא מְדַבֵּר עִם בֵּית דִינוֹ, אֶלָּא עִם עַצְמוֹ, וּתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּינִים כָּתַב בְּצִדּוֹ, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם, וְלֹא כָתַב וַיִּבְרְאוּ:
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בְּצַלְמֵנוּ - means “with our mold.” |
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בְּצַלְמֵנוּ.
בִּדְפוּס שֶׁלָּנוּ:
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כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ - according to our likeness. i.e., with an ability to understand and to discern. |
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כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ.
לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל:
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וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם - they will rule over the fish of the sea. This expression וְיִרְדּוּ can have the meaning of “ruling” when read with the vowels in our text, or of “descending” when written וְיָרְדוּ. If man is worthy, he rules over the beasts and animals, but if he is not worthy, he becomes lower than them and beasts rule over him. |
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וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם.
יֵשׁ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּלְשׁוֹן יְרִידָה; זָכָה, רוֹדֶה בַחַיּוֹת וּבַבְּהֵמוֹת, לֹא זָכָה, נַעֲשֶׂה יָרוּד לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהַחַיָּה מוֹשֶׁלֶת בּוֹ:
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27So God created the human in his image: He created him in the image of God. He created them as a single, androgynous being comprising both male and female bodies, attached back to back. |
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כזוַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם: |
וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ - God created the human in his image - i.e., in the mold specially made for him; for everything else was created through an utterance, but man was created through action (lit., by hand), as it says about the creation of man: “You placed Your hand upon me.” He was made using a stamp, like a coin is formed by a die, which is called in Old French “coin.” Similarly, it says: “The stamped form of man will change like clay.” |
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וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ.
בִּדְפוּס הֶעָשׂוּי לוֹ, שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בְּמַאֲמָר וְהוּא נִבְרָא בַּיָּדַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה (תהילים קל"ט); נַעֲשָׂה בְחוֹתָם כְּמַטְבֵּעַ הָעֲשׂוּיָה עַל יְדֵי רֹשֶׁם שֶׁקּוֹרִין קוי"ן בלע"ז וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם (איוב ל"ח):
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בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אותו - he created him in the image of God. Here Scripture explains to you that the mold prepared for him was the mold imbued with the spiritual image of his Creator. |
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בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אותו.
פֵּרֵשׁ לְךָ שֶׁאוֹתוֹ צֶלֶם הַמְתֻקָּן לוֹ, צֶלֶם דְּיוֹקַן יוֹצְרוֹ הוּא:
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זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אותם - he created them male and female. But further on it says: “He took one of his sides…,” implying that God created man first, and woman was then created from man, which seems to contradict this verse. An aggadic explanation resolves this: At first He created him with two faces, and afterwards He divided him. But the straightforward meaning of the verse to resolve the apparent contradiction is: Here it informs you that they were both created on the sixth day, but it does not explain how their creation took place, and this it explains to you elsewhere. |
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זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אותם.
וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו וגו' (בראשית ב')? מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ שְׁנֵי פַרְצוּפִים בִּבְרִיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ חֲלָקוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, כָּאן הוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי וְלֹא פֵי' לְךָ כֵּיצַד בְּרִיָּתָן, וּפֵרֵשׁ לְךָ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
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28God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and prolific. Fill the earth and master it. Rule also over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living creatures that crawl on the earth.” |
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כחוַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֘ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
וְכִבְשֻׁהָ - and master it. This word lacks a ו after the ש and can therefore be read as וְכִבְשָׁהּ “and take (singular form) control of her.” This teaches you that the male subdues the female so that she not be outgoing in an immodest way. It also teaches you that man, whose nature is to subjugate, was commanded to be fruitful and prolific, and not woman. |
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וְכִבְשֻׁהָ.
חָסֵר וָי"ו לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַזָּכָר כּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא יַצְאָנִית, וְעוֹד לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָאִישׁ שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לִכְבֹּשׁ מְצֻוֶּה עַל פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה:
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29God said, “Behold, I have given you every seedbearing plant on the face of the entire earth, and every tree that has seedbearing fruit; they will be yours for food. |
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כטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב | זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאָכְלָֽה: |
30All plant vegetation will also serve for food for every creature of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for everything that crawls on the ground, which possesses a living soul.” And so it was. |
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לוּלְכָל־חַיַּ֣ת הָ֠אָ֠רֶץ וּלְכָל־ע֨וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּלְכֹ֣ל | רוֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה אֶת־כָּל־יֶ֥רֶק עֵ֖שֶׂב לְאָכְלָ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן: |
לכם יהיה לְאָכְלָה וּלְכָל־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ - it will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth. He equated cattle and the beasts to them [to man] regarding the food [that they were permitted to eat]. He did not permit Adam and his wife to kill a creature and to eat its flesh; only every green herb they were all permitted to eat equally. When the sons of Noah came, He permitted them to eat flesh, as it is said (below 9:3): “Every creeping thing that is alive, etc.” Like the green herbs, which I permitted to the first man, I have given you everything. — [from Sanh. 59b] |
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לכם יהיה לְאָכְלָה וּלְכָל־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ.
הִשְׁוָה לָהֶם בְּהֵמוֹת וְחַיּוֹת לְמַאֲכָל, וְלֹא הִרְשָׁה לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ לְהָמִית בְּרִיָּה וְלֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר, אַךְ כָּל יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב יֹאכְלוּ יַחַד כֻּלָם, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ בְנֵי נֹחַ הִתִּיר לָהֶם בָּשָׂר, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר כָּל רֶמֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר הוּא חַי וְגוֹ' כְּיֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב שֶׁהִתַּרְתִּי לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כֹּל:
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31God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. There was nightfall followed by the rest of the night, and morning followed by the rest of the day, together constituting the sixth day. |
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לאוַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי: |
יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי - the sixth day. He added the letter ה, which has the numerical value of five, to the word שִׁשִּׁי at the completion of Creation, to imply that He stipulated with them that Creation will endure only on condition that the people of Israel accept upon themselves the five books of the Torah. Another interpretation of the extra ה of יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי: All Creation stood in the balance to see if it was worthy of enduring until the sixth day, i.e., the sixth of Sivan, which was designated as the day for the giving of the Torah. |
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יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי.
הוֹסִיף ה' בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בִגְמַר מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, לוֹמַר שֶׁהִתְנָה עִמָּהֶם, עַל מְנָת שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְּשֵׁי תוֹרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, כֻּלָּם תְּלוּיִם וְעוֹמְדִים עַד יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, הוּא ו' בְּסִיוָן הַמּוּכָן לְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה:
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1Heaven, earth, and all their components were thus completed on the sixth day. |
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אוַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם: |
2God finished His work that He had done on the seventh day. He rested on the seventh day from all the work that He had been doing. |
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בוַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה: |
וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי - God finished on the seventh day. Rabbi Shimon says: A human being, who is unable to know precisely his times and moments in order to accurately determine the point when one period ends and another begins, is obliged to add from weekday to the holy Sabbath day and observe this time as the Sabbath. But the Holy One, blessed be He, who knows His times and moments, enters the Sabbath with a hair’s breadth of exactness, and it therefore appeared as though He finished His work on the day of the Sabbath itself. Another explanation: What did the world lack? Rest! With the arrival of the Sabbath came the concept of rest, and thus the work of Creation was finished and completed. |
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וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.
ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר בָּשָׂר וָדָם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ עִתָּיו וּרְגָעָיו צָרִיך לְהוֹסִיף מֵחֹל עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ עִתָּיו וּרְגָעָיו, נִכְנָס בֹּו כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה, וְנִרְאֶה כְאִלּוּ כִלָּה בוֹ בַיֹּום. דָּבָר אַחֵר מֶה הָיָה הָעוֹלָם חָסֵר? מְנוּחָה, בָּאת שַׁבָּת בָּאת מְנוּחָה, כָּלְתָה וְנִגְמְרָה הַמְּלָאכָה:
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3God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work, including that which God had created and planned to make on that day. |
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גוַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת: |
וַיְבָרֶךְ וַיְקַדֵּשׁ - [God] blessed…and sanctified. He blessed it with the manna, that on all other days of the week one omer-measure would descend for each person, whereas on the sixth day a double portion of this bread would descend, providing enough for the Sabbath as well, since it would not fall then; and He sanctified it through the manna, that it would not fall at all on the Sabbath. The verse is thus written in reference to the future when the Israelites would be commanded to keep the Sabbath. |
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וַיְבָרֶךְ וַיְקַדֵּשׁ.
בֵּרְכוֹ בַּמָּן, שֶׁכָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ יוֹרֵד לָהֶם עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת, וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה, וְקִדְּשׁוֹ בַּמָּן, שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד כְּלָל בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהַמִּקְרָא כָּתוּב עַל הֶעָתִיד:
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אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת - (lit.) That God created to make - means: the work that was fitting to be done on the Sabbath, He carried out in the double portion of work which He did on the sixth day, as is explained in Bereshit Rabbah. |
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אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת.
הַמְּלָאכָה שֶׁהָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לֵעָשׂוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת, כָּפַל וַעֲשָׂאָהּ בַּשִּׁשִּׁי כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
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4The preceding account is the chronicle of how everything in heaven and earth began to function at its proper time, everything having been created on the day that God made earth and heaven, i.e., on the first day. |
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דאֵ֣לֶּה תֽוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִ֣בָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם: |
אֵלֶּה - these. i.e., the aforementioned |
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אֵלֶּה.
הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
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תֽוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָם בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה' - is the chronicle of heaven and earth, [everything] having been created on the day that God made. This teaches you that they were all created on the first day, when “God made earth and heaven.” Another explanation of the word בְּהִבָּרְאָם is to read it as two words – בְּה' בְּרָאָם – meaning, He created them with the letter ה, as it says: בְּיָהּ ה׳ צוּר עוֹלָמִים “for your trust is in God, the Rock (צוּר) of the worlds…,” which can also be interpreted as meaning: With (ב) these two letters (יה) of His Name (יהו"ה), He formed (יָצַר, of the same root as צוּר) the two worlds – this world and the World to Come. And here Scripture teaches you that this world was created with a ה, alluding to the wicked who will descend low “to see the abyss,” for this world is like a ה, which is closed from all sides but open at the bottom, allowing those who so desire to fall that way. This is an allusion: just as the letter ה is open at the bottom, so is this world open to those who repent. And the World to Come was created with the letter י to tell us that the righteous at that time will be few, just as י is the smallest of the letters. |
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תֽוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָם בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה'.
לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכֻּלָּם נִבְרְאוּ בָרִאשׁוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּהִבָּרְאָם, בְּה' בְרָאָם, שֶׁנ' בְיָהּ ה' צוּר עוֹלָמִים (ישעיהו כ"ו), בְּב' אוֹתִיוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יָצַר שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמִים, וְלִמֶּדְךָ כָאן שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִבְרָא בְהֵ"א, רֶמֶז שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמַטָּה לִרְאוֹת שַׁחַת כְּהֵ"א זֹאת שֶׁסְּתוּמָה מִכָּל צְדָדִים וּפְתוּחָה לְמַטָּה לָרֶדֶת דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם:
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5On the sixth day, no tree of the field was yet on earth, nor had any grass of the field yet sprouted, because God had not brought rain upon the earth, for there was no human to work the ground and appreciate the value of rain. |
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הוְכֹ֣ל | שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכָל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
טֶרֶם יִֽהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ - no [tree…] was yet on earth. Wherever טֶרֶם occurs in Scripture it means “not yet” and does not mean “before.” It therefore cannot be made into a verb, saying הִטְרִים, in the same way as one says הִקְדִּים (the verbal form of קֹדֶם – “before”). This context here is a proof that this is its meaning. And there is another proof: כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן which means: “that you do not yet fear God,” for the meaning as “before” is similarly unsuitable there. Our verse, too, you must also explain as follows: “No tree was yet on earth” – at the time the creation of the world was completed on the sixth day, before man was created; |
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טֶרֶם יִֽהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ.
כָּל טֶרֶם שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן עַד לֹא הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן קֹדֶם, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְעָל לוֹמַר הִטְרִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הִקְדִים וְזֶה מוֹכִיחַ, וְעוֹד אַחֵר כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן (שמות ט) עֲדַיִן לֹא תִירְאוּן, וְאַף זֶה תְפָרֵשׁ עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה בָאָרֶץ, כְּשֶׁנִּגְמְרָה בְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי קֹדֶם שֶׁנִבְרָא אָדָם:
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וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמַח - and וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמָח means: “nor had any of grass of the field yet sprouted.” And on the third day, where it is written, “The earth gave forth vegetation…,” it means that they did not sprout above the ground, but remained at the opening of the ground, just below the surface, until the sixth day. And why did nothing sprout? |
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וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמַח. עֲדַיִן לֹא צָמַח, וּבְג' שֶׁכָּתוּב תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ, לֹא יָצְאוּ, אֶלָּא עַל פֶּתַח קַרְקַע עָמְדוּ עַד יוֹם שִׁשִּׁי:
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כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר - Because “He had not brought rain upon the earth.”. And why had he not brought rain? Because “there was no human to work the ground” and no one to recognize the benefit of rain. However, when man was created and realized that rain was necessary for the world, he prayed for it and it fell, and then the trees and vegetation sprouted. |
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כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר.
וּמַאי טַמְעָא לֹא הִמְטִיר? לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה, וְאֵין מַכִּיר בְּטוֹבָתָם שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם וְיָדַע שֶׁהֵם צֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְיָרְדוּ וְצָמְחוּ הָאִילָנוֹת וְהַדְּשָׁאִים:
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ה' אֱלֹהִים - ה' (God) is His actual Name; אֱלֹהִים is a descriptive Name, signifying that He is the all-powerful ruler and judge over all. This is also its meaning according to its straightforward sense wherever it occurs: God, who is the all-powerful ruler and judge. |
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ה' אֱלֹהִים.
ה' הוּא שְׁמוֹ, אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא שַׁלִּיט וְשׁוֹפֵט עַל כֹּל, וְכֵן פֵּרוּש זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ, ה' שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהִים:
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6So God made a mist rise up from the earth and water the entire surface of the ground. |
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ווְאֵ֖ד יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
וְאֵד יַֽעֲלֶה - [made] a mist rise up. For the purpose of the creation of man God caused the water of the deep to rise and filled the clouds with water to soak the dust, and so man was created. Just as a kneader of bread pours water into the flour and afterwards kneads the dough, similarly here, God first watered the ground and afterwards “He formed man.” |
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וְאֵד יַֽעֲלֶה.
לְעִנְיַן בְּרִיאָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, הֶעֱלָה הַתְּהוֹם וְהִשְׁקָה עֲנָנִים לִשְׁרוֹת הֶעָפָר וְנִבְרָא אָדָם, כְּגַבָּל זֶה, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מַיִם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ לָשׁ אֶת הָעִסָּה, אַף כָּאן, וְהִשְׁקָה, וְאֲחַר כַּךְ וַיִּיצֶר:
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7Using this mist, God formed the human out of dust of the ground by “kneading” the dust into a body. God blew into his nostrils a soul of life, and the human became a living being. |
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זוַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה: |
וַיִּיצֶר - [God] formed. The double yud י of this word indicates two formations: the formation of man for this world and formation of man for resurrection; but concerning animals that have no share in the World to Come, and therefore do not stand after death in Divine judgment, there is no double yud written in reference to their formation. |
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וַיִּיצֶר.
שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִיצִירָה לִתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, אֲבָל בַּבְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת לַדִּין לֹא נִכְתַּב בִּיצִירָתָהּ שְׁנֵי יוֹדִי"ן:
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עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה - dust of the ground. He gathered the dust from which man was formed from the entire earth – from its four corners – so that whenever he might die the earth would accept him for burial. Another explanation of מִן הָאֲדָמָה: He took the dust from which man was formed from the place about which it says, “You must make for Me an Altar of earth,” expressing the wish: “Would that this holy earth act for him as an atonement for his sins, that he be able to survive Divine corrective punishment for these sins.” |
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עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה.
צָבַר עֲפְרוֹ מִכָּל הָאֲדָמָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּמוּת שָׁם תְּהֵא קוֹלַטְתּוֹ לִקְבוּרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר נָטַל עֲפָרוֹ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי (שמות כ'), הַלְוַאי תִּהְיֶה לוֹ כַפָּרָה וְיוּכַל לַעֲמֹד:
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וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו - he blew into his nostrils. He made him both of earthly and heavenly matter – his body from earthly matter, and his soul from heavenly matter. The reason for this was that on the first day both heaven and earth were created; on the second day God created the sky as part of heaven, and on the third day the dry land became visible – on earth; on the fourth day He created the luminaries as part of heaven, and on the fifth day the water produced swarms of low-creeping creatures, etc. – on earth. Therefore it was necessary to create on the sixth day something composed of both heavenly and earthly matter, for otherwise there would be envy within the Creation, in that one day more would have been devoted to the creation of one section than to the other. |
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וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו.
עֲשָׂאוֹ מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּמִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, גוּף מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּנְשָׁמָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, בַּשֵּׁנִי בָּרָא רָקִיעַ לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי תֵּרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, בָּרְבִיעִי בָּרָא מְאוֹרוֹת לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּחֲמִישִׁי יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הֻזְקַק בַּשִּׁשִּׁי לִבְראוֹת בּוֹ בָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּבַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאִם לָאו יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֵלּוּ רַבִּים עַל אֵלּוּ בִּבְרִיאַת יוֹם אֶחָד:
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לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּֽה - A living being. Animals and beasts are also called נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, signifying that they have a soul, but the soul of man is the most highly developed of all of them, for he was additionally granted, intelligence and speech. |
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לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּֽה.
אַף בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה נִקְרְאוּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, אַךְ זוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חַיָּה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן, שֶׁנִתּוֹסֵף בּוֹ דֵּעָה וְדִבּוּר:
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8God planted a garden to serve as humanity’s habitat in the eastern part of Eden, and He placed there the human whom He had formed. |
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חוַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְּעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר: |
מִקֶּדֶם -
means here: in the eastern part of Eden He planted the garden.
Should you ask, was it not previously written: “God created man”? To this I answer that I have seen the Baraita of Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili that deals with the 32 rules of expounding the Torah, and this is one of them: When a general statement of an action is followed by a detailed account of a similar action, the latter is an elaboration detailing the former. “He created man” is a general statement, which does not reveal the nature of man’s creation or any other details about it. Scripture then repeats it and explains: “God formed man…,” He planted the Garden of Eden for him, He placed him in the Garden of Eden, and He cast a deep sleep upon him. Someone hearing this might think that it is a different account, but in fact it is an elaboration of the first, general statement. Similarly, in connection with the animals, Scripture repeats: “God had formed all the wild beasts…,” although this was already mentioned, in order to explain that He brought them to man to give them names, and to teach us that the birds were created from the swamps.
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מִקֶּדֶם.
בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל עֵדֶן נָטַע אֶת הַגָּן. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, הֲרֵי כְבָר כָּתַב וַיִּבְרְָא אֶת הָאָדָם וְגוֹ', רָאִיתִי בִּבְרַיְתָא שֶׁל ר"א בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַ' יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי מל"ב מִדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת, וְזוֹ אַחַת מֵהֶן, כְּלָל שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו מַעֲשֶׂה הוּא פְרָטוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם זֶהוּ כְּלָל, סָתַם בְּרִיאָתוֹ מֵהֵיכָן וְסָתַם מַעֲשָׂיו, חָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', וַיַּצְמַח לוֹ גַּן עֵדֶן וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן וַיַּפֵּל עָלָיו תַּרְדֵּמָה, הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ סָבוּר שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה אַחֵר, וְאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא פְרָטוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן; וְכֵן אֵצֶל הַבְּהֵמָה חָזַר וְכָתַב וַיִּצֶר ה' וגו' מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּדֵי לְפָרֵשׁ וַיָּבֵא אֶל הָאָדָם לִקְרוֹת שֵׁם וּלְלַמֵּד עַל הָעוֹפוֹת שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הָרְקָק:
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9God caused the ground of the Garden of Eden to give forth especially lush growth: every tree that is of pleasing appearance and good for food. The Tree of Life, whose fruit imparted immortality to whoever eats it, was in the center of the garden, as was the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. |
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טוַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַֽאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע: |
וַיַּצְמַח - [God] caused to give forth. Scripture here is speaking about the Garden of Eden, mentioned in the previous verse. |
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וַיַּצְמַח.
לְעִנְיַן הַגַּן הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
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בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן - means “in the center of the garden.” |
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בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן.
בָּאֶמְצַע:
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10A river issued from somewhere in Eden to water the garden, and from there it disappeared into subterranean channels, divided, and surfaced outside of Eden and became four riverheads. |
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יוְנָהָר֙ יֹצֵ֣א מֵעֵ֔דֶן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת אֶת־הַגָּ֑ן וּמִשָּׁם֙ יִפָּרֵ֔ד וְהָיָ֖ה לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה רָאשִֽׁים: |
11The name of the first river is the Pishon; it is the one that traverses all of Chavilah, where gold is found. |
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יאשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד פִּישׁ֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסֹּבֵ֗ב אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הַזָּהָֽב: |
פִּישׁוֹן - Pishon. This is the Nile, the river of Egypt. It is called Pishon (פִּישׁוֹן) because its water is plentiful and overflows to irrigate the land, the word coming from the same root as וּפָשׁוּ פָּרָשָׁיו “their riders will increase.” Another interpretation of the name Pishon is that it is the place where פִּשְׁתָּן (flax) grows, for it is said about Egypt: “The flax workers who sow flax on the river will be ashamed.” |
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פִּישׁוֹן.
הוּא נִילוּס נְהַר מִצְרַיִם, וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁמֵּימָיו מִתְבָּרְכִין וְעוֹלִין וּמַשְׁקִין אֶת הָאָרֶץ נִקְרָא פִישׁוֹן כְּמוֹ וּפָשׁוּ פָּרָשָׁיו (חבקוק א') דָּבָר אַחֵר פִּישׁוֹן, שֶׁהוּא מְגַדֵּל פִּשְׁתָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל מִצְרַיִם (ישעיהו י"ט) וּבֹשׁוּ עֹבְדֵי פִשְׁתִּים:
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12The gold of that land is good. Also found there are crystal and the onyx stone. |
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יבוּֽזֲהַ֛ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִ֖וא ט֑וֹב שָׁ֥ם הַבְּדֹ֖לַח וְאֶ֥בֶן הַשֹּֽׁהַם: |
13The name of the second river is the Gichon; it is the one that encircles all of the area that would later be called Kush. |
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יגוְשֵֽׁם־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַשֵּׁנִ֖י גִּיח֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסּוֹבֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ כּֽוּשׁ: |
גִּיחוֹן - Gichon. It is so called because it flows with a roar, its roar being very loud, similar in meaning to וְכִי יִגַּח “If a work-bull gores,” for it gores and then goes on and roars. |
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גִּיחוֹן.
שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה, וְהֶמְיָתוֹ גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ כִי יִגַּח (שמות כ"א), שֶׁמְּנַגֵּחַ וְהוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה:
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14The name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows to the east of the area that would later be called Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. |
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ידוְשֵֽׁם־הַנָּהָ֤ר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ חִדֶּ֔קֶל ה֥וּא הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ קִדְמַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר וְהַנָּהָ֥ר הָֽרְבִיעִ֖י ה֥וּא פְרָֽת: |
חִדֶּקֶל - tigris. It is so called because its water is pungent (חַד) and light (קַל) both in weight and for the body to absorb. |
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חִדֶּקֶל.
שֶׁמֵּימָיו חַדִּין וְקַלִּין:
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פְרָֽת - euphrates. It is so called because its water increases (פרה) abundantly and has healing qualities for people. |
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פְרָֽת.
שֶׁמֵּימָיו פָּרִין וְרָבִין וְמַבְרִין אֶת הָאָדָם:
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כּוּשׁ וְאַשׁוּר - Kush (in the previous verse) and – Assyria - They did not yet exist in name, but Scripture calls these places by their future names. |
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כּוּשׁ וְאַשׁוּר.
עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ, וְכָתַב הַמִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
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קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר - means “to the east of Assyria.” |
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קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר.
לְמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל אַשּׁוּר:
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הוּא פְרָֽת - Is the Euphrates. This is the most important of all the rivers, being mentioned in connection with the Land of Israel. |
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הוּא פְרָֽת. הֶחָשׁוּב עַל כֻּלָּם, הַנִּזְכָּר עַל שֵׁם אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
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15God persuaded the human to enter the garden, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate it and guard it. |
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טווַיִּקַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעָבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשָׁמְרָֽהּ: |
וַיִּקַּח - [God] (lit.) took. He took him with pleasant words and persuaded him to enter. |
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וַיִּקַּח.
לְקָחוֹ בִדְבָרִים נָאִים וּפִתָּהוּ לִכָּנֵס (בראשית רבה):
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16God commanded the human, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely. |
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טזוַיְצַו֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל: |
17But you must not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat of it you will die.” |
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יזוּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֨עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת: |
18God said, “It is not good that the human be alone. I will make his female aspect into a separate being, a compatible helper for him.” |
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יחוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ: |
לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת וגו' - it is not good [that the human] be [alone]… I will make for him a partner so that people do not say that there are two deities: the Holy One, blessed be He, in the upper world is unique and has no mate; and this one, man, in the lower world also has no mate. |
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לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת וגו'.
שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי רָשׁוּיוֹת הֵן, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָעֶליוֹנִים יָחִיד וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג, וְזֶה בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג (בראשית רבה):
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עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ - (lit.) A helper against him. If he is worthy – she will be a help to him; if he is unworthy – she will be against him, to fight him. |
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עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ.
זָכָה – עֵזֶר; לֹא זָכָה – כְּנֶגְדּוֹ לְהִלָּחֵם:
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19God had formed out of the ground every wild beast and every bird of heaven. Now, God brought them to the human to see what he would name each one. Whatever the human called each living thing, remained its name permanently. |
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יטוַיִּ֩צֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ: |
וייצר מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה - [God] formed…out of the ground. This “forming” of the animals, etc. is the same “making” mentioned above: “God made the wildlife of the earth….” It is, however, repeated here in order to explain that birds were created from the swamps, a combination of earth and water, for above it says that they were created from water, and here it says that they were created from earth. It also teaches you here that at the time of the animals’ and the birds’ formation, immediately, on the same day, He brought them to man to give them names. In the words of aggadah it explains that this instance of the form יצר is an expression of “ruling over” and “conquering,” as in: “If you besiege (תָצוּר) a city,” and means here: He placed them under man’s control. |
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וַיִצֶר מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה.
הִיא יְצִירָה הִיא עֲשִׂיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה לְמַעְלָה וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ', אֶלָּא בָא וּפֵרֵשׁ שֶׁהָעוֹפוֹת נִבְרְאוּ מִן הָרְקָק, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה מִן הַמַּיִּם נִבְרְאוּ וְכָאן אָמַר מִן הָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ (חולין כ"ז), וְעוֹד לִמֶּדְךָ כָּאן שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת יְצִירָתָן מִיָּד בּוֹ בַיּוֹם הֱבִיאָם אֶל הָאָדָם לִקְרוֹת לָהֶם שֵׁם. וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה יְצִירָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וְכִבּוּשׁ, כְּמוֹ כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר (דברים כ"ד), שֶׁכְּבָשָׁן תַּחַת יָדוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם (בראשית רבה):
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וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִּקְרָא־לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וגו' - Rearrange the words of this verse and thus explain it: כָּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם שֵׁם הוּא שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם – “Any living being that man would call it with a name, that would be its name forever.” |
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וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִּקְרָא־לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וגו'.
סָרְסֵהוּ וּפָרְשֵׁהוּ, כֹּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם שֵׁם, הוּא שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם:
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20The human gave names to every domestic animal and bird of the sky, as well as to all the wild beasts. But the human did not find among the animals any helper who was compatible for himself—Adam. |
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כוַיִּקְרָ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם שֵׁמ֗וֹת לְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּלְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּלְאָדָ֕ם לֹֽא־מָצָ֥א עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ: |
21God cast a deep sleep upon the human, and he slept. He then took one of its sides—the female side—off of the male side, and closed the cut made in the flesh in its place. |
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כאוַיַּפֵּל֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים | תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה: |
ולאדם לא מצא עזר. וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה - but he did not find any helper who was compatible for Adam…. God cast a deep sleep. When God brought them to him, He brought before him male and female of each kind. Man, on seeing this, said, “They all have a mate, but I have no mate!” Immediately – “He cast a deep sleep upon man.” |
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ולאדם לא מצא עזר. וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה.
כְּשֶׁהֱבִיאָן הֱבִיאָן לְפָנָיו כָּל מִין וָמִין זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, אָמַר לְכֻלָּם יֵשׁ בֶּן זוּג וְלִי אֵין בֶּן זוּג, מִיָּד וַיַּפֵּל (בראשית רבה):
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מִצַּלְעֹתָיו - means “of its sides,” as we find: “For the second side (וּלְצֶלַע) of the Tabernacle.” This concurs with what the sages said: They were created with two faces and then divided. |
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מִצַּלְעֹתָיו.
מִסְּטָרָיו, כְּמוֹ וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות כ"ו), זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ שְׁנֵי פַרְצוּפִים נִבְרְאוּ (עירובין י"ז):
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וַיִּסְגֹּר - and he closed. the place where it was cut. |
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וַיִּסְגֹּר.
מְקוֹם הַחֲתָךְ:
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וַיִּישָׁן וַיִּקַּח - he slept. He then took. This was so that man should not see the piece of flesh from which she was created, and she thus become repulsive to him. |
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וַיִּישָׁן וַיִּקַּח.
שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה חֲתִיכַת הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁמִּמֶּנוּ נִבְרֵאת וְתִתְבַּזֶּה עָלָיו:
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22God built up the side that He had taken from the human into a woman, and He brought her to the man. |
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כבוַיִּ֩בֶן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים | אֶת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם: |
וַיִּבֶן - he built up - like a structure, broad below and narrower above, to carry a child, like a wheat silo which is wide at the bottom and narrower above, so that its weight does not bear a strain on its walls. |
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וַיִּבֶן.
כְּבִִנְיָן, רְחָבָה מִלְּמַטָּה וּקְצָרָה מִלְּמַעְלָה לְקַבֵּל הַוָּלָד כְּאוֹצָר שֶׁל חִטִּים, שֶׁהוּא רָחָב מִלְּמַטָה וְקָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה שֶׁלֹּא יַכְבִּיד מַשָּׂאוֹ עַל קִירוֹתָיו:
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וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה - he built up the side…into a woman. לְאִשָּׁה means: “into a woman,” as in: “Gideon made it לְאֵפוֹד” – i.e., into an ephod. |
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וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה.
לִהְיוֹת אִשָּׁה, כְּמוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ אוֹתוֹ גִדְעוֹן לְאֵפוֹד (שופטים ח'), לִהְיוֹת אֵפוֹד:
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23The man said, “This time, in contrast to all the creatures I examined previously, this one is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She will be called ‘Woman’ [ishah], because she was taken from man [ish].” |
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כגוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־זֹּֽאת: |
זֹאת הַפַּעַם - this time. This teaches us that man tried to find a mate among all the animals and beasts, but found no satisfaction with them until he found Eve. |
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זֹאת הַפַּעַם.
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא אָדָם עַל כָּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה, וְלֹא נִתְקָרְרָה דַעְתּוֹ בָּהֶם (יבמות ס"ג):
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לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה כִּי מֵאִישׁ וגו' - she will be called ‘woman,’ because from man… One word (אִשָּׁה) is derived from the other word (אִישׁ). From this we can learn that the world was created in the Holy Tongue (Hebrew). |
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לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה כִּי מֵאִישׁ וגו'.
לָשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל לָשׁוֹן מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (בראשית רבה):
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24God decreed that a man therefore leave his father and his mother and cleave only to his wife and that husband and wife combine to become one flesh in their children. |
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כדעַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד: |
עַל־כֵּן יַֽעֲזָב־אִישׁ - A man therefore leave. The Divine Spirit is saying this in order to prohibit immoral relationships for “the Sons of Noah” (i.e., all human beings). |
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עַל־כֵּן יַֽעֲזָב־אִישׁ.
רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמְרָה כֵן לֶאֱסֹר עַל בְּנֵי נֹחַ הָעֲרָיוֹת (סנהדרין נ"ז):
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לְבָשָׂר אֶחָֽד - one flesh. The child is formed by both of them and in him their flesh becomes one. |
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לְבָשָׂר אֶחָֽד.
הַוָּלָד נוֹצָר עַל יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם וְשָׁם נַעֲשֶׁה בְשָׂרָם אֶחָד (שם נ"ח):
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25The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they felt no shame in this. |
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כהוַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֖א יִתְבּשָֽׁשׁוּ: |
וְלֹא יתבוששו - but they felt no shame - for they did not know the concept of modesty, to distinguish between good and evil. And although man had been endowed with intelligence to give names to all living creatures, he was not infused with evil imagination until he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, and then evil imagination entered him and he became aware of the distinction between good and evil. |
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וְלֹא יתבוששו.
שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים דֶרֶךְ צְנִיעוּת לְהַבְחִין בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּתְּנָה בוֹ דֵּעָה לִקְרוֹת לוֹ שֵׁמוֹת, לֹא נִתַּן בּוֹ יֵצֶר הָרָע עַד אָכְלוֹ מִן הָעֵץ וְנִכְנַס בּוֹ יֵצֶר הָרָע וְיָדַע מַה בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע (בראשית רבה):
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1Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild beasts that God had made. He said to the woman in order to open a conversation, “Did God really say, ‘You may not eat from any of the trees of the garden?’” |
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אוְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן: |
וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם - the serpent was the most cunning. What has this narrative to do with the previous statement? That statement should have been followed directly by: “God made skin-garments for Adam and his wife, in which He clothed them.” It teaches you, however, with what plan the serpent came to assail them: He saw them naked and having marital relations in public and he desired the woman. |
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וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם.
מָה עִנְיָן זֶה לְכָאן? הָיָה לוֹ לִסְמֹךְ וַיַּעַשׂ לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם, אֶלָּא לִמֶּדְךָ מֵאֵיזוֹ עֵצָה קָפַץ הַנָּחַשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם, רָאָה אוֹתָם עֲרֻמִּים וְעוֹסְקִים בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ לְעֵין כֹּל וְנִתְאַוָּה לָהּ:
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עָרוּם מִכֹּל - most cunning. To the extent of his cunning and greatness, so, correspondingly, was his downfall; from “most cunning of all” he became “most cursed of all.” |
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עָרוּם מִכֹּל.
לְפִי עָרְמָתוֹ וּגְדֻלָּתוֹ הָיְתָה מַפָּלָתוֹ, עָרוּם מִכֹּל, אָרוּר מִכֹּל (בראשית רבה):
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אַף כִּֽי־אָמַר וגו' - means: “Did God maybe say to you, ‘You must not eat from any…?’” And even though he saw them eating from other fruits, making this question superfluous, he entered into a long conversation with her in order that she should answer him and he would have the opportunity to talk about that tree in the middle of the garden. |
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אַף כִּֽי־אָמַר וגו'.
שֶׁמָּא אָמַר לָכֶם לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִכֹּל וְגוֹ', וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָם אוֹכְלִים מִשְּׁאָר פֵּרוֹת, הִרְבָּה עָלֶיהָ דְבָרִים כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְיָבֹא לְדַבֵּר בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵץ:
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2The woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden, |
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בוַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל: |
3but as to the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, which is in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat of it, nor may you touch it, lest you die.’” |
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גוּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתֽוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן: |
וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ - nor may you touch it. She added to God’s commandment, which did not forbid touching the tree but only eating of its fruit, and therefore she came to diminish from it. Regarding this it says: “Do not add to His words.” |
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וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ.
הוֹסִיפָה עַל הַצִּוּוּי, לְפִיכָךְ בָּאָה לִידֵי גֵרָעוֹן, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַל תּוֹסְףְּ עַל דְּבָרָיו (משלי ל'):
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4The serpent said to the woman, “You will certainly not die from eating its fruit! |
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דוַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן: |
לֹא־מוֹת תמותון - you will certainly not die. He pushed her until she touched it. He then said to her, “Just as there is no death in touching it, so, too, there is no death in eating from it.” |
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לֹא־מוֹת תמותון.
דְּחָפָהּ עַד שֶׁנָּגְעָה בוֹ, אָמַר לָהּ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מִיתָה בִנְגִיעָה, כָּךְ אֵין מִיתָה בַאֲכִילָה (בראשית רבה):
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5Rather, God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened. You will thus be like God and be able to create worlds, just as He did. You will know good and evil subjectively.” |
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הכִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִֽהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹֽדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע: |
כִּי יֹדֵעַ - rather, [God] knows. The serpent said to her, “Every craftsman resents the others in his trade: He created the world by eating from this tree; He therefore objects to you eating from it, so that it not be that… – |
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כִּי יֹדֵעַ.
כָּל אֻמָּן שׂוֹנֵא אֶת בְּנֵי אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, מִן הָעֵץ אָכַל וּבָרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם (בראשית רבה):
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וִֽהְיִיתֶם כֵּֽאלֹהִים - you will be like God - creators of worlds.” |
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וִֽהְיִיתֶם כֵּֽאלֹהִים.
יוֹצְרֵי עוֹלָמוֹת (בראשית רבה):
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6The woman saw that the tree was good for eating and desirable to the eyes, and that the tree was attractive as a means to gain intelligence. She took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. |
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ווַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַֽאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָֽעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל: |
וַתֵּרֶא הָֽאִשָּׁה - the woman saw. She approved of the words of the serpent; they pleased her and she believed him. |
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וַתֵּרֶא הָֽאִשָּׁה.
רָאֲתָה דְבָרָיו שֶׁל נָחָשׁ וְהֶנְאוּ לָהּ וְהֶאֱמִינַתּוּ (בראשית רבה):
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כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ - that the tree was good - to let her become like God. |
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כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ.
לִהְיוֹת כֵּאלֹהִים:
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וְכִי תַֽאֲוָה־הוּא לָֽעֵינַיִם - it was desirable to the eyes - as he had told her: “Your eyes will be opened.” |
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וְכִי תַֽאֲוָה־הוּא לָֽעֵינַיִם.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם:
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וְנֶחְמָד לְהַשְׂכִּיל - and the tree was attractive as a means to gain intelligence - as he had told her: “You will know good and evil.” |
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וְנֶחְמָד לְהַשְׂכִּיל.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ יוֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע:
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וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ - she also gave some to her husband with her - so that she not die and he remain alive and marry another woman. |
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וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ.
שֶׁלֹּא תָמוּת הִיא וְיִחְיֶה הוּא, וְיִשָּׂא אַחֶרֶת:
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גַּם־ - also. This word comes to include animals and beasts that they also partook of the fruit; i.e., she gave to them and also to her husband. |
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גַּם־.
לְרַבּוֹת בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה:
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7Then the eyes of both of them were opened. They realized that they were figuratively naked, i.e., stripped of the one commandment God had given them. They sewed together leaves that they plucked from a fig tree, and made themselves loincloths. |
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זוַתִּפָּקַ֨חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת: |
וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה וגו' - then the eyes of both of them were opened. Scripture is speaking with regard to intelligence and not to physical vision, and the end of the verse proves this – |
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וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה וגו'.
לְעִנְיַן הַחָכְמָה דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא לְעִנְיַן רְאִיָּה מַמָּשׁ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא מוֹכִיחַ:
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וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עירמים הֵם - they realized that they were naked. Even a blind person knows when he is naked! What, then, is meant by “they realized that they were naked”? They had just one commandment from God, not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, and they now realized that they were stripped of it. |
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וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עירמים הֵם.
אַף הַסּוּמָא יוֹדֵעַ כְּשֶׁהוּא עָרוּם, אֶלָּא מַהוּ וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם? מִצְוָה אַחַת הָיְתָה בְיָדָם וְנִתְעַרְטְלוּ הֵימֶנָּה (בראשית רבה):
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עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה - fig leaves. This was the tree from which they ate; with the same thing that caused their ruin they were rectified. But the other trees prevented them from taking their leaves. And why was the name of the tree not clearly mentioned? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not wish to cause insult to any being; He therefore did not mention its name so that no one should put it to shame by saying, “This is the tree through which the world was punished.” Midrash Rabbi Tanchuma. |
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עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה.
הוּא הָעֵץ שֶׁאָכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, בַּדָּבָר שֶׁנִּתְקַלְקְלוּ בּוֹ נִתַּקְּנוּ (סנהדרין ע'), אֲבָל שְׁאָר הָעֵצִים מְנָעוּם מִלִּטֹּל עַלֵּיהֶם. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נִתְפַּרְסֵם הָעֵץ? שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ לְהוֹנוֹת בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁלֹּא יַכְלִימוּהָ וְיֹאמְרוּ זֶהוּ שֶׁלָּקָה הָעוֹלָם עַל יָדוֹ, מִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא:
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8They heard the voice of God, which was moving about in the garden in the direction of day’s end. The man and his wife hid themselves from God among the trees of the garden. |
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חוַיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן: |
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ - they heard. There are many aggadic explanations on this, and our rabbis have them set out in their proper order in Bereshit Rabbah and in other midrashim. I, however, have only come to explain the plain sense of Scripture and to bring those aggadot that clarify the words of Scripture, each word in its proper setting. |
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וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ.
יֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה רַבִּים וּכְבָר סִדְּרוּם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ עַל מְכוֹנָם בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה וּבִשְׁאָר מִדְרָשׁוֹת; וַאֲנִי לֹא בָאתִי אֶלָּא לִפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא וּלְאַגָּדָה הַמְיַשֶּׁבֶת דִּבְרֵי הַמִּקְרָא דָבָר דָּבוּר עַל אֳפַנָּיו:
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וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ - they heard. What did they hear? They heard that the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, was “moving about” in the garden. |
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וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ.
מַה שָּׁמְעוּ? שָׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהָיָה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגַּן:
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לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם - in the direction of the day. In the same direction where the sun sets, which is the west, as toward evening the sun is in the west, and they sinned in the tenth hour. |
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לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם.
לְאוֹתוֹ רוּחַ שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה לְשָׁם, וְזוֹ הִיא מַעֲרָבִית; שֶׁלִּפְנוֹת עֶרֶב חַמָּה בַּמַּעֲרָב, וְהֵם סָרְחוּ בָּעֲשִׂירִית (סנהדרין ל"ח):
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9In order to open the conversation, God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” |
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טוַיִּקְרָ֛א יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ אַיֶּֽכָּה: |
אַיֶּֽכָּה - where are you?. God knew where he was, but He asked him this in order to engage him in conversation so that he would not be too confused to reply, as would have been the case if He would have punished him suddenly. Similarly with Cain, He said to him, “Where is your brother Abel?”; and similarly with Balaam, “Who are these men with you?” in order to engage them in conversation; and similarly with Chizkiyah, the prophet Isaiah asked him regarding the messengers of Merodach-Bal’adan in order to engage him in conversation. |
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אַיֶּֽכָּה.
יוֹדֵעַ הָיָה הֵיכָן הוּא אֶלָּא לִכָּנֵס עִמּוֹ בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִבְהָל לְהָשִׁיב אִם יַעֲנִישֵׁהוּ פִּתְאוֹם (בראשית רבה), וְכֵן בְּקַיִן אָמַר לוֹ אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ (בראשית ד), וְכֵן בְּבִלְעָם מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּךְ (במדבר כ"ב), לִכָּנֵס עִמָּהֶם בִּדְבָרִים, וְכֵן בְּחִזְקִיָּה בִּשְׁלוּחֵי מְרֹאדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן:
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10He replied, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid.” |
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יוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־קֹֽלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן וָֽאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵֽחָבֵֽא: |
11He said, “Who told you that you are naked and that there is any shame in this? Did you eat of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” |
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יאוַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֚י הִגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ כִּ֥י עֵירֹ֖ם אָ֑תָּה הֲמִן־הָעֵ֗ץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוִּיתִ֛יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י אֲכָל־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אָכָֽלְתָּ: |
מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ - who told you - i.e., from where do you know what shame there is in being naked? |
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מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ.
מֵאַיִן לְךָ לָדַעַת מַה בֹּשֶׁת יֵשׁ בְּעוֹמֵד עָרֹם?
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הֲמִן־הָעֵץ - did [you eat] of the tree?. This is a rhetorical question. |
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הֲמִן־הָעֵץ.
בִּתְמִיהָ:
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12The man replied, “The woman whom You gave to be with me and help me—she gave me one of the fruits of the tree, and I ate.” |
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יבוַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָֽאָדָ֑ם הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה עִמָּדִ֔י הִ֛וא נָֽתְנָה־לִּ֥י מִן־הָעֵ֖ץ וָֽאֹכֵֽל: |
אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי - whom You gave to be with me. Here Adam showed his ingratitude. |
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אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי.
כָּאן כָּפַר בַּטּוֹבָה (עבודה זרה ה):
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13God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman replied, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” |
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יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֑ית וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה הַנָּחָ֥שׁ הִשִּׁיאַ֖נִי וָֽאֹכֵֽל: |
הִשִּׁיאַנִי - means “he deceived me,” similar in meaning to: “Let Chizkiyah not deceive (יַשִּׁיא) you.” |
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הִשִּׁיאַנִי.
הִטְעַנִי, כְּמוֹ אַל יַשִּׁיא אֶתְכֶם חִזְקִיָּהוּ (דברי הימים ב' ל"ב):
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14God said to the serpent, “Because you did this, you are now the most accursed of all domestic animals and all wildlife. from now on You will move on your belly, and you will thus appear to eat dust all the days of your life. |
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ידוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים | אֶל־הַנָּחָשׁ֘ כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּאת֒ אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וּמִכֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה עַל־גְּחֹֽנְךָ֣ תֵלֵ֔ךְ וְעָפָ֥ר תֹּאכַ֖ל כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ: |
כִּי עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת - because you did this. From here we learn that we do not look for possible merits of one who entices another to idolatry, for if He had asked the serpent, “Why did you do this?” it could have answered, “When the words of the teacher and the words of the pupil are contradictory, whose words should be obeyed?!” |
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כִּי עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת.
מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מְהַפְּכִים בִּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל מֵסִית, שֶׁאִלּוּ שְׁאָלוֹ לָמָּה עָשִׂיתָ זֹאת? הָיָה לוֹ לְהָשִׁיב דִּבְרֵי הָרַב וְדִבְרֵי הַתַּלְמִיד דִּבְרֵי מִי שׁוֹמְעִין? (סנהדרין כ"ט):
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מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה - of all domestic animals and all wildlife. If it was cursed more than domestic animals whose gestation periods are longer than those of wild animals, then certainly it was cursed more than wild animals, so why does Scripture need to mention wild animals? Our rabbis interpreted this in tractate Bechorot to deduce that the gestation period of a serpent is seven years. |
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מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה.
אִם מִבְּהֵמָה נִתְקַלֵּל מֵחַיָּה לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן, הֶעֱמִידוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִדְרָשׁ זֶה בְמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת (דף ח') לְלַמֵּד שֶׁיְּמֵי עִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים:
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עַל־גחונך תֵלֵךְ - you will move on your belly. It had feet, but they were now cut off. |
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עַל־גחונך תֵלֵךְ.
רַגְלַיִם הָיוּ לוֹ וְנִקְצְצוּ:
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15I will plant hatred between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. They will pound you on the head, and you will hiss as you bite them in the heel.” |
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טווְאֵיבָ֣ה | אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין זַֽרְעֲךָ֖ וּבֵ֣ין זַרְעָ֑הּ ה֚וּא יְשֽׁוּפְךָ֣ רֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּ עָקֵֽב: |
וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית - and I will plant hatred. Your sole intention was that Adam die when he ate first from the tree and you would marry Eve, and you only came to speak with Eve first because women are easily influenced and know how to influence their husbands; therefore “I will plant hatred between you and the woman.” |
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וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית.
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:
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יְשֽׁוּפְךָ - means “they will pound you,” as we find: וָאֶכֹּת אוֹתוֹ “I crushed it,” which Onkelos translates as וְשָׁפִית יָתֵהּ, from the same root as יְשׁוּפְךָ. |
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יְשֽׁוּפְךָ.
יְכַתֶּתְךָ (סוטה ט') כְּמוֹ וָאֶכֹּת אֹתוֹ (דברים ט), וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְשָׁפִית יָתֵי':
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וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵֽב - and you will hiss [as you bite] them in the heel. You will have no height, and will therefore be able to bite him only on his heel, but even from there you will have the ability to kill him. The word תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ is of the same root as נָשַׁף בָּהֶם “He blew on them,” for when the serpent comes to bite it blows a kind of hissing sound. Since the words יְשׁוּפְךָ and תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ sound similar although having different meanings, both of them are written here as expressions of נְשִׁיפָה. |
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וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵֽב.
לֹא יְהֵא לְךָ קוֹמָה וְתִשְּׁכֶנּוּ בַּעֲקֵבוֹ, וְאַף מִשָּׁם תְּמִיתֶנּוּ, וּלְשׁוֹן תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ כְּמוֹ נָשַׁף בָּהֶם (ישעיהו מ') כְּשֶׁהַנָּחָשׁ בָּא לִנְשֹׁך הוּא נוֹשֵׁף כְּמִין שְׁרִיקָה וּלְפִי שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל הַלָּשָוֹן כְּתִיב לְשׁוֹן נְשִׁיפָה בִשְׁנֵיהֶם:
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16To the woman He said, “I will greatly increase your difficulty in raising children and in your pregnancy from now on. You will give birth to children in anguish. Furthermore, your longing will be for your husband, but he will dominate you.” |
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טזאֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֣ה אָמַ֗ר הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֵ֔ךְ וְה֖וּא יִמְשָׁל־בָּֽךְ: |
עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ - your difficulty. This refers to the trouble of rearing children. |
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עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ.
זֶה צַעַר גִּדּוּל בָּנִים (עירובין ק'):
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וְהֵֽרֹנֵךְ - and your pregnancy. This refers to the discomfort of pregnancy. |
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וְהֵֽרֹנֵךְ.
זֶה צַעַר הָעִבּוּר:
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בְּעֶצֶב תֵּֽלְדִי בָנִים - you will give birth to children in anguish. This refers to the pangs of childbirth. |
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בְּעֶצֶב תֵּֽלְדִי בָנִים.
זֶה צַעַר הַלֵּדָה:
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וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ - your longing will be for your husband - for marital relations; nevertheless you will not have the audacity to ask him directly; rather, “he will dominate you” – all the initiative will come from him and not from you. |
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וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ.
לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין לָךְ מֵצַח לְתָבְעוֹ בַּפֶּה, אֶלָּא הוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ, הַכֹּל מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא מִמֵּךְ:
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תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ - means “your longing” – as in וְנַפְשׁוֹ שׁוֹקֵקָה “and his soul desires.” |
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תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ.
תַּאֲוָתֵךְ, כְּמוֹ נֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹקֵקָה (ישעיהו כ"ט):
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17To Adam He said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate of the tree about which I commanded you—saying, ‘Do not eat from it’—the earth will be cursed because of you. You will produce food from it with difficulty all the days of your life. |
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יזוּלְאָדָ֣ם אָמַ֗ר כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֘עְתָּ֘ לְק֣וֹל אִשְׁתֶּ֒ךָ֒ וַתֹּ֨אכַל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּיתִ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֲרוּרָ֤ה הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן֙ תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ: |
אֲרוּרָה הָֽאֲדָמָה בַּֽעֲבוּרֶךָ - the earth will be cursed because of you. It will produce for you cursed things such as flies, fleas and ants. That the curse came about through the ground may be understood by comparison to someone who gets into evil ways and people curse the breasts from which he nursed. |
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אֲרוּרָה הָֽאֲדָמָה בַּֽעֲבוּרֶךָ.
מַעֲלָה לְךָ דְּבָרִים אֲרוּרִים, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים, פַּרְעוֹשִׁים וּנְמָלִים, מָשָׁל לְיוֹצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת מְקַלְּלוֹת שָׁדַיִם שֶׁיָּנַק מֵהֶם:
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18It will bring forth thorns and thistles for you, and you will have to eat the grass of the field. |
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יחוְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַ לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה: |
וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ - It will bring forth thorns and thistles for you. “It” refers to the earth; when you sow it with various kinds of seeds, it will sprout thorns and thistles – kundas and akaviot, and these can be eaten only by special preparation. |
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וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ.
הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁתִּזְרָעֶנָּה מִינֵי זְרָעִים, תַּצְמִיחַ קוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר קֻנְדָּס וְעַכָּבִיּוֹת, וְהֵן נֶאֱכָלִין עַל יְדֵי תִקּוּן (ביצה ל"ד):
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וְאָֽכַלְתָּ אֶת־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה - and you will have to eat the grass of the field. What kind of curse is this? Was he not told as a blessing: “Behold, I have given you every seedbearing plant…”? However, the answer is what is stated here at the beginning of this passage: “The earth will be cursed because of you; you will produce food from it with difficulty” – and after this difficulty – “it will bring forth thorns and thistles for you.” When you sow it with legumes and vegetables, it will bring forth thorns and thistles for you as well as other plants of the field, which you will have no choice but to eat since the other seeds will not reproduce in their original form. |
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וְאָֽכַלְתָּ אֶת־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה.
וּמַה קְּלָלָה הִיא זוֹ? וַהֲלֹא בַּבְּרָכָה נֶאֱמַר לוֹ הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כָּל עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע וְגוֹ? אֶלָּא מָה אָמוּר כָּאן בְּרֹאשׁ הָעִנְיָן אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכְלֶנָּה, וְאַחַר הָעִצָּבוֹן וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ, כְּשֶׁתִּזְרָעֶנָּה קִטְנִית אוֹ יַרְקוֹת גִּנָּה הִיא תַצְמִיחַ לְךָ קוֹצִים וְדַרְדָּרִים וּשְׁאָר עִשְׂבֵי הַשָׂדֶה וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ תֹּאכְלֵם:
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19You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow, until you return to the ground, for you were taken from it. For you are dust, and as you will now be mortal, you will return to dust.” |
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יטבְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֨יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב: |
בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ - by the sweat of your brow - means: after you have expended much effort to grow it. |
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בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ.
לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּטְרַח בּוֹ הַרְבֵּה:
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20The man named his wife “Eve” [Chavah], because she was and would be the mother of all the living [chai]. |
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כוַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ חַוָּ֑ה כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כָּל־חָֽי: |
וַיִּקְרָא הָֽאָדָם - man named. Scripture now returns to the previous topic: “The human gave names….” It only interrupted this to teach you that through the giving of names Eve became his mate, as it is written: “but the human did not find any helper who was compatible for himself,” and therefore “God cast a deep sleep…” and created Eve. And because Scripture then writes, “The two of them were naked,” it therefore follows on with the passage dealing with the serpent, to inform you that as a result of his seeing them naked and seeing them having marital relations, he desired her and came upon them with astuteness and guile. |
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וַיִּקְרָא הָֽאָדָם.
חָזַר הַכָּתוּב לְעִנְיָנוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁמוֹת, וְלֹא הִפְסִיק אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קְרִיאַת שֵׁמוֹת נִזְדַּוְּגָה לוֹ חַוָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ, וַיַּפֵּל תַּרְדֵּמָה, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁכָּתַב וַיִּהְיוּ עֲרוּמִּים, סָמַךְ לוֹ פָּרָשַׁת הַנָּחָשׁ, לְהוֹדִיעֲךְ שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ שֶׁרָאָה עֶרְוָתָהּ וְרָאָה אוֹתָם עֲסוּקִים בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ וּבָא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וּבְמִרְמָה:
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חַוָּה - Eve. This is derived from the word חַיָּה “living,” and she was so called because she brings life to her children. This interchange of י and the ו is similar to what it says: מֶה הֹוֶה לָאָדָם “what is there for man,” where הֹוֶה is equivalent to הֹיֶה “is.” |
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חַוָּה.
נוֹפֵל עַל לְשׁוֹן חַיָּה, שֶׁמְּחַיָּה אֶת וַלְדוֹתֶיהָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר מֶה הֹוֶה לָאָדָם (קהלת ב'), בִּלְשׁוֹן הָיָה:
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21God made skin-garments for Adam and his wife. He clothed them in these garments. |
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כאוַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְאָדָ֧ם וּלְאִשְׁתּ֛וֹ כָּתְנ֥וֹת ע֖וֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵֽׁם: |
כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר - skin-garments. Some opinions in Aggadah say that these clothes were as smooth as fingernails, clinging to their skin. Others say that He took material that comes from skin, such as rabbits’ wool which is soft and warm, and made them clothes from it. |
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כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר.
יֵשׁ דִּבְרֵי אַגָּדָה אוֹמְרִים חֲלָקִים כְּצִּפֹּרֶן הָיוּ מְדֻבָּקִים עַל עוֹרָן וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים דָּבָר הַבָּא מִן הָעוֹר, כְּגוֹן צֶמֶר הָאַרְנָבִים שֶׁהוּא רַךְ וְחָם וְעָשָׂה לָהֶם כֻּתֳּנוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ:
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22God said, “Now that the man has become like the Unique One among us, knowing good and evil, what if he should stretch forth his hand and also take fruit from the Tree of Life and eat it, and live forever?” |
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כבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה | פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם: |
הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ - has become like the Unique One among us. He is unique among earthly beings, as I am unique among heavenly beings. And what is his uniqueness? “Knowing to distinguish between good and evil,” which animals and beasts do not have. |
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הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ.
הֲרֵי הוּא יָחִיד בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי יָחִיד בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים, וּמַה הִיא יְחִידוּתוֹ? לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּבְהֵמָה וְחַיָּה
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וְעַתָּה פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ - now, what if he should stretch forth his hand. … – and if he lives forever he is likely to lead people astray by saying that he is also a God. There are also aggadic explanations, but they do not fit in with the straightforward meaning of the verse. |
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וְעַתָּה פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ.
וּמִשֶּׁיִּחְיֶה לְעוֹלָם הֲרֵי הוּא קָרוֹב לְהַטְעוֹת הַבְּרִיּוֹת אַחֲרָיו, וְלוֹמַר אַף הוּא אֱלוֹהַּ. וְיֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה, אֲבָל אֵין מְיֻשָּׁבִין עַל פְּשׁוּטוֹ:
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23God thereupon banished him and his family from the Garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was taken. |
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כגוַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֻקַּ֖ח מִשָּֽׁם: |
24He drove the man out. He stationed to the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim, equipped with the revolving sword blade, to guard the path to the Tree of Life against entry. |
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כדוַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֨רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים: |
מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן - means: to the east of the Garden of Eden outside the Garden, and not in the eastern part of the Garden. |
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מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן.
בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל גַּן עֵדֶן חוּץ לַגַּן:
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אֶת־הכרובים - the cherubim. i.e., angels of destruction. |
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אֶת־הכרובים.
מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה:
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הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת - the revolving sword. which has a flashing blade to frighten him from entering the Garden again. Onkelos translates לַהַט as שְׁנַן, as in: שְׁלַף שְׁנָנָא “he withdrew the blade,” and in Old French it is “lame” (“blade”). There are also aggadic explanations, but I come only to explain the straightforward meaning of Scripture. |
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הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת.
וְלָהּ לַהַט לְאַיֵּם עָלָיו מִלִּכָּנֵס עוֹד לַגַּן תַּרְגּוּם לַהַט שְׁנַן, כְּמוֹ שָׁלַף שְׁנָנָא וּבִלְשׁוֹן לַעַז לא"מא וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ, וַאֲנִי אֵינִי בָא אֶלָּא לִפְשׁוּטוֹ:
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1The man had known his wife Eve carnally, and when he did so, she conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she named Cain [Kayin], saying, “I have acquired [kaniti] a man together with God.” |
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אוְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֨הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה: |
וְהָאָדָם יָדַע - man had known - already before the events previously mentioned, before he sinned and was sent away from the Garden of Eden; and similarly the conception and birth of Cain and Abel also took place before these events. But had it written וַיֵּדַע אָדָם, this would have implied that only after he was sent away did he have children. |
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וְהָאָדָם יָדַע.
כְּבָר קֹדֶם הָעִנְיָן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא וְנִטְרַד מִגַּן עֵדֶן, וְכֵן הַהֵרָיוֹן וְהַלֵּדָה, שֶׁאִם כָּתַב וַיֵּדַע אָדָם, נִשְׁמָע שֶׁלְּאַחַר שֶׁנִּטְרַד הָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים:
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קַיִן - Cain. This is based on the word קָנִיתִי “I have acquired a man.” |
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קַיִן.
עַל שֵׁם קָנִיתִי:
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אֶת־ה' - means the same as עִם ה׳ “with God.” Eve said, “When He created my husband and me, He created us by Himself, but with this child we are partners with Him.” |
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אֶת־ה'.
כְּמוֹ עִם ה', כְּשֶׁבָּרָא אוֹתִי וְאֶת אִישִׁי, הוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּרָאָנוּ אֲבָל בָּזֶה שֻׁתָּפִים אָנוּ עִמּוֹ (נדה ל"א):
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אֶת־קַיִן אֶת־אחיו אֶת־הבל - To Cain…to his brother, Abel. Each of the three times אֶת is written implies extra details not specifically written in the text. This teaches us that a twin sister was born with Cain, and two sisters were born with Abel. It therefore says concerning Abel: וַתֹּסֶף, meaning literally: “she bore more than the previous time.” |
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אֶת־קַיִן אֶת־אחיו אֶת־הבל.
ג' אֶתִים רִבּוּיִים הֵם, מְלַמֵּד, שֶׁתְּאוֹמָה נוֹלְדָה עִם קַיִן, וְעִם הֶבֶל נוֹלְדוּ שְׁתַּיִם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַתֹּסֶף (בראשית רבה):
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2She conceived and gave birth again—to his brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a worker of the soil. |
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בוַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֨בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה: |
רֹעֵה צֹאן - A shepherd. Since the ground had been cursed, he refrained from working it. |
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רֹעֵה צֹאן.
לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַלְּלָה הָאֲדָמָה פֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָתָהּ:
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3In the course of time, Cain brought some of the inferior produce of the ground as an offering to God. |
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גוַיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה: |
מִפְּרִי הָֽאֲדָמָה - of the produce of the ground - i.e., from the worst produce. There is an aggadic explanation that it was linseed. Another explanation: “Of the produce” – from whatever came to hand, not the best or the choicest. |
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מִפְּרִי הָֽאֲדָמָה.
מִן הַגָּרוּעַ, וְיֵשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת זֶרַע פִּשְׁתָּן הָיָה. (דבר אחר: מפרי, מאיזה שבא לידו, לא טוב ולא מבחר):
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4Abel also offered up some of the firstborn of his flock, from the fattest ones. God paid heed to Abel and his offering, |
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דוְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֽוֹ: |
וַיִּשַׁע - means “He paid heed” (lit., “He turned towards”). Similarly: לֹא שָׁעָה אֶל מִנְחָתוֹ means: “to his offering He paid no heed”; and similarly: וְאַל יִשְׁעוּ means: “they will pay no heed”; and similarly: שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו means: “turn away from him.” |
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וַיִּשַׁע.
וַיִּפֶן, וְכֵן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה – לֹא פָנָה, וְכֵן וְלֹא יִשְׁעֶה (ישעיהו י"ז) – לֹא יִפְנֶה, וְכֵן שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו (איוב י"ד) פְּנֵה מֵעָלָיו:
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וַיִּשַׁע - “ He paid heed.” Fire descended from heaven and consumed his offering. |
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וַיִּשַׁע.
יָרְדָה אֵשׁ וְלִחֲכָה מִנְחָתוֹ:
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5but to Cain and his offering He paid no heed. Cain was sorely grieved and downcast. |
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הוְאֶל־קַ֥יִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָת֖וֹ לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֨יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו: |
6God said to Cain, consoling him, “Why are you grieved? Why are you downcast? |
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ווַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָֽפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ: |
7After all, if you improve your actions, you will be forgiven, but if you do not improve yourself, your sin is crouching at the door of your grave. Your evil inclination continuously lusts after you, seeking to make you sin, but you can dominate it.” |
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זהֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ: |
הלא אִם־תֵּיטִיב - if you improve. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: הֲלָא אִם תּוֹטִיב עוֹבָדָךְ יִשְׁתְּבֵיק לָךְ – “If you improve your deeds, you will be forgiven.” |
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הלא אִם־תֵּיטִיב.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ:
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לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רובץ - sin is crouching at the door - means: your sin is preserved until the opening of your grave. |
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לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רובץ.
לְפֶתַח קִבְרְךָ חֶטְאֲךָ שָׁמוּר:
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וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ - it lusts after you - i.e., the longing of sin. This is the evil imagination, constantly longs and desires to make you stumble into sin. |
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וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ.
שֶׁל חַטָּאת הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, תָּמִיד שׁוֹקֵק וּמִתְאַוֶּה לְהַכְשִׁילְךָ:
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וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ - but you can dominate it - i.e., if you want, you can overcome it. |
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וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ.
אִם תִּרְצֶה תִּתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו:
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8Cain then had words with his brother Abel, and when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. |
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חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּֽהַרְגֵֽהוּ: |
וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל - (lit.) Cain said to Abel. I.e., he entered into an argument and quarreled with him so as to find a pretext to kill him. There are also aggadic explanations of this phrase, but this is the plain understanding of the verse. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל.
נִכְנַס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי רִיב וּמַצָּה לְהִתְעוֹלֵל עָלָיו לְהָרְגוֹ. וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה, אַךְ זֶה יִשּׁוּבוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא:
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9In order to open the conversation,God asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He replied, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?!” |
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טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־קַ֔יִן אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר אָחִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי: |
אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ - where is your brother Abel?. God said this in order to engage him in a conciliatory conversation so that he might repent and say, “I killed him and have sinned against You.” |
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אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ.
לְכָּנֵס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי נַחַת, אוּלַי יָשׁוּב וְיֹאמַר: אֲנִי הֲרַגְתִּיו וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ:
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לֹא יָדַעְתִּי - I do not know. He behaved as if he could deceive the Supreme God. |
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לֹא יָדַעְתִּי.
נַעֲשָׂה כְּגוֹנֵב דַּעַת הָעֶלְיוֹנָה:
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השומר אָחִי - Am [I] my brother’s keeper?. This is an expression of a question, and similarly every ה prefix vocalized with a chataf-patach (הֲ) introduces a question. |
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השומר אָחִי.
לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ הוּא, וְכֵן כָּל הֵ"א הַנְּקוּדָה בַּחֲטַף פַּתָּח:
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10God said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s bloods are crying out to Me from the ground! |
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יוַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ ק֚וֹל דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹֽעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ - Your brother’s bloods. דְּמֵי is a plural form, indicating his blood and the blood of his potential descendants. Another explanation of the plural: He inflicted him with many wounds, for he did not know from where his soul would depart (i.e., which blow would be fatal). |
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דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ.
דָּמוֹ וְדַם זַרְעִיּוֹתָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁעָשָׂה בוֹ פְּצָעִים הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֵיכָן נַפְשׁוֹ יוֹצְאָה (סנהדרין ל"ז):
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11So now you will be cursed by having to work the ground even harder, for it will be cursed more than the ground has already been cursed, because it opened its mouth to receive your brother’s bloods from your hand. |
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יאוְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּֽצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ: |
אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה - you will be cursed more than the ground - i.e., more than the ground was already cursed on account of its sin; and here, too, it sinned again in that – |
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אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה.
יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּתְקַלְּלָה הִיא כְּבָר בַּעֲוֹנָהּ, וְגַם בָּזוֹ הוֹסִיפָה לַחֲטֹא,
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אֲשֶׁר פָּֽצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ וגו' - because [it] opened its mouth to receive your brother’s bloods… I therefore impose on it an additional curse for you: “It will no longer give you its strength.” |
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אֲשֶׁר פָּֽצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ וגו'.
וְהִנְּנִי מוֹסִיף לָהּ קְלָלָה אֶצְלְךָ, לֹא תֹסֵף תֵּת כֹּחָהּ:
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12When you work the ground, it will no longer give you its full fertile strength. Furthermore, you will be a perpetual wanderer in the world.” |
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יבכִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹסֵ֥ף תֵּֽת־כֹּחָ֖הּ לָ֑ךְ נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ: |
נָע וָנָד - A perpetual wanderer. You have no right to live in one place. |
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נָע וָנָד.
אֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לָדוּר בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד:
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13Cain said to God, “Is my sin too great for You to bear? |
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יגוַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה גָּד֥וֹל עֲוֹנִ֖י מִנְּשֽׂוֹא: |
עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֽׂוֹא - (lit.) My sin is too great to bear. This is a question: “You, God, bear the upper and lower worlds, yet it is impossible for You to bear my sin?!” |
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עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֽׂוֹא.
בִּתְמִיהָ, אַתָּה טוֹעֵן עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים, וַעֲוֹנִי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִטְעֹן? (בראשית רבה)
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14Behold, today You have banished me from the face of the earth—but can I be hidden from Your presence?! I am to be a perpetual wanderer in the world, and whoever finds me will kill me.” |
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ידהֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיּ֗וֹם מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־מֹֽצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי: |
15God said to him, “Therefore, let it be known that whoever kills Cain will be punished! Vengeance for his sin will be exacted only after seven generations.” To publicize this oath, God placed a mark on Cain’s forehead, so that whoever found him would not kill him. |
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טווַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ יְהֹוָ֗ה לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֤ה לְקַ֨יִן֙ א֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכּֽוֹת־אֹת֖וֹ כָּל־מֹֽצְאֽוֹ: |
לָכֵן כָּל־הורג קַיִן - therefore, whoever kills Cain. This is one of the verses which are abbreviated, and the full meaning is only hinted at but not explicit. “In that case, whoever kills Cain” is an expression of threat suggesting the consequence: “so will be done to him; this and this will be his punishment” – without stating explicitly what the punishment would be. |
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לָכֵן כָּל־הורג קַיִן.
זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת שֶׁקִּצְּרוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם וְרָמְזוּ וְלֹא פֵרְשׁוּ, לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן לְשׁוֹן גְּעָרָה, כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ, כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָנְשׁוֹ וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ עָנְשׁוֹ:
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שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם - vengeance will be exacted after seven generations.
God said: “I do not wish to take vengeance on Cain now, but only at the end of seven generations will I take My vengeance on him, when Lemech, one of his descendants, will arise and kill him.” The latter part of the verse, which says: “vengeance will be exacted after seven generations” – referring to the vengeance for Abel taken on Cain – teaches us that the beginning of the verse is an expression of threat, so that no creature will harm him.
A similar elliptical statement is: “David said, ‘Whoever smites the Jebusite and reaches the fortress!’,” where Scripture does not say explicitly what will be done to him; rather, Scripture speaks only elliptically: “David said, ‘Whoever smites the Jebusite and reaches the fortress – and approaches the gate and conquers it – and the crippled and the blind… – meaning, and smites them, too (because people said, as long as the blind and the cripple are here, David may not enter the house ) – whoever smites all these,’ David said, ‘I will make him a leader and a general.’” Here, in the Book of Samuel, Scripture abridges the narrative, omitting the consequence of David’s condition, but in 1 Chronicles, it states the consequence explicitly: “he will become a leader and a general.”
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שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם.
אֵינִי רוֹצֶה לְהִנָּקֵם מִקַּיִן עַכְשָׁו, לְסוֹף שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת אֲנִי נוֹקֵם נִקְמָתִי מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד לֶמֶךְ מִבְּנֵי בָּנָיו וְיַהַרְגֵהוּ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא שֶׁאָמַר שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם, וְהִיא נִקְמַת הֶבֶל מִקַּיִן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁתְּחִלַּת מִקְרָא לְשׁוֹן גְּעָרָה הִיא, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא בְרִיָּה מַזִּיקַתּוּ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר (שמואל ב ה'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ, אֲבָל דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בְּרֶמֶז כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר וְיִקְרַב אֶל הַשַּׁעַר וְיִכְבְּשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶת הָעִוְרִים וגו', וְגַם אוֹתָם יַכֶּה עַל אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ הָעִוֵּר וְהַפִּסֵּחַ לֹא יָבֹא דָוִד אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת – הַמַּכֶּה אֶת אֵלּוּ אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ רֹאשׁ וְשַׂר, כָּאן קִצֵּר דְּבָרָיו, וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים פֵּרֵשׁ יִהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וּלְשָׂר:
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וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת - God placed a sign for Cain. He inscribed a letter of His Divine Name on his forehead. Another explanation: |
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וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת.
חָקַק לוֹ אוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹ בְּמִצְחוֹ. ס"א דָּבָר אַחֵר:
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כָּל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי - “whoever finds me will kill me” . refers to animals and beasts, but no humans yet existed of whom he might be afraid; only his father and mother, and he had no fear that they would kill him. He said, however, “Until now, the fear of me was upon all animals, as it is written: ‘There will be a fear and dread of you upon all beasts of the earth.’ But now, because of this sin, the animals will no longer fear me and will kill me.” Immediately: “God placed a sign for Cain” – i.e., He restored the fear of him upon them all. |
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כָּל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי. הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת, אֲבָל בְּנֵי אָדָם עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ שֶׁיִּירָא מֵהֶם, רַק אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, וּמֵהֶם לֹא הָיָה יָרֵא שֶׁיַּהַרְגוּהוּ, אֶלָּא אָמַר עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיָה פַּחְדָּתִי עַל כָּל הַחַיּוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְגוֹ', וְעַכְשָׁו בִּשְׁבִיל עָוֹן זֶה לֹא יִירְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי הַחַיּוֹת וְיַהַרְגוּנִי, מִיָּד וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת – הֶחֱזִיר אֶת מוֹרָאוֹ עַל הַחַיּוֹת:
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16Cain left God’s presence with feigned humility. Wherever he went, the people of the earth trembled. Cain settled in Nod, to the east of Eden. |
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טזוַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נ֖וֹד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן: |
וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן - Cain left. He went away in ostensible humility, as if he could deceive the Supreme God. |
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וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן.
יָצָא בְהַכְנָעָה כְּגוֹנֵב דַּעַת הָעֶלְיוֹנָה:
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בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נוֹד - In Nod - i.e., in the land to where all exiles wander. |
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בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נוֹד.
בָּאֶרֶץ שֶׁכָּל הַגּוֹלִים נָדִים שָׁם:
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קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן - To the east of Eden. His father went into exile there when he was banished from the Garden of Eden, as it says: “He stationed to the east of the Garden of Eden” the guard of the path of entry into the Garden; from which we can deduce that Adam was there to the east of the Garden. And we also find that the easterly direction always serves as a refuge for murderers, as it says: “Then Moshe decided to designate three cities…toward the sunrise (the east), so that a murderer might flee there.” Another explanation of בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, taking נוֹד to mean “movement”: Wherever he went the earth shook beneath him, and people said, “Keep away from him! This is the one who killed his brother.” |
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קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן.
שָׁם גָּלָה אָבִיו כְּשֶׁגֹּרַשׁ מִגַּן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן עֵדֶן אֶת שְׁמִירַת דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַגָּן, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִלְמֹד שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם שָׁם, וּמָצִינוּ רוּחַ מִזְרָחִית קוֹלֶטֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶת הָרוֹצְחִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז יַבְדִּיל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹמֵר, מִזְרְחָה שָׁמֶשׁ (דברים ד'), דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ הָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מִזְדַּעְזְעָה תַּחְתָּיו, וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרִים סוּרוּ מֵעָלָיו, זֶהוּ שֶׁהָרַג אֶת אָחִיו:
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17Cain knew his wife carnally, and she conceived and gave birth to Chanoch. Cain was a builder of a city. He gave the city he built the same name as his son, Chanoch. |
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יזוַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֨יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־חֲנ֑וֹךְ וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ: |
וַֽיְהִי קַיִן בונה עִיר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר - He was - i.e., Cain, not Chanoch, was “a builder of a city,” and “he gave the city the same name as his son Chanoch” in order to be a memorial for him. |
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וַֽיְהִי קַיִן בונה עִיר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר.
לְזֵכֶר בְּנוֹ חֲנוֹךְ:
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18Irad was born to Chanoch; Irad was the father of Mechuya’el, Mechuya’el was the father of Metusha’el, and Metusha’el was the father of Lemech. |
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יחוַיִּוָּלֵ֤ד לַֽחֲנוֹךְ֙ אֶת־עִירָ֔ד וְעִירָ֕ד יָלַ֖ד אֶת־מְחֽוּיָאֵ֑ל וּמְחִיָּיאֵ֗ל יָלַד֙ אֶת־מְת֣וּשָׁאֵ֔ל וּמְתֽוּשָׁאֵ֖ל יָלַ֥ד אֶת־לָֽמֶךְ: |
וְעִירָד יָלַד - Irad was the father. There are places where it says concerning the male הוֹלִיד, and other places where it says יָלַד, since the verb ילד can be used in two senses: that of a woman giving birth – “neistre” in Old French (“to give birth”); or the act of begetting by a man – “engendrer” in Old French (“to beget”). When it says הוֹלִיד, in the hif’il (causative) form, it refers to the man in respect to the woman giving birth, i.e., this or that man caused his wife to give birth to a son or a daughter; and when it says יָלַד it refers to the man’s act of begetting. |
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וְעִירָד יָלַד.
יֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בְּזָכָר הוֹלִיד וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר יָלַד, שֶׁהַלֵּדָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת שְׁתֵּי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, לֵדַת הָאִשָּׁה ניש"טרא בְּלַעַז וּזְרִיעַת תּוֹלְדוֹת הָאִישׁ אינזי"ראר בְּלַעַז. כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר הוֹלִיד בִּלְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל, מְדַבֵּר בְּלֵדַת הָאִשָּׁה – פְּלוֹנִי הוֹלִיד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ בֵּן אוֹ בַת, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר יָלַד, מְדַבֵּר בִּזְרִיעַת הָאִישׁ:
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19Lemech married two women. The name of the first was Adah; the name of the second was Tzilah. |
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יטוַיִּקַּח־ל֥וֹ לֶ֖מֶךְ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָדָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית צִלָּֽה: |
וַיִּקַּח־לוֹ לֶמֶךְ - Lemech married. It would not have been necessary to mention all this in detail, except that it comes to teach us from the conclusion of the narrative that the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfilled His promise when He said, “Vengeance will be exacted on Cain after seven generations”; for Lemech arose and killed Cain after he had fathered children and produced a seventh generation. It is about this that Scripture says: “Did I kill a man (i.e., Cain) by my wound…?” |
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וַיִּקַּח־לוֹ לֶמֶךְ.
לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל זֶה, אֶלָּא לְלַמְּדֵנוּ מִסּוֹף הָעִנְיָן, שֶׁקִּיֵּם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַבְטָחָתוֹ שֶׁאָמַר שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקַּם קָיִן, עָמַד לֶמֶךְ לְאַחַר שֶׁהוֹלִיד בָּנִים וְעָשָׂה דּוֹר שְׁבִיעִי וְהָרַג אֶת קַיִן, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר כִּי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי וְגוֹמֵר:
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שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים - Two women. This was the custom of the generation preceding the Flood: one wife for childbearing, and the other purely for marital relations. The one who was for marital relations would be given to drink a sterilizing drug in order that she become barren, and she would be adorned like a bride and fed fine foods, while her fellow-wife would be ignored and in mourning like a widow. To this Job expressly refers: “He nurtures the barren one who will not give birth, but the widow he does not treat well,” as is explained in the aggadah of Chelek. |
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שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים.
כָּךְ הָיָה דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל אַחַת לִפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וְאַחַת לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, זוֹ שֶׁהִיא לְתַשְׁמִישׁ מַשְׁקָהּ כּוֹס שֶׁל עִקָּרִין כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּעָקֵר וּמְקֻשֶּׁטֶת כְּכַלָּה וּמַאֲכִילָהּ מַעֲדַנִּים, וַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ נְזוּפָה וַאֲבֵלָה כְּאַלְמָנָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ אִיּוֹב רֹעֶה עֲקָרָה לֹא תֵלֵד וְאַלְמָנָה לֹא יְיֵטִיב (איוב כ"ד), כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּאַגָּדַת חֵלֶק (וּבּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה):
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עָדָה - Adah. She was the one for childbearing, so named because she was repulsive to him and was kept away from him. עָדָה is Aramaic for סוּרָה “removed.” |
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עָדָה.
הִיא שֶׁל פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּגֻנָּה עָלָיו וּמוּסֶרֶת מֵאֶצְלוֹ, עָדָה תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל סוּרָה:
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צִלָּֽה - Tzilah. She was the one for marital relations, so named because she always dwelt in his shadow (צִלּוֹ). These are aggadic explanations in Bereshit Rabbah. |
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צִלָּֽה.
הִיא שֶׁל תַּשְׁמִישׁ, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיּוֹשֶׁבֶת תָּמִיד בְּצִלּוֹ, דִּבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הֵם בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
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20Adah gave birth to Yaval; he was the forerunner of all those who live in tents and keep herds. He was the first to build temples for idol worship. |
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כוַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י ישֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה: |
אֲבִי ישֵׁב אֹהֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה - The forerunner of all those who live in tents and keep herds - means he was the first of those who pastured animals in desert areas, dwelling in tents a month here and a month elsewhere to have pasture for his flock, for when the pasture was used up in one place he would go and pitch his tent in another place. And the aggadic explanation is: He built houses for idol-worship, as the verse says: “the idol of jealousy which provokes God’s anger (הַמַּקְנֶה).” Similarly, his brother “played harp and flute” to make music for idol-worship. |
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אֲבִי ישֵׁב אֹהֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה.
הוּא הָיָה הָרִאשׁוֹן לְרוֹעֵי בְהֵמוֹת בַּמִּדְבָּרוֹת, יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים חֹדֶשׁ כָּאן וְחֹדֶשׁ כָּאן בִּשְׁבִיל מִרְעֵה צֹאנוֹ, וּכְשֶׁכָּלֶה הַמִּרְעֶה בְּמָקוֹם זֶה הוֹלֵךְ וְתוֹקֵעַ אָהֳלוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה בּוֹנֶה בָתִּים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר סֵמֶל הַקִּנְאָה הַמַּקְנֶה (יחזקאל ח'), וְכֵן אָחִיו תּוֹפֵשׂ כִּנּוֹר וְעוּגָב לְזַמֵּר לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
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21His brother’s name was Yuval; he was the forerunner of all those who play the harp and flute. |
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כאוְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יוּבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י כָּל־תֹּפֵ֥שׂ כִּנּ֖וֹר וְעוּגָֽב: |
22Tzilah also gave birth to a son, Tuval-Cain, who sharpened all copper and iron tools. Tuval-Cain’s sister was Na’amah. |
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כבוְצִלָּ֣ה גַם־הִ֗וא יָֽלְדָה֙ אֶת־תּ֣וּבַל קַ֔יִן לֹטֵ֕שׁ כָּל־חֹרֵ֥שׁ נְח֖שֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֑ל וַֽאֲח֥וֹת תּֽוּבַל־קַ֖יִן נַֽעֲמָֽה: |
תּוּבַל קַיִן - Tuval-Cain. He was so called because he refined Cain’s handicraft. תּוּבַל is of the same root as תְּבָלִין “spices,” which give a refined taste to food. He refined and improved Cain’s craft by making weapons for murderers. |
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תּוּבַל קַיִן.
תּוֹבֵל אֻמָּנֻתוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן, תּוּבָל לְשׁוֹן תַּבְלִין, תִּבֵּל וְהִתְקִין אֻמָּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלֵי זַיִן לָרוֹצְחִים:
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לֹטֵשׁ כָּל־חֹרֵשׁ נְחשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל - means: He would sharpen tools used for copper and iron work. We find לֹטֵשׁ used in a similar sense: יִלְטוֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִי “He sharpens his gaze towards me.” The word חֹרֵשׁ is not a noun, which would be punctuated חֹרֶשׁ, but a verb, for it is punctuated with a kamatz-katan (tzeireh) and its accent is on the last syllable – whereas a noun has the accent on the first syllable. The meaning is therefore: He would sharpen and polish all kinds of tools used for crafting copper and iron. |
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לֹטֵשׁ כָּל־חֹרֵשׁ נְחשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל.
מְחַדֵּד אֻמָּנוּת נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל כְּמוֹ יִלְטֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִי (איוב ט"ז). חוֹרֵשׁ אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן פֹּעֶל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן פּוֹעֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי נָקוּד קָמָץ קָטָן וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה, כְּלוֹמַר, מְחַדֵּד וּמְצַחְצֵחַ כָּל כְּלֵי אֻמָּנוּת נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל:
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נַֽעֲמָֽה - Na’amah. She was Noah’s wife (Bereshit Rabbah). |
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נַֽעֲמָֽה.
הִיא אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל נֹחַ:
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23Lemech said to his wives, “Adah and Tzilah, hear my voice; wives of Lemech, listen to my speech. Did I kill a man [Cain] by my wound, and a child [Tuval-Cain] by my bruise?! Did I kill them intentionally?! |
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כגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קוֹלִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַֽאֲזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֨גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּֽרָתִֽי: |
שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי - Hear my voice. He said this because his wives had separated from him from marital relations, because he had killed Cain and his own son, Tuval-Cain. For Lemech was blind and Tuval-Cain was once leading him; when Tuval-Cain saw Cain, he thought him to be an animal. He told his father to draw his bow, and Lemech killed him. When Lemech realized that it was Cain, his forefather, he clapped his hands together, striking his son between them and killing him. As a result, his wives separated from him, but he tried to appease them, saying: “Hear my voice” – to acquiesce to me for intimacy. “For the man” whom “I killed,” was he killed “by my wound”? Did I wound him intentionally that the wound be attributed to me? “And the child” whom I killed, was he killed “by my bruise”? This is therefore a question: “Did I not act inadvertently and without premeditation? This is not considered my wound, nor is it considered my bruise.” |
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שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי.
שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹרְשׁוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ מִתַּשְׁמִישׁ, לְפִי שֶׁהָרַג אֶת קַיִן וְאֶת תּוּבַל קַיִן בְּנוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה לֶמֶךְ סוּמָא וְתוּבַל קַיִן מוֹשְׁכוֹ, וְרָאָה אֶת קַיִן וְנִדְמָה לוֹ כְּחַיָּה וְאָמַר לְאָבִיו לִמְשֹׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת וַהֲרָגוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע שֶׁהוּא קַיִן זְקֵנוֹ הִכָּה כַּף אֶל כַּף וְסָפַק אֶת בְּנוֹ בֵינֵיהֶם וַהֲרָגוֹ, וְהָיוּ נָשָׁיו פּוֹרְשׁוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא מְפַיְּסָן:
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שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי - My wound - is the stroke inflicted by a sword or an arrow; “navrure” in Old French (“a wound”). |
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שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי.
לְהִשָּׁמַע לִי לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְכִי אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי הוּא נֶהֱרַג, וְכִי אֲנִי פְצַעְתִּיו מֵזִיד שֶׁיְּהֵא הַפֶּצַע קָרוּי עַל שְׁמִי? וְיֶלֶד אֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתִּי, לְחַבֻּרָתִי נֶהֱרַג? כְּלוֹמַר, עַל יְדֵי חַבֻּרָתִי? בִּתְמִיהָ, וַהֲלֹא שׁוֹגֵג אֲנִי וְלֹא מֵזִיד, לֹא זֶהוּ פִּצְעִי וְלֹא זֶהוּ חַבֻּרָתִי פֶּצַע מַכַּת חֶרֶב אוֹ חֵץ מקא"דורה בְּלַעַז:
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24If revenge against Cain, who committed murder, was exacted only after seven generations, then for me, Lemech, who only committed manslaughter, God’s punishment should surely be postponed many times seven generations!” |
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כדכִּ֥י שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקַּם־קָ֑יִן וְלֶ֖מֶךְ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָֽה: |
כִּי שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקַּם־קָיִן - If revenge on Cain was exacted after seven generations - i.e., if Cain, who killed intentionally, had his punishment suspended for seven generations, I, who killed inadvertently, should certainly have my punishment suspended for many times seven generations. |
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כִּי שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקַּם־קָיִן.
קַיִן שֶׁהָרַג מֵזִיד נִתְלָה לוֹ עַד שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת, אֲנִי שֶׁהָרַגְתִּי שׁוֹגֵג לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּתָּלֶה לִי שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
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שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָֽה - (lit.) Seventy-seven. He used a term denoting many times seven without meaning exactly seventy-seven. This is how Rabbi Tanchuma explained this passage. But Midrash Bereshit Rabbah explains that Lemech did not kill anyone, yet his wives separated from him after they had fulfilled the commandment of childbearing, because they realized that it had been decreed to destroy Cain’s offspring after seven generations and they said, “Why should we bear children for destruction? Soon the Flood will come and sweep everyone away!” He answered them: “Did I kill a man by my wound? Did I kill Abel, who was ‘a man’ in size but only ‘a child’ in age, that my offspring should be destroyed for that sin? If Cain, who committed murder, had his punishment suspended for seven generations, I, who did not kill, should certainly have my punishment (i.e., the destruction of my offspring) suspended for many times seven generations.” But this is an absurd application of a fortiori reasoning, for if it were so, the Holy One, blessed be He, would never exact His debt or fulfill His promise. |
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שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָֽה.
לְשׁוֹן רִבּוּי שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת אָחַז לוֹ, כָּךְ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא. וּמִדְרַשׁ בְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה לֹא הָרַג לֶמֶךְ כְּלוּם, וְנָשָׁיו פּוֹרְשׁוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ מִשֶּׁקִיְּמוּ פְּרִיָה וּרְבִיָּה, לְפִי שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה לְכַלּוֹת זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן לְאַחַר שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת, אָמְרוּ מָה אָנוּ יוֹלְדוֹת לַבֶּהָלָה? לְמָחָר הַמַּבּוּל בָּא וְשׁוֹטֵף אֶת הַכֹּל וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶן וְכִי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי? וְכִי אֲנִי הָרַגְתִּי אֶת הֶבֶל, שֶׁהָיָה אִישׁ בְּקוֹמָה וְיֶלֶד בַּשָּׁנִים, שֶׁיְּהֵא זַרְעִי כָּלֶה בְּאוֹתוֹ עָוֹן? וּמַה קַּיִן שֶׁהָרַג נִתְלָה לוֹ שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת, אֲנִי שֶׁלֹּא הָרַגְתִּי, לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּתָּלוּ לִי שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה? וְזֶהוּ קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁל שְׁטוּת, אִם כֵּן אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹבֶה אֶת חוֹבוֹ וּמְקַיֵּם אֶת דְּבָרוֹ:
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25Adam knew his wife carnally again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth [Shet], saying, “because God has granted [shat] me other offspring in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” |
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כהוַיֵּ֨דַע אָדָ֥ם עוֹד֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁ֑ת כִּ֣י שָׁת־לִ֤י אֱלֹהִים֙ זֶ֣רַע אַחֵ֔ר תַּ֣חַת הֶ֔בֶל כִּ֥י הֲרָג֖וֹ קָֽיִן: |
וַיֵּדַע אָדָם וְגוֹ' - Adam knew [his wife again]. Lemech came to Adam, the first man, and complained about his wives. Adam said to them, “Is it for you to make calculations concerning God’s decrees? You do your duty, and He will do His!” They answered him, “First correct yourself. Have you not separated yourself from your wife for these past 130 years, ever since, through you, death was decreed?” His response was immediate: “Adam knew his wife again….” And what does עוֹד “again” signify? It comes to teach you that his desire for her now was greater than before. Bereshit Rabbah. |
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וַיֵּדַע אָדָם וְגוֹ'.
בָּא לוֹ לֶמֶךְ אֵצֶל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְקָבַל עַל נָשָׁיו, אָמַר לָהֶם: וְכִי עֲלֵיכֶם לְדַקְדֵּק עַל גְּזֵרָתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם? אַתֶּם עֲשׂוּ מִצְוַתְכֶם וְהוּא יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: קְשֹׁט עַצְמְךָ תְּחִלָּה, וַהֲלֹא פָּרַשְׁתָּ מֵאִשְׁתְּךָ זֶה מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁנִּקְנְסָה מִיתָה עַל יָדְךָ: מִיָּד וַיֵּדַע אָדָם וְגוֹמֵר. וּמַהוּ עוֹד, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתּוֹסְפָה לוֹ תַאֲוָה עַל תַּאֲוָתוֹ (בראשית רבה):
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26A son was also born to Seth; Seth named him Enosh. Then, during Enosh’s lifetime, the name of God was invoked profanely. |
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כווּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱנ֑וֹשׁ אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
אָז הוּחַל - Then [the name of God] was invoked profanely. הוּחַל is an expression of profanation (חֻלִּין). This was done by calling people and idols by the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to make them the objects of idol-worship and to call them deities. |
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אָז הוּחַל.
לְשׁוֹן חֻלִּין, לִקְרֹא אֶת שְׁמוֹת הָאָדָם וְאֶת שְׁמוֹת הָעֲצַבִּים בִּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹתָן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְלִקְרוֹתָן אֱלֹהוּת:
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