Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 2

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.   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.   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.”   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):
מִצַּלְעֹתָיו - means “of its sides,” as we find: “For the second side (וּלְצֶלַע) of the Tabernacle.” 1 This concurs with what the sages said: They were created with two faces and then divided.   מִצַּלְעֹתָיו.  מִסְּטָרָיו, כְּמוֹ וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות כ"ו), זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ שְׁנֵי פַרְצוּפִים נִבְרְאוּ (עירובין י"ז):
וַיִּסְגֹּר - and he closed. the place where it was cut.   וַיִּסְגֹּר.  מְקוֹם הַחֲתָךְ:
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.   וַיִּישָׁן וַיִּקַּח.  שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה חֲתִיכַת הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁמִּמֶּנוּ נִבְרֵאת וְתִתְבַּזֶּה עָלָיו:
22God built up the side that He had taken from the human into a woman, and He brought her to the man.   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.   וַיִּבֶן.  כְּבִִנְיָן, רְחָבָה מִלְּמַטָּה וּקְצָרָה מִלְּמַעְלָה לְקַבֵּל הַוָּלָד כְּאוֹצָר שֶׁל חִטִּים, שֶׁהוּא רָחָב מִלְּמַטָה וְקָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה שֶׁלֹּא יַכְבִּיד מַשָּׂאוֹ עַל קִירוֹתָיו:
וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה - he built up the side…into a woman. לְאִשָּׁה means: “into a woman,” as in: “Gideon made it לְאֵפוֹד” 2 – i.e., into an ephod.   וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה.  לִהְיוֹת אִשָּׁה, כְּמוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ אוֹתוֹ גִדְעוֹן לְאֵפוֹד (שופטים ח'), לִהְיוֹת אֵפוֹד:
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].”   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.   זֹאת הַפַּעַם.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא אָדָם עַל כָּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה, וְלֹא נִתְקָרְרָה דַעְתּוֹ בָּהֶם (יבמות ס"ג):
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).   לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה כִּי מֵאִישׁ וגו'.  לָשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל לָשׁוֹן מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (בראשית רבה):
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.   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).   עַל־כֵּן יַֽעֲזָב־אִישׁ.  רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמְרָה כֵן לֶאֱסֹר עַל בְּנֵי נֹחַ הָעֲרָיוֹת (סנהדרין נ"ז):
לְבָשָׂר אֶחָֽד - one flesh. The child is formed by both of them and in him their flesh becomes one.   לְבָשָׂר אֶחָֽד.  הַוָּלָד נוֹצָר עַל יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם וְשָׁם נַעֲשֶׁה בְשָׂרָם אֶחָד (שם נ"ח):
25The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they felt no shame in this.   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.   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):

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 3

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?’”   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.” 3 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.   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:
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.” 4   עָרוּם מִכֹּל.  לְפִי עָרְמָתוֹ וּגְדֻלָּתוֹ הָיְתָה מַפָּלָתוֹ, עָרוּם מִכֹּל, אָרוּר מִכֹּל (בראשית רבה):
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.   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:
2The woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden,   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.’”   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, 5 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.” 6   וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ.  הוֹסִיפָה עַל הַצִּוּוּי, לְפִיכָךְ בָּאָה לִידֵי גֵרָעוֹן, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַל תּוֹסְףְּ עַל דְּבָרָיו (משלי ל'):
4The serpent said to the woman, “You will certainly not die from eating its fruit!   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.”   לֹא־מוֹת תמותון.  דְּחָפָהּ עַד שֶׁנָּגְעָה בוֹ, אָמַר לָהּ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מִיתָה בִנְגִיעָה, כָּךְ אֵין מִיתָה בַאֲכִילָה (בראשית רבה):
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.”   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… –   כִּי יֹדֵעַ.  כָּל אֻמָּן שׂוֹנֵא אֶת בְּנֵי אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, מִן הָעֵץ אָכַל וּבָרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם (בראשית רבה):
וִֽהְיִיתֶם כֵּֽאלֹהִים - you will be like God - creators of worlds.”   וִֽהְיִיתֶם כֵּֽאלֹהִים.  יוֹצְרֵי עוֹלָמוֹת (בראשית רבה):
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.   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.   וַתֵּרֶא הָֽאִשָּׁה.  רָאֲתָה דְבָרָיו שֶׁל נָחָשׁ וְהֶנְאוּ לָהּ וְהֶאֱמִינַתּוּ (בראשית רבה):
כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ - that the tree was good - to let her become like God.   כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ.  לִהְיוֹת כֵּאלֹהִים:
וְכִי תַֽאֲוָה־הוּא לָֽעֵינַיִם - it was desirable to the eyes - as he had told her: “Your eyes will be opened.”   וְכִי תַֽאֲוָה־הוּא לָֽעֵינַיִם.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם:
וְנֶחְמָד לְהַשְׂכִּיל - and the tree was attractive as a means to gain intelligence - as he had told her: “You will know good and evil.”   וְנֶחְמָד לְהַשְׂכִּיל.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ יוֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע:
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.   וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ.  שֶׁלֹּא תָמוּת הִיא וְיִחְיֶה הוּא, וְיִשָּׂא אַחֶרֶת:
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.   גַּם־.  לְרַבּוֹת בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה:
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.   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 –   וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה וגו'.  לְעִנְיַן הַחָכְמָה דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא לְעִנְיַן רְאִיָּה מַמָּשׁ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא מוֹכִיחַ:
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.   וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עירמים הֵם.  אַף הַסּוּמָא יוֹדֵעַ כְּשֶׁהוּא עָרוּם, אֶלָּא מַהוּ וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם? מִצְוָה אַחַת הָיְתָה בְיָדָם וְנִתְעַרְטְלוּ הֵימֶנָּה (בראשית רבה):
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. 7   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:
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.   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.   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:
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.   וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ.  מַה שָּׁמְעוּ? שָׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהָיָה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגַּן:
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.   לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם.  לְאוֹתוֹ רוּחַ שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה לְשָׁם, וְזוֹ הִיא מַעֲרָבִית; שֶׁלִּפְנוֹת עֶרֶב חַמָּה בַּמַּעֲרָב, וְהֵם סָרְחוּ בָּעֲשִׂירִית (סנהדרין ל"ח):
9In order to open the conversation, God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”   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?”; 8 and similarly with Balaam, “Who are these men with you?” 9 in order to engage them in conversation; and similarly with Chizkiyah, the prophet Isaiah asked him regarding the messengers of Merodach-Bal’adan 10 in order to engage him in conversation.   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:
10He replied, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid.”   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?”   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?   מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ.  מֵאַיִן לְךָ לָדַעַת מַה בֹּשֶׁת יֵשׁ בְּעוֹמֵד עָרֹם?
הֲמִן־הָעֵץ - did [you eat] of the tree?. This is a rhetorical question.   הֲמִן־הָעֵץ.  בִּתְמִיהָ:
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.”   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.   אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי.  כָּאן כָּפַר בַּטּוֹבָה (עבודה זרה ה):
13God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman replied, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”   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.” 11   הִשִּׁיאַנִי.  הִטְעַנִי, כְּמוֹ אַל יַשִּׁיא אֶתְכֶם חִזְקִיָּהוּ (דברי הימים ב' ל"ב):
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.   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?!”   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):
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 12 to deduce that the gestation period of a serpent is seven years.   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:
עַל־גחונך תֵלֵךְ - you will move on your belly. It had feet, but they were now cut off.   עַל־גחונך תֵלֵךְ.  רַגְלַיִם הָיוּ לוֹ וְנִקְצְצוּ:
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.”   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.”   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:
יְשֽׁוּפְךָ - means “they will pound you,” as we find: וָאֶכֹּת אוֹתוֹ “I crushed it,” 13 which Onkelos translates as וְשָׁפִית יָתֵהּ, from the same root as יְשׁוּפְךָ.   יְשֽׁוּפְךָ.  יְכַתֶּתְךָ (סוטה ט') כְּמוֹ וָאֶכֹּת אֹתוֹ (דברים ט), וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְשָׁפִית יָתֵי':
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,” 14 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.   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:
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.”   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.   עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ.  זֶה צַעַר גִּדּוּל בָּנִים (עירובין ק'):
וְהֵֽרֹנֵךְ - and your pregnancy. This refers to the discomfort of pregnancy.   וְהֵֽרֹנֵךְ.  זֶה צַעַר הָעִבּוּר:
בְּעֶצֶב תֵּֽלְדִי בָנִים - you will give birth to children in anguish. This refers to the pangs of childbirth.   בְּעֶצֶב תֵּֽלְדִי בָנִים.  זֶה צַעַר הַלֵּדָה:
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.   וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ.  לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין לָךְ מֵצַח לְתָבְעוֹ בַּפֶּה, אֶלָּא הוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ, הַכֹּל מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא מִמֵּךְ:
תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ - means “your longing” – as in וְנַפְשׁוֹ שׁוֹקֵקָה “and his soul desires.” 15   תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ.  תַּאֲוָתֵךְ, כְּמוֹ נֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹקֵקָה (ישעיהו כ"ט):
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.   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.   אֲרוּרָה הָֽאֲדָמָה בַּֽעֲבוּרֶךָ.  מַעֲלָה לְךָ דְּבָרִים אֲרוּרִים, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים, פַּרְעוֹשִׁים וּנְמָלִים, מָשָׁל לְיוֹצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת מְקַלְּלוֹת שָׁדַיִם שֶׁיָּנַק מֵהֶם:
18It will bring forth thorns and thistles for you, and you will have to eat the grass of the field.   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.   וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ.  הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁתִּזְרָעֶנָּה מִינֵי זְרָעִים, תַּצְמִיחַ קוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר קֻנְדָּס וְעַכָּבִיּוֹת, וְהֵן נֶאֱכָלִין עַל יְדֵי תִקּוּן (ביצה ל"ד):
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…”? 16 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.   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:
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.”   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.   בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ.  לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּטְרַח בּוֹ הַרְבֵּה:
20The man named his wife “Eve” [Chavah], because she was and would be the mother of all the living [chai].   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….” 17 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.   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:
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,” 18 where הֹוֶה is equivalent to הֹיֶה “is.”   חַוָּה.  נוֹפֵל עַל לְשׁוֹן חַיָּה, שֶׁמְּחַיָּה אֶת וַלְדוֹתֶיהָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר מֶה הֹוֶה לָאָדָם (קהלת ב'), בִּלְשׁוֹן הָיָה:
21God made skin-garments for Adam and his wife. He clothed them in these garments.   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.   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: