Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 2

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.   דאֵ֣לֶּה תֽוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִ֣בָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם:
אֵלֶּה - these. i.e., the aforementioned   אֵלֶּה.  הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
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…,” 1 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.   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:
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.   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 2 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;   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:
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…,” 3 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?   וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמַח.  עֲדַיִן לֹא צָמַח, וּבְג' שֶׁכָּתוּב תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ, לֹא יָצְאוּ, אֶלָּא עַל פֶּתַח קַרְקַע עָמְדוּ עַד יוֹם שִׁשִּׁי:
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.   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:
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.   ה' אֱלֹהִים.  ה' הוּא שְׁמוֹ, אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא שַׁלִּיט וְשׁוֹפֵט עַל כֹּל, וְכֵן פֵּרוּש זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ, ה' שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהִים:
6So God made a mist rise up from the earth and water the entire surface of the ground.   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.” 4   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:
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.   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.   וַיִּיצֶר.  שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִיצִירָה לִתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, אֲבָל בַּבְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת לַדִּין לֹא נִכְתַּב בִּיצִירָתָהּ שְׁנֵי יוֹדִי"ן:
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,” 5 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.”   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:
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.   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:
לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּֽה - A living being. Animals and beasts are also called נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, 6 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.   לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּֽה.  אַף בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה נִקְרְאוּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, אַךְ זוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חַיָּה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן, שֶׁנִתּוֹסֵף בּוֹ דֵּעָה וְדִבּוּר:
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.   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”? 7 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…,” 8 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.

   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:
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.   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.   וַיַּצְמַח.  לְעִנְיַן הַגַּן הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן - means “in the center of the garden.”   בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן.  בָּאֶמְצַע:
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.   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.   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.” 9 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.” 10   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:
12The gold of that land is good. Also found there are crystal and the onyx stone.   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.   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,” 11 for it gores and then goes on and roars.   גִּיחוֹן.  שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה, וְהֶמְיָתוֹ גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ כִי יִגַּח (שמות כ"א), שֶׁמְּנַגֵּחַ וְהוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה:
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.   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.   חִדֶּקֶל.  שֶׁמֵּימָיו חַדִּין וְקַלִּין:
פְרָֽת - euphrates. It is so called because its water increases (פרה) abundantly and has healing qualities for people.   פְרָֽת.  שֶׁמֵּימָיו פָּרִין וְרָבִין וְמַבְרִין אֶת הָאָדָם:
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.   כּוּשׁ וְאַשׁוּר.  עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ, וְכָתַב הַמִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר - means “to the east of Assyria.”   קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר.  לְמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל אַשּׁוּר:
הוּא פְרָֽת - Is the Euphrates. This is the most important of all the rivers, being mentioned in connection with the Land of Israel.   הוּא פְרָֽת. הֶחָשׁוּב עַל כֻּלָּם, הַנִּזְכָּר עַל שֵׁם אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
15God persuaded the human to enter the garden, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate it and guard it.   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.   וַיִּקַּח.  לְקָחוֹ בִדְבָרִים נָאִים וּפִתָּהוּ לִכָּנֵס (בראשית רבה):
16God commanded the human, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely.   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.”   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.”   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.   לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת וגו'.  שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי רָשׁוּיוֹת הֵן, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָעֶליוֹנִים יָחִיד וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג, וְזֶה בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג (בראשית רבה):
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.   עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ.  זָכָה – עֵזֶר; לֹא זָכָה – כְּנֶגְדּוֹ לְהִלָּחֵם:
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.   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….” 12 It is, however, repeated here in order to explain that birds were created from the swamps, a combination of earth and water, for above 13 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,” 14 and means here: He placed them under man’s control.   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):
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.”   וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִּקְרָא־לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וגו'.  סָרְסֵהוּ וּפָרְשֵׁהוּ, כֹּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם שֵׁם, הוּא שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם: