"The woman whom You did give to be with me"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon talk about the creation of Eve, and how she was separated from the attachment that she had to Adam. In this way she became his help mate.

Adam Body Creation Eve Tree Women

68. Rabbi Yosi the younger entered before Rabbi Shimon one day and found him sitting and reading the verse: "And the man said, 'The woman whom You did give to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat'" (Beresheet 3:12). THIS HERE means that Adam and Eve were created together, stuck one to the other in one body, as it says, "did give to be with me," and not 'You gave to me.' He replied to him: If so, what of the verse, "I am the woman that stood by you here" (I Shmuel 1:26)? It is not written, 'that stood before you.' He said to him: If the verse read, 'given with you,' then I would say it resembles the other verse that says, "whom You did give to be with me." However, as it reads, "stood," THEN THE MEANING IS ONLY STANDING ALONE, BUT NOT ATTACHED TO HIM.

68. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי זְעֵירָא, עָאל קָמֵיהּ דְּר' שִׁמְעוֹן יוֹמָא חַד, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה יָתִיב וְקָאֲרִי, כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי הִיא נָתְנָה לִּי מִן הָעֵץ וָאוֹכֵל. מַשְׁמַע דְּאָדָם וְחַוָּה כַּחֲדָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ, וּבְגוּפָא חֲדָא. דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי, וְלָא כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִי, אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי הָכִי, וְהָכְּתִיב אֲנִי הָאִשָּׁה הַנִּצֶּבֶת עִמְּכָה בָּזֶה. וְלָא כְּתִיב הַנִּצֶּבֶת לְפָנֶיךָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי כְּתִיב הַנִּתֶּנֶת עִמְּךָ, הֲוָה אֲמֵינָא הָכֵי, כְּדִכְתִיב אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי, אֲבָל הַנִּצֶּבֶת כְּתִיב.

Adam Body Creation Female Male

69. He replied: Behold it is written, "And Hashem Elohim said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help to match [before] him'" (Beresheet 2:18). HENCE, HIS WIFE WAS CREATED ALONE. SHE WAS BEFORE HIM, NOT ATTACHED TO HIM IN ONE BODY. HE ANSWERS: "I will make him," MEANING now I WILL MAKE HER BEFORE HIM, BUT PRIOR TO THIS THEY WERE CREATED ATTACHED IN ONE BODY. He said to him: So it was surely that Adam was alone; he had no help in a female since she was ATTACHED by the rib, as explained. And the meaning of, "I will make him a help" MEANS that it is already so, as it is not written, 'I will create a help,' WHICH IS because it is written, "male and female He created them" (Beresheet 5:2) - MEANING THAT SINCE THE TIME OF CREATION, THEY WERE ALREADY A MALE AND FEMALE. But it says, "I will make;" what shall I make? MEANING I will fix, meaning the Holy One, blessed be He, took her from his ribs in order to make this corrective change, brought her before him, and then Adam united with his wife and she was his help mate.

69. אָמַר לֵיהּ, וְהָא כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ הַשְׁתָּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ הֲוָה, דְּלָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ סֶמֶךְ מִנּוּקְבֵיהּ, בְּגִין דַּהֲוַת בְּסִטְרוֹי כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וּמַה דְּאָמַר אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ עֵזֶר, הָכִי הוּא, דְּלָא כְּתִיב אֶבְרָא לוֹ עֵזֶר, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם. אֲבָל אֶעֱשֶׂה כְּתִיב. וּמַהוּ אֶעֱשֶׂה. אַתָקֵן. מַשְׁמַע דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיל לָהּ מִסִּטְרוֹי, וְתָקִין לָהּ בְּתִקּוּנָא, וְאַיְיתֵי לָהּ קַמֵּיהּ. וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתָּמַּשׁ אָדָם בְּאִנְתְּתֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה לֵיהּ סֶמֶךְ.