A Help Mate? The Art of Living Together in the Stories of Adam and Eve

Transcription

1 A Help Mate? The Art of Living Together in the Stories of Adam and Eve A study of contrasting views of companionship in the Biblical Creation stories and their interpretations in classical and contemporary midrash and commentary, in art and poetry By Noam Zion, Jo Milgrom & Gary Tishkoff Shalom Hartman Institute ש Gedalyahu Alon 12 POB 8029 Jerusalem, Israel Saul Raskin About the Authors: This booklet is the outcome of many years of teaching the creation stories by the main editor--noam Zion, together with Dr. Jo Milgrom, Yardena Lubotzky and David and Gilit Ivgi, contributed greatly in the realm of art. Jo Milgrom gathered and processed a tremendous amount of creative art--both ancient and modern. Yehudit Zamir, Steve Israel, and Ayala Paz commented extensively from an educational point of view. Rabbi Gary Tishkoff took the initiative to translate this material from the Hebrew and to find the appropriate visual format to make it inviting for the English readers. In the end the responsibility for mistakes and biased emphases falls on the main author, yet without the wisdom and insight the above-mentioned, this material would not have seen the light of day.for reactions, suggestions &/or orders, contact Noam Zion at zionsacs@netvision.net.il

2 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION TO THE THEME: COMPANIONSHIP AS A LIFELONG PROJECT... 1 THE BIBLICAL TEXTS OF GENESIS CHAPTER I - WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF COMPANIONSHIP? A. BIBLICAL COMPARISON--THE CREATION OF MALE AND FEMALE (GENESIS 1) COMPARED WITH THE FORMATION OF MAN AND WOMAN (GENESIS 2) STUDY EXERCISES Exercise 1 - "It is not good for man to be alone" - Creative Writing Exercise 2 - "A Help Mate" - A Questionnaire for Finding A Fitting Mate Exercise 3 - "This Time" - The Music of Love B. DISCUSSION--IS THE STORY OF BUILDING WOMAN FROM THE RIB OF MAN (GENESIS 2) CHAUVINISTIC? STUDY EXERCISES Key Phrases in Genesis (זאת הפעם) Time This (עזר כנגדו( ( 2 Mate Textual Phrases: 1) A Help (והיו לבשר אחד) Flesh" Phrase 3: "And They Became One Phrase 4: "God took one of his ribs...and built the rib...into a woman" C. CULTURAL COMPARISON--THE CREATION OF WOMAN ACCORDING TO HESIOD'S PANDORA STORY CHAPTER II - CRISES IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE FIRST COUPLE A. THE GARDEN OF EDEN STORY AS A PLAY ENTITLED: "LOVING COUPLE IN CONFLICT" On the meaning of the Garden of Eden story B. HOW DID THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN "THE TWO LOVERS OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN" DEGENERATE? STUDY EXCERCISES: Looking at the Gendered Characters of the Man and the Woman in the Garden of Eden Exercise 1: Image of the Woman and her Affinity to the Serpent Exercise 2: Image of the Woman According to Jewish and Christian Bible Commentators Exercise 3: Inventing Extemporaneous Dialogue for Genesis 3: Biblio-drama Exercise 4: A Fateful Decision Genesis 3: C. A SURVEY OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF EATING FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE D. CONCLUSION: WAS EATING FROM THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL BENEFICIAL OR DETRIMENTAL? STUDY EXERCISE: Would you prefer to remain in the Garden of Eden? CHAPTER III - MODERN LITERARY MIDRASHIM A. NESSA RAPPAPORT, GENERATION -THE GARDEN FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE AND FROM HERS B. PETER PITZELE, A CONVERSATION IN THE GARDEN BY WAY OF BIBLIODRAMA C. HOWARD COOPER, AND THEY BOTH WILL MAKE IT SEXUALITY, SPIRITUALITY AND STORYTELLING D. MODERN POETRY E. ELEANORA LEV, THE FIRST MORNING AFTER: EVE IN THE GARDEN

3 CHAPTER IV - MEDIEVAL & MODERN COMMENTATORS DEBATE A. GENESIS 2: LOVING FRIENDS Naomi Rosenblatt, When Love Enters The World Joel Rosenberg, The Paradigmatic Betrothal Maurice Lamm, The Jewish Way in Love & Marriage John Milton, The Doctrine & Discipline of Divorce Montaigne, Of Friendship Among Men Aelred of Rievaulx, Spiritual Friendship David Gunn & Dana Fewell, Equity Dissolves Into Hierarchy Christine de Pizan, A Woman s Bible Commentary Ellen Frankel, Women Discuss the Garden of Eden Story B. GENESIS 3: SHIFTING THE BLAME Pierre Bourdieu, Baking Bread Alice Bach, A Woman s Weapon: Food Linda Nochlin, The Fallen Woman Dana Fewell & David Gunn, The Woman is an Explorer William Phipps, Her Husband Beside Her Lisa Aiken, To Be A Jewish Woman Augustine, Christian Interpretations C: GENESIS 3: THE PUNISHMENTS Mary Gordon, Happy Virgin, Cursed Mother: Church Fathers on Eve s Curse Chava Weissler, Mizvot Built into the Body: Tkhines for Niddah, Pregnancy, and Childbirth Sarah,יGrimk Thou shalt be subject unto thy husband Mieke Bal, Lyn Bechtel & Carol Meyers, Punishments? No, Wisdom and Maturity and Reality! Naomi Rosenblatt, Dedication To Life, Not Immortality Joel Rosenberg, Man s Reconciliation with Woman After the Fall into Mortality Dana Fewell & David Gunn, Shifting the Blame CHAPTER V SUPPLEMENT A. BIBLICAL Meir Shalev, Man, King of the Animals [To be translated] Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, The Lonely Man of Faith Phyllis Trible, A Love Story Gone Awry Nehama Aschkenasy, Eve s Journey: Feminine Images in Hebraic Literary B. GREEK--PANDORA A Greek legend according to Hesiod Edith Hamilton s Pandora William Phipps Pandora Tikvah Frymer Kensky, In The Wake of Goddesses C. CHRISTIAN William Phipps, Early Church Fathers on Eve Rosemary Radford Reuther, Women in Christian Theology: Subordination or Equivalence? [Forthcoming] David Feldman, Marriage in the Christian Tradition D. CONTEMPORARY & EASTERN Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving E. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY [FORTHCOMING]... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. F. Appendix: Plato's Symposium on Love 3

4 Introduction to the Theme: Companionship as a Lifelong Project Companionship--the ability to build a life of love and cooperation between two people - is a difficult challenge, yet one filled with meaning. These days, when relationships are suffering such crises, we must try to understand what the challenges and obstacles are to building an intimate life with another. In order to deepen our understanding we can be aided by conceptions and ideas which emerged over generations from interpretations of the Adam and Eve stories. Our approach revolves around the first three stories of Genesis Jews and Christians wove intricate interpretations, maxims, literary spin-offs and artistic interpretations around the Biblical text. Each interpretation combined a close reading of the text from Genesis with a critical analysis influenced by the worldview of the interpreter. It is interesting and even surprising to discover that the Torah dedicated its opening chapters to the issue of relationships. The Torah is often thought of as a religious book which addresses the nature of God (theology). The first chapter of Genesis, the story of the creation, is often seen as a mythic proto scientific view of the world (cosmology). The entire Bible, especially much of Genesis, appears as a genealogy of the People of Israel (national history). But it appears to us that the focus of the first three chapters of Genesis is the relationship between men and women (anthropology and psychology). Adam and Eve--and not God--are in the spotlight here. Humankind--and not the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel--star in Genesis 1-3. The relationship of the first couple--and not the order of the Cosmos--are of interest in the opening chapters of the Torah. Genesis 1-3 clarifies a human concern which elicits a great deal of interest even today-- What are the real and ideal relations between the sexes? What is the nature of power between the sexes? What is the goal of sharing a life with another person? What are the differences and similarities between men and women? How does love change into guilt, trust to betrayal, oneness to alienation? All of these concerns are spiritual questions which occupy the God of the Bible no less than questions of the redemption of the Jewish People, the perfection of the world, and the establishment of the order of creation. The Rabbis also viewed the question of companionship as a concern of the highest degree; they therefore connected it with Divine activity. Rabbi Yossi ben Halafta presents the matching of an appropriate companion as an extremely difficult task which requires almost miraculous powers. Human matchmaking is not viewed as a matter of natural selection and biology, but rather as an achievement fraught with difficulties. Midrash Rabbah - Genesis LXVIII.4 R. Judah b. Simon commenced his exposition with, God makes individuals to dwell in a house (Ps. LXVIII, 7). A [Roman] matron asked R. Yossi b. Halafta: 'In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world?' 'In six days,' he answered. 'Then what has God been doing since then?' 'God sits and makes matches,' he answered, 'assigning this man to that woman, and this woman to that man.' 'Is that difficult?' she gibed, 'I too can do the same.' She went and matched [her slaves], giving this man to that woman, this woman to that man and so on. Some time after, those who were thus united went and beat one another, this woman saying, 'I do not want this man,' while this man protested, 'I do not want that woman.' Straightway she summoned R. Yossi b. Halafta and admitted to him: 'There is no god like your God: it is true, your Torah is indeed beautiful and praiseworthy, and you spoke the truth!' בראשית רבה )וילנא( פרשה סח:ד רבי יהודה בר סימון פתח )תהלים סח( אלהים מושיב יחידים ביתה, מטרונה שאלה את ר' יוסי בר חלפתא אמרה לו לכמה ימים ברא הקב"ה את עולמו אמר לה לששת ימים כדכתיב כ( כי ששת ימים עשה ה' את השמים ואת הארץ, )שמות אמרה לו מה הוא עושה מאותה שעה ועד עכשיו, אמר לה הקב"ה יושב ומזווג זיווגים בתו של פלוני לפלוני, אשתו של פלוני לפלוני, ממונו של פלוני לפלוני, אמרה לו ודא הוא אומנתיה אף אני יכולה לעשות כן כמה עבדים כמה שפחות יש לי לשעה קלה אני יכולה לזווגן, אמר לה אם קלה היא בעיניך, קשה היא לפני הקב"ה כקריעת ים סוף, הלך לו ר' יוסי בר חלפתא מה עשתה נטלה אלף עבדים ואלף שפחות והעמידה אותן שורות שורות אמרה פלן יסב לפלונית ופלונית תיסב לפלוני, וזיווגה אותן בלילה אחת, למחר אתון לגבה דין מוחיה פציעא, דין עינו שמיטא, דין רגליה תבירא, אמרה להון מה לכון, דא אמרה לית אנא בעי לדין, ודין אמר לית אנא בעי לדא, מיד שלחה והביאה את ר' יוסי בר חלפתא אמרה לו לית.אלוה כאלהכון אמת היא תורתכון נאה ומשובחת יפה אמרת 1

5 One who is interested in the question of companionship cannot escape looking at chapters 1-3 of Genesis. These stories continue to influence western culture--by way of Christianity--and Jewish culture. Our times are characterized by the investigation of and definition of the desired relations between men and women, by the harsh criticism of the institution of marriage, and by coping with the low status of women in society. We intend to join this modern discussion by closely investigating the different views regarding companionship presented by disparate interpretations of the biblical creation stories. In the biblical text of Genesis 1, 2, and 3 there exist three different world views (the first creation story, the second creation story, and the story of sin and its consequence in the Garden of Eden story of Genesis 3). To this we shall add the famous Greek story of Pandora. In this booklet we shall compare these world views as well as follow the continued debate in Jewish, Christian, and artistic interpretations regarding the relationship between women and men. Through the process of understanding different interpretations, we shall be able to clarify on the one hand how we read texts from the past and on the other, how our beliefs develop in the present. It is not our intention to prefer any particular interpretation of the text or to advocate a certain moral position with regard to companionship. Our goal is to stimulate thought via renewed investigation of the biblical text. This is our approach to the study of Torah: pluralistic and inter-disciplinary. The Intended Audience for this Booklet This book is aimed at teachers of Bible, Jewish thought and literature who teach at the higher levels of high school as well as at adult education and in-service teacher enrichment institutes. The amount of material in this booklet is purposefully excessive and varied in order to facilitate interdisciplinary creative-midrashic study of companionship as presented in the opening sections of Genesis. It is incumbent upon the teacher to clarify the desired directions for him/herself and to encourage the students to investigate different aspects of the theme by taking advantage of the rich materials provided (literary analysis, philosophical essays, interpretations of rabbinic sages, artistic midrash, modern literary midrash and more). The aim is to ignite the imagination and to develop a dialogue between the interested learner and the complex biblical text. From there, each student will strike out in numerous directions and will assimilate the material in a multitude of creative ways. 2

6 The Biblical Texts of Genesis 1-3 Michelangelo, Creation of Man, Sistine Ceiling 3

7 GENESIS 1 1At the beginning of God's creating of the heavens and the earth, 2 when the earth was wild and waste, darkness over the face of Ocean, rushing-spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters-- 3 God said: Let there be light! And there was light. 4 God saw the light: that it was good. God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light: Day! and the darkness he called: Night! There was setting, there was dawning: one day. 6 God said: Let there be a dome amid the waters, and let it separate waters from waters! 7 God made the dome and separated the waters that were below the dome from the waters that were above the dome. 8 God called the dome: Heaven! There was setting, there was dawning: second day. 9 God said: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered to one place, and let the dry land be seen! It was so. 10 God called the dry land: Earth! and the gathering of the waters he called: Seas! God saw that it was good. 11 God said: Let the earth sprout forth with sprouting-growth, plants that seed forth seeds, fruit trees that yield fruit, after their kind, (and) in which is their seed, upon the earth! It was so. 12 The earth brought forth sprouting-growth, plants that seed forth seeds, after their kind, trees that yield fruit, in which is their seed, after their kind. God saw that it was good. 13 There was setting, there was dawning: third day. 'בראשית א.א ב ר אש ית ב ר א א לה ים א ת ה ש מ י ם ו א ת ה אר ץ,ב ו ה אר ץ ה י ת ה ת ה ו ו ב ה ו,ו חש ך ע ל פ נ י ת ה ום.ו ר וח א לה ים מ ר ח פ ת ע ל פ נ י ה מ י ם :ג ו י אמ ר א לה ים!י ה י א ור.ו י ה י א ור --ד ו י ר א א לה ים א ת ה א ור כ י ט וב ;ו י ב ד ל א לה ים ב ין ה א ור וב ין ה ח ש ך,ה ו י ק ר א א לה ים ל א ור י ום.ו ל ח ש ך ק ר א ל י ל ה.ו י ה י ע ר ב, ו י ה י ב ק ר.י ום א ח ד :ו ו י אמ ר א לה ים --י ה י ר ק יע ב ת ו ך ה מ י ם.ו יה י מ ב ד יל ב ין מ י ם ל מ י ם ;ז ו י ע ש א לה ים א ת ה ר ק יע ו י ב ד ל ב ין ה מ י ם א ש ר מ ת ח ת ל ר ק יע. וב ין ה מ י ם א ש ר מ ע ל ל ר ק יע.ו י ה י כ ן.ח ו י ק ר א א לה ים ל ר ק יע ש מ י ם. ו י ה י ע ר ב, ו י ה י ב ק ר.י ום ש נ י :ט ו י אמ ר א לה ים י ק ו ו ה מ י ם מ ת ח ת ה ש מ י ם --א ל מ ק ום א ח ד.ו ת ר א ה ה י ב ש ה.ו י ה י כ ן,י ו י ק ר א א לה ים ל י ב ש ה א ר ץ. ול מ ק ו ה ה מ י ם ק ר א י מ ים.ו י ר א א לה ים כ י ט וב :יא ו י אמ ר א לה ים ;ת ד ש א ה אר ץ ד ש א: ע ש ב מ ז ר יע ז ר ע.ע ץ פ ר י, ע ש ה פ ר י ל מ ינ ו, א ש ר ז ר ע ו ב ו-- ע ל ה אר ץ.ו י ה י כ ן ;יב ו ת וצ א ה אר ץ ד ש א: ע ש ב מ ז ר יע ז ר ע ל מ ינ ה ו.ו ע ץ ע ש ה פ ר י, א ש ר ז ר ע ו ב ו, ל מ ינ ה ו.ו י ר א א לה ים כ י ט וב.יג ו י ה י ע ר ב, ו י ה י ב ק ר.י ום ש ל יש י :יד ו י אמ ר א לה ים מ א ר ת ב ר ק יע ה ש מ י ם י ה י Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses: the Schocken Bible 4

8 14 God said: Let there be lights in the dome of the heavens, to separate the day from the night, that they may be for signs--for set-times, for days and years, 15 and let them be for lights in the dome of the heavens, to provide light upon the earth! It was so. 16 God made the two great lights, the greater light for ruling the day and the smaller light for ruling the night, and the stars. 17 God placed them in the dome of the heavens 18 to provide light upon the earth, to rule the day and the night, to separate the light from the darkness, God saw that it was good. 19 There was setting, there was dawning: fourth day. 20 God said: Let the waters swarm with a swarm of living beings, and let fowl fly above the earth, across the dome of the heavens! 21 God created the great sea-serpents and all living being that crawl about, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them saying: Bear fruit and be many and fill the waters in the seas, and let the fowl be many on earth! 23 There was setting, there was dawning: fifth day. 24 God said: Let the earth bring forth living beings after their kind, herd-animals, crawling things, and the wildlife of the earth after their kind! It was so. 25 God made the wildlife of the earth after their kind, and the herd-animals after their kind, and all crawling things of the soil after their kind. God saw that it was good. 26 God said: Let us make humankind, in our image, according to our likeness! Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the heavens, animals, all the earth, and all crawling things that crawl about upon the earth! 27 God created humankind in his image, in the image of God did he create it, male and female did he create them.,ל ה ב ד יל ב ין ה י ום וב ין ה ל י ל ה ;ו ה י ו ל א ת ת ול מ וע ד ים ול י מ ים ו ש נ ים.טו ו ה י ו ל מ א ור ת ב ר ק יע ה ש מ י ם ל ה א יר ע ל ה אר ץ. ו י ה י כ ן טז ו י ע ש א לה ים א ת ש נ י ה מ א ר ת ה ג ד ל ים )א ת ה מ א ור ה ג ד ל (ל מ מ ש ל ת ה י ום ו א ת ה מ א ור ה ק ט ן ל מ מ ש ל ת ה ל י ל ה. ו א ת ה כ וכ ב ים יז ו י ת ן א ת ם א לה ים ב ר ק יע ה ש מ י ם ל ה א יר ע ל ה אר ץ יח ו ל מ ש ל --ב י ום וב ל י ל ה. ול ה ב ד יל ב ין ה א ור וב ין ה חש ך.ו י ר א א לה ים כ י ט וב.יט ו י ה י ע ר ב, ו י ה י ב ק ר.י ום ר ב יע י :כ ו י אמ ר א לה ים ;י ש ר צ ו ה מ י ם ש ר ץ נ פ ש ח י ה --ו ע וף י ע ופ ף ע ל ה אר ץ.פ נ י ר ק יע ה ש מ י ם ע ל כא ו י ב ר א א לה ים א ת ה ת נ ינ ם ה ג ד ל ים ו א ת כ ל נ פ ש ה ח י ה ;ה ר מ ש ת, א ש ר ש ר צ ו ה מ י ם, ל מ ינ ה ם.ו א ת כ ל ע וף, כ נ ף, ל מ ינ ה ו.ו י ר א א לה ים כ י ט וב :כב ו י ב ר ך א ת ם א לה ים ל אמ ר --פ ר ו ור ב ו ; ומ ל א ו א ת ה מ י ם ב י מ ים.ו ה ע וף י ר ב ב אר ץ.כג ו י ה י ע ר ב, ו י ה י ב ק ר.י ום ח מ יש י :כד ו י אמ ר א לה ים :ת וצ א ה אר ץ נ פ ש ח י ה ל מ ינ ה.ב ה מ ה ו ר מ ש ו ח י ת ו א ר ץ ל מ ינ ה.ו י ה י כ ן כה ו י ע ש א לה ים א ת ח י ת ה אר ץ ל מ ינ ה,ו א ת ה ב ה מ ה ל מ ינ ה ו א ת כ ל ר מ ש ה א ד מ ה ל מ ינ ה ו. ו י ר א א לה ים כ י ט וב :כו ו י אמ ר א לה ים --נ ע ש ה אד ם ב צ ל מ נ ו כ ד מ ות נ ו ו י ר ד ו ב ד ג ת ה י ם וב ע וף ה ש מ י ם וב ב ה מ ה וב כ ל ה אר ץ. וב כ ל ה ר מ ש, ה ר מ ש ע ל ה אר ץ --כז ו י ב ר א א לה ים א ת ה אד ם ב צ ל מ ו ;ב צ ל ם א לה ים ב ר א א ת ו.ז כ ר ונ ק ב ה ב ר א א ת ם.כח ו י ב ר ך א ת ם א לה ים :ו י אמ ר ל ה ם א לה ים --פ ר ו ור ב ו ומ ל א ו א ת ה אר ץ ו כ ב ש ה 5

9 28 God blessed them, God said to them: Bear fruit and be many and fill the earth and subdue it! Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the heavens, and all living things that crawl about upon the earth! 29 God said: Here, I give you all plants that bear seeds that are upon the face of all the earth, and all trees in which there is tree fruit that bears seeds, for you shall they be, for eating; 30 and also for all the living things of the earth, for all the fowl of the heavens, for all that crawls about upon the earth in which there is living being-- all green plants for eating. It was so. 31 Now God saw all that he had made, and here: it was exceedingly good! There was setting, there was dawning: the sixth day. ור ד ו ב ד ג ת ה י ם וב ע וף ה ש מ י ם. וב כ ל ח י ה, ה ר מ ש ת ע ל ה אר ץ :כט ו י אמ ר א לה ים ה נ ה נ ת ת י ל כ ם ;א ת כ ל ע ש ב ז ר ע ז ר ע, א ש ר ע ל פ נ י כ ל ה אר ץ --ו א ת כ ל ה ע ץ, א ש ר ב ו פ ר י ע ץ ז ר ע ז ר ע ;ל כ ם י ה י ה ל אכ ל ה ל ול כ ל ח י ת ה אר ץ ול כ ל ע וף ה ש מ י ם -- ול כ ל ר ומ ש ע ל ה אר ץ, א ש ר ב ו נ פ ש ח י ה.א ת כ ל י ר ק ע ש ב ל אכ ל ה.ו י ה י כ ן לא ו י ר א א לה ים א ת כ ל א ש ר ע ש ה--ו ה נ ה ט וב מ א ד. ו י ה י ע ר ב,.ו י ה י ב ק ר.י ום ה ש ש י GENESIS 2 1 Thus were finished the heavens and the earth, with all of their array. 2 God had finished, on the seventh day, his work that he had made, and then he ceased, on the seventh day, from all his work that he had made. 3 God gave the seventh day his blessing, and he hallowed it, for on it he ceased from all work, that by creating, God had made. 4 These are the begettings of the heavens and the earth: their being created. At the time of YHWH, God's making of earth and heaven, 5 no bush of the field was yet on the earth, no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for YHWH, God, had not made it rain upon earth, and there was no human/adam to till the soil/adama-- 6 but a surge would well up from the ground and water all the face of the soil; 7 and YHWH, God, formed the human, of dust from the soil, he blew into his nostrils the breath of life and the human became a living being. 'בראשית ב.א ו י כ ל ו ה ש מ י ם ו ה אר ץ ו כ ל צ ב אם ב ו י כ ל א לה ים ב י ום ה ש ב יע י מ ל אכ ת ו, א ש ר ע ש ה; ו י ש ב ת ב י ום.ה ש ב יע י מ כ ל מ ל אכ ת ו, א ש ר ע ש ה,ג ו י ב ר ך א לה ים א ת י ום ה ש ב יע י ו י ק ד ש א ת ו.כ י ב ו ש ב ת מ כ ל מ ל אכ ת ו, א ש ר ב ר א א לה ים ל ע ש ות.ד א ל ה ת ול ד ות ה ש מ י ם ו ה אר ץ ב ה ב ר אם,ב י ום ע ש ות י ה ו ה א לה ים א ר ץ ו ש מ י ם,ה ו כ ל ש יח ה ש ד ה ט ר ם י ה י ה ב אר ץ ו כ ל ע ש ב ה ש ד ה ט ר ם י צ מ ח כ י לא ה מ ט יר י ה ו ה א לה ים ע ל ה אר ץ ( --(ו אד ם אי ן ל ע ב ד א ת ה א ד מ ה.ו ו א ד י ע ל ה מ ן ה אר ץ ו ה ש ק ה א ת כ ל פ נ י ה א ד מ ה --ז ו י יצ ר י ה ו ה א לה ים א ת ה אד ם--ע פ ר מ ן ה א ד מ ה. ו י פ ח ב א פ יו נ ש מ ת ח י ים; ו י ה י ה אד ם ל נ פ ש ח י ה ;ח ו י ט ע י ה ו ה א לה ים ג ן ב ע ד ן, מ ק ד ם.ו י ש ם ש ם א ת ה אד ם, א ש ר י צ ר 6

10 8 YHWH, God, planted a garden in Eden/Landof-Pleasure, in the east, and there he placed the human whom he had formed. 9 YHWH, God, caused to spring up from the soil every type of tree, desirable to look at and good to eat, and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden and the Tree of the Knowing of Good and Evil. 10 Now a river goes out from Eden, to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four stream-heads. 11 The name of the first one is Pishon/Spreader-- that is the one that circles through all the land of Havila, where gold is; 12 the gold of that land is good, there too are bdellium and the precious-stone carnelian. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon/Gusher--that is the one that circles through all the land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Hiddekel/Tigris- -that is the one that goes to the east of Assyria. And the fourth river--that is Perat/Euphrates. 15 YHWH, God, took the human and set him in the garden of Eden, to work it and to watch it. 16 YHWH, God, commanded concerning the human, saying: From every (other) tree of the garden you may eat, yes, eat, 17 but from the Tree of the Knowing of Good and Evil-- you are not to eat from it, for on the day that you eat from it, you must die, yes, die. 18 Now YHWH, God, said: It is not good for the human to be alone, I will make him a helper corresponding to him. 19 So YHWH, God, formed from the soil every living-thing of the field and every fowl of the heavens and brought each to the human, to see what he would call it; and whatever the human called it as a living being, that became its name. ט ו י צ מ ח י ה ו ה א לה ים מ ן ה א ד מ ה כ ל ע ץ נ ח מ ד ל מ ר א ה.ו ט וב ל מ א כ ל, ו ע ץ ה ח י ים ב ת ו ך ה ג ן, ו ע ץ ה ד ע ת ט וב ו ר ע,י ו נ ה ר י צ א מ ע ד ן ל ה ש ק ות א ת ה ג ן : ומ ש ם י פ ר ד ו ה י ה ל אר ב ע ה ר אש ים,יא ש ם ה א ח ד פ יש ון--ה וא ה ס ב ב א ת כ ל א ר ץ ה ח ו יל ה,( א ש ר ש ם ה ז ה ב. יב ) וז ה ב ה אר ץ ה ה וא ט וב ;ש ם ה ב ד ל ח ו א ב ן ה ש ה ם ;יג ו ש ם ה נ ה ר ה ש נ י ג יח ון--ה וא ה ס וב ב א ת כ ל א ר ץ כ וש ;יד ו ש ם ה נ ה ר ה ש ל יש י ח ד ק ל--ה וא ה ה ל ך ק ד מ ת א ש ור.ו ה נ ה ר ה ר ב יע י ה וא פ ר ת.טו ו י ק ח י ה ו ה א לה ים א ת ה אד ם ו י נ ח ה ו ב ג ן ע ד ן, ל ע ב ד ה ול ש מ ר ה :טז ו י צ ו י ה ו ה א לה ים ע ל ה אד ם ל אמ ר ;מ כ ל ע ץ ה ג ן אכ ל ת אכ ל,יז ומ ע ץ ה ד ע ת ט וב ו ר ע-- לא ת אכ ל מ מ נ ו.כ י ב י ום א כ ל ך מ מ נ ו--מ ות ת מ ות :יח ו י אמ ר י ה ו ה א לה ים : לא ט וב ה י ות ה אד ם ל ב ד ו.א ע ש ה ל ו ע ז ר כ נ ג ד ו יט ו י צ ר י ה ו ה א לה ים מ ן ה א ד מ ה כ ל ח י ת ה ש ד ה ו א ת כ ל ע וף ה ש מ י ם; ו י ב א א ל ה אד ם ל ר א ות, מ ה י ק ר א ל ו.(ו כ ל א ש ר י ק ר א ל ו ה אד ם נ פ ש ח י ה-- ה וא ש מ ו ( כ ו י ק ר א ה אד ם ש מ ות ל כ ל ה ב ה מ ה ול ע וף ה ש מ י ם ול כ ל ח י ת.ה ש ד ה; ול אד ם לא מ צ א ע ז ר כ נ ג ד ו כא ו י פ ל י ה ו ה א לה ים ת ר ד מ ה ע ל ה אד ם-- ו י יש ן. ו י ק ח אח ת מ צ ל ע ת יו-- ו י ס ג ר ב ש ר ת ח ת נ ה --כב ו י ב ן י ה ו ה א לה ים א ת ה צ ל ע, א ש ר ל ק ח מ ן ה אד ם 7

11 20 The human called out names for every herdanimal and for the fowl of the heavens and for every livingthing of the field, but for the human, there could be found no helper corresponding to him. 21 So YHWH, God, caused a deep slumber to fall upon the human, so that he slept, he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 YHWH, God, built the rib that he had taken from the human into a woman and brought her to the human. 23 The human said: This-time, she-is-it! Bone from my bones, flesh from my flesh! She shall be called Woman/Isha, for from Man/Ish she was taken! 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh..ל א ש ה.ו י ב א ה א ל ה אד ם :כג ו י אמ ר ה אד ם --ז את, ה פ ע ם ; וב ש ר מ ב ש ר י ע צ ם מ ע צ מ י --ל ז את י ק ר א א ש ה.כ י מ א יש ל ק ח ה ז את כד ע ל כ ן י ע ז ב א יש א ת אב יו ו א ת א מ ו. ו ד ב ק ב א ש ת ו--ו ה י ו ל ב ש ר א ח ד.כה ו י ה י ו ש נ יה ם ע ר ומ ים, ה אד ם ו א ש ת ו ו לא י ת בש ש ו 25 Now the two of them, the human and his wife, were nude, yet they were not ashamed. Genesis 3 1 Now the snake was more shrewd than all the living-things of the field that YHWH, God, had made. It said to the woman: Even though God said: You are not to eat from any of the trees in the garden...! 2 The woman said to the snake: From the fruit of the (other) trees in the garden we may eat, 3 but from the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God has said: You are not to eat from it and you are not to touch it, lest you die. 4 The snake said to the woman: Die, you will not die! 5 Rather, God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will become like gods, knowing good and evil. 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for eating and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to contemplate. She took from its fruit and ate and gave also to her husband beside her, 'בראשית ג.א ו ה נ ח ש ה י ה ע ר ום מ כ ל ח י ת ה ש ד ה, א ש ר ע ש ה י ה ו ה א לה ים :ו י אמ ר א ל ה א ש ה?" אף כ י אמ ר א לה ים " לא ת אכ ל ו מ כ ל ע ץ ה ג ן :ב ו ת אמ ר ה א ש ה א ל ה נ ח ש ;מ פ ר י ע ץ ה ג ן נ אכ ל :ג ומ פ ר י ה ע ץ, א ש ר ב ת ו ך ה ג ן-- אמ ר א לה ים. לא ת אכ ל ו מ מ נ ו ו לא ת ג ע ו ב ו, פ ן ת מ ת ון :ד ו י אמ ר ה נ ח ש א ל ה א ש ה ;" לא "מ ות ת מ ת ון --ה כ י י ד ע א לה ים, כ י ב י ום א כ ל כ ם מ מ נ ו :ו נ פ ק ח ו ע ינ יכ ם, ו ה י ית ם כ א לה ים.י ד ע י ט וב ו ר ע ו ו ת ר א ה א ש ה כ י ט וב ה ע ץ ל מ א כ ל --ו כ י ת א ו ה ה וא ל ע ינ י ם ו נ ח מ ד ה ע ץ ל ה ש כ יל ;ו ת ק ח מ פ ר י ו ו ת אכ ל. ע מ ה-- ו י אכ ל ו ת ת ן ג ם ל א יש ה.ז ו ת פ ק ח נ ה ע ינ י ש נ יה ם: ו י ד ע ו, כ י ע יר מ ם ה ם.ו י ת פ ר ו ע ל ה ת א נ ה, ו י ע ש ו ל ה ם ח ג ר ת 8

12 and he ate. 7 The eyes of the two of them were opened and they knew then that they were nude. They sewed fig lives together and made themselves loincloths. 8 Now they heard the sound of YHWH, God, (who was) walking about in the garden at the breezy-time of the day. And the human and his wife hid themselves from the face of YHWH, God, amid the trees of the garden. 9 YHWH, God, called to the human and said to him: Where are you? 10 He said: I heard the sound of you in the garden and I was afraid, because I am nude, and so I hid myself. 11 He said: Who told you that you are nude? From the tree about which I command you not to eat, have you eaten? 12 The human said: The woman whom you gave to be beside me, she gave me from the tree, and so I ate. 13 YHWH, God, said to the woman: What is this that you have done? The woman said: The snake enticed me, and so I ate. 14 YHWH, God, said to the snake: Because you have done this, damned be you from all the animals and from all the living-things of the field; upon your belly shall you walk and dust shall you eat, all the days of you life. 15 I put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed: they will bruise you on the head, you will bruise them on the heel. 16 To the woman he said: I will multiply, multiply your pain (from) your pregnancy, with pains shall you bear children. Toward your husband will be your lust, yet he will rule over you..ח ו י ש מ ע ו א ת ק ול י ה ו ה א לה ים מ ת ה ל ך ב ג ן ל ר וח ה י ום ו י ת ח ב א ה אד ם ו א ש ת ו מ פ נ י י ה ו ה א לה ים ב ת ו ך ע ץ ה ג ן. ט ו י ק ר א :י ה ו ה א לה ים א ל ה אד ם ו י אמ ר ל ו?א י כ ה :י ו י אמ ר ;א ת ק ל ך ש מ ע ת י ב ג ן-- ו א יר א.כ י ע יר ם אנ כ י-- ו א ח ב א :יא ו י אמ ר?כ י ע יר ם א ת ה מ י ה ג יד ל ך ה מ ן ה ע ץ-- א ש ר צ ו ית י ך? ל ב ל ת י א כ ל מ מ נ ו-- אכ ל ת :יב ו י אמ ר ה אד ם,ה א ש ה, א ש ר נ ת ת ה ע מ ד י.ה וא נ ת נ ה ל י מ ן ה ע ץ--ו א כ ל :יג ו י אמ ר י ה ו ה א לה ים ל א ש ה?מ ה ז את ע ש ית :ו ת אמ ר ה א ש ה. ה נ ח ש ה ש י אנ י--ו א כ ל :יד ו י אמ ר י ה ו ה א לה ים א ל ה נ ח ש --כ י ע ש ית ז את ; אר ור א ת ה מ כ ל ה ב ה מ ה ומ כ ל ח י ת ה ש ד ה.ע ל ג ח נ ך ת ל ך ו ע פ ר ת אכ ל כ ל י מ י ח י י ך ו א יב ה א ש ית ב ינ ך וב ין ה א ש ה טו וב ין ז ר ע ך וב ין ז ר ע ה.ה וא י ש ופ ך ר אש ו א ת ה ת ש ופ נ ו ע ק ב :טז א ל ה א ש ה אמ ר ;ה ר ב ה אר ב ה ע צ ב ונ ך ו ה ר נ ך ;ב ע צ ב ת ל ד י ב נ ים --ו א ל א יש ך ת ש וק ת ך.ו ה וא י מ ש ל ב ך :יז ול אד ם אמ ר,כ י ש מ ע ת ל ק ול א ש ת ך ו ת אכ ל מ ן ה ע ץ "א ש ר צ ו ית י ך ל אמ ר " לא ת אכ ל מ מ נ ו 9

13 17 To Adam he said: Because you have hearkened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying: You are not to eat from it! Damned be the soil of your account, with painstaking-labor shall you eat from it, all the days of your life. 18 Thorn and sting-shrub let it spring up for you, when you (seek to) eat the plants of the field! 19 By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, until you return to the soil, for from it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust shall you return. 20 The human called his wife's name: Havva/Life-giver! For she became the mother of all the living. 21 Now YHWH, God, made Adam and his wife coats of skins and clothed them. 22 YHWH, God, said: Here, the human has become like one of us, in knowing good and evil. So now, lest he send forth his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat and live throughout the ages...! 23 So YHWH, God, sent him away from the garden of Eden, to work the soil from which he had been taken, 24 He drove the human out and caused to dwell, eastward of the garden of Eden, the winged-sphinxes and the flashing, everturning sword to watch over the way to the Tree of Life. :א ר ור ה ה א ד מ ה ב ע ב ור ך-- ;ב ע צ ב ון ת אכ ל נ ה כ ל י מ י ח י י ך ;יח ו ק וץ ו ד ר ד ר ת צ מ יח ל ך.ו אכ ל ת א ת ע ש ב ה ש ד ה --יט ב ז ע ת א פ י ך ת אכ ל ל ח ם ;ע ד ש וב ך א ל ה א ד מ ה, כ י מ מ נ ה ל ק ח ת.כ י ע פ ר א ת ה ו א ל ע פ ר ת ש וב.כ ו י ק ר א ה אד ם ש ם א ש ת ו ח ו ה, כ י ה וא ה י ת ה א ם כ ל ח י.כא ו י ע ש י ה ו ה א לה ים ל אד ם ול א ש ת ו כ ת נ ות ע ור ו י ל ב ש ם :כב ו י אמ ר י ה ו ה א לה ים ה ן ה אד ם ה י ה כ אח ד מ מ נ ו ;ל ד ע ת ט וב ו ר ע --ו ע ת ה, פ ן י ש ל ח י ד ו ו ל ק ח ג ם מ ע ץ ה ח י ים.ו אכ ל, ו ח י ל ע ל ם כג ו י ש ל ח ה ו י ה ו ה א לה ים מ ג ן ע ד ן ל ע ב ד א ת ה א ד מ ה, א ש ר ל ק ח ;מ ש ם.כד ו י ג ר ש א ת ה אד ם ו י ש כ ן מ ק ד ם ל ג ן ע ד ן א ת ה כ ר ב ים ו א ת ל ה ט ה ח ר ב ה מ ת ה פ כ ת.ל ש מ ר א ת ד ר ך ע ץ ה ח י ים-- 10

14 Chapter I - WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF COMPANIONSHIP? 11

15 A. BIBLICAL COMPARISON--The creation of male and female (Genesis 1) compared with the formation of man and woman (Genesis 2) Both biblical scholars and orthodox Jewish philosophers, like Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, emphasize the differences of style, content, and meaning of the two stories of human creation in Genesis 1 & 2. We shall begin with a simple exercise: the formation of a table which emphasizes the differences between the two stories, in light of which we shall be able to discuss the significance of these differences. Genesis 1: God said: Let us make humankind, in our image, according to our likeness! Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the heavens, animals, all the earth, and all crawling things that crawl about upon the earth! 27 God created humankind in his image, in the image of God did he create it, male and female did he create them. 28 God blessed them, God said to them: Bear fruit and be many and fill the earth and subdue it! Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the heavens, and all living things that crawl about upon the earth! Genesis 2:7-9; and YHWH, God, formed the human, of dust from the soil, he blew into his nostrils the breath of life and the human became a living being. 8 YHWH, God, planted a garden in Eden/Land-of-Pleasure, in the east, and there he placed the human whom he had formed. 9 YHWH, God, caused to spring up from the soil every type of tree, desirable to look at and good to eat, and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden and the Tree of the Knowing of Good and Evil. 15 YHWH, God, took the human and set him in the garden of Eden, to work it and to watch it. 16 YHWH, God, commanded concerning the human, saying: From every (other) tree of the garden you may eat, yes, eat, 17 but from the Tree of the Knowing of Good and Evil--you are not to eat from it, for on the day that you eat from it, you must die, yes, die. 18 Now YHWH, God, said: It is not good for the human to be alone, I will make him a helper corresponding to him. 19 So YHWH, God, formed from the soil every living-thing of the field and every fowl of the heavens and brought each to the human, to see what he would call it; and whatever the human called it as a living being, that became its name. 20 The human called out names for every herd-animal and for the fowl of the heavens and for every living-thing of the field, but for the human, there could be found no helper corresponding to him. 21 So YHWH, God, caused a deep slumber to fall upon the human, so that he slept, he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 YHWH, God, built the rib that he had taken from the human into a woman and brought her to the human. 23 The human said: This-time, she-is-it! Bone from my bones, flesh from my flesh! She shall be called Woman/Isha, for from Man/Ish she was taken! 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his woman, and they become one flesh. 12

16 Genesis 1 Genesis 2 -"Briah" (creation) by fiat, by word or command. Creatio ex nihilo (creating something from nothing) after planning and discussing. -Resemblance to God and the angels ("Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness!") -The human s purpose is to rule ("subdue" and "have dominion over") the world and the animals and fruit of the earth as the steward of God who creates and rules by speaking; hierarchical relationship between human and the earth is similar to rule of God over earth. -The Creator's name is: "Elohim" (God). Elohim is presented as a ruler, planner, and caretaker of the world, who finds only the "good" and the "very good". -Elohim blesses humankind with the challenge of bursting forth and populating and mastering the entire world from one end to the other ("Bear fruit and be many and fill the earth"). -Elohim blesses humankind by opening up before them possibilities of continued creation ("that by creating, God had made"). -Fruitfulness is means to governance/mastery of the world. Development and expansion of the race typify the essence of the relationship between male and female hence, their names: "Nikavah" (female-a biological description of the woman's body as a tool for pregnancy) and "Zachar" (male) are names which emphasize the cooperative roles of woman and man. -Equality of the creation ("male and female God created them") and equal responsibility to fulfill their purpose ("Bear fruit and be many and fill the earth and subdue it"). Together they are called "Adam" (humankind) ("and God called them: 'Humankind'" Gen. 5:2). -Creation from the image ("Let us make humankind, in our image, according to our likeness!") -Elohim give names to all the creatures. Humans are called by different names ("male" and "female") from different roots ( zachar and nekevah ). -There is no discourse between the male and female, only instructions for joint endeavors. -"Yetzirah" (formation) by physical, sensual action from earthy material and from the breath of God. -External resemblance to the earth, on one hand, ("the human/adam [is] dust from the soil/adama") and yet internal resemblance to Divine spirit/wind ("he blew into his nostrils the breath of life") on the other hand. -The human's purpose is to work the soil and make it fertile ("to work it and to watch it" - "and there was no human/adam to till the soil/adama"); being that the human came from the soil, the human and the soil have a symbiotic relationship. -The Creator's name is: "YHWH, God" (Elohim). YHWH, God is presented as a craftsman who tries to fashion the world by trial and error and fill in what is missing ("YHWH, God had not made it rain upon earth, and there was no human/adam to till the soil/adama;...it is not good for the human to be alone"). -YHWH, God prepares a protected place, a completed area for the human who needs only to till and watch it ("Garden of Eden") without substantial change or development. -YHWH, God cautions and restricts the human use of nature ("you are not to eat from it, for on the day that you eat from it, you must die, yes, die.") -Fruitfulness is not at all mentioned. In its place the union of "becoming one flesh" is offered as a way to overcome loneliness and leaving one's parents. This is seen as the primary reason for a man and woman to be in relationship. Therefore, their names man and woman ("ish" and "isha") sound alike and appear to come from the same root. This emphasizes the origin and shared purpose of union and completeness. -Completeness of man by virtue of woman after identifying his lack (needs a "helper corresponding to him") highlights woman as a creature who arrives late and without forethought ("for the human there could be found no helper corresponding to him" while trying out all the creatures until the woman was fashioned). -Fashioned from the substance of the soil and the breath of God ("human/adam") and built from the tzelah side/rib of the human's body ("woman/isha"). -The first human gives names to the animals and to the woman. In addition, this human also changes its own name to "ish" at the moment it calls its helper "isha". -The man breaks out in spontaneous speech when the woman is brought to him ("This-time, she-is-it! Bone from my bones, flesh from my flesh!"). More differences include: Genesis 1 has a God who knows only good very good - and who has completed the Divine plan and celebrated Shabbat. The human being is created to be in the image of that God with power to conquer and to rule. But Genesis 2 has a God who knows of good and evil and tries to prevent human beings from getting that divine knowledge. 13

17 That God knows of no completion and no Shabbat, but there is a place which a Garden of Eden rather than a time which is holy. Genesis 1 knows of only general names, while Genesis 2 has private names including the names given to man and woman and names given by man. Now that we have looked at the differences between the two creation stories let us deepen our search in order to understand its meaning. It is possible to interpret the differences between these chapters in a variety of ways. There are those who emphasize the equality between the sexes as presented in chapter 1 as opposed to the primacy and supremacy of masculinity which is presented in chapter 2. Others see the first creation story as a masculine creative process (a calling into being by fiat, through speech, of something from nothing) and the second creation story as being feminine (sensual, physical, intimate--a fashioning and a begetting, not a creation). Still others distinguish between the creation of extroverted people whose destiny is to burst forth, populate and govern the world in one story, as opposed to the more introverted, sensitive, lyrical couple who prefer to remain in the protected Garden of Eden. We recommend reading the article by Rabbi Soloveitchik which appears in the supplement of this booklet. The ideal of the Garden of Eden, as presented in chapter 2, is not perfect from the outset--from the creation of the world--but rather, the ideal develops as a result of what is sensed to be lacking; from the concealment and the search for what is complementary, until the proper mate is found with whom cooperation flourishes. The earth is at first presented as lacking something:"no bush of the fields was yet on the earth...and there was no human to till the soil". God extracts from the earth both water ("a surge would well up from the ground and water all the face of the soil") and the first human ("God formed the human, of dust from the soil") in order that they endeavor together, in a cooperative effort of work and fruitfulness. The human who was created alone and placed in Eden, is also presented as lacking--lacking a partner. The human's partner is found only after some effort. At first God identifies the feelings of the human's yearnings: loneliness ("it is not good for the human to be alone") and therefore forms from the soil "every living-thing of the field and every fowl of the heavens". Unsurprisingly, none of the creatures save the human from its loneliness so the Torah reiterates and emphasizes that "for the human, there could be found no helper". The solution comes from building woman from his side. The desired woman appears as if from a dream after the human awakens from a deep sleep. Perhaps the woman is the realization of his dream. The man responds to his "find"--the woman who was constructed for him--with a sentence which can be read as a love poem. His first utterance which is quoted in the bible is a song of praise for his companion who completes him, is his equal, is one who saves him. (It is important to emphasize that the term "ezer" in the bible is not meant as help mate in the sense of a maid, but rather in the sense of a redeemer. Compare Psalms 121: "I lift my eyes to the mountains from whence will come "ezri"--my helper/redeemer). We must pay attention to the lyrical structure of the sentence, to the repetition of the sound of "zot" ("this/she ) and to the doubling of words ("etzem me-atzmi"--"bone from my bones"). This-time, she-is-it! Bone from my bones, flesh from my flesh! She shall be called Woman/Isha, for from Man/Ish she was taken. The human develops sexual consciousness after being divided into male and female. In the poem he points out that her name will be "woman" and that his new name will be "man". Folk etymology of this verse identifies these words "man" and "woman" as deriving from the same root. "Human" 14

18 ("adam") is identified with its origins: "soil" ("adama"). "Man" expresses his internal identification with his other half: "from man she was taken". Additionally, the Bible teaches a social and psychological lesson from this first process of forming woman from man, a lesson which applies to all couples in every generation: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his woman, and they become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). The man must break away from his parents and his past, in order to cling to his mate. The "bond" of marriage even precedes the "bond" of an infant to its parents. There is no negative meaning intended behind the severance of bonds with one s parents, rather, what is stressed is the fulfillment of an urge, the need for self completion, for maturation. The man embarks upon his journey of maturation seeking the other who completes him. Today we relate to this process of searching as the period of maturation, which is usually accompanied by being somewhat estranged from the family. Man's connection to woman is preferred over his connection to the soil. STUDY EXERCISES Here we suggest a number of exercises for studying this comparison between the two creation stories, and for clarification of personal positions of each student regarding this subject. Exercise 1 - "It is not good for man to be alone" - Creative Writing How did God notice that man was not happy, that his situation was "not good" despite the fact that God prepared for him a garden of delicacies, the Garden of Eden? How did God recognize that the animals were not fit to be a "helper corresponding to him"? Divide into small groups and imagine you are angels who have descended to observe man's life. Try describing his life and identifying what distresses him (describe what keeps him busy day and night, how he prepares food, how he walks, the expression on his face, his conversations, moods, etc.). Try imagining what's missing for this man before the creation of animals? How would he respond to the suggestion that animals be his help mates? What would he write in his personal diary after meeting the animals and naming them? Read out loud a number of descriptions. Discuss: What does man lack: in his daily life of work, housing, food? In his sex life? In his emotional life? In his social life? Try formulating what is the biblical stance with regard to companionship. Exercise 2 - "A Help Mate" - A Questionnaire for Finding A Fitting Mate Read again Genesis 1:26-28 and Genesis 2:7-9; and identify the different desired characteristics for a mate according to each description. For example, in Genesis 1 biological fertility is required, while in Genesis 2 the ability to adapt oneself to the needs of one s mate is necessary. Likewise, in Genesis 1 the desire to travel throughout the world and to meet challenges is essential ("fill the earth and subdue it"), while in Genesis 2 one must possess the ability to nurture and faithfully preserve one place ("to work and to watch/tend/guard"). Read Rabbi Soloveitchik s article and add additional attributes to both lists. 15

19 Change the desired attributes into questions and create two questionnaires for finding a fitting mate as is customary in "matching" services. Conduct interviews with friends in order to identify the traits of their desired mate. For instance, "Do you like working in gardens?" (Genesis 2 "to work it"). "Are you orderly and neat and able to oversee the work of others? (Genesis 1 "rule over"). Do you like love poetry? (Genesis 2 "This-time, she-is-it! Bone from my bones")... Exercise 3 - "This Time" - The Music of Love Bring love songs for discussion in class--both recordings of music along with the lyrics. Notice the characteristics and different feelings which are expressed in the songs: loneliness, yearning, desire, joy, happiness, etc. Check to see if the lyrics contain associations with the Garden of Eden or the Song of Songs. Are there references to or metaphors of God, spirituality, heavenliness, dreams? What do you prefer and why? Explain which songs paint a more realistic picture of reality and of companionship. Are there songs which deal only with the physical side relationships, while others address only the spiritual? Draw a comparison between the feelings and themes which arise in love songs and those which we discussed in the bible. B. DISCUSSION--Is the story of building woman from the rib of man (Genesis 2) chauvinistic? Does the story of the creation of woman, in the second creation story, come to establish the denigrated status of women from birth and their natural subordination to men, or does this story argue the equality of the sexes as in the first creation story--"male and female did he create them" (Genesis 1:26-28)? This discussion which occupies many biblical commentators today, in the age of the feminist revolution, also occupied commentators in previous generations as we shall presently see. The importance of this discussion is manifest in that thinkers saw--and still see--in these Genesis stories an attempt to define the ideal and natural way of the world. In order to engage in a meaningful discussion on this matter, we shall carefully examine a number of textual expressions. We shall scrutinize each expression in light of the central question: "How does each expression add to the understanding of the ideal relationship between man and woman?" 16

20 STUDY EXERCISES Key Phrases in Genesis 2 Phrase 1--"A Help Mate" Phrase 2--"This Time" Phrase 3--"They Became One Flesh" Phrase 4--"God Took One of His Ribs/Sides" Divide the students into small groups and ask them to look-up the commentaries of two of the four expressions under discussion. Every group should first try to offer its own understanding of the expressions, then check the meanings according to several translations, commentaries, and a dictionary. Afterwards, the groups should read the traditional sources cited below and try to organize them according to categories (for example, which commentaries deal with physical needs, and which with spiritual ones? Which commentaries are chauvinistic or lead to a chauvinistic reading of the texts? Which commentaries are to their liking and which repulse them? etc.) * Rashi (11 th cent., France) "A Help Mate Opposite Him"--If he merits, she will be a Help Mate; if not, she will oppose him. Akedat Yitzhak (14 th cent., Spain) God's wisdom saw that a man and his wife should not merely join sexually as do beasts. Rather, they should have a special, personal connection. God will strengthen their love and friendship so that they completely and fully help one another in all matters. Abraham Ibn Ezra (12 th cent., Spain) "Helper"--"Two are better than one...because if one falls, the other will raise him/her; while if each were alone and fell, there would be no one to offer help". (Ecclesiastes 4:9) Textual Phrases: עזר ( Mate A Help 1) זאת ( Time This (כנגדו( 2 (הפעם Ya akov (3 rd cent. Eretz Yisrael Amora) Every man without a woman is left without good, without a helper, without joy, without blessing, and without atonement... (Genesis Rabbah) Hiyya bar Gamda (3 rd cent. Eretz Yisrael Amora) Continues Rabbi Ya akov s words: Such a man is not complete, as it is written: "Male and Female God created them and blessed them and called them 'Adam'" (Gen. 5:2)--both of them together are called "Adam". (Genesis Rabbah) Elazar (3 rd cent. Eretz Yisrael Amora) Why is it written: "This-time, she-is-it! Bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh" (Gen. 2:23)? This teaches us that Adam had intercourse with all the beasts and animals yet his passions were not cooled. (Genesis Rabbah) *We tried to organize the commentaries regarding "A Help Mate" according to subject matter rather than chronologically, from help in the physical sense, to help and completion in the emotional and spiritual sense. 17