The Art of Living Together in the Stories of Adam and Eve

134 Pages·2012·1.1 MB·English

“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

Saul Raskin
Shalom ש Gedalyahu Alon 12
Hartman POB 8029

Institute Jerusalem, Israel

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
[email protected]
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION TO THE THEME: COMPANIONSHIP AS A LIFELONG PROJECT ............... 1
THE BIBLICAL TEXTS OF GENESIS 1-3 ........................................................................................ 3
CHAPTER I - WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF COMPANIONSHIP? ....................................... 11
A. BIBLICAL COMPARISON--THE CREATION OF MALE AND FEMALE (GENESIS 1)
COMPARED WITH THE FORMATION OF MAN AND WOMAN (GENESIS 2)........................... 12
STUDY EXERCISES ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Exercise 1 - "It is not good for man to be alone" - Creative Writing ..................................................................................................... 15
Exercise 2 - "A Help Mate" - A Questionnaire for Finding A Fitting Mate .......................................................................................... 15
Exercise 3 - "This Time" - The Music of Love ...................................................................................................................................... 16
B. DISCUSSION--IS THE STORY OF BUILDING WOMAN FROM THE RIB OF MAN (GENESIS 2) CHAUVINISTIC? .................... 16
STUDY EXERCISES—Key Phrases in Genesis 2 ............................................................................................................. 17
Textual Phrases: 1) “A Help Mate” (2 )ודגנכ רזע) “This Time” (םעפה תאז) ............................................................................................. 17
Phrase 3: "And They Became One Flesh" (דחא רשבל ויהו) ..................................................................................................................... 18
Phrase 4: "God took one of his ribs...and built the rib...into a woman" ................................................................................................. 19
C. CULTURAL COMPARISON--THE CREATION OF WOMAN ACCORDING TO HESIOD'S PANDORA STORY ...................... 22
CHAPTER II - CRISES IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE FIRST COUPLE ..................... 25
A. THE GARDEN OF EDEN STORY AS A PLAY ENTITLED: "LOVING COUPLE IN CONFLICT" ................................................ 26
On the meaning of the Garden of Eden story ........................................................................................................................................ 27
B. HOW DID THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN "THE TWO LOVERS OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN" DEGENERATE? ..................... 30
STUDY EXCERCISES: Looking at the Gendered Characters of the Man and the Woman in the Garden of Eden ......... 33
Exercise 1: Image of the Woman and her Affinity to the Serpent ......................................................................................................... 33
Exercise 2: Image of the Woman According to Jewish and Christian Bible Commentators ................................................................. 33
Exercise 3: Inventing Extemporaneous Dialogue for Genesis 3: Biblio-drama ..................................................................................... 34
Exercise 4: A Fateful Decision—Genesis 3:6........................................................................................................................................ 36
C. A SURVEY OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF EATING FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE ......................................................... 39
D. CONCLUSION: WAS EATING FROM THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL BENEFICIAL OR DETRIMENTAL? .............................. 45
STUDY EXERCISE: Would you prefer to remain in the Garden of Eden? ...................................................................... 45
CHAPTER III - MODERN LITERARY MIDRASHIM ............................................................. 46
A. NESSA RAPPAPORT, “GENERATION”-THE GARDEN FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE AND FROM HERS. ...................................... 47
B. PETER PITZELE, A CONVERSATION IN THE GARDEN BY WAY OF BIBLIODRAMA ............................................................. 47
C. HOWARD COOPER, ‘AND THEY BOTH WILL MAKE IT…’ SEXUALITY, SPIRITUALITY AND STORYTELLING. .................. 61
D. MODERN POETRY ......................................................................................................................................................... 69
E. ELEANORA LEV, THE FIRST MORNING AFTER: EVE IN THE GARDEN ............................................................................. 71
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CHAPTER IV - MEDIEVAL & MODERN COMMENTATORS’ DEBATE .......................... 73
A. GENESIS 2: LOVING FRIENDS ........................................................................................................................................ 73
1. Naomi Rosenblatt, When Love Enters The World ......................................................................................................... 73
2. Joel Rosenberg, The Paradigmatic Betrothal ............................................................................................................... 73
3. Maurice Lamm, The Jewish Way in Love & Marriage ................................................................................................. 74
4. John Milton, The Doctrine & Discipline of Divorce ..................................................................................................... 75
5. Montaigne, Of Friendship Among Men ........................................................................................................................ 75
6. Aelred of Rievaulx, Spiritual Friendship ...................................................................................................................... 76
7. David Gunn & Dana Fewell, Equity Dissolves Into Hierarchy .................................................................................... 77
8. Christine de Pizan, A Woman’s Bible Commentary ..................................................................................................... 78
9. Ellen Frankel, Women “Discuss” the Garden of Eden Story ....................................................................................... 81
B. GENESIS 3: SHIFTING THE BLAME ................................................................................................................................. 83
1. Pierre Bourdieu, Baking Bread .................................................................................................................................... 83
2. Alice Bach, A Woman’s Weapon: Food........................................................................................................................ 83
3. Linda Nochlin, The Fallen Woman ............................................................................................................................... 84
4. Dana Fewell & David Gunn, The Woman is an Explorer ............................................................................................ 84
5. William Phipps, Her Husband Beside Her ................................................................................................................... 85
6. Lisa Aiken, To Be A Jewish Woman ............................................................................................................................. 85
7. Augustine, Christian Interpretations ............................................................................................................................ 87
C: GENESIS 3: THE PUNISHMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 88
1. Mary Gordon, Happy Virgin, Cursed Mother: Church Fathers on Eve’s Curse ......................................................... 88
2. Chava Weissler, Mizvot Built into the Body: Tkhines for Niddah, Pregnancy, and Childbirth ................................... 90
3. Sarah Grimkי, Thou shalt be subject unto thy husband ................................................................................................ 93
4. Mieke Bal, Lyn Bechtel & Carol Meyers, Punishments? No, Wisdom and Maturity and Reality! ............................... 94
5. Naomi Rosenblatt, Dedication To Life, Not Immortality .............................................................................................. 95
6. Joel Rosenberg, Man’s Reconciliation with Woman After the Fall into Mortality ....................................................... 96
7. Dana Fewell & David Gunn, Shifting the Blame.......................................................................................................... 97
CHAPTER V – SUPPLEMENT ..................................................................................................... 98
A. BIBLICAL ....................................................................................................................................................................... 98
1. Meir Shalev, Man, King of the Animals [To be translated] ......................................................................................... 98
2. Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, The Lonely Man of Faith ........................................................................................... 98
3. Phyllis Trible, A Love Story Gone Awry ..................................................................................................................... 104
4. Nehama Aschkenasy, Eve’s Journey: Feminine Images in Hebraic Literary ............................................................. 112
B. GREEK--PANDORA ...................................................................................................................................................... 118
1. A Greek legend according to Hesiod .......................................................................................................................... 118
2. Edith Hamilton’s Pandora .......................................................................................................................................... 119
3. William Phipps’ Pandora ........................................................................................................................................... 119
4. Tikvah Frymer Kensky, In The Wake of Goddesses .................................................................................................... 122
C. CHRISTIAN .................................................................................................................................................................. 124
1. William Phipps, Early Church Fathers on Eve .......................................................................................................... 124
2. Rosemary Radford Reuther, Women in Christian Theology: Subordination or Equivalence? [Forthcoming] ............. 126
3. David Feldman, Marriage in the Christian Tradition ................................................................................................ 126
D. CONTEMPORARY & EASTERN ..................................................................................................................................... 129
1. Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving ................................................................................................................................ 129
E. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY [FORTHCOMING] ................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
F. Appendix: Plato's Symposium on Love

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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 1-2-3. 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 ד:חס השרפ )אנליו( הבר תישארב
R. Judah b. Simon commenced his exposition with, םידיחי בישומ םיהלא )חס םילהת( חתפ ןומיס רב הדוהי יבר
“God makes individuals to dwell in a house” (Ps. המכל ול הרמא אתפלח רב יסוי 'ר תא הלאש הנורטמ ,התיב
LXVIII, 7). ביתכדכ םימי תששל הל רמא ומלוע תא ה"בקה ארב םימי
A [Roman] matron asked R. Yossi b. Halafta: 'In תומש( ,ץראה תאו םימשה תא 'ה השע םימי תשש יכ )כ
how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, הל רמא ,וישכע דעו העש התואמ השוע אוה המ ול הרמא
create His world?' 'In six days,' he answered. 'Then לש ותשא ,ינולפל ינולפ לש ותב םיגוויז גווזמו בשוי ה"בקה
what has God been doing since then?' 'God sits and אוה אדו ול הרמא ,ינולפל ינולפ לש ונוממ ,ינולפל ינולפ
makes matches,' he answered, 'assigning this man to שי תוחפש המכ םידבע המכ ןכ תושעל הלוכי ינא ףא היתנמוא
that woman, and this woman to that man.' 'Is that איה הלק םא הל רמא ,ןגווזל הלוכי ינא הלק העשל יל
difficult?' she gibed, 'I too can do the same.' 'ר ול ךלה ,ףוס םי תעירקכ ה"בקה ינפל איה השק ,ךיניעב
She went and matched [her slaves], giving this man תוחפש ףלאו םידבע ףלא הלטנ התשע המ אתפלח רב יסוי
to that woman, this woman to that man and so on. תינולפו תינולפל בסי ןלפ הרמא תורוש תורוש ןתוא הדימעהו
Some time after, those who were thus united went ןיד הבגל ןותא רחמל ,תחא הלילב ןתוא הגוויזו ,ינולפל בסית
and beat one another, this woman saying, 'I do not ןוהל הרמא ,אריבת הילגר ןיד ,אטימש וניע ןיד ,אעיצפ היחומ
want this man,' while this man protested, 'I do not יעב אנא תיל רמא ןידו ,ןידל יעב אנא תיל הרמא אד ,ןוכל המ
want that woman.' תיל ול הרמא אתפלח רב יסוי 'ר תא האיבהו החלש דימ ,אדל
Straightway she summoned R. Yossi b. Halafta and תרמא הפי תחבושמו האנ ןוכתרות איה תמא ןוכהלאכ הולא.
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!'
1
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 inter-
disciplinary 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
The Biblical Texts of Genesis 1-3

Michelangelo, Creation of Man, Sistine Ceiling
3
GENESIS 1 א תישארב'

A ץרֶאָהָּ תאֵ וְּ םִׁימַ שָּ הַ תאֵ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּבָּ תישִׁ ארֵבְּ א.
1 t the beginning of God's creating
וּהֹבוָּ וּהֹת התָּ ְּיהָּ ץרֶאָהָּ וְּ ב,
of the heavens and the earth, םוֹהתְּ יֵנפְּ לעַ ךְשֶ חוְּ,
2 when the earth was wild and waste, םִׁימָּ הַ יֵנפְּ לעַ תפֶ חֶ רַמְּ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ חַ וּרוְּ.
darkness over the face of Ocean, םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ ג:
rushing-spirit of God hovering over the face of רוֹא יהִׁ ְּי!
רוֹא יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
the waters--
בוֹט יכִׁ רוֹאהָּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹ אֱ ארְַּיוַ ד--

ךְשֶ ֹחהַ ןיבֵ וּ רוֹאהָּ ןיבֵ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ לדֵ בְּ ַיוַ;
3 God said: Let there be light! And there was
םוֹי רוֹאלָּ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּקְּ ִׁיוַ ה,
light.
הלָּ ְּילָּ ארָּקָּ ךְשֶ ֹחלַ וְּ.
4 God saw the light: that it was good.
רקֶֹב יהִׁ ְּיוַ ,ברֶעֶ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
God separated the light from the darkness. דחָּ אֶ םוֹי.
5 God called the light: Day! and the darkness he
called: Night!
There was setting, there was dawning: one day.
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ ו:

םִׁימָּ הַ ךְוֹתבְּ עַ יקִׁ רָּ יהִׁ ְּי--
6 God said:
םִׁימָּ לָּ םִׁימַ ןיבֵ לידִׁ בְּ מַ יהִׁ יוִׁ.
Let there be a dome amid the waters,
עַ יקִׁ רָּהָּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ֹשעַ ַיוַ ז;
and let it separate waters from waters!
עַ יקִׁ רָּלָּ תחַ תַ מִׁ רשֶ אֲ םִׁימַ הַ ןיבֵ לדֵ בְּ ַיוַ
7 God made the dome
עַ יקִׁ רָּלָּ לעַ מֵ רשֶ אֲ םִׁימַ הַ ןיבֵ וּ.
and separated the waters that were below the ןכֵ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
dome from the waters that were above the dome.

8 God called the dome: Heaven! םִׁימָּ שָּ עַ יקִׁ רָּלָּ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּקְּ ִׁיוַ ח.
There was setting, there was dawning: second ר קֶֹב יהִׁ ְּיוַ ,ברֶעֶ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
יִׁנשֵ םוֹי.
day.

9 God said:
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ ט:
Let the waters under the heavens be gathered to
םִׁימַ שָּ הַ תחַ תַ מִׁ םִׁימַ הַ וּוקָּ ִׁי
one place,
דחָּ אֶ םוֹקמָּ לאֶ --
and let the dry land be seen! השָּ בָּ ַיהַ האֶ רָּתֵ וְּ.
It was so. ןכֵ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.

10 God called the dry land: Earth! and the ץרֶאֶ השָּ בָּ ַילַ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּקְּ ִׁיוַ י,
gathering of the waters he called: Seas! םימִׁ ַי ארָּקָּ םִׁימַ הַ הוֵקְּ מִׁ לְּ וּ.
בוֹט יכִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארְַּיוַ.
God saw that it was good.
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ אי:
11 God said:
ערֶַז עַ ירְִּׁזמַ בֹשֶ עֵ :אשֶ דֶ ץרֶאָהָּ אשֵ דְּ תַ ;
Let the earth sprout forth with sprouting-growth,
ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ --וֹב וֹערְַּז רשֶ אֲ ,וֹנימִׁ לְּ ירִׁפְּ הֹשֶ ֹע ,ירִׁפְּ ץעֵ .
plants that seed forth seeds, fruit trees that yield
ןכֵ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
fruit, after their kind, (and) in which is their seed,
וּהֵנימִׁ לְּ ערֶַז עַ ירְִּׁזמַ בֹשֶ עֵ :אשֶ דֶ ץרֶאָהָּ אצֵ וֹתוַ בי;
upon the earth! וּהֵנימִׁ לְּ ,וֹב וֹערְַּז רשֶ אֲ ,ירִׁפְּ הֹשֶ ֹע ץעֵ וְּ.
It was so. בוֹט יכִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארְַּיוַ.
12 The earth brought forth sprouting-growth, רקֶֹב יהִׁ ְּיוַ ,ברֶעֶ יהִׁ ְּיוַ גי.
plants that seed forth seeds, after their kind, ישִׁ ילִׁ שְּ םוֹי.
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.

םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ די:
יהִׁ ְּי םִׁימַ שָּ הַ עַ יקִׁ רְּבִׁ תֹרֹאמְּ

 Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses: the Schocken Bible
4
14 God said: הלָּ ְּילָּ הַ ןיבֵ וּ םוֹיהַ ןיבֵ לידִׁ בְּ הַ לְּ ,
Let there be lights in the dome of the heavens, םיִׁנשָּ וְּ םי מִׁ ָּילְּ וּ םידִׁ עֲ וֹמלְּ וּ תֹתֹאלְּ וּיהָּ וְּ;
to separate the day from the night, ןכֵ יהִׁ ְּיוַ .ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ ריאִׁ הָּ לְּ םִׁימַ שָּ הַ עַ יקִׁ רְּבִׁ תֹרוֹאמְּ לִׁ וּיהָּ וְּ וט.
לֹדגָּ הַ רוֹאמָּ הַ תאֶ ( םילִֹׁדגְּ הַ תֹרֹאמְּ הַ יֵנשְּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ֹשעַ ַיוַ זט
that they may be for signs--for set-times, for days
הלָּ ְּילַ הַ תלֶ שֶ מְּ מֶ לְּ ןֹטקָּ הַ רוֹאמָּ הַ תאֶ וְּ םוֹיהַ תלֶ שֶ מְּ מֶ לְּ )
and years,
םיבִׁ כָּ וֹכהַ ת אֵ וְּ.
15 and let them be for lights in the dome of the
לֹשמְּ לִׁ וְּ חי ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ ריאִׁ הָּ לְּ םִׁימָּ שָּ הַ עַ יקִׁ רְּבִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ םתָֹּא ןתֵ ִׁיוַ זי
heavens, to provide light upon the earth!
הלָּ ְּילַ בַ וּ םוֹיבַ --
It was so.
ךְשֶ חהַ ןיבֵ וּ רוֹאהָּ ןיבֵ לידִׁ בְּ הַ לְּ וּ.
16 God made the two great lights, בוֹט יכִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארְַּיוַ.
the greater light for ruling the day and the smaller רקֶֹב יהִׁ ְּיוַ ,ברֶעֶ יהִׁ ְּיוַ טי.
light for ruling the night, יעִׁ יבִׁ רְּ םוֹי.
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.
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ כ:
19 There was setting, there was dawning: fourth הָּיחַ שפֶ ֶנ ץרֶשֶ םִׁימַ הַ וּצרְּשְּ ִׁי;
day. ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ ףפֵ וֹעְּי ףוֹעוְּ--
לעַ םִׁימָּ שָּ הַ עַ יקִׁ רְּ יֵנפְּ .
20 God said: םילִֹׁדגְּ הַ םִׁניִׁנתַ הַ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּבְּ ִׁיוַ אכ
Let the waters swarm with a swarm of living הָּיחַ הַ שפֶ ֶנ לכָּ תאֵ וְּ
םהֶ ֵנימִׁ לְּ ,םִׁי מַ הַ וּצרְּשָּ רשֶ אֲ ,תֹשֶ מֶֹרהָּ ;
beings, and let fowl fly above the earth, across the
וּהֵנימִׁ לְּ ,ףָּנכָּ ,ףוֹע לכָּ תאֵ וְּ.
dome of the heavens!
בוֹט יכִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארְַּיוַ.
21 God created the great sea-serpents
רֹמאלֵ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ םתָֹּא ךְרֶבָּ ְּיוַ בכ:
and all living being that crawl about, with which
וּברְּוּ וּרפְּ --
the waters swarmed, after their kind,
םימִׁ ַיבַ םִׁימַ הַ תאֶ וּאלְּ מִׁ וּ;
God saw that it was good. ץרֶאָבָּ ברִֶׁי ףוֹעהָּ וְּ.
22 And God blessed them saying: רקֶֹב יהִׁ ְּיוַ ,ברֶעֶ יהִׁ ְּיוַ גכ.
Bear fruit and be many and fill the waters in the ישִׁ ימִׁ חֲ םוֹי.
seas,
and let the fowl be many on earth!
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ דכ:
23 There was setting, there was dawning: fifth
הָּּנימִׁ לְּ הָּיחַ שפֶ ֶנ ץרֶאָהָּ אצֵ וֹת:
day.
הָּּנימִׁ לְּ ץרֶאֶ וֹתְּיחַ וְּ ֹשמֶ רֶוָּ המָּ הֵ בְּ .

ןכֵ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
24 God said:
הָּּנימִׁ לְּ ץרֶאָהָּ תַיחַ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ֹשעַ ַיוַ הכ
Let the earth bring forth living beings after their וּהֵנימִׁ לְּ המָּ דָּ אֲ הָּ ֹשמֶ רֶ לכָּ תאֵ וְּ הָּּנימִׁ לְּ המָּ הֵ בְּ הַ תאֶ וְּ,
kind, בוֹט יכִׁ םיהִׁ לֹ אֱ ארְַּיוַ.
herd-animals, crawling things, and the wildlife of םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ וכ:
the earth after their kind! וּנתֵ וּמדְּ כִׁ וּנמֵ לְּ צַ בְּ םדָּ אָ הֹשֶ עֲ ַנ--
It was so. םִׁימַ שָּ הַ ףוֹעבְּ וּ םָּיהַ תַגדְּ בִׁ וּדרְִּׁיוְּ
ץרֶאָהָּ לכָּ בְּ וּ המָּ הֵ בְּ בַ וּ
25 God made the wildlife of the earth after their
ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ ֹשמֵֹרהָּ ,ֹשמֶ רֶהָּ לכָּ בְּ וּ.
kind, and the herd-animals after their kind, and all
וֹמלְּ צַ בְּ םדָּ אָהָּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּבְּ ִׁיוַ זכ--
crawling things of the soil after their kind.
וֹתֹא ארָּבָּ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ םלֶ צֶ בְּ ;
God saw that it was good.
םתָֹּא ארָּבָּ הבָּ קֵ ְּנוּ רכָּ ָּז.
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,
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ םתָֹּא ךְרֶבָּ ְּיוַ חכ.
in the image of God did he create it,
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ םהֶ לָּ רמֶ אֹיוַ:
male and female did he create them.
וּברְּוּ וּרפְּ --

הָּ שֻׁ בְּ כִׁ וְּ ץרֶאָהָּ תאֶ וּאלְּ מִׁ וּ

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28 God blessed them, םִׁימַ שָּ הַ ףוֹעבְּ וּ םָּיהַ תַגדְּ בִׁ וּדרְּוּ
God said to them: ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ תֹש ֶ מֶֹרהָּ ,הָּיחַ לכָּ בְּ וּ.
Bear fruit and be many and fill the earth םיהִׁ לֹאֱ רמֶ אֹיוַ טכ:
םכֶ לָּ יתִׁ תַ ָּנ הֵנהִׁ
and subdue it!
ץרֶאָהָּ לכָּ יֵנפְּ לעַ רשֶ אֲ ,ערֶַז עַ רֵֹז בֹשֶ עֵ לכָּ תאֶ ;
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl
ערַָּז עַ רֵֹז ץעֵ ירִׁפְּ וֹב רשֶ אֲ ,ץעֵ הָּ לכָּ תאֶ וְּ--
of the heavens, and all living things that crawl
הלָּ כְּ אָלְּ הֶיהְּ ִׁי םכֶ לָּ ;
about upon the earth!
םִׁי מַ שָּ הַ ףוֹע לכָּ לְּ וּ ץרֶאָהָּ תַיחַ לכָּ לְּ וּ ל
29 God said:
הָּיחַ שפֶ ֶנ וֹב רשֶ אֲ ,ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ ֹשמֵ וֹר לֹכלְּ וּ--
Here, I give you הלָּ כְּ אָלְּ בֹשֶ עֵ קרֶֶי לכָּ תאֶ .
all plants that bear seeds that are upon the face of ןכֵ יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
all the earth, ,ברֶעֶ יהִׁ ְּיוַ .דֹאמְּ בוֹט הֵנהִׁ וְּ--הֹשָּ עָּ רשֶ אֲ לכָּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארְַּיוַ אל
and all trees in which there is tree fruit that bears רקֶֹב יהִׁ ְּיוַ.
seeds, ישִׁ שִׁ הַ םוֹי.
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.

GENESIS 2 ב תישארב'

םאָ בָּ צְּ לכָּ וְּ ץרֶאָהָּ וְּ םִׁימַ שָּ הַ וּלכֻׁ ְּיוַ א.
1 Thus were finished the heavens and the earth, םוֹיבַ תֹבשְּ ִׁיוַ ;הֹשָּ עָּ רשֶ אֲ ,וֹתכְּ אלַ מְּ יעִׁ יבִׁ שְּ הַ םוֹיבַ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ לכַ ְּיוַ ב
with all of their array. הֹשָּ עָּ רשֶ אֲ ,וֹתכְּ אלַ מְּ לכָּ מִׁ יעִׁ יבִׁ שְּ הַ .
2 God had finished, on the seventh day, his work וֹתֹא שדֵ קַ ְּיוַ יעִׁ יבִׁ שְּ הַ םוֹי תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ךְרֶבָּ ְּיוַ ג,
that he had made, תוֹֹשעֲ לַ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ ארָּבָּ רשֶ אֲ ,וֹתכְּ אלַ מְּ לכָּ מִׁ תבַ שָּ וֹב יכִׁ .

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.

םאָרְּבָּ הִׁ בְּ ץרֶאָהָּ וְּ םִׁימַ שָּ הַ תוֹדלְּ וֹת הלֶ אֵ ד.
4 These are the begettings of the heavens and the
earth: their being created.
םִׁימָּ שָּ וְּ ץרֶאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי תוֹֹשעֲ םוֹיבְּ ,
At the time of YHWH, God's making of earth and ץרֶאָבָּ הֶיהְּ ִׁי םרֶטֶ הדֶ שָּ הַ חַ יֹשִׁ לֹכוְּ ה,
חמָּ צְּ ִׁי םרֶטֶ הדֶ שָּ הַ בֹשֶ עֵ לכָּ וְּ
heaven,
(ץרֶאָהָּ לעַ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי ריטִׁ מְּ הִׁ אלֹ יכִׁ
5 no bush of the field was yet on the earth,
המָּ דָּ אֲ הָּ תאֶ דֹבעֲ לַ ןִׁיאַ םדָּ אָוְּ)--
no plant of the field had yet sprung up,
המָּ דָּ אֲ הָּ יֵנפְּ לכָּ תאֶ הקָּ שְּ הִׁ וְּ ץרֶאָהָּ ןמִׁ הלֶ עֲ ַי דאֵ וְּ ו.
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;
המָּ דָּ אֲ הָּ ןמִׁ רפָּ עָּ --םדָּ אָהָּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי רצֶ יִׁיוַ ז--
הָּיחַ שפֶ ֶנלְּ םדָּ אָהָּ יהִׁ ְּיוַ ;םיִׁיחַ תמַ שְּ ִׁנ ויפָּ אַ בְּ חפַ ִׁיוַ.
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.
םדֶ קֶ מִׁ ,ןדֶ עֵ בְּ ןגַ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי עטַ ִׁיוַ ח;

רצָּ ָּי רשֶ אֲ ,םדָּ אָהָּ תאֶ םשָּ םֹשֶ ָּיוַ.
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8 YHWH, God, planted a garden in Eden/Land- האֶ רְּמַ לְּ דמָּ חְּ ֶנ ץעֵ לכָּ המָּ דָּ אֲ הָּ ןמִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי חמַ צְּ ַיוַ ט
of-Pleasure, in the east, ערָּוָּ בוֹט תעַ דַ הַ ץעֵ וְּ ,ןגָּ הַ ךְוֹתבְּ םיִׁיחַ הַ ץעֵ וְּ ,לכָּ אֲ מַ לְּ בוֹטוְּ.
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. ןגָּ הַ תאֶ תוֹקשְּ הַ לְּ ןדֶ עֵ מֵ אצֵֹי רהָּ ָּנוְּ י,
םישִׁ ארָּ העָּ בָּ רְּאַלְּ הָּיהָּ וְּ דרֵפָּ ִׁי םשָּ מִׁ וּ:
10 Now a river goes out from Eden, to water the הלָּ יוִׁחֲ הַ ץרֶאֶ לכָּ תאֵ בבֵֹסהַ אוּה--ןוֹשיפִׁ דחָּ אֶ הָּ םשֵ אי,
garden, בוֹט או הִׁ הַ ץרֶאָהָּ בהַ ֲזוּ( בי .בהָּ ָּזהַ םשָּ רשֶ אֲ ),
and from there it divides and becomes four םהַֹשהַ ןבֶ אֶ וְּ חלַֹדבְּ הַ םשָּ ;
שוּכ ץרֶאֶ לכָּ תאֵ בבֵ וֹסהַ אוּה--ןוֹחיגִׁ יִׁנשֵ הַ רהָּ ָּנהַ םשֵ וְּ גי;
stream-heads.
רוּשאַ תמַ דְּ קִׁ ךְלֵֹההַ אוּה--לקֶ דֶ חִׁ ישִׁ ילִׁ שְּ הַ רהָּ ָּנהַ םשֵ וְּ די;
11 The name of the first one is Pishon/Spreader--
תרָּפְּ אוּה יעִׁ יבִׁ רְּהָּ רהָּ ָּנהַ וְּ.
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-
הּרָּמְּ שָּ לְּ וּ הּדָּ בְּ עָּ לְּ ,ןדֶ עֵ ןַגבְּ וּהחֵ ִׁנַיוַ םדָּ אָהָּ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי חקַ ִׁי וַ וט.
-that is the one
רֹמאלֵ םדָּ אָהָּ לעַ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי וצַ ְּיוַ זט:
that goes to the east of Assyria.
לכֵ אֹת לֹכאָ ןגָּ הַ ץעֵ לֹכמִׁ ;
And the fourth river--that is Perat/Euphrates.
וּנמֶ מִׁ לכַ אֹת אלֹ--ערָּוָּ בוֹט תעַ דַ הַ ץעֵ מֵ וּ זי,
15 YHWH, God, took the human and set him in
תוּמתָּ תוֹמ--וּנ מֶ מִׁ ךָלְּ כָּ אֲ םוֹיבְּ יכִׁ .
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--
םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי רמֶ אֹיוַ חי:
you are not to eat from it,
וֹדבַ לְּ םדָּ אָהָּ תוֹיהֱ בוֹט אלֹ:
for on the day that you eat from it, you must die,
וֹדְּגֶנכְּ רֶזעֵ וֹל הֹשֶ עֱ אֶ .
yes, die. לכָּ תאֵ וְּ הדֶ שָּ הַ תַיחַ לכָּ המָּ דָּ אֲ הָּ ןמִׁ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי רצֶ ִׁיוַ טי
וֹל ארָּקְּ ִׁי המַ ,תוֹארְּלִׁ םדָּ אָהָּ לאֶ אבֵ ָּיוַ ;םִׁימַ שָּ הַ ףוֹע
18 Now YHWH, God, said: (וֹמשְּ אוּה--הָּיחַ שפֶ ֶנ םדָּ אָהָּ וֹל ארָּקְּ ִׁי רשֶ אֲ לֹכוְּ).
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.

תַיחַ לֹכלְּ וּ םִׁימַ שָּ הַ ףוֹעלְּ וּ המָּ הֵ בְּ הַ לכָּ לְּ תוֹמשֵ םדָּ אָהָּ ארָּקְּ ִׁיוַ כ

וֹדְּגֶנכְּ רֶזעֵ אצָּ מָּ אלֹ םדָּ אָלְּ וּ ;הדֶ שָּ הַ .

ןשָּ יִׁיוַ--םדָּ אָהָּ לעַ המָּ דֵ רְּתַ םיהִׁ לֹ אֱ הוָֹּהְּי לפֵ ַיוַ אכ

הָּנתֶ חְּ תַ רֹשָּ בָּ רֹגסְּ ִׁיוַ--ויתָֹּעלְּ צַ מִׁ תחַ אַ חקַ ִׁיוַ.

םדָּ אָהָּ ןמִׁ חקַ לָּ רשֶ אֲ ,עלָּ צֵ הַ תאֶ םיהִׁ לֹאֱ הוָֹּהְּי ןבֶ ִׁיוַ בכ--

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