AND THE LORD GOD BUILT (vayiven) THE SIDE WHICH HE HAD TAKEN FROM THE MAN, ETC. Said R. Simeon: ‘It is written, God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof (Job 28, 23). This verse may be taken in many ways. One is that the word “understood” (hevin) has the same sense as vayiven in the second chapter of Genesis. Hence the “side” here is the Oral Law, which forms a “way”, as it is written, “who maketh a way in the sea” (Is. 43, 16).
Similarly, “place” here can be interpreted as the Written Law, which is a source of knowledge. The double name “Lord God” is used to show that it was completed in all details, Hence it is called both Hohmah (wisdom) and Binah (understanding).
“The side” (zela’) is the unclear mirror, as it is written, “they rejoiced at my halting (be-zal’i) and gathered together” (Ps. 35, 15). “Which he took from the man”: because the Oral Law issued from the Written Torah. INTO A WOMAN: to be linked with the flame of the left side, because the Torah was given from the side of Geburah. Further, ishah (woman) may be analysed into esh he (fire of he), signifying the union of the two.
AND HE BROUGHT HER TO THE MAN: as much as to say that the Oral Torah must not be studied by itself, but in conjunction with the Written Torah, which then nourishes and supports it and provides all its needs. (We have similarly explained the words “and the earth”.) We learn from this passage that when a man gives his daughter in marriage, up to the time of the wedding the father and mother are responsible for her upkeep, but once she is married the husband has to support her and provide all her necessaries.
For it first says here that the Lord God built up the side, i.e. that the Father and Mother provided for her, but afterwards “he brought her to the man”, that they might be closely united to one another, and the man might thenceforth provide all her requirements.
6
דָּבָר אַחֵר אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ, כַּד בְּרַתָּא בְּבֵי אִמָּא, הִיא אִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּכָל מַה דְּבַעֲיָא בְּרַתָּהּ דִּכְתִיב, (איוב כ״ח:כ״ג) אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּחַבְרַת לָהּ בְּבַעֲלָהּ הוּא יָהִיב לָהּ כָּל מַה דְּבַעֲיָא וִיתַקֵּן עוֹבָדָהָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ (והאי קרא ברזין עלאין אתקשר) (ד"א האי קרא על חכמתא עלאה אתמר ואתקשר ברזין עלאין, דהא נקודה קדמאה לית מאן דידע בה כלל, אבל אלהים הבין דרכה דא עלמא דאתי, והו"א דא טמירא דכל טמירין סתימא דאקרי הו"א ולא ידיע בשמא).
According to another explanation this verse has a deep esoteric meaning, viz. that the primal point is unknowable save to God, who “understands its way”, i.e. the future world, while “He”, i.e. the great inscrutable called hu (he) “knows its place”.’
וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִן הָאָדָם וְגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּתִיב, (איוב כ״ח:כ״ג-כ״ד) אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ. הַאי קְרָא גְוָונִין סַגִּיאִין אִית בֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא מַהוּ אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבַּעַל פֶּה דְּאִית בָּהּ דֶּרֶךְ, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו מ״ג:ט״ז) הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דֶּרֶךְ, בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ.
AND THE LORD GOD BUILT (vayiven) THE SIDE WHICH HE HAD TAKEN FROM THE MAN, ETC. Said R. Simeon: ‘It is written, God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof (Job 28, 23). This verse may be taken in many ways. One is that the word “understood” (hevin) has the same sense as vayiven in the second chapter of Genesis. Hence the “side” here is the Oral Law, which forms a “way”, as it is written, “who maketh a way in the sea” (Is. 43, 16).
וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ. מָאן מְקוֹמָהּ, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב דְּאִית בָּהּ דַּעַת. (דעת ותבונה כחד אזלו) יְיָ אֱלֹהִים שֵׁם מָלֵא לְאַתְקָנָא לָהּ בְּכֹלָּא. וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת חָכְמָה וְאִתְקְרִיאַת בִּינָה. בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה בְּשֵׁם מָלֵא יְיָ אֱלהִים בְּכֹלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ בִּתְרֵי שְׁמָהָן.
Similarly, “place” here can be interpreted as the Written Law, which is a source of knowledge. The double name “Lord God” is used to show that it was completed in all details, Hence it is called both Hohmah (wisdom) and Binah (understanding).
אֶת הַצֵּלָע דָּא אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ל״ה:ט״ו) וּבְצַלְעִי שָׂמְחוּ וְנֶאֱסָפוּ. אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִן הָאָדָם, בְּגִין דְּהָא מִתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב נָפְקַת. לְאִשָּׁה, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה אִתְיְהִיבַת. לְאִשָּׁה, לְמֶהֱוֵי (נח ע' א) אֵשׁ ה' קָטִיר כְּחֲדָא.
“The side” (zela’) is the unclear mirror, as it is written, “they rejoiced at my halting (be-zal’i) and gathered together” (Ps. 35, 15). “Which he took from the man”: because the Oral Law issued from the Written Torah. INTO A WOMAN: to be linked with the flame of the left side, because the Torah was given from the side of Geburah. Further, ishah (woman) may be analysed into esh he (fire of he), signifying the union of the two.
וַיְבִאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם. בְּגִין דְּלָא בַּעֲיָא לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא בִּלְחוּדָהָא אֶלָּא לְאִתְכְּלָלָא וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְחַבְּרַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ הוּא יָזוּן לָהּ וִיתַקֵּן לָהּ וְיִתֵּן לָהּ מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא מָאן דְּאַנְסִיב בְּרַתֵּיהּ עַד לָא תֵיעוּל לְבַעֲלָהּ, אֲבוּהָ וְאִמָּהּ מְתַקְּנִין לָהּ וְיָהֲבִין לָהּ כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְחַבְּרַת בְּבַעֲלָהּ הוּא יָזוּן לָהּ וְהוּא יִתֵּן לָהּ מַה דְּבָעְיָא.
AND HE BROUGHT HER TO THE MAN: as much as to say that the Oral Torah must not be studied by itself, but in conjunction with the Written Torah, which then nourishes and supports it and provides all its needs. (We have similarly explained the words “and the earth”.) We learn from this passage that when a man gives his daughter in marriage, up to the time of the wedding the father and mother are responsible for her upkeep, but once she is married the husband has to support her and provide all her necessaries.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע. דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא אַתְקִינוּ לָהּ (בכ"ד קשוטין. ויבאה בגי' כ"ד) וּלְבָתַר וַיְבִיאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם (ועאלא ליה בחמש קלין (ירמיהו כ״ה:י׳) קול ששון וקול שמחה קול חתן וקול כלה קול מצהלות חתנים) לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּלָּא כְּחֲדָא וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא חַד בְּחַד. וְהוּא יָהִיב (ליה) מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ.
For it first says here that the Lord God built up the side, i.e. that the Father and Mother provided for her, but afterwards “he brought her to the man”, that they might be closely united to one another, and the man might thenceforth provide all her requirements.
דָּבָר אַחֵר אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ, כַּד בְּרַתָּא בְּבֵי אִמָּא, הִיא אִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּכָל מַה דְּבַעֲיָא בְּרַתָּהּ דִּכְתִיב, (איוב כ״ח:כ״ג) אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּחַבְרַת לָהּ בְּבַעֲלָהּ הוּא יָהִיב לָהּ כָּל מַה דְּבַעֲיָא וִיתַקֵּן עוֹבָדָהָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ (והאי קרא ברזין עלאין אתקשר) (ד"א האי קרא על חכמתא עלאה אתמר ואתקשר ברזין עלאין, דהא נקודה קדמאה לית מאן דידע בה כלל, אבל אלהים הבין דרכה דא עלמא דאתי, והו"א דא טמירא דכל טמירין סתימא דאקרי הו"א ולא ידיע בשמא).
According to another explanation this verse has a deep esoteric meaning, viz. that the primal point is unknowable save to God, who “understands its way”, i.e. the future world, while “He”, i.e. the great inscrutable called hu (he) “knows its place”.’