R. Jose the younger once went in to see R. Simeon and found him expounding the verse: “And the man said: The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat” (Gen. 3, 12). ‘The expression “with me”,’ he said, ‘indicates that Adam and Eve were created together with one body.’ Said R. Jose to him: ‘If so, what of the words of Hannah to Eli: “I am the woman who stood with thee here” (I Sam. 1, 26)?’ He replied: ‘It does not say here “was given”.’
But,’ said the other, ‘what of the verse, “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help meet for him” (Gen. 2, 18), which implies that she was not made until then?’ He replied: ‘Adam was indeed alone in so far as he had no support from his female, because she was fixed in his side, as we have explained. Hence God did not say “I will create a help”, but “I will make“, that is, fashion; and so God did by taking one of his sides and fashioning it and bringing it to him. Then Adam cohabited with his wife, and she became a support to him.
We have learnt that the beauty of Adam was like an emanation from the supernal effulgence, and the beauty of Eve such that no creature could look steadily at her. Even Adam could not look steadily at her until they had sinned and their beauty had been diminished. Then only did Adam gaze steadfastly at her and “know” her.
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי זְעֵירָא, עָאל קָמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן יוֹמָא חַד, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ דְּהֲוָה יָתִיב וְקָאֲרִי, כְּתִיב, (בראשית ג׳:י״ב) וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי הִיא נָתְנָה לִּי מִן הָעֵץ וָאוֹכֵל. מַשְׁמַע דְּאָדָם וְחַוָּה כַּחֲדָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ, וּבְגוּפָא חֲדָא. דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי, וְלָא כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִי, אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי הָכִי, וְהָכְּתִיב (שמואל א א׳:כ״ו) אֲנִי הָאִשָּׁה הַנִּצֶּבֶת עִמְּכָה בָּזֶה. וְלָא כְּתִיב הַנִּצֶּבֶת לְפָנֶיךָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי כְּתִיב הַנִּתֶּנֶת עִמְּךָ, הֲוָה אֲמֵינָא הָכֵי, כְּדִכְתִיב אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי, אֲבָל הַנִּצֶּבֶת כְּתִיב.
R. Jose the younger once went in to see R. Simeon and found him expounding the verse: “And the man said: The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat” (Gen. 3, 12). ‘The expression “with me”,’ he said, ‘indicates that Adam and Eve were created together with one body.’ Said R. Jose to him: ‘If so, what of the words of Hannah to Eli: “I am the woman who stood with thee here” (I Sam. 1, 26)?’ He replied: ‘It does not say here “was given”.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, וְהָא כְּתִיב (בראשית ב׳:י״ח) וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ הַשְׁתָּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי הוּא ודַּאי, דְּאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ הֲוָה, דְּלָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ סֶמֶךְ מִנּוּקְבֵיהּ, בְּגִין דַּהֲוַת בְּסִטְרוֹי כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וּמַה דְּאָמַר אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ עֵזֶר, הָכִי הוּא, דְּלָא כְּתִיב אֶבְרָא לוֹ עֵזֶר, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ה׳:ב׳) זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם. אֲבָל אֶעֱשֶׂה כְּתִיב. וּמַהוּ אֶעֱשֶׂה. אַתָקֵן. מַשְׁמַע דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיל לָהּ מִסִּטְרוֹי, וְתָקִין לָהּ בְּתִקּוּנָא, וְאַיְיתֵי לָהּ קַמֵּיהּ. וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתָּמַּשׁ אָדָם בְּאִנְתְּתֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה לֵיהּ סֶמֶךְ.
But,’ said the other, ‘what of the verse, “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help meet for him” (Gen. 2, 18), which implies that she was not made until then?’ He replied: ‘Adam was indeed alone in so far as he had no support from his female, because she was fixed in his side, as we have explained. Hence God did not say “I will create a help”, but “I will make“, that is, fashion; and so God did by taking one of his sides and fashioning it and bringing it to him. Then Adam cohabited with his wife, and she became a support to him.
וְתָנֵינָן, שְׁפִּירוּ דְּאָדָם קַדְתִּירָא דְּקִיטְרָא עִלָּאָה, מִזִּיהֲרָא דְּנַהֲרָא. שְׁפִּירוּ דְּחַוָּה, דְּלָא הֲווֹ יַכְלִין כָּל בִּרְיָין לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בָּהּ. וַאֲפִילּוּ אָדָם לָא הֲוָה אִסְתְּכַּל בָּהּ, עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּחָאבוּ, וְאַעְדִּיאַת (ס"א ואזעירת) שְׁפִּירוּ דִּלְהוֹן. כְּדֵין אִסְתָּכַּל בָּהּ אָדָם, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בָּהּ לְשַׁמְּשָׁא בָּהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ד׳:כ״ה) וַיֵּדַע אָדָם עוֹד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ. וַיֵּדַע: בְּכֹלָּא. וַיֵּדַע: בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ. וַיֵּדַע: דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בָּהּ וְאִסְתָּכַּל בָּהּ.
We have learnt that the beauty of Adam was like an emanation from the supernal effulgence, and the beauty of Eve such that no creature could look steadily at her. Even Adam could not look steadily at her until they had sinned and their beauty had been diminished. Then only did Adam gaze steadfastly at her and “know” her.