AND GOD CREATED THE GREAT SEA MONSTERS. These are the Leviathan and its female. AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT CREEPETH. This is the soul of the creature which creeps to the four quarters of the globe, to wit, Lilith.
WHEREWITH THE WATERS SWARMED, AFTER ITS KIND. It is the waters which nourish them. For when the wind blows from the South, the waters are released and flow to all sides, and ships pass to and fro, as it is written, “there go the ships, there is Leviathan whom thou hast formed to sport therein” (Ps. 104, 26).
EVERY WINGED FOWL AFTER ITS KIND: this refers, as already said, to the angels, as in the verse, “for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter” (Eccl. 10, 20),’ R. Jose said: ‘They all have six wings, and never change their shape; hence it is written of them, “to their kind”. i.e. that they are always angels. It is these who sweep through the world with six beats of their wings, who observe the actions of men and record them above; hence the Scripture says, “even in thy thought curse not the king, etc.” (Ibid.).’
R. Hizkiah said: ‘Just as it is written here, “living creature that creepeth”, so elsewhere (Ps. 104, 20) it is written, “wherein creep all the beasts (haytho) of the field.” Just as here we interpret the word hayah of Lilith, so there we interpret the word haytho of the Hayyoth. For they all have sway when she has sway; they commence to chant at each of the three watches of the night and go on without cessation, and of them it is written, “Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers, take ye no rest” (Is. 62, 6).
R. Simeon arose and spoke thus: ‘My meditation disclosed to me that when God came to create man, all creatures trembled above and below. The sixth day was proceeding on its course when at length the divine decision was formed.
Then the source of all lights shone forth and opened the gate of the East, for thence light issues. The South displayed in full power the light which it had inherited from the commencement, and joined hands with the East. The East took hold of the North, and the North awoke and spread forth and called aloud to the West to come and join him. Then the West went up into the North and united with it, and afterwards the South took hold of the West, and the South and the North, which are the fences of the Garden, surrounded it. Then the East approached the West, and the West was rejoiced and said to the others, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”, embracing like us the four quarters and the higher and the lower. Then the East united with the West and produced him. Hence our Sages have said that man emerged from the site of the Temple.
Further, the words “let us make man” may be taken to signify that God imparted to the lower beings who came from the side of the upper world the secret of forming the divine name “Adam“, which embraces the upper and the lower in virtue of its three letters, aleph, daleth, and mim final. When these three letters descended below, together in their complete form, the name Adam was found to comprise male and female.
God then sawed her off from him and adorned her like a bride and brought her to him, as it is written, “And he took one of his sides and closed up the place with flesh.” (Gen. 2, 21). I have found it stated in an old book that the word “one” here means “one woman”, to wit, the original Lilith, who was with him and who conceived from him.
Up to that time, however, she was not a help to him, as it is written, “but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” Observe that Adam came last of all, it being fitting that he should find the world complete on his appearance.’
וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים. אִלֵּין לִוְיָתָן וּבַת זוּגוֹ. אֶת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת. דָּא נֶפֶשׁ דְּהַהִיא חַיָּה דְּאִיהִי רוֹמֶשֶׂת לְד' סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא. וּמָאן אִיהִי חַיָּה דְּאִיהִי רוֹמֶשֶׂת. הוֵי אֵימָא דָּא לִילִית.
AND GOD CREATED THE GREAT SEA MONSTERS. These are the Leviathan and its female. AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT CREEPETH. This is the soul of the creature which creeps to the four quarters of the globe, to wit, Lilith.
אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵיהֶם. דְּמַיִין מְגַדְּלִין לוֹן. דְּכַד אָתֵי סִטְרָא דְּדָרוֹם שָׁרָאן מַיִין וְנַגְדִין לְכָל סִטְרִין וְאַרְבֵּי יַמָּא אָזְלִין וְעָבְרִין כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ק״ד:כ״ו) שָׁם אֳנִיּוֹת יְהַלֵּכוּן לִוְיָתָן זֶה יָצַרְתָּ לְשַׂחֶק בּוֹ.
WHEREWITH THE WATERS SWARMED, AFTER ITS KIND. It is the waters which nourish them. For when the wind blows from the South, the waters are released and flow to all sides, and ships pass to and fro, as it is written, “there go the ships, there is Leviathan whom thou hast formed to sport therein” (Ps. 104, 26).
וְאֶת כָּל עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (קהלת י׳:כ׳) כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת הַקּוֹל וּבַעַל כְּנָפַיִם יַגִּיד דָּבָר. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר כֻּלְהוֹן מִשִּׁית גַּדְפִין וְלָא מְשַׁנְיָין לְעָלְמִין. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ כְּתִיב לְמִינֵהוּ. מַאי לְמִינֵהוּ. לְזַיְינָא דִלְעֵילָא. וְאִלֵּין טָאסָן וְשָׁאטָן עָלְמָא בְּשִׁית וְחָמָאן עוֹבָדִין דִּבְנִי נְשָׁא וְסָלְקִין לוֹן לְעֵילָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (קהלת י׳:כ׳) גַּם בְּמַדָּעֲךָ מֶלֶךְ אַל תְּקַלֵּל וְגו'.
EVERY WINGED FOWL AFTER ITS KIND: this refers, as already said, to the angels, as in the verse, “for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter” (Eccl. 10, 20),’ R. Jose said: ‘They all have six wings, and never change their shape; hence it is written of them, “to their kind”. i.e. that they are always angels. It is these who sweep through the world with six beats of their wings, who observe the actions of men and record them above; hence the Scripture says, “even in thy thought curse not the king, etc.” (Ibid.).’
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת, הַשּׁוֹרֶצֶת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא כִּדְאַמְרִינָן רָמַשׁ לֵילְיָא. וְעַל דָּא (תהילים ק״ד:כ׳) בּוֹ תִרְמוֹשׂ כָּל חַיְתוֹ יָעַר. דְּכֻלְהוּ שָׁלְטָאן בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהִי שָׁלְטָא. וּפָתְחִין שִׁירָתָא בִּתְלַת סִטְרִין דְּפַלְגוּ לֵילְיָא. וְזָמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּכֵי. וְעַל אִלֵּין כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ב:ו׳) הַמַּזְכִּירִים אֶת ה' אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם.
R. Hizkiah said: ‘Just as it is written here, “living creature that creepeth”, so elsewhere (Ps. 104, 20) it is written, “wherein creep all the beasts (haytho) of the field.” Just as here we interpret the word hayah of Lilith, so there we interpret the word haytho of the Hayyoth. For they all have sway when she has sway; they commence to chant at each of the three watches of the night and go on without cessation, and of them it is written, “Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers, take ye no rest” (Is. 62, 6).
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן קָם וְאָמַר מִסְתַּכֵּל הֲוֵינָא, דְּכַד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִבְרֵי אָדָם, אִזְדַּעְזְעוּ כָּל עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. וְיוֹמָא שְׁתִיתָאָה הֲוָה סָלִיק בְּדַרְגוֹי עַד דְּסָלְקָא רְעוּתָא עִלָּאָה וְנָהִיר שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכָל נְהוֹרִין.
R. Simeon arose and spoke thus: ‘My meditation disclosed to me that when God came to create man, all creatures trembled above and below. The sixth day was proceeding on its course when at length the divine decision was formed.
וּפְתַח תַּרְעָא דְּמִזְרָח דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נְהוֹרָא נָפִיק. וְדָרוֹם אַחֲמֵי תּוֹקְפֵי דִּנְהוֹרָא דְּיָרִית מֵרִישָׁא וְאִתְתַּקַּף בְּמִזְרָח. מִזְרָח אַתְקִיף לְצָפוֹן וְצָפוֹן אִתְעַר וְאִתְפַּשַׁט וְקָרֵי בְחָיִל סַגֵּי לְמַעֲרָב לְמִקְרַב וּלְאִשְׁתַּתָּפָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כְּדֵין מַעֲרָב סַלְקָא בְּצָפוֹן וְאִתְקַּשַּׁר בֵּיהּ. לְבָתַר דָּרוֹם אַתְיָא וְאָחִיד בְּמַעֲרָב. וְסָחֲרִין לֵיהּ דָּרוֹם וְצָפוֹן דְּאָזְלִין גִּדְרֵי גִנְתָּא. כְּדֵין מִזְרָח קָרִיב בְּמַעֲרָב וּמַעֲרָב שַׁרְיָא בְּחֶדְוָה וּבָעָאת מִכֻּלְהוּ וְאָמַר נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ. דִּלְהוֵי כְּגַוְונָא דָא בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין וְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. וּמִזְרָח אִתְדָּבַּק בְּמַעֲרָב וְאַפִּיק לֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן אָדָם מֵאֲתַר דְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נָפַק.
Then the source of all lights shone forth and opened the gate of the East, for thence light issues. The South displayed in full power the light which it had inherited from the commencement, and joined hands with the East. The East took hold of the North, and the North awoke and spread forth and called aloud to the West to come and join him. Then the West went up into the North and united with it, and afterwards the South took hold of the West, and the South and the North, which are the fences of the Garden, surrounded it. Then the East approached the West, and the West was rejoiced and said to the others, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”, embracing like us the four quarters and the higher and the lower. Then the East united with the West and produced him. Hence our Sages have said that man emerged from the site of the Temple.
תּוּ נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לְאִלֵּין תַּתָּאֵי דְּאֲתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְעֵילָא. רָזָא דִּשְׁמָא דָא דְּסָלִיק אָדָם. אָדָם מֵרָזָא סְתִימָא עִלָּאָה. אָדָם רָזָא דְּאַתְוָון. דְּהָא אָדָם כָּלִיל לְעֵילָא וְכָלִיל לְתַתָּא. אָדָם אֶחָד לְעֵילָא לְעֵילָא. ם סְתִימָא דְּאִיהִי ם מִלְּםרְבֶּה הַמִּשְׂרָה. ד' תַּתָּאָה דִּסְתִימָא בְּמַעֲרָב. וְדָא כְּלָלָא דִּלְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. אִתְתַּקַּן לְעֵילָא אִתְתַּקַּן לְתַתָּא.
Further, the words “let us make man” may be taken to signify that God imparted to the lower beings who came from the side of the upper world the secret of forming the divine name “Adam“, which embraces the upper and the lower in virtue of its three letters, aleph, daleth, and mim final. When these three letters descended below, together in their complete form, the name Adam was found to comprise male and female.
אִלֵין אַתְוָון כַּד נָחֲתָא לְתַתָּא כֻּלְהוּ כְּחֲדָא בְּאַשְׁלָמוּתֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. וְנוּקְבָא בְּסִטְרוֹי אִתְדַּבְּקַת. עַד דְּאַפִּיל עִלוּיֵהּ שִׁנְתָא וּדְמוּךְ. וְהֲוָה רָמֵי בְּאֲתַר דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא לְתַתָּא.
The female was attached to the side of the male until God cast him into a deep slumber, during which he lay on the site of the Temple.
וּנְסַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְתַקִּין לַהּ כְּמָה דִּמְתַקְנִין לְכַלָּה וְאַעֲלָא לֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו וַיִּסְגּוֹר בָּשָׂר תַּחְתֶּנָּה. וַיִּקַּח אַחַת דַּיְיקָא. בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאִי אַשְׁכַּחְנָא (ויקרא יט ע"א) דָּא לִילִית קַדְמִיתָא דְּהֲוַת עִמֵּיהּ וְאִתְעַבְּרַת מִנֵּיהּ
God then sawed her off from him and adorned her like a bride and brought her to him, as it is written, “And he took one of his sides and closed up the place with flesh.” (Gen. 2, 21). I have found it stated in an old book that the word “one” here means “one woman”, to wit, the original Lilith, who was with him and who conceived from him.
וְלָא הֲוַת לְקִיבְלֵיהּ עֵזֶר כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזְרִ כְּנֶגְדוֹ. מַאי עֵזְרִ סֶמֶךְ. עַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דִּכְתִיב לֹא טוֹב היוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדוֹ. תָּא חֲזֵי אָדָם בַּתְרָאָה דְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה. הָכִי אִתְחַזֵּי לְמֵיתֵי עַל עָלְמָא שְׁלִים.
Up to that time, however, she was not a help to him, as it is written, “but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” Observe that Adam came last of all, it being fitting that he should find the world complete on his appearance.’