Commentary for Genesis 3:9

איכה WHERE ART THOU — He knew where he was, but He asked this in order to open up a conversation with him that he should not become confused in his reply, if He were to pronounce punishment against him all of a sudden. Similarly in the case of Cain, He said to him, (4:9) “where is Abel thy brother?” Similarly with Balaam, (Numbers 22:9) “what men are these with thee?” — to open up a conversation with them; so, also, in the case of Hezekiah with reference to the messengers of Merodach-baladan (Isaiah 39:3).

Where are you. Why do you not show yourselves openly as before?

ויאמר לו איכה? He said to him: "Where are you?" The meaning is: Why do you hide yourself and do not appear before Me? Adam replied that he was afraid because he considered himself naked, and as it is forbidden to stand naked in front of a Torah scroll it certainly is unseemly to appear before G'd in such a state. According to our exegesis, he meant they had become aware of their reduced stature. Their sin had made them aware of the loss of their aura of holiness, hence their nakedness. They could not have referred to actual nudity as the Torah already reported that they sewed together fig-leaves to serve as clothing.

ויקרא..איכה, He called out “where are you?” G’d used these words as an opener for the conversation, not because He was unaware of their whereabouts. We find a repeat of this when G’d opened His conversation with Kayin (Genesis 4,9) or with Moses (Exodus 4,2).

And He called: Every, "and He called," is an expression of love - as it is taught at the beginning of Torat Cohanim. (And see what I wrote on the book of Exodus 8:21.) And it is found explicitly in Vayikra Rabbah, Chapter 1:9, "'And He called to Moshe' (Leviticus 1:1) - and is it not also written about Adam, 'And the Lord God, called to Adam?'" It is clear from this that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not punish [Adam] as someone volitional and transgressing contemptuously. For behold, God knew that it was on account of the woman. So it is from this reason that He did not punish him with death on that day as He had warned him, but rather judged him as [someone] inadvertent. And that which He said to him (Genesis 3:19), "until your return to the ground" - He did not say it as a punishment. As behold, [even] without a punishment, man returns to the dirt by nature - except by way of the supernatural power of the tree of life; or [with] one who is above nature, like Chanoch or Eliyahu. But the nature of man is to return to his dirt (and as I wrote above 2:9); and the punishment was only, "on the day that you eat from it, etc." (Genesis 2:17) - which only implies if he ate [it] volitionally. This is the straightforward understanding of the matter, even though it is known that there are other opinions about this. But the opinion of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, about the understanding of, "and He called," is as I have written.

Where are you. That is, where are you spiritually? See how you have fallen!

He knew... that he not be bewildered. In other words, Hashem wanted him to say, “I have sinned,” and repent in his heart. For Hashem wants [the wicked] to repent, not that they die. You might ask: Here Rashi says that Hashem spoke to Bilam for a similar reason. So why does Rashi explain in Parshas Balak that Hashem’s intent was to mislead him? The answer is: There as well, Hashem wished to enter into conversation, but [with a different intent:] He increased His speech with Bilam and said, “Who are these people with you?” to mislead him. (Re’m)

ויקרא, rief ihm zu, aus der Ferne, im Zurückziehen. אִי) איכה, ein ab- geschlossener, isolierter Raum, Insel und auch א"י wegen seiner besonderen und isolierenden Bestimmung, איה die Frage nach dem Orte.) Wo bist du? Welche Stellung hast du eingenommen? Auf welcher Stufe befindest du dich?

He said to him, "Where are you?" For this is the way of the Holy One, to speak like people to [other] people.