וְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
Espinos y cardos te producirá, y comerás hierba del campo;
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Joshua b. Levi said: "At the time the Holy One, praised be He! said to Adam (Gen. 3, 18), And thorns and thistles shall it (the earth) bring forth to the, tears flowed from his eyes. He said: 'Sovereign of the Universe!' shall I and my ass eat of the same crib?' But as soon as he heard that God said (Ib. ib., 19) By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread, he immediately felt relieved." "We are lucky," remarked Resh Lakish, "that we did not suffer our original doom." Abaye said: "Nevertheless, we have not yet escaped from the first [doom], for there are a number of herbs that we still eat [raw, just as animals eat them]." R. Shizbi, in the name of R. Elazar b. Azaria, said: "Providential support of man is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea, for it is said (Is. 51, 14) The exiled will be speedily set free, and he shall not die in the dungeon, and his bread shall not fail; and nearby is written. For I am the Lord, thy God, who stirreth up the sea that its waves roar."
Bereshit Rabbah
“And thorns and thistles it will grow for you, and you shall eat the vegetation of the field” (Genesis 3:18).
“And thorns [kotz] and thistles [dardar] it will grow for you.” Kotz – this is artichoke; dardar – this is cardoon.41Both plants have thorns on them. Some transpose it, kotz – this is cardoon; dardar – this is artichoke, as it is constituted of rows upon rows [darin darin].
“And you shall eat the vegetation of the field” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: [God said to him:] ‘Had you merited, it [the ground] would have caused all the trees of the Garden of Eden to grow for you. Now that you did not merit, “thorns and thistles it will grow for you.”’
Rabbi Neḥemya said: [God said:] ‘Had you merited, you would have taken plants from inside the Garden of Eden and tasted in them all the delicacies of the world. Now that you did not merit, “you shall eat the vegetation of the field.”’42Without experiencing any delectable taste.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is regarding these generations [the present time] that it says: “and you shall eat the vegetation of the field,” when a person plucks from his field and eats it while it is still vegetation. When Adam the first man heard [this curse], his face began perspiring. He said: ‘What, am I to be tied to a trough like an animal?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since your face perspired, you will eat bread.’43This is the meaning of “by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Rabbi Levi said: It would have been preferable for him had he remained with his original curse.44Had man’s diet been limited to plants, he would not have to toil so much to make bread.
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” – this is one of five phenomena that are good omens for the ill.45They are indications that their health is taking a turn for the better. They are: A sneeze, perspiration, sleep, a dream, and a seminal emission. A sneeze, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “Its sneezes flash light” (Job 41:10). Perspiration, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” Sleep, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “I would sleep; then I would be relieved” (Job 3:13). A dream [ḥalom], as it is stated: “You will heal me [vataḥlimeni] and revive me” (Isaiah 38:16). A seminal emission, from where is it derived? As it is written: “He will see seed and live long” (Isaiah 53:10). The Rabbis of Caesarea say: A regular bowel movement as well. What is the source? “The wanderer [tzo’e]46This is expounded as tzo’a – excrement. will be quickly released [and he will not die]” (Isaiah 51:14). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Provided that “his bread will not be lacking” (Isaiah 51:14).47If after the bowel movement he is able to eat, it is a good omen.
“Until you return to the ground, for from it…” He said to him: That handful of dust from which you were created, is it not stolen in your hand?48You were created with a certain destiny, and you failed to live up to that destiny. As a thief, you must “return” the dust to its place.
“For you are dust, and to dust you will return” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: From here there is an allusion to the revival of the dead from the Torah. “For you are dust, and to dust you will go” is not written, but rather, “you will return.”
“And thorns [kotz] and thistles [dardar] it will grow for you.” Kotz – this is artichoke; dardar – this is cardoon.41Both plants have thorns on them. Some transpose it, kotz – this is cardoon; dardar – this is artichoke, as it is constituted of rows upon rows [darin darin].
“And you shall eat the vegetation of the field” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: [God said to him:] ‘Had you merited, it [the ground] would have caused all the trees of the Garden of Eden to grow for you. Now that you did not merit, “thorns and thistles it will grow for you.”’
Rabbi Neḥemya said: [God said:] ‘Had you merited, you would have taken plants from inside the Garden of Eden and tasted in them all the delicacies of the world. Now that you did not merit, “you shall eat the vegetation of the field.”’42Without experiencing any delectable taste.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is regarding these generations [the present time] that it says: “and you shall eat the vegetation of the field,” when a person plucks from his field and eats it while it is still vegetation. When Adam the first man heard [this curse], his face began perspiring. He said: ‘What, am I to be tied to a trough like an animal?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since your face perspired, you will eat bread.’43This is the meaning of “by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Rabbi Levi said: It would have been preferable for him had he remained with his original curse.44Had man’s diet been limited to plants, he would not have to toil so much to make bread.
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” – this is one of five phenomena that are good omens for the ill.45They are indications that their health is taking a turn for the better. They are: A sneeze, perspiration, sleep, a dream, and a seminal emission. A sneeze, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “Its sneezes flash light” (Job 41:10). Perspiration, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” Sleep, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “I would sleep; then I would be relieved” (Job 3:13). A dream [ḥalom], as it is stated: “You will heal me [vataḥlimeni] and revive me” (Isaiah 38:16). A seminal emission, from where is it derived? As it is written: “He will see seed and live long” (Isaiah 53:10). The Rabbis of Caesarea say: A regular bowel movement as well. What is the source? “The wanderer [tzo’e]46This is expounded as tzo’a – excrement. will be quickly released [and he will not die]” (Isaiah 51:14). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Provided that “his bread will not be lacking” (Isaiah 51:14).47If after the bowel movement he is able to eat, it is a good omen.
“Until you return to the ground, for from it…” He said to him: That handful of dust from which you were created, is it not stolen in your hand?48You were created with a certain destiny, and you failed to live up to that destiny. As a thief, you must “return” the dust to its place.
“For you are dust, and to dust you will return” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: From here there is an allusion to the revival of the dead from the Torah. “For you are dust, and to dust you will go” is not written, but rather, “you will return.”
Bereshit Rabbah
“The Lord God said: Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil, and now, he might extend his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22).
“The Lord God said: Behold, the man [hen haadam] has become as one of us [mimenu]” – “I heard a holy one speaking, and the holy one said to Palmoni who was speaking…” (Daniel 8:13). “I heard [a holy] one” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). “Holy” – because everyone says ‘holy’ before Him. “Speaking [medaber]” – he issued harsh edicts1“Speaking” [dibbur], as opposed to “saying” [amira] is used for harsh speech (Makkot 11a). against His creations: “Thorns and thistles it will grow for you” (Genesis 3:18). “And the holy one said to Palmoni who was speaking” – to so-and-so.2Palmoni refers to an anonymous person, or in this case, an angel. Akila the proselyte translated it [“to Palmoni”] as “to the innermost one [penimi]” – this is Adam the first man, whose station was more internal3Closer to God. than that of the ministering angels. “Until when will be the eternal vision?” (Daniel 8:13)4This is what Palmoni asked of God. – ‘Was the edict that was decreed upon Adam the first man to be eternal?’ he asked in astonishment. “And the desolating transgression” (Daniel 8:13) – will his transgression render him [permanently] desolate in the grave? “Giving the holy one and his host for trampling” (Daniel 8:13) – will he and his descendants be [forever] given for trampling before the angel of death? “He said to me: Until evening-morning two thousand three hundred…” (Daniel 8:14) – Rabbi Azaria and Rabbi Yonatan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Whenever it is evening it is not morning and whenever it is morning it is not evening.5Yet here the verse refers to “evening-morning,” as if they were simultaneous. However, when the morning of the idolaters becomes evening, and the evening of Israel becomes morning,6When the present good fortune of the idolaters turns to misfortune, and Israel’s present gloomy state turns to brightness. at that moment, “the holy one will be vindicated” (Daniel 8:14) – at that moment, I will absolve them [mankind] from that edict.7In the Messianic future, mankind will be released from Adam’s curses. That is what is written: “The Lord God said: Behold, the man has become as one of us.”8He is destined in the future to become as one of us.
“The Lord God said: Behold, the man [hen haadam] has become as one of us [mimenu]” – “I heard a holy one speaking, and the holy one said to Palmoni who was speaking…” (Daniel 8:13). “I heard [a holy] one” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). “Holy” – because everyone says ‘holy’ before Him. “Speaking [medaber]” – he issued harsh edicts1“Speaking” [dibbur], as opposed to “saying” [amira] is used for harsh speech (Makkot 11a). against His creations: “Thorns and thistles it will grow for you” (Genesis 3:18). “And the holy one said to Palmoni who was speaking” – to so-and-so.2Palmoni refers to an anonymous person, or in this case, an angel. Akila the proselyte translated it [“to Palmoni”] as “to the innermost one [penimi]” – this is Adam the first man, whose station was more internal3Closer to God. than that of the ministering angels. “Until when will be the eternal vision?” (Daniel 8:13)4This is what Palmoni asked of God. – ‘Was the edict that was decreed upon Adam the first man to be eternal?’ he asked in astonishment. “And the desolating transgression” (Daniel 8:13) – will his transgression render him [permanently] desolate in the grave? “Giving the holy one and his host for trampling” (Daniel 8:13) – will he and his descendants be [forever] given for trampling before the angel of death? “He said to me: Until evening-morning two thousand three hundred…” (Daniel 8:14) – Rabbi Azaria and Rabbi Yonatan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Whenever it is evening it is not morning and whenever it is morning it is not evening.5Yet here the verse refers to “evening-morning,” as if they were simultaneous. However, when the morning of the idolaters becomes evening, and the evening of Israel becomes morning,6When the present good fortune of the idolaters turns to misfortune, and Israel’s present gloomy state turns to brightness. at that moment, “the holy one will be vindicated” (Daniel 8:14) – at that moment, I will absolve them [mankind] from that edict.7In the Messianic future, mankind will be released from Adam’s curses. That is what is written: “The Lord God said: Behold, the man has become as one of us.”8He is destined in the future to become as one of us.