Commentaire de citation sur Les Psaumes 103:13

The eighth question is why Moses compared his situation to that of a woman giving birth, rather than to the man who begets the child. The father is the one who exerts greater effort to provide for his children, as the verse says, 'As a father pities his children.' (Psalms 103:13) The father gives the form, while the woman provides the material, and the one who gives form is more attached to the object than the one who provides the material.

From an homiletical aspect the words עצם מעצמי may refer to Adam having the feeling that the bones of his wife were harder than his own i.e. “her bones are more bony than mine.” The reason for this would be that they had been constructed out of bones whereas his own bones had been constructed out of the dust of the earth. This may also be the reason that the Torah wrote וייצר, when describing the formation of Adam as the word is similar to יוצר, “a potter,” someone who uses soft clay as his raw material. When the woman was formed however, the Torah used the expression ויבן, “He built,” instead of וייצר, “He shaped like a potter.” The term ויבן reminds us of a builder who builds a solid structure, something made of hard materials, not of clay. Perhaps this is the reason that the psalmist in Psalms 103,13 speaks of G-d being merciful to His בנים, “sons” as a father is merciful, whereas when describing toughness, Proverbs 31,1 speaks of משא אשר יסרתו אמו, “a rebuke administered by his mother.” The mother, being made of sterner stuff, admonishes instead of displaying pity. This paragraph made it clear that Chavah was created within Gan Eden and that it was there that Adam’s side was taken from him. He himself had been created outside the garden and had been transplanted there by G-d.

Rabbi Joshua asks: why must the woman adorn herself with perfumes and good smelling things and clean clothes more than the man? He answered that Adam was created from the earth and earth never stinks. Eve was created from a rib bone. It is a parable. If you do nothing to meat for three days, it stinks. Therefore, the women must adorn themselves with perfumes and clean clothes. They might stink if they did not adorn themselves in this way. Why do women have good voices? It is a parable. Bang two bones together and it makes a sound and rings. Bang earth against earth and it makes no sound. Why can one not easily persuade a woman to commit a sin or dissuade her from her anger? He answered that the woman was created from a bone and if you poured water on a bone all day, the bone would not dissolve. However, pour a little water on earth, and it will soon dissolve. Therefore we say, “as a father has compassion for his children” [Psalms, 103:13]. The father is compassionate. Why does a man seek a wife and a woman does not seek a man? He responded: I will give you a parable. One who loses something must search for what he has lost. However, the woman has not lost anything. Therefore, she does not search. Why does the man have the hair on his head uncovered while the woman must cover the hair of her head? He answered, this is because Eve made Adam sin. Therefore, she must go covered, ashamed and with covered head. Why do women run to a dead person first? This is because they brought death into the world. Why did the Holy One give women the commandment of nidah?¹¹⁰The laws of ritual purity relating to menstruation. Cf. Leviticus, 15:19–30. Because she spilled the blood of people. Why was she given the commandment of hallah? He said that she made Adam sin, separating him from the earth. Therefore, she is obligated to separate the hallah from the dough.¹¹¹According to Num. 15:20–21, one is obligated to separate a small portion of every batch of dough. In Biblical times it was given to the priest as an offering. Today it is burnt in the oven. Why do women light candles? Because she extinguished Adam’s light, that is, [previously] his soul shone like a candle.¹¹²Genesis Rabbah, 17.8. These three commandments of nidah, hallah, and lighting Sabbath candles have been traditionally considered the basic commandments unique to women.