Chasidut su Genesi 3:7
וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃
Aprironsi gli occhi di amendue, e conobbero ch’erano ignudi; ed intrecciarono delle foglie di fico, e se ne fecero cinture.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 8,21. “He smelled the pleasing odour, etc;” The Baal Haturim mentions that the expression וירח את ריח הניחוח, “he smelled a pleasing odour,” occurs only here and when Yitzchok smelled what he thought were Esau’s garments in Genesis 27,27. On the face of it, the comparison appears strange. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 37), throws light on this by suggesting that instead of reading the word בגדיו in Genesis 27,27 we should read it as בוגדיו, “its traitors, deviationists,” and the message is that in the future, even such people will please G’d by their actions. In Esau’s case, the deferential manner in which he addressed his father entitled him to be described in such complimentary terms. Noach’s deference before G’d, (when he could have asked G’d embarrassing questions about finding the earth in ruins) elicited this positive response by G’d. G’d Himself testified to this at the end of this verse (acknowledging the fact that man, having been born with an evil urge, was predisposed to do evil), hence, if he nonetheless decides to follow the path of goodness, thereby defeating the evil urge within him, this is a major moral achievement.
The author, quoting his father (if I understand correctly) traces the source of this pleasing odour, הניחוח, to pleasurable experiences by man on earth, (as opposed to spiritual experiences). If man can sublimate these pleasurable experiences to reinforce him in his service of the Lord, then G’d can truly “boast” of him as we read in Isaiah 49,3 ישראל אשר בך אתפאר, “Israel, I can glory in you.” The author continues by quoting Rabbi Dov Baer of Mezeritch, as tracing the word אתפאר, to the word תפר, describing the first garments Adam and Chavah made themselves from fig leaves to cover their nudity. (Genesis 3,7) “A pleasant smell” originating from appropriate clothing, is therefore the most ancient method of ingratiating oneself with G’d after one has fallen out of favour. Pleasant smells as a source of pleasure are familiar to us all, and describing G’d’s reactions to man’s good deeds in such terms is not at all far-fetched. “Clothes” has long been a simile for the deeds of people wearing them, whether good or evil; it is therefore appropriate that when the Torah describes these clothes in complimentary terms, i.e. as pleasing, the reference is to the good deeds performed by the people so described.
The author, quoting his father (if I understand correctly) traces the source of this pleasing odour, הניחוח, to pleasurable experiences by man on earth, (as opposed to spiritual experiences). If man can sublimate these pleasurable experiences to reinforce him in his service of the Lord, then G’d can truly “boast” of him as we read in Isaiah 49,3 ישראל אשר בך אתפאר, “Israel, I can glory in you.” The author continues by quoting Rabbi Dov Baer of Mezeritch, as tracing the word אתפאר, to the word תפר, describing the first garments Adam and Chavah made themselves from fig leaves to cover their nudity. (Genesis 3,7) “A pleasant smell” originating from appropriate clothing, is therefore the most ancient method of ingratiating oneself with G’d after one has fallen out of favour. Pleasant smells as a source of pleasure are familiar to us all, and describing G’d’s reactions to man’s good deeds in such terms is not at all far-fetched. “Clothes” has long been a simile for the deeds of people wearing them, whether good or evil; it is therefore appropriate that when the Torah describes these clothes in complimentary terms, i.e. as pleasing, the reference is to the good deeds performed by the people so described.
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