Midrash su Genesi 3:18

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."

[(Gen. 3:22:) BEHOLD, THE HUMAN.] This text is related (to Prov. 24:30): I PASSED BY THE FIELD OF A LAZY ONE, AND BY THE VINEYARD OF ONE LACKING CHARACTER.⁵⁷Gen. R. 21:3. I PASSED BY THE FIELD OF A LAZY ONE. This is Adam who was too lazy to do penance. AND BY THE VINEYARD OF ONE LACKING CHARACTER. This is Eve, who (according to Gen. 3:18) heeded the words of the serpent. (Prov. 24:31:) AND BEHOLD, IT WAS ALL GROWN OVER WITH THISTLES, in that they have filled the whole world with troubles. (Ibid., cont.:) BRAMBLES COVERED ITS FACE, in that it is stated (in Gen. 3:18): THORN AND THISTLE < IT SHALL BRING FORTH FOR YOU >. (Prov. 24:31, cont.:) AND ITS STONE WALL WAS BROKEN DOWN, in that < the serpent > ⁵⁸See Lev. R. 26:2. has demolished the wall of the world.⁵⁹I.e., opened the way to lawlessness. Unlike the serpent, rabbinical law became a fence around the Torah. When the hurtful decrees (of Gen. 3:14-19) were ordained over them; he began mourning (in Gen. 3:22): BEHOLD (HN),⁶⁰HN can also be an abbreviation for Hazkarat Nefashot, a memorial prayer for the dead. THE HUMAN.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 17:1): WHEN ABRAHAM WAS NINETY < -NINE > YEARS OLD. This text is related (to Ps. 45:3f. [4f.]): YOU ARE FAIRER THAN THE CHILDREN OF ADAM; GRACE IS POURED OUT ON YOUR LIPS … GIRD YOUR SWORD UPON YOUR THIGH, O MIGHTY ONE….⁹⁸Tanh., Gen. 3:18. About whom do the children of Korah speak this psalm? About Abraham. He was fairer than children of the first Adam. And who were his children? Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. Moreover, some of the children of Noah are called children of Adam. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 11:5): AND THE TOWER WHICH THE CHILDREN OF ADAM HAD BUILT. (Ps. 45:3 [2]:) GRACE IS POURED OUT ON YOUR LIPS. How was that? When you swore to the king of Sodom. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 14:22f.): THEN ABRAM SAID UNTO THE KING OF SODOM: I HAVE RAISED MY HAND (in an oath) UNTO THE LORD GOD MOST HIGH … THAT < I WILL TAKE NOT > SO MUCH AS A THREAD. What is the meaning of GRACE … ON YOUR LIPS? When you spoke, grace poured out. And what was his reward? That the Holy One said this to him: Leave me all that you have done and everything for which you have been proud of yourself. You descended into the fiery furnace and experienced a lot of trials for my name. You arose and pursued the kings. But you have been proud of yourself in the world for all that you have done. From now on, you will seek to make my valor known. (Ps. 45:4 [3]:) GIRD ON YOUR SWORD. Put circumcision between your thighs. In that hour your glory and splendor shall be in the world. When? (Gen. 17:1-2:) WHEN ABRAHAM WAS … AND LET ME PUT MY COVENANT….

(Gen. 17:2:) AND LET ME PUT MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND YOU. R. Hanina ben Pazzi said: Abraham did not know where to be circumcised.¹¹²Tanh. Gen. 3:18; similarly Gen. R. 46:4; Lev. R. 25:6. The Holy One gave him a hint to tell < him > where to be circumcised (in Gen.17:2, cont.): AND LET ME MULTIPLY YOU, < i.e., > out of the place from which you are fruitful and multiply. Bar Qappara said: Abraham had interpreted < according to the principle of > qal wahomer.¹¹³The rabbinic term for an argument a fortiori. There is a comparison with trees. Where do they have an obligation concerning foreskin? At the place where they produce fruit.¹¹⁴So Lev. 19:23, which can be translated as follows: WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND AND PLANT ANY TREE FOR FOOD. YOU SHALL LEAVE ITS FORESKIN, < i.e., > ITS FRUIT, UNCIRCUMCISED. THREE YEARS IT SHALL BE UNCIRCUMCISED FOR YOU IT SHALL NOT BE EATEN. I also must be circumcised at the place where I produce fruit.