Rabbinic views on the Formation of Eve (Copy)

(20) And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him.

(21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh instead thereof.

(22) Then the Lord God built the rib that he had taken from the man to a woman and brought her to the man.

(2) Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: "And He built" is written; He contemplated from where to create her. He said: I will not create her from the head, lest she be haughty; I will not create her from the eye, lest she be coquettish; I will not create her from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; I will not create her from the mouth, lest she be a chatter-box; I will not create her from the heart, lest she be jealous; I will not create her from the hand, lest she be a thief; I will not create her from the leg, lest she be a run-about; rather, I will create create her from the most modest place on a person, as even when a person stands naked this place is covered. And as He created each and every limb of the woman, He would say to her: be a modest woman, be a modest woman! Nevertheless, "And they have disregarded all of my counsel" (Proverbs 1:25). I did not create her from the head, and yet she is haughty, as it says: "And they walk with stretched-forth necks" (Isaiah 3:16). And not from the eye, yet she is coquettish, as it says: "and with wanton eyes" (ibid.). And not from the ear, and yet she is an eavesdropper, as it says: "And Sarah listened from the entrance of the tent" (Genesis 18:10). And not from the heart, and yet she is jealous, as it says: "And Rachel was jealous of her sister" (Genesis 30:1). And not from the hand, and yet she is a thief, as it says: "And Rachel stole the idols" (Genesis 31:19). And not from the leg, and yet she is a run-about, as it says: "And Dinah went out..." (Genesis 34:1).

(6) "And He took one of his ribs." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: from one of his sides, as it says: "And for the side of the tabernacle" (Exodus 26:20). Shmuel said: He took one rib from between two other ribs. 'From under it' was not written, rather "from under them." Rabbi Hanina the son of Rav Idi: from the beginning of the book until now there has not been a samech, once Eve was created, Satan was created with her.

...Now, as regards evil, one can derive from it but why not good?From here then it may be inferred that the favour of the wicked is evil for the righteous.There, one can well see the reason, since he might possibly mention to him the name of his idol; what evil, however, could be involved here - That of infusing her with sensual lust.For R`Johanan stated: When the serpent copulated with Eve, he infused her with lust...

...The Emperor once said to Rabban Gamaliel: Your God is a thief, for it is written, And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man [Adam] and he slept [and He took one of his ribs etc.]Thereupon his [the Emperor's]daughter said to him: Leave him to me and I will answer him, and [turning to the Emperor] said: 'Give me a commander.''Why do you need him? ' asked he.'Thieves visited us last night and robbed us of a silver pitcher, leaving a golden one in its place.''Would that such visited us every day!' he exclaimed.'Ah!' she retorted, 'was it not to Adam's gain that he was deprived of a rib and a wife presented to him in its stead to serve him? ' He replied: 'This is what I mean: he should have taken it from him openly.' Said she to him: 'Let me have a piece of raw meat.'It was given to her.She placed it under her armpit, then took it out and offered it to him to eat.' I find it loathsome,' he exclaimed.' Even so would she [Eve] have been to Adam had she been taken from him openly,' she retorted.

...R`Bana'ah used to mark out caves [where there were dead bodies].R`Bana'ah said: I discerned his [Adam's] two heels, and they were like two orbs of the sun. Compared with Sarah, all other people are like a monkey to a human being, and compared with Eve Sarah was like a monkey to a human being, and compared with Adam Eve was like a monkey to a human being, and compared with the Shechinah Adam was like a monkey to a human being.