35a (ל״ה:א׳)

From the teaching we brought above regarding the creation of the wife of the first man (מִן הַמַּאֲמָר שֶׁהֵבֵאנוּ לְמַעְלָה עַל בְּרִיאַת אֵשֶׁת הָאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), one difficulty arises, and it is this (נִמְשֶׁכֶת קֻשְׁיָא אַחַת וְהִיא זֹאת): Since the Holy One Blessed Be He banished the first wife of the first man because he could not rule over her (בְּהִיוֹת שֶׁהקב״ה גֵּרֵשׁ אֵשֶׁת הָאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִמְשֹׁל עָלֶיהָ), and for this reason He created another from the very self of the man (וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה בָּרָא אַחֶרֶת מֵעַצְמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם), then how could He curse the woman after she sinned and say to her, “and he shall rule over you”? (אִם כֵּן, אֵיךְ קִלֵּל לָאִשָּׁה אַחַר שֶׁחָטְאָה וְאָמַר לָהּ ״וְהוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ)

It would seem that if she had not sinned, the man would not have ruled over her (נִרְאֶה שֶׁאִם לֹא חָטְאָה, לֹא הָיָה אָדָם מוֹשֵׁל עָלֶיהָ), and yet He expelled the first one precisely for this reason (וְהֲרֵי לֹא גֵּרֵשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה). But this is not a difficulty (אֲבָל אֵין זוֹ קֻשְׁיָא), for that which He said, “and he shall rule over you” (וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר "וְהוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ)-the intention is not that had she not sinned, he would not have ruled over her (אֵין הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁאִם לֹא חָטְאָה לֹא הָיָה מוֹשֵׁל עָלֶיהָ), for dominion had already been given to the man over everything (שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְּנָה לָאָדָם מֶמְשָׁלָה עַל הַכֹּל).

Rather, because the woman was the cause of the sin (אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּצַּד שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה הָיְתָה סִבַּת הַחֵטְא), Hashem, may He be blessed, cursed her and said to her, “I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception; in sorrow shall you bear children” (Bereshit 3:16) (״הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ, בְּעֶצֶב תֵּלְדִי בָנִים). And since at the moment of birth the woman passes through the gates of death (וּמִצַּד שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַלֵּדָה הָאִשָּׁה עוֹבֶרֶת בִּשְׁעָרֵי מָוֶת), and it would be possible that because of this she might come to hate her husband (וְהָיָה אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁמִּצַּד זֶה תִּהְיֶה שׂוֹנֵאָה לְבַעְלָהּ), therefore He said, “and to your husband shall be your desire” (וְלָזֶה אָמַר: ״וְאֶל אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ) (Bereshit 3:16), meaning, even though you will endure all this pain (יִרְצֶה: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתַּעַבְרִי כָּל זֶה הַצַּעַר), you will still desire to unite with your husband (עִם כָּל זֶה תִּתְאַוִּי מִיָּד לְהִזָּקֵק לְבַעְלֵךְ).

And since it is possible that even though she desires her husband, nonetheless in order to avoid that pain she would not want to unite with him (וּבְהִיוֹת שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתִּתְאַוֶּה לְבַעְלָהּ, עִם כָּל זֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבוֹר אֶת הַצַּעַר הַזֶּה לֹא תִּרְצֶה לְהִזָּקֵק לוֹ), therefore He said, “and he shall rule over you” (Bereshit 3:16) (״וְהוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ), meaning, for this he has dominion over you (שֶׁלָּזֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ מֶמְשָׁלָה עָלָיִךְ). And in this verse are hinted all the laws found in the parashah of “Tazria” concerning the impurity of the woman (וּבַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה רְמוּזִים כָּל הַדִּינִים שֶׁתִּמְצָא בְּפָרָשַׁת ״תַּזְרִיעַ״ בְּעִנְיַן טֻמְאַת הָאִשָּׁה), that she may not enter the Sanctuary (שֶׁלֹּא תִּכָּנֵס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ), and the Torah said: for a male-thirty-three [days], and for a female-sixty-six [days] (שֶׁאָמְרָה הַתּוֹרָה: לְזָכָר ל״ג, וְלִנְקֵבָה ס״ו) (Leviticus 12:4–5).

And all this I will write at length, with the help of the Rock, in a separate pamphlet (וְכָל זֶה אֶכְתֹּב בַּאֲרִיכוּת בְּעֶזְרַת הַצּוּר בְּקוּנְטְרֵס בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ), and I will send it to the hands of my beloved (וְאֶשְׁלְחֶנּוּ לְיַד אֲהוּבַי), for it is not my desire to publicize these matters in the public domain (שֶׁאֵין רְצוֹנִי לְפַרְסֵם אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים בָּרַבִּים).

And now I shall explain to you the verse, “And Hashem shall bring you back to Egypt in ships” (Deuteronomy 28:68) (וְעַתָּה אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ פָּסוּק ״וֶהֱשִׁיבְךָ ה׳ מִצְרַיִם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת״), which was asked of me long ago (אֲשֶׁר שָׁאֲלוּ מִמֶּנִּי זֶה כַּמָּה). The intent of the verse is that Mitzrayim [Egypt] is so called on account of the tzarah [distress] with which they distressed Yisrael (כַּוָּנַת הַפָּסוּק, שֶׁמִּצְרַיִם נִקְרֵאת עַל שֵׁם הַצָּרָה שֶׁהָיוּ מְצַרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).

And all the nations who oppress Yisrael are called by the name Mitzrayim (וְכָל הָאֻמּוֹת הַמְּצָרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם מִצְרַיִם). And it is known that from among all the nations they came to wage war over Yerushalayim (וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁמִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת בָּאוּ לְהִלָּחֵם עַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם), and they carried Yisrael away in ships and divided them among themselves as slaves (וְהוֹלִיכוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאֳנִיּוֹת וְחִלְּקוּם בֵּינֵיהֶם לַעֲבָדִים), until the people of Yisrael were so numerous (עַד שֶׁהָיוּ כָּל כָּךְ רַבִּים הָעָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל), that their captors would leave them in the ships (שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹשְׂאֵיהֶם מַנִּיחִים אוֹתָם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת), so that they would drift to wherever the wind would take them, without a guide (שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁיוֹלִיכֵם הָרוּחַ בְּלִי מַנְהִיג), and they were scattered to the four directions of the world and to the islands of the sea (וְנִפְזְרוּ בְּאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם וּבְאִיֵּי הַיָּם). And those who reached settled cities and the lands of their enemies (וְאוֹתָם שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ בְּעָרֵי יִשּׁוּב וּבְאַרְצוֹת אוֹיְבֵיהֶם), they desired to sell themselves as slaves and maidservants (הָיוּ רוֹצִים לִמְכֹּר עַצְמָם לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת), but there was no one who would buy them (וְלֹא הָיָה מִי שֶׁיִּקְנֵם).

And this is a great consolation for Yisrael even within the rebukes that were fulfilled in us through our iniquities (וְזוֹ הִיא נֶחָמָה גְּדוֹלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַתּוֹכֵחוֹת שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּמוּ בָּנוּ בַּעֲו‍ֹנוֹתֵינוּ). For if, God forbid, they had found buyers (שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה לָהֶם קוֹנֶה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), the remnant of Yisrael would have been lost (אָבְדָה שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל), and we would not now be sitting in freedom of will (וְלֹא הָיִינוּ יוֹשְׁבִים בִּבְחִירָתֵנוּ), as we do now, even though we are in exile among them (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ עַתָּה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ בַּגָּלוּת בְּתוֹכָם), yet we are separated and distinct from their deeds (וַאֲנַחְנוּ נִבְדָּלִים וּנְפָרָשִׁים מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם). And this is the meaning of the verse in what it says: “And Hashem shall bring you back to Egypt in ships” (וְזוֹ הִיא כַּוָּנַת הַפָּסוּק בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר: ״וֶהֱשִׁיבְךָ ה׳ מִצְרַיִם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת), that is, among the nations, as we have said (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר: בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ). And that which it says, “by the way of which I spoke to you, you shall see it no more again” (Deuteronomy 28:68) (וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר ״בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ לֹא תוֹסִיף עוֹד לִרְאֹתָהּ), the intention is: that if Yisrael had done the will of the Holy One Blessed Be He (הַכַּוָּנָה, שֶׁאִם יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה), they would have already been secure that they would see no more trouble or fear from their enemies (כְּבָר הָיוּ בְּטוּחִים שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאוּ עוֹד צָרָה וּפַחַד מֵאוֹיְבֵיהֶם), as it says: “For as you have seen Egypt today-you shall see them no more again forever” (Exodus 14:13) ("כִּי אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם – לֹא תֹסִפוּן לִרְאֹתָם עוֹד עַד עוֹלָם).

For the Holy One Blessed Be He would have fought for them if they had done His will (לְפִי שֶׁהקב״ה הָיָה נִלְחָם לָהֶם אִם הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ), as it is said: “Hashem will fight for you” (Exodus 14:14) (״ה׳ יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם) etc (וְגוֹ). And because they did not fulfill His will, may He be blessed (וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), He did not go forth with them to war (לֹא יָצָא עִמָּהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה), and the nations who came upon Yerushalayim were empowered to fight against them (וְהָיָה כֹּחַ בְּיַד הָאֻמּוֹת הַבָּאוֹת עַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְהִלָּחֵם עִמָּהֶם), and to lead them into exile among them (וּלְהוֹלִיכָם בַּגָּלוּת בֵּינֵיהֶם).

And it was fulfilled upon them: “And there you shall sell yourselves to your enemies” (Deuteronomy 28:68) ("וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּם שָׁם לְאֹיְבֶיךָ). And from among those Jews whom the enemies sent forth in ships (וּמֵאֵלּוּ הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ הָאֹיְבִים בָּאֳנִיּוֹת), cities, islands, and deserts became settled (נִתְיַשְּׁבוּ עָרִים וַאֲיִיִּים וּמִדְבָּרוֹת), and they themselves will take vengeance upon their enemies (וְהֵם בְּעַצְמָם יִקְּחוּ נְקָמָתָם מֵאֹיְבֵיהֶם), as the verse says: “Woe to the land of the whirring wings, which is beyond the rivers of Kush, that sends ambassadors on the sea…” (Isaiah 18:1–2) (״הוֹי אֶרֶץ צִלְצַל כְּנָפַיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעֵבֶר לְנַהֲרוֹת כוּשׁ הַשֹּׁלֵחַ בַּיָּם צִירִים). That is, those whom the enemies sent across the sea (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר: אוֹתָם שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ הָאֹיְבִים בַּיָּם), with messengers and pains (בְּצִירִים וּכְאֵבִים), “and in vessels of reed upon the waters” (Isaiah 18:2) (״וּבִכְלֵי־גֹּמֶא עַל־פְּנֵי מָיִם), without a guide (בְּלִי מַנְהִיג), as we said above (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה). Now, when they return (עַתָּה כְּשֶׁיַּחַזְרוּ), they will no longer have there 'Tzirim' [pains/labor], which are 'Ke'evim' [aches/suffering] (לֹא יִהְיֶה לָהֶם שָׁם צִירִים שֶׁהֵם כְּאֵבִים), but rather: “Go, swift messengers” (Isaiah 18:2) ("לְכוּ מַלְאָכִים קַלִּים).