## Sforno on Genesis Chapter 2

###### Sforno on Genesis 2:1:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:1:1)

**וַיְכֻלּוּ.** בְּהַשָּׂגַת הַתַּכְלִית לַמְּצִיאוּת בִּכְלָלוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויכלו, when all the phenomena intended to comprise the physical universe had materialised


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:2:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:2:1)

**וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.** בִּתְחִלַּת הַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, שֶׁהוּא הָרֶגַע בִּלְתִּי מִתְחַלֵּק אֲשֶׁר הוּא רֵאשִׁית לַזְּמַן הֶעָתִיד וְאֵינוֹ חֵלֶק מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה י:ט) נִכְנַס בּוֹ כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויכל אלוקים ביום השביעי, at the beginning of the seventh “day,” a moment which is indivisible from the time frame which follows, so that both the six previous “days” were an entity in themselves, and the seventh day was a totally self-contained entity. Our sages in Bereshit Rabbah 10,9 describe G’d as knowing the precise moment between the sixth and seventh day and describe it as “thin as a hair’s breadth.” [I believe the problem confronting the sages was the statement that G’d had completed all His work in the six days, and yet the Torah speaks of Him completing, ויכל, His work on the ”seventh” day, something that appears to be a contradiction to the former statement. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:2:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:2:2)

**וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.** כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נִבְדָּל מִשֵּׁשֶׁת הַיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים בְּעִנְיַן הַשְּׁבִיתָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישבות ביום השביעי, G’d’s inactivity on the seventh day set it apart from the previous six days.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:3:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:3:1)

**וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.** כָּל יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי הֶעָתִיד בֵּרְכוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יוֹתֵר מוּכָן מִשְּׁאָר הַיָּמִים בְּנֶפֶשׁ יְתֵרָה לָאוֹר בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים (איוב לג:ל), כְּאָמְרָם כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁבַת וַי אָבְדָה נֶפֶשׁ יְתֵרָה (ביצה טז.).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויברך אלוקים את יום השביעי, this refers not only to the first Sabbath but to all subsequent Sabbath days. G’d endowed every Sabbath with this blessing so that it would more readily accommodate the additional “soul” He grants Jews on that day. Job 33,30 describes this phenomenon as לאור באור החיים, “designed that he may bask in the light of life.” Our sages (Beytzah 16) state that the words שבת וינפש in Exodus 31,17 refer to the loss of this additional soul at the end of the Sabbath.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:4:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:4:1)

**אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם.** אֵלֶּה הַצְּמָחִים וּבַעֲלֵי חַיִּים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ הָיוּ תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בַּכֹּחַ שֶׁנִּמְצָא בָּהֶם מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ, כִּי מֵאָז נִמְצְאוּ בָּהֶם כֹּחוֹת פּוֹעֲלוֹת וּמִתְפַּעֲלוֹת לַהֲוָיוֹת הַהוֹוִים וְנִפְסָדִים, כְּאָמְרָם "אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם" לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם "וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ" לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ, אָמְנָם יָצְאוּ לַפּוֹעַל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם. These are the plants and the living creatures which had been the potential derivatives of heaven and earth already at the time when heaven and earth were first created. The potential ability for heaven and earth to produce the inhabitants of their respective domains was inherent in their respective composition from the first moment of their existence. When the Torah, in its very first verse, wrote the words את השמים and את הארץ, this was already an allusion to the additional factors which had been created together with heaven and earth, i.e. their ability to produce their respective derivatives.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:4:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:4:2)

**בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם.** בְּיוֹם שֶׁסִּדֵּר הַנְהָגַת הָאָרֶץ וְתוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל סֵדֶר מַתְמִיד, וְזֶה אַחַר שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, וְאָז נִקְרָא ה' אֱלֹהִים שֶׁבְּסִדְרוֹ הַתְמִיד הַהֲוָיָה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ביום עשות ה' אלוקים ארץ ושמים, this potential was translated into an actual only on the day when G’d completed עשות, i.e. arranged in detail how these derivatives were to function and where and when. This occurred after the six “days” of creative activity. Only when that stage had been reached was G’d referred to in the Torah by His full name, i.e. ה' אלוקים.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:5:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:5:1)

**טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ.** אָמְנָם הַטַּעַם שֶׁבְּהִבָּרְאָם נִמְצְאוּ בַכֹּחַ וְלֹא בַפֹּעַל, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁ**כָּל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה** עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה בָאָרֶץ, **וְ**כֵן **כָּל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה** עֲדַיִן לֹא צָמַח:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
טרם יהיה בארץ, these words emphasise that although all phenomena had been created, this referred to their potential, not to their functioning as they do nowadays. כל עשב השדה, had not yet sprouted,


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:5:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:5:2)

**כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר.** בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה הַחֹמֶר מוּכָן לָזֶה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת מֵחֶסְרוֹן מָטָר וַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָרֶץ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי לא המטיר, for G’d had not yet made it rain in such a fashion that it enabled the latent power of these plants to fully develop.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:6:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:6:1)

**וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה.** וּבְיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת, כְּשֶׁסִּדְּרָן עַל סֵדֶר מַתְמִיד, עָלָה אֵד מִן הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהָיָה טַל לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁהִרְוָה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהוֹלִידָה וְהִצְמִיחָה בִּלְתִּי מָטָר וַעֲבוֹדַת אֲדָמָה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואד יעלה מן הארץ, on the day they were completed, i.e. at the end of the sixth “day” a vapour rose from the earth equivalent to beneficial dew which irrigated the earth and enabled it to bring forth further vegetation without the help of rain or man’s labour.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:7:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:7:1)

**וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים.** אָמְנָם לְהַוָּיַת בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים לֹא הִסְפִּיק זֶה, אֲבָל הָיְתָה יְצִירַת הַיּוֹצֵר יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל אוֹפַנִּים מִתְחַלְּפִים, וְזֶה כִּי לִיצִירַת הָאָדָם בֵּרֵר עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה חֵלֶק נִכְבָּד מִמֶּנָּה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וייצר ה' אלוקים, the animals had not rated involvement of both attributes of G’d in their creation and formation. Not only that, but in order to create man G’d had used עפר מן האדמה, the choicest of the dust available on earth. Moreover,


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:7:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:7:2)

**וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים.** נֶפֶשׁ חִיּוּנִית מוּכֶנֶת לְקַבֵּל צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּבִינֵם" (איוב לב:ח). מִכָּל מָקוֹם **וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה** – הָיָה עִם כָּל זֶה חַיָּה בִּלְבָד בִּלְתִּי מְדַבֶּרֶת עַד שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְּצֶלֶם וּדְמוּת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים, G’d personally blew a soul of life into man, a life force which had been readied to absorb what was previously called צלם אלוקים, “the image of G’d.” This has been attested to in Job 32,8 ונשמת שדי תבינם,”by means of the breath of the attribute of Shaddai You endowed them with understanding.” At any rate, ויהי האדם לנפש חיה, man had remained a living creature (similar to the animals) until You equipped him with a divine-like tzelem and demut.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:8:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:8:1)

**אֲשֶׁר יָצָר.** אַחַר שֶׁיְּצָרוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹפֶן הַנִּכְבָּד שֶׁהִזְכִּיר, הִנִּיחוֹ שָׁם לִהְיוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם מוּכָן לְקַבָּלַת צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים וְלִפְעֻלּוֹתָיו הַשְּׂכְלִיּוֹת בָּאֲוִיר וּבַמְּזוֹנוֹת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אשר יצר, after G’d had created man in a manner appropriate to his superior status on earth, He placed him in Gan Eden, a location which was suitable to equip him with the צלם אלוקים, the divine image, enabling him to also fulfill the intellectual tasks involving the air and food in the garden.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:9:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:9:1)

**וַיַּצְמַח.** מְזוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁלֹּא בְּצַעַר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויצמח, G‘d made the food necessary for Adam sprout forth. The verse illustrates with what ease Adam could secure his requirements in Gan Eden.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:9:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:9:2)

**נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה.** מְשַׂמֵּחַ וּמַרְחִיב הַלֵּב לַהֲכִינוֹ לְקַבָּלַת הַשֶּׁפַע הַשִּׂכְלִי, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד ה'" (מלכים ב ג:טו).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
נחמד למראה, looking at these trees resulted In the viewer experiencing intellectual stimulation both of his heart and his brain. He would thus be capable of “digesting” the additional intellectual insights granted him by G’d. Compare Kings II 3,15 ותהי עליו יד ה', “Elisha had now been endowed by G’d’s generosity.” [a reference to the additional spiritual insights he had asked from his mentor Elijah prior to the latter ascending to heaven. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:9:3
[Sforno on Genesis 2:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:9:3)

**עֵץ הַדַּעַת.** מַשִּׂיא לָתֵת לֵב אֶל הַטּוֹב וְהָרָע, וּמִזֶּה "וְהָאָדָם יָדַע" (בראשית ד:א) – נָתַן לֵב עָלֶיהָ, וּמִזֶּה נִקְרָא הַקָּרוֹב מוֹדָע, כְּאָמְרוֹ "מוֹדַע לְאִישָׁהּ" (רות ב:א), שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לָתֵת לֵב לְצָרְכֵי קְרוֹבוֹ, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵד" (משלי יז:יז).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועץ הדעת, a tree whose fruit results in those who eat from it gaining greater understanding of the relationship of good and evil. The word דעת, which appears here for the first time, helps us understand Genesis 4,1 והאדם ידע את חוה אשתו. Without this verse we would have been puzzled by the Torah telling us something that was so obvious. Who does not “know” his wife, especially when he had described her as “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!” (2,23) In our verse we are told that the words ידע, דעת do not primarily refer to factual knowledge but to conceptual knowledge. This also helps us to understand why relatives, as in Ruth 2,1 are referred to as מודע לאישה, “someone whom her late husband had been intimate with, had been related to by blood.” It is normal for blood relations to be concerned with the physical and emotional needs of their kin. (compare Proverbs 17,17.)


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:9:4
[Sforno on Genesis 2:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:9:4)

**טוֹב וָרָע.** לִבְחוֹר הֶעָרֵב אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיַּזִּיק, וְלִמְאוֹס הַבִּלְתִּי עָרֵב אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁיּוֹעִיל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
טוב ורע, to choose that which appeared as appealing to the senses even though it would prove harmful, and to despise anything which did not appeal to his senses although he knew it to be useful to him.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:10:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:10:1)

**וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן.** בִּלְתִּי צַעַר גְּשָׁמִים וַעֲבוֹדַת אָדָם:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ונהר יוצא מעדן, the Torah explains that Adam’s work did not entail anything strenuous, such as carrying pails of water, or such as getting wet in the rain.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:11:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:11:1)

**שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן.** הוֹדִיעַ שֶׁבַח הַנָּהָר הַמַּשְׁקֶה אֶת הַגָּן הַבִּלְתִּי נוֹדָע לָנוּ, בְּהוֹדִיעוֹ הַנְּהָרוֹת הַמִּסְתַּעֲפִים מִמֶּנּוּ הַנּוֹדָעִים אֶצְלֵנוּ לְשֶׁבַח בְּגָדְלָם וְטוּב מֵימֵיהֶם וְטוּב פִּרְיָם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
שם אחד פישון, [The Torah] informed us of the praise of the river that irrigates the garden that is not known to us by informing us of the rivers that branch off from it that are known by their praised size and the goodness of their water and the goodness of their fruit.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:15:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:15:1)

**לְעָבְדָהּ.** לַעֲבוֹד אֶת נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים" (בראשית ב:ז).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לעבדה, a reference to perfecting his own personality, that which was supplied by G’d in an as yet unrefined state, the one called נשמת חיים. [the author searched to justify the use of the feminine mode in the word לעבדה and related it to נשמה, soul, a noun which is feminine and requires further refinement, just like שיר and שירה which both mean song, the latter, in the feminine mode being unrefined when compared to the former. Compare its use in the haggadah shel Pessach. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:15:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:15:2)

**וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ.** שֶׁלֹּא תִפָּסֵד בְּהַתָּכַת הַלַּחוֹת הַשָּׁרְשִׁי הַנִּתָּךְ בַּחוֹם הַטִּבְעִי, וְזֶה כִּי אוֹתָם הַפֵּרוֹת הַנִּכְבָּדִים הָיוּ מוֹלִידִים תָּמִיד תְּמוּרַת מַה שֶׁנִּתָּךְ בִּלְתִּי עִפּוּשׁ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולשמרה, eating the fruit of the garden would ensure that man’s natural juices would not dry up. Man is equipped with natural heat, and if not supplied with the proper kind of nourishment he may dehydrate. The excellent fruit of the trees of the garden would replenish loss of moisture through evaporation on the skin in the heat of the sun.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:16:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:16:1)

**מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן.** כְּפִי חִלּוּף הַזְּמַנִּים בְּמַבָּטֵי הַכּוֹכָבִים, כְּאָמְרוֹ "לָחֳדָשָׁיו יְבַכֵּר" (יחזקאל מז:יב).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מכל עץ הגן, depending on which tree’s fruit was in season. Each season required nutrients appropriate to the prevailing climate, and the fruit ripening during the various seasons would provide man with these nutrients. The prophet Ezekiel 47,12 expresses this thought in the words לחדשיו יבכר “in its appropriate month it will yield new fruit.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:17:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:17:1)

**וּמֵעֵץ וְכוּ'.** אֲשֶׁר **בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן** קָרוֹב לְעֵץ הַחַיִּים שֶׁהִזְכִּיר לְמַעְלָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ **וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן**, עַל דֶּרֶךְ "הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ" (דברים ל:יט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ומעץ הדעת, the tree in the middle of the garden, in close proximity to the tree of life mentioned previously (verse 9) The meaning of חיים in connection with that tree is equivalent to the meaning of the words in Deuteronomy 30:19 החיים והמות נתתי לפניך, “I have placed life and death (to choose) before you.” [we may understand this to mean that the tree of life, if its fruit were eaten, would result in life of infinite duration, whereas eating from the tree next to it would result in life being shortened. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:18:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:18:1)

**לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ.** לֹא יֻשַּׂג טוֹב הַתַּכְלִית הַמְכֻוָּן בִּדְמוּתוֹ וּבְצַלְמוֹ, אִם יִצְטָרֵךְ לְהִתְעַסֵּק הוּא עַצְמוֹ בְּצָרְכֵי חַיָּיו:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לא טוב היות האדם לבדו, the purpose of the human species on earth will not be achieved while man who is supposed to reflect the divine image will be left to personally carry out all the menial tasks of daily life on earth by being solitary.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:18:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:18:2)

**עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.** עֵזֶר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כְּמוֹ שָׁוֶה לוֹ בְּצֶלֶם וּדְמוּת, כִּי זֶה הֶכְרֵחִי לוֹ בִּידִיעַת צְרָכָיו וְהַמְצִיאָם בְּמוֹעֲדָם. וְאָמַר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, כִּי הַנִּכְנָס לְכַף נֶגֶד דָּבָר אַחֵר כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁוֶה לוֹ בְּשֶׁקֶל, יִהְיֶה נֶגְדּוֹ בְּקַו יָשָׁר, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ שָׁוִים שְׁנֵי הַנִּשְׁקָלִים, יִהְיֶה זֶה עוֹלֶה וְזֶה יוֹרֵד וְלֹא יִהְיוּ זֶה נֶגֶד זֶה בְּקַו יָשָׁר. וּבָזֶה הָאוֹפֶן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שָׁקוּל מֹשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל (מכילתא יתרו א), אָמְנָם לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָעֵזֶר שָׁוֶה לוֹ לְגַמְרֵי, כִּי אָז לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיַּעֲבֹד וִישָׁרֵת אֶחָד מֵהֶם לַחֲבֵרוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
עזר כנגדו, a helpmate who will be equal to him, also reflecting the divine image. This is essential for him if he is to know what precisely his needs are and so that he can meet them in time. The reason why the Torah added the word כנגדו is that whenever one confronts someone of equal power, moral and ethical weight, such a confrontation is termed נגד. It is a head-on collision of will. When the two parties disagreeing are not of equal power, or moral/ethical weight, the confrontation is termed as one being עולה or יורד one of the adversaries either prevailing or losing in such an encounter. It is in this sense that we have to understand such statements as משה שקול כנגד כל ישראל, “that Moses was the equal of the entire Jewish people.” (Mechilta Yitro 1) However, the Torah did not mean for woman to be 100% equal to man, else how could the man expect her to perform household chores for him, etc.? Hence the letter כ at the beginning of the word כנגדו somewhat tones down this equality.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:19:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:19:1)

**וַיִּצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה.** נָתַן לָהֶם שְׁלֵמוּת צוּרָה מַרְגֶּשֶׁת, אֲשֶׁר לָזֶה לֹא הָיָה מַסְפִּיק אָז הַכֹּחַ הַשְּׁמֵימִי בִּלְתִּי כֹּחַ זַרְעִי שֶׁיַּעַזְרֵהוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויצר ה' אלוקים מן האדמה כל חית השדה, G’d now provided these creatures with their final shape, putting the “finishing touches” on them, so to speak. At that stage of the earth’s condition, the original product which the earth had produced, not based on seed which contains all the genetic material in microscopic form, was not adequate to produce the final product without input by G’d, personally.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:19:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:19:2)

**וַיָּבֵא אֶל הָאָדָם.** לְמַעַן יַכִּיר שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְנִמְצָא חָדָשׁ, מִבְּלִי אֵין בֵּין בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים דָּבָר נָאוֹת לְעָבְדוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויבא אל האדם, in order for man to realise there was a need for an additional phenomenon, seeing that amongst the existing ones none met his need for a partner.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:19:3
[Sforno on Genesis 2:19:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:19:3)

**לִרְאוֹת מַה יִּקְרָא לוֹ.** כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאֶה וְיִתְבּוֹנֵן אֵיזֶה שֵׁם רָאוּי לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם כְּפִי הַפְּעֻלָּה הַמְיֻחֶדֶת לְצוּרָתוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לראות מה יקרא לו, so that he would see which name would be appropriate for each creature, based on the specific tasks they performed in the universe.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:19:4
[Sforno on Genesis 2:19:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:19:4)

**נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה הוּא שְׁמוֹ.** הִנֵּה שְׁמוֹ הוֹרָה עַל צוּרַת הַבַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים הַנִּקְרָא בַּשֵּׁם הַהוּא, שֶׁהִיא נַפְשׁוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ הוּא נִמְצָא בְּפֹעַל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
נפש חיה הוא שמו, its name would provide all of us with a clue as to its function in G’d’s scheme of things. The essence of each animal, נפש, would be revealed by its activity on earth.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:21:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:21:1)

**וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל הָאָדָם.** שֶׁלֹּא יִפְחַד וְלֹא יִצְטַעֵר:


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:21:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:21:2)

**וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו.** מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר צָבַר עֲפָרוֹ וּבָחַר מִבְחַר כָּל הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת חֹמֶר לְצוּרָתוֹ הַחִיּוֹנִית, לְפִיכָךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר רָצָה לָצוּר צוּרַת הַנְּקֵבָה שֶׁהִיא כִּמְעַט דּוֹמָה אֵלָיו, הָיָה רָאוּי לָקַחַת קְצָת חָמְרוֹ וְהוּא אַחַת מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו:


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:22:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:22:1)

**וַיִּבֶן ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה.** לִהְיוֹת לָהּ צוּרַת הָאִישׁ וּסְגֻלּוֹתָיו, וְשֶׁתִּהְיֶה נִבְדֶּלֶת מִמֶּנּוּ בְּכֵלִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים בִּלְבַד, אֲשֶׁר בָּם יִהְיֶה הֶבְדֵּל בֵּינֵיהֶם בְּאֶפְשָׁרוּת הַשְּׁלֵמוּת בְּרֹב וּבִמְעָט.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויבן ה' אלוקים את הצלע לאשה, it was someone possessing the features of a human being, much like those of a man. She would be different from man only in some external physical features. She would possess the same ability to perfect her personality as did man.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:23:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:23:1)

**זֹאת.** הַנְּקֵבָה הַזֹּאת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
זאת, this female


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:23:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:23:2)

**הַפַּעַם.** בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת הִיא **עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי**, שֶׁלֹּא תִהְיֶה כֵּן כָּל נְקֵבַת הָאָדָם לֶעָתִיד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
הפעם הזאת, finally, this time עצם מעצמי ובשר מבשרי, only this time, seeing that all females of the future will not be fashioned by the male undergoing such type of surgery.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:23:3
[Sforno on Genesis 2:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:23:3)

**לְזֹאת.** לְכָל נְקֵבַת הָאָדָם לֶעָתִיד:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לזאת יקרא אשה, all other female human beings in the future will be known as אשה,


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:23:4
[Sforno on Genesis 2:23:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:23:4)

**יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה חֵלֶק אִישׁ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
even though they will not, like this time, be literally part of the flesh of their husbands.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:23:5
[Sforno on Genesis 2:23:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:23:5)

**כִּי מֵאִישׁ לֻקְחָה זֹּאת.** הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְכֻלָּן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי מאיש לוקחה זאת, “this one,” the first woman ever.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:24:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:24:1)

**עַל כֵּן.** מֵאַחַר שֶׁבְּזֹאת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה כִּוֵּן הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה דּוֹמָה לָאִישׁ כְּפִי הָאֶפְשָׁר, עַד שֶׁיָּצַר אוֹתָהּ מִגְּוִיָּתוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
על כן, seeing that on this first occasion G’d had aimed to make Adam’s wife as much part of him as possible, so that he even used Adam’s personal body as Chavah’s basic skeleton,


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:24:2
[Sforno on Genesis 2:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:24:2)

**יַעֲזׇב אִישׁ אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ.** רָאוּי שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּדֵּל הָאָדָם לִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ וּרְאוּיָה לִדְבֹּק בּוֹ, גַּם שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ לַעֲזֹב אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ, כִּי לֹא יִהְיֶה דִּבּוּק אֲמִתִּי בְּבִלְתִּי דּוֹמִים, אֲבָל יִהְיֶה בְּדוֹמִים בִּלְבָד, כִּי אָז יְכַוְּנוּ לְדַעַת אֶחָד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
יעזוב איש את אביו ואת אמו ודבק באשתו, it is appropriate that a man leave the home of his parents in order to acquire a wife who is compatible with him, and who is a suitable mate for him to live with on a permanent basis. The Torah teaches here also that the expression דיבוק, “cleaving,” being in a state of true union, is not possible between two people who are not alike in their common purpose in life. Parents and children do not have the same tasks and challenges. Man and his wife do have to master the same challenges, hence the word “union” can be applied to their union, whereas the same word would be inappropriate for describing the relationship between father and son, or mother and son. By living together they will become of one mind on how to deal with their lives’ challenges.


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:24:3
[Sforno on Genesis 2:24:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:24:3)

**וְהָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד.** מְכֻוָּן בְּכָל הַפְּעֻלּוֹת לְהַשִּׂיג הַשְּׁלֵמוּת הַמְכֻוָּן בִּיצִירַת הָאָדָם, כְּאִלּוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם נִמְצָא אֶחָד בִּלְבַד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והיו לבשר אחד, they are to work together in such close union as if there were in fact only one of them. (This had been the idea behind creating man as both male and female in the first place.)


###### Sforno on Genesis 2:25:1
[Sforno on Genesis 2:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/2:25:1)

**עֲרוּמִּים וְלֹא יִתְבּוֹשָׁשׁוּ.** כִּי אָז הָיוּ כָּל פְּעֻלּוֹתֵיהֶם וְכָל אֵיבְרֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן קוֹנָם בִּלְבַד, לֹא לְהַשִּׂיג תַּעֲנוּגוֹת נִפְסָדוֹת כְּלָל, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁהָיְתָה פְּעֻלַּת הַזִּוּוּג אֶצְלָם כִּפְעֻלַּת הָאֲכִילָה וְהַשְּׁתִיָּה הַמַּסְפֶּקֶת, וּבְכֵן הָיָה עִנְיַן אֵיבָרִים הָהֵם אֶצְלָם כְּמוֹ עִנְיַן הַפֶּה וְהַפָּנִים וְהַיָּדַיִם אֶצְלֵנוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**And they were not ashamed.** They used their limbs solely for the service of their Maker, not the pursuit of base pleasures. Therefore they considered marital relations no different than eating and drinking and their reproductive organs no different than their mouth or hands.