The Weekly Shtikle - Bereishis
When Adam HaRishon is confronted by HaShem following the sin of the Eitz HaDa'as, he argues that (3:12) "the woman that You placed with me, she gave me from the tree and I ate." Rashi comments that here Adam showed his ingratitude to HaShem for providing him with a wife.
It would seem at first glance that the ingratitude was the blaming of his wife for his own misconduct. However, I would like to suggest that the ingratitude was not in what he said but how he said it. The creation of woman came out of the realization that man was no good on his own. Without a soul mate, man was simply incomplete and he needed woman to help him achieve that completion and HaShem provided that for Adam. The word "imadi" used by Adam to mean with me, does not show an appreciation of this quality of woman. Rashi (Devarim 32:39) explains "imadi" as opposing me. By using the word "imadi," Adam showed that he saw woman as an opposing force and did not appreciate her true virtues. With this he showed ingratitude to the gift that HaShem had given him.
The word "li," however, has much different connotations. It implies for me, for my own good, as Rashi explains in many places. That form of the word meaning for me is always used to suggest personal benefit (see Rashi Bereishis 12:1). Had, Adam argued "ha'ishah asher nasata li, hi nasnah li," the woman whom you gave me for my benefit gave me from the tree, I suspect that Rashi's comment would not apply.
Have a good Shabbos.Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com
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posted by Shtikler | 3:01 PM
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