Maharal (Vayikra 12:2):... in fact the woman was created before the man because even though regarding the taking of one of Adam’s ribs (Bereishis 2:21) this was done after the creation of man – but the actual creation of Eve was prior to this. Because it says in Bereishis (5:2), Male and female they were created and He called their name Adam. That shows that prior to the taking of Adam’s rib a female was created as one of the two faces of Adam (Bereishis Rabba 8:1) and the creation of the female was first. That is because the order of creation was first the animal and then the woman and afterwards the male was created. You see that in creation it is always that which is most important is created last. So also here, the male was created last because he is most important. Because of this reason our Sages (Nida 45b) say that the woman matures faster then the man because as the age of adulthood for a girl is 12 years and one day while for a male it is 13 years and one day. This is an example that which is more complete finishes completion later. Therefore the forming of the male was at the end and not the beginning.
This reminds me of the tragedy translating the Torah into Greek.
ReplyDeleteYour do the Torah a disservice by simply translating a few lines of our holy Torah. It's not in the honor of the Torah.
I don't get the math: 'Male (first) and female (second) they (together) were created (together) and He called their name (together) Adam.'
ReplyDeleteHow come "prior to the taking of Adam’s rib a female was created"???
How can he say the woman was created first when the possuk says "'male' and female they were created"
ReplyDeletehe explains that the procedure always was to create the most important at the end so this verse is not saying the order
ReplyDeleteI would think that if the order of a possuk contradicts a chiddush it should be more than enough reason to reject the chiddush.
ReplyDeletethis taking of the rib - actually side - was a separation of a prexisting entity - "two faces". See the Ramban. Thus there was originally two individuals in one body and then with the taking of the rib - the female was given her own separate body. But the real question on the Maharal's explanation is according to "two faces" - what does it mean that the female was created first? they were both created simultaneously!
ReplyDeleteI am not translating a few lines - I am presenting the very common and consistent perspective of Chazal and Rishonim about women. If this is their view - then you have to explain why the need to try and conceal that which is generally known for thousands of years?
ReplyDeleteYes and I am doing a "disservice" in explaining in great detail why the Kaminetsky-Greenblatt Heter is a fraud because it questions the competence of rabbinic authority? I have done a "disservice" in explaining why according to clear and authoritative halacha - concealing child abuse is wrong?
You might remember that Moshe questioned why the Torah said "Let us make man" when this can lead to heresy"
Strange notion that women should be "less important" since reproduction and therefore perpetration of the species is only possible when both genders exist...
ReplyDeleteThat's circular reasoning, and the passuk contributes nothing to the reasoning.
ReplyDeleteI have heard it explained as the final touches were on the man, ie the closing of his side from which the woman was taken.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the explanation.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that 'less important' is the proper translation. In English that implies less valued, less loved. I think he means less spiritual, as in a chashuv rav.
ReplyDeleteI believe that at this point it is a legitimate action to publish this material. We have been so drowned in 'women as superior' talk in the frum world - most of it given on dubious grounds - that we need to hear from true authorities on the topic.
ReplyDeleteI think it means that the creation was not instantaneous. They started off together and then she was completed and then he was completed last because he is more 'chashuv.'
ReplyDeleteI agree - am working on it
ReplyDeleteDon't agree - I think chashuv means important in the same sense as English
ReplyDeleteI understand this point of view but does not agree with it entirely... if the first creation was to be considered the most important, than man was created first... if the last creation was the most important, so man was created last... it's like playing a game with no specific rules which only purpose is to make the creation of man 'win'...
ReplyDelete