Snakes and Women - Both Punished!
Torah Study 7/12
So thanks to Howard for sharing his notes -
More on the snake, Genesis 3:14-15
o A Chassidic tale: snakes crawl on their belly. If people get too fat, their bellies grow, making walking more difficult and more like a snake. Moral: take frequent exercise walks.
o A snake’s head is at the same elevation as the rest of its body as it crawls. With its reptilian brain, there is little difference between body and intellect. Human heads – i.e., egos, are (usually) above the body. Stamping on a snake’s head symbolizes moderation of the ego, bringing it down to a lower level.
o Why is the snake, an animal, punished? The snake seems like another person; it has legs, a voice, and is sentient. It’s actually a metaphysical animal, a voice within people, helping to justify things we don’t need. It has a dual nature, both animal and human. The whole story, including the punishment, ties people to their animal nature.
o The order of punishment reflects the seriousness of the “sin.” The snake was the most egregious, then woman, then man.
· Genesis 3:16 on the woman’s punishment [she hasn’t been named “Eve” yet]
Who or what is Lilith? The only reference in the bible is in Isaiah 34:14 and it’s vague and undefined to people today. Perhaps that means that people knew Lilith then and didn’t need any explanation. Lilith became a flying demon after the first creation story. Although she was created equal to Adam, they…
o … never found peace together; for when he wished to lie with her, she took offence at the recumbent posture he demanded. 'Why must I lie beneath you?' she asked. 'I also was made from dust, and am therefore your equal.' Because Adam tried to compel her obedience by force, Lilith, in a rage, uttered the magic name of God, rose into the air and left him.
o Adam complained to God: 'I have been deserted by my helpmeet' God at once sent the angels Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof to fetch Lilith back. They found her beside the Red Sea, a region abounding in lascivious demons, to whom she bore lilim at the rate of more than one hundred a day. 'Return to Adam without delay,' the angels said, `or we will drown you!' Lilith asked: `How can I return to Adam and live like an honest housewife, after my stay beside the Red Sea?? 'It will be death to refuse!' they answered. `How can I die,' Lilith asked again, `when God has ordered me to take charge of all newborn children: boys up to the eighth day of life, that of circumcision; girls up to the twentieth day. None the less, if ever I see your three names or likenesses displayed in an amulet above a newborn child, I promise to spare it.' To this they agreed; but God punished Lilith by making one hundred of her demon children perish daily; and if she could not destroy a human infant, because of the angelic amulet, she would spitefully turn against her own.
NOTE: More about this at my “traditions” web page and the blog:
This picture is from Sefer Raziel, Amsterdam 1701
o [This is an excerpt from Chapter 10: “Adam's Helpmeets “ in The Hebrew Myths by Robert Graves and Raphael Patai, New York: Doubleday, 1964., Pages 65-69.]
The Kabbalistic version is that Lilith is the temptress of single men. His nocturnal emissions give birth to demons.
The Lilith legend reflects women’s fears in childbirth, how vulnerable she is.
Ellen Frankel’s version – “Lilith the Rebel”[The Five Books of Miriam, page xvii]:
o “I am the woman, crated at the same moment as the first man. Together we were Adam, a single creature, a being-formed-of-red-earth, the first human. But Adam resented our equal status in the garden, and so I left Paradise to fend for myself. I am the voice of protest. I challenge received wisdom, especially the truths taught by men who have not consulted their mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters. My goal is to upset the applecart, bite the serpent back, to look back and see the fire without turning to salt, to give the rabbis a piece of my mind. I seek the truth buried under the mountains of tradition. My spade is as sharp as my tongue and wit!”
o Take that, you men!
Another reference: Jewish Myths and Superstitions by Joshua Trachtenberg. Cleveland
and New York: World Publishing Co., and Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1939, 1961.
According to Rashi, there were three different punishments.
1. your sorrow This refers to the pain of child rearing. — [from Eruv. 109b]
Abravanel’s commentary – women are more sensitive to pain.
Others thought the menstruation cycle was the curse.
Radak believed long pregnancy was the punishment.
The Women’s Torah Commentary (page 16) has a different view.
o “Desire to rule over you”
• Rashi - And to your husband will be your desire for intimacy, but, nevertheless, you will not have the audacity to demand it of him with your mouth, but he will rule over you. Everything is from him and not from you. — [from Eruv. ad loc.]. In other words, there is a general subservience because of the disobedience; the woman is no longer in charge.
• Nachmanides (Ramban) – God punished the woman…
• “…that her desire for her husband be exceedingly great and that she should not be deterred by the pain of pregnancy and birth or that he keeps her as a maid-servant. Now it is not customary for a servant to desire to acquire a master over himself, rather his desire is to flee from him. Thus her punishment is measure for measure; she gave [the fruit of the tree of knowledge] also to her husband and heat at her command, and He [God] punished her that she should no longer command him, but instead he should command her entirely at his will. [Clavel translation, page 84]
o In other words, the man is in charge.
• The general Jewish view on sex is that man is responsible and it’s a woman’s prerogative. In Christianity, it’s vice versa. In Talmud Ketuvim, the amount of sex owed by the husband to the wife is specified based on the man’s profession and how often he is away from home on business.
So thanks to Howard for sharing his notes -
More on the snake, Genesis 3:14-15
o A Chassidic tale: snakes crawl on their belly. If people get too fat, their bellies grow, making walking more difficult and more like a snake. Moral: take frequent exercise walks.
o A snake’s head is at the same elevation as the rest of its body as it crawls. With its reptilian brain, there is little difference between body and intellect. Human heads – i.e., egos, are (usually) above the body. Stamping on a snake’s head symbolizes moderation of the ego, bringing it down to a lower level.
o Why is the snake, an animal, punished? The snake seems like another person; it has legs, a voice, and is sentient. It’s actually a metaphysical animal, a voice within people, helping to justify things we don’t need. It has a dual nature, both animal and human. The whole story, including the punishment, ties people to their animal nature.
o The order of punishment reflects the seriousness of the “sin.” The snake was the most egregious, then woman, then man.
· Genesis 3:16 on the woman’s punishment [she hasn’t been named “Eve” yet]
Who or what is Lilith? The only reference in the bible is in Isaiah 34:14 and it’s vague and undefined to people today. Perhaps that means that people knew Lilith then and didn’t need any explanation. Lilith became a flying demon after the first creation story. Although she was created equal to Adam, they…
o … never found peace together; for when he wished to lie with her, she took offence at the recumbent posture he demanded. 'Why must I lie beneath you?' she asked. 'I also was made from dust, and am therefore your equal.' Because Adam tried to compel her obedience by force, Lilith, in a rage, uttered the magic name of God, rose into the air and left him.
o Adam complained to God: 'I have been deserted by my helpmeet' God at once sent the angels Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof to fetch Lilith back. They found her beside the Red Sea, a region abounding in lascivious demons, to whom she bore lilim at the rate of more than one hundred a day. 'Return to Adam without delay,' the angels said, `or we will drown you!' Lilith asked: `How can I return to Adam and live like an honest housewife, after my stay beside the Red Sea?? 'It will be death to refuse!' they answered. `How can I die,' Lilith asked again, `when God has ordered me to take charge of all newborn children: boys up to the eighth day of life, that of circumcision; girls up to the twentieth day. None the less, if ever I see your three names or likenesses displayed in an amulet above a newborn child, I promise to spare it.' To this they agreed; but God punished Lilith by making one hundred of her demon children perish daily; and if she could not destroy a human infant, because of the angelic amulet, she would spitefully turn against her own.
NOTE: More about this at my “traditions” web page and the blog:
This picture is from Sefer Raziel, Amsterdam 1701
o [This is an excerpt from Chapter 10: “Adam's Helpmeets “ in The Hebrew Myths by Robert Graves and Raphael Patai, New York: Doubleday, 1964., Pages 65-69.]
The Kabbalistic version is that Lilith is the temptress of single men. His nocturnal emissions give birth to demons.
The Lilith legend reflects women’s fears in childbirth, how vulnerable she is.
Ellen Frankel’s version – “Lilith the Rebel”[The Five Books of Miriam, page xvii]:
o “I am the woman, crated at the same moment as the first man. Together we were Adam, a single creature, a being-formed-of-red-earth, the first human. But Adam resented our equal status in the garden, and so I left Paradise to fend for myself. I am the voice of protest. I challenge received wisdom, especially the truths taught by men who have not consulted their mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters. My goal is to upset the applecart, bite the serpent back, to look back and see the fire without turning to salt, to give the rabbis a piece of my mind. I seek the truth buried under the mountains of tradition. My spade is as sharp as my tongue and wit!”
o Take that, you men!
Another reference: Jewish Myths and Superstitions by Joshua Trachtenberg. Cleveland
and New York: World Publishing Co., and Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1939, 1961.
According to Rashi, there were three different punishments.
1. your sorrow This refers to the pain of child rearing. — [from Eruv. 109b]
On the “sorrow”, Aviva Zornberg [The Beginnings of Desire. Philadelphia, JPS, 1995] writes that the separation of the child from the mother forms the basis of this sorrow. Such separation is negotiated, like a teen leaving home for college or a child finally moving out of the house permanently. This phenomenon is similar to an artist creating a sculpture from raw materials – the piece has to be coaxed out the material.2. and your pregnancy This refers to the pain of pregnancy. — [from above source] 3. in pain you shall bear children This refers to the pain of childbirth. — [from Gen. Rabbah 20:6]
Abravanel’s commentary – women are more sensitive to pain.
These plus Rashi represent a male perspective. Men were in awe of the dual nature of pregnancy and birth. Despite the creation of new life, there were many deaths in childbirth.
Others thought the menstruation cycle was the curse.
Radak believed long pregnancy was the punishment.
The Women’s Torah Commentary (page 16) has a different view.
- Toil is separated from pain and sorrow. Toil refers to the labor or work required to survive in the Ancient Near East. Pain and sorrow is for the children…
- “Neither imposes” – this is an explanation of what happens, not what should happen. Women are not subject to this punishment forever, like the serpent.
- Doesn’t apply to a righteous woman such as Yocheved (Moses’ mother)
- It’s permissible to lessen the pain of childbirth with human intervention, such as anesthetics and other drugs; it’s always been done.
o “Desire to rule over you”• Rashi - And to your husband will be your desire for intimacy, but, nevertheless, you will not have the audacity to demand it of him with your mouth, but he will rule over you. Everything is from him and not from you. — [from Eruv. ad loc.]. In other words, there is a general subservience because of the disobedience; the woman is no longer in charge.
• Nachmanides (Ramban) – God punished the woman…
• “…that her desire for her husband be exceedingly great and that she should not be deterred by the pain of pregnancy and birth or that he keeps her as a maid-servant. Now it is not customary for a servant to desire to acquire a master over himself, rather his desire is to flee from him. Thus her punishment is measure for measure; she gave [the fruit of the tree of knowledge] also to her husband and heat at her command, and He [God] punished her that she should no longer command him, but instead he should command her entirely at his will. [Clavel translation, page 84]
o In other words, the man is in charge.
• The general Jewish view on sex is that man is responsible and it’s a woman’s prerogative. In Christianity, it’s vice versa. In Talmud Ketuvim, the amount of sex owed by the husband to the wife is specified based on the man’s profession and how often he is away from home on business.
posted by Chavarah @ 9:54 PM
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