These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly portion: #1308 – Can You Make Kiddush for Someone If It Is Not Shabbos for You? Good Yom Tov & Good Shabbos!

The story of the nachash seducing Chava to eat from the etz ha’daas is well known. “And the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable for comprehension, and she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. And the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked; and they sewed together a fig leaf and made themselves aprons. They heard the sound of Hashem walking in the garden toward the direction of the sun; and the man and his wife hid from Hashem among the trees of the garden. Hashem called out to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid.’ And He said, ‘Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree, and I ate.'” [Bereishis 3:6-12].

For the first time in human history, the answer was: “It is my wife’s fault!” This is an excuse that we have been using for the last 5785 years! Rashi comments on this pasuk: “Here (Odom) denied a favor (that the Ribono Shel Olam did for him).” Odom had felt he was lacking something. Hashem did a great favor for him and created an ezer k’negdo (help-mate) for him, and now that he has this ezer k’negdo, all he can do is say “It’s her fault!”

First the nachash is punished, then Chava is punished, and finally Odom is punished. Odom is punished with the words: “…Accursed is the ground because of you; through suffering shall you eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread until you return to the ground from which you were taken…” [Bereishis 3:17-19] We have all suffered with this punishment for almost 5800 years now – we all need to work for a living!

What is Odom’s reaction to the terrible curse he received from the Almighty? “And Odom called the name of his wife Chava, for she is the mother of all the living.” [Bereishis 3:20]. Suddenly, Odom is motivated to not call his wife “isha” (the generic term meaning that she has been taken from man), but rather to call her the prestigious name of Chava, indicating that she will be the progenitor of all human life.

Is this not a strange reaction? He just told the Ribono Shel Olam “It’s all her fault!” The Ribono Shel Olam curses him with the curse “… by the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread” and what is Odom’s reaction? “You know what? This wife of mine is the greatest thing on earth!” It does not make any sense! He didn’t call her “Mother of all life” when he first named her. Why is he suddenly calling her that, now of all times? [Bereishis 2:23].

At this point, the pasuk says, “And Elokim made kosnos ohr (garments of skin) for Odom and his wife and dressed them.” [Bereishis 3:21]. Now, the garments Elokim made for Adam and Chava were not just ordinary items of clothing. We don’t know exactly what these “kosnos ohr” were, but whatever they were, they were extremely special. The Medrash mentions that after the passing of Odom, these garments were transferred to his son Shais. After Shais, they were passed down, and eventually they belonged to Noach. From Noach, they were passed to Malki-Tzedek, who gave them to Avraham and from Avraham, they went to Yitzchak, and from Yitzchak they went to Yaakov. They were a very unique set of garments!

It seems somewhat incongruous that this great gift came to Odom and Chava immediately after they were cursed. Hashem did not just give them some wool and say, “Now make some garments to clothe yourselves. You messed up; now take care of yourselves!” Instead, He gave them a priceless and magnificent gift!

How do we explain the sequence of these pesukim? Over (a previous) Simchas Torah, someone told me what I think is the true interpretation: When the Ribono Shel Olam comes to Odom and asks “What did you do?” Odom responds “My wife made me do it.” Here Rashi explains that Odom was an ingrate! Hashem’s reaction is: “Odom, you don’t appreciate what I gave you? Then guess what? You are not going to have any of this. You are out of Gan Eden because you are ungrateful. From now on, you are going to work for a living and you are going to shvitz for your food.” Someone who is ungrateful for what he is given, loses it! “Odom, you are out of here!”

That hit Adam like a ton of bricks. His response: “I am sorry, Ribono Shel Olam. You are right!” How does Odom show that he in fact appreciates what he was given? He renames his wife “Chava,” indicating her prestigious status as “Mother of All Life.” Once Odom acknowledged that he had been a kafui tov by not appreciating what he had been given, then Hashem was prepared to give him something else that was special.

Okay, you need to leave Gan Eden. That decree was sealed because you made a serious mistake. However, Hashem gave them something else to show that they would still merit Divine Protection: He gave them and dressed them in kosnos ohr.

An Insight Which Can Be Appreciated by Those Old Enough to Remember Watergate

We all know the story of Kayin and Hevel. Kayin kills Hevel and the Ribono Shel Olam curses Kayin: “Therefore, you are cursed more than the ground, which opened wide its mouth to receive your brother’s bloods from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall not continue to yield its strength to you…” [Bereishis 4:11-12] In effect, the Ribono Shel Olam curses the land. Why does He curse the land? What happened here? Kayin committed fratricide, and then he buried his brother in the ground. Which is the bigger aveira (sin) – killing his brother or burying his brother in the land? Obviously, the indictment against Kayin should be for murder, not for burial! Why, then, is the focus of the Almighty’s curse against the land that swallowed up the blood of Hevel?

The sefer Avir Yakov makes an observation, to which Americans with a good sense of history can relate. For those of us old enough to remember “Watergate” (June 17, 1972) – what was the big mistake of that infamous political scandal which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon? The big mistake was not the breaking into the Democratic National Committee Headquarters. The big mistake was the cover-up that followed the burglary! Kayin’s burial of Hevel in the ground is the first “cover-up” in world history!

When Hashem asks Kayin “Why did you kill your brother? What did you do?” Kayin could have explained “It was a crime of passion.” Most murders are crimes of passion. The murderer is so angry at his victim that he kills him. So for the act of murder, there may be somewhat of a “teretz” (an excuse): I was overcome by the passion of the moment. But after the fact, when a person attempts to cover up his crime, it indicates that he has no remorse. He thinks he can get away with his crime. Burying the victim and covering him up in the ground is no longer an act of passion. That is an act of denial – denying the crime.

The Ribono Shel Olam focuses on the essence of the crime: The essence of the crime is the cover-up, the denial that a crime ever took place. People make mistakes. People momentarily lose control. That we can understand. But to go ahead and cover up a crime, indicating a total lack of remorse, that is unforgiveable. Therefore, the curse starts with the ground, before it continues with Kayin himself.

Transcribed by David Twersky; Jerusalem [email protected]

Technical Assistance by Dovid Hoffman; Baltimore, MD [email protected]

This week’s write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly Torah portion. A listing of the halachic portions for Parshas Bereishis is provided below:

• # 026 – Adoption: Problems and Solutions
• # 068 – Artificial Insemination
• # 117 – Inducing Labor: A viable option?
• # 164 – Weddings in Shuls: Is there a Problem?
• # 210 – Is Marriage a Mitzvah?
• # 254 – Truth Tellings and Shidduchim
• # 300 – A Mamzer’s Obligation in Mitzvos
• # 344 – Marriage and the Birchas Airusin
• # 388 – The “Kedushai Ketanah” Controversy
• # 432 – Choices in Marriage Partners
• # 476 – Melacha of Planting
• # 520 – Kavod and Oneg Shabbos
• # 564 – You and Your Wife – Ishto Kegufo
• # 608 – The Tefilah of Modeh Ani
• # 652 – The Tefilah of Asher Yatzar
• # 696 – The Bracha on the Havdala Candle
• # 740 – When Exactly Does Shabbos Start?
• # 784 – The Beautiful Essrog – How Much More?
• # 828 – The Baal Teshuva and Pirya Ve’Rivya
• # 872 – Marrying Someone With The Same Name As Your Mother
• # 916 – Not Having Children?
• # 959 – The Case of the Mixed Up Wedding Ring
• #1003 – The Case of the Missing Shabbos Bathroom Tissue
• #1047 – Mogen Avos on Friday Night – When and Why?
• #1090 – Bracha on Havdalah Candle: Before or After?
• #1133 – Bracha of ELokai Neshama She’Naasaata Be
• #1176 – Chupa: Inside or Outside? In a Shul or Not In A Shul?
• #1220 – Forgetting Mashiv HaRuach on Friday Night
• #1264 – Can Women Drink from the Wine of Havdalah?
• #1308 – Can You Make Kiddush for Someone If It Is Not Shabbos for You?
• #1352 – Is It a Mitzva for a Man to Get Married?
• #1396 – Is a Person with a Hereditary Genetic Disease Obligated to Have Children?
• #1440 – Is This The Year That You Are Going To Be Maavir Sedra Properly?
• #1484 – The Bracha of Borei MeOrei HaAish
• #1528 – The Magnificent Bracha of Asher Yotzar
• (2022) – Jumping the gun on saying v’Sein Taal u’Matar

A complete catalogue can be ordered from the Yad Yechiel Institute, PO Box 511, Owings Mills MD 21117-0511. Call (410) 358-0416 or e-mail [email protected] or visit http://www.yadyechiel.org/ for further information.