Derasha 3 on Bereishis 2:22

TT #106 · Parashas Bereishis · Second Aliyah · Passuk 22

Complete Passuk

וַיִּבֶן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ אֶֽת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Berachos 61a (verified).

E-Daf image (Berachos 61a)

Core Text

Core Textאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנֵי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב וַיִּבֶן ה׳ אֶת הַצֵּלָע — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבְּנָאָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְחַוָּה כְּאוֹצָר, מַה אוֹצָר קָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה וְרָחָב מִלְּמַטָּה כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַפֵּרוֹת, אַף אִשָּׁה קְצָרָה מִלְּמַעְלָה וּרְחָבָה מִלְּמַטָּה כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַוָּלָד.
English of Core Text: Rav Chisda said, and some say it was taught in a baraita: What is the meaning of “and the Lord built the side”? This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, built Chavah like a storehouse: just as a storehouse is narrow above and wide below in order to hold the produce, so a woman is narrow above and wide below in order to hold the child.
On the daf / in context: Anatomical teleology derived from “vayiven”: the female form is designed for childbearing.
Type of Learning: Custom (form of the woman as storehouse)
What Is Learned: The female body was built wide below to receive and hold the offspring, like a storehouse.