Derasha 1 on Bereishis 3:14

TT #129 · Parashas Bereishis · Third Aliyah · Passuk 14

Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֶֽל־הַנָּחָשׁ֮ כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּאת֒ אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וּמִכֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ֣ תֵלֵ֔ךְ וְעָפָ֥ר תֹּאכַ֖ל כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Berachos 61a (verified).

E-Daf image (Berachos 61a)

Core Text

Core Textתַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: בִּקְלָלָה מַתְחִילִין מִן הַקָּטָן, שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה נִתְקַלֵּל נָחָשׁ וְאַחֲרָיו חַוָּה וְאַחֲרָיו אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶל הַנָּחָשׁ וְהָדַר לָאִשָּׁה וּלְאָדָם.
English of Core Text: It was taught: Rabbi says: In a curse one begins with the lesser, for first the serpent was cursed, then Chavah, then Adam, as it is said “And the Lord God said to the serpent” and afterward to the woman and to the man.
On the daf / in context: The order of the curses supplies a rule of procedure: begin the lesser party when pronouncing a curse (or, by extension, a judicial process).
Type of Learning: Custom (order of cursing — begin with the lesser)
What Is Learned: When pronouncing a curse one begins with the lesser party, as God did with the serpent before Adam and Chavah.