Eve was the first woman, the "mother of all," created by being separated from Adam's body. In the garden of Eden, the snake convinced Eve to try the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, from which she also gave to Adam. The result was that they were both expelled from the garden and that she and all of womankind would be cursed to endure difficult childbirths even as they desire their husbands, to whom they are subject.
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Mother of All the LivingTANAKH
Mother of All the Living
TANAKH
The Hebrew name Chava, rendered as Eve in English, means "lifegiver." When Adam names her, the Torah explains her name's meaning.
The Unity of Adam and EveJEWISH THOUGHT
The Unity of Adam and Eve
JEWISH THOUGHT
Adam and Eve were originally created as a single being. Rambam’s Guide for the Perplexed offers a philosophical and linguistic analysis of the biblical terms and emphasizes the profound unity and connection between the first man and the first woman.
Eve's Temptation and DecisionTANAKH
Eve's Temptation and Decision
TANAKH
Why did Eve choose to eat from the forbidden tree? The book of Genesis recounts the moment in the garden of Eden when Eve makes her history-altering choice.
The Divine Partnership in CreationMIDRASH
The Divine Partnership in Creation
MIDRASH
Adam and Eve's firstborn's name is Cain, from the Hebrew word "to acquire." Bereshit Rabbah, the ancient midrash from the land of Israel on the book of Genesis, elaborates on the significance of the name.
Eve's Curses and Women's RolesTALMUD
Eve's Curses and Women's Roles
TALMUD
With how many curses was Eve cursed after eating from the tree of knowledge? While the Babylonian Talmud in tractate Eruvin enumerates the curses, it offers the curse of Eve as the explanation for a number of the realities of being a woman in antiquity.
A HelpmateJEWISH THOUGHT
A Helpmate
JEWISH THOUGHT
In Genesis 2:18, God declares that it is not good for man to be alone and so makes man an "ezer kenegdo," often translated as a "helpmate." Dirshuni, a collection of contemporary women-authored midrash explores what this term means.
All Women But Only Some MenCOMMENTARY
All Women But Only Some Men
COMMENTARY
Whereas the punishment for men — that they would til the earth by the sweat of their brow — only applies to those who til the earth, all women who give birth do so in pain. Da'at Zekenim, a commentary compiled from the writings of medieval French and German tosafists, explains why this is so.
Blood for BloodMIDRASH
Blood for Blood
MIDRASH
Why does the Torah require that women abstain from sexual relations during their menstruation? Midrash Tanchuma, a medieval collection of midrash, explains.
The Pain of Childbirth and Ritual PurificationCOMMENTARY
The Pain of Childbirth and Ritual Purification
COMMENTARY
The pain of childbirth and the subsequent ritual purification process are linked to Eve's original sin and the impurity it introduced. The 17th-century Torah commentary, Kli Yakar, by Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz, explores the concept of atonement for Eve's ancient sin.
Eve's Form and FunctionTALMUD
Eve's Form and Function
TALMUD
In Genesis 2:22, the Torah narrates that God "built" the rib taken from Adam into a woman. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Moed Katan interprets the Torah's choice of the word "built" with respect to the final physical form of the woman.
The Serpent's FilthKABBALAH
The Serpent's Filth
KABBALAH
Even though the biblical text clearly states that Adam was Cain's father, rabbinic tradition suggests that the serpent impregnated Eve. The Zohar Chadash, a collection of teachings related to the Zohar, resolves this interpretive challenge.
The Many Meanings of Eve's Name MIDRASH
The Many Meanings of Eve's Name
MIDRASH
The Torah explains that Eve's name — Chava, in Hebrew — means "the mother of all living." Bereshit Rabbah, the ancient midrash from the land of Israel on the book of Genesis, presents a number of alternative possible meanings of the name Chava.
Eve's Greater UnderstandingTALMUD
Eve's Greater Understanding
TALMUD
The book of Genesis recounts that God removed a rib from Adam and "built" it into Eve. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Niddah suggests interpretive wordplays on the Hebrew root for "built" to learn more from the text.
In the Cave of MakhpelahKABBALAH
In the Cave of Makhpelah
KABBALAH
While the Torah does not record where Adam and Eve are buried, rabbinic tradition teaches that they were buried in the cave of Makhpelah, where most of the patriarchs and matriarchs are buried, in Hebron. The Zohar tells the story of what happened when Abraham arrived there to bury Sarah.