Rashi on TanakhGenesis 2

Elohim completed by the seventh day. R. Shimon said, [man who is] flesh and blood who cannot [precisely] know his times and moments must add from the profane to the holy. Hashem, who [precisely] knows His times and moments it can enter into it by a hairbreadth, and it appears as if He concluded [His work] on that very day [i.e., the Sabbath].Another explanation: [At this point in time,] what was the world [still] lacking? [The concept] of rest. With the coming of Shabbos came rest, [i.e.,] the work was completed and finished.

Blessed … sanctified. He blessed it through the manna. Whereas during all the weekdays there descended for them an omer of manna per person, but, on the sixth day [Friday]; a double portion. He sanctified it through the manna for it did not descend at all on Shabbos. This verse is written with reference to the future.

Which Elohim had created to do. The work which was to have been done on Shabbos He doubled and did on Friday, as is explained in Bereishis Rabbah.

This. [“This” refers to] those mentioned previously.

The history of the heavens and the earth when they were created on the day when Adonoy made. This teaches you that they were all created on the first day. Another explanation [of the word] בְּהִבָּרְאָם. He created them with the letter hey [ה"א], as it is said, “In God, Adonoy, is the forming of the worlds [which can also be interpreted as:] with these two letters yud [יו"ד] and hey [ה"א] of the Name He formed two worlds. Here it teaches you that this world was created with the letter hey [ה"א]. (In other versions [the following is added], this symbolizes: that just as the ה"א is open at the bottom the world, too, is open to those who return through repentance. The World to Come was created with the letter yud [יו"ד] to relate that the righteous of that [future] time [will be] few as a yud [יו"ד], which is the smallest of the letters.) This symbolizes that the wicked will descend to behold the abyss [of hell] like [the letter] ה"א which is closed on all sides and open [only] at the bottom, for them to descend there.

Were not yet on the earth. Every time the word טֶרֶם appears in Tanach it means ‘not yet.’ It does not mean ‘before’ and cannot form a verb saying הִטְרִים as can be said of הִקְדִּים [meaning preceded]. This verse proves this. And another [proof of this:] is the verse כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן which is rendered “For you do not yet fear.” This verse, too should be explained thus: [No tree] was as yet upon the earth when the creation of the world was completed on Friday before man was created. And all the herbal vegetation of the field had not yet sprouted. [And all vegetation] did not yet sprout. [The fact that] on the third day it is written: “Let the earth sprout forth” [should be interpreted:] they did not protrude but they remained at the surface of the ground until the sixth day [when man was created]. Why? For [He] had not brought rain. And what was the reason that He did not cause it to rain? Because “There was [yet] no man to work the soil,” and there was no one to appreciate the rain. When man appeared and recognized their need for the world he prayed for it and it descended and the trees and vegetation sprouted

Adonoy Elohim. Adonoy is His Name. Elohim [signifies] that He is Ruler and Judge over everything. This is the plain explanation everywhere: Adonoy who is Elohim [i.e., Ruler and Judge].

A mist rose. It was for the purpose of creating man that He brought up [the waters of] the deep and moistened the clouds in order to soak the earth and to create man, like the kneader [of dough] who adds water [to the flour] and then proceeds to knead the dough. Here, too, He [first] “moistened” [the earth] and afterwards “created” [man].

Formed. [וַיִּיצֶר with two yuds refers to] two creations. One creation for this world and one creation for when the dead will be resurrected. Whereas animals which will not be judged, two yuds are not written [in the word וַיִּצֶר].

Dust from the ground. He gathered dust from all four corners of the earth so that wherever [man] may die it [the earth] will receive him for burial. Another explanation [for מִן הָאֲדָמָה]. He took the dust from the place of which it is written: “Make an altar of earth for Me.” Would that it be an atonement for him so that he may survive.

And He blew into his nostrils. He made him of earthy matter and of heavenly matter. His body [is made] from earthly matter and his soul from heavenly matter. [This was so] because on the first day heaven and earth were created. On the second day He created a canopy for the heavens. On the third day the land appeared on earth. On the fourth day He created luminaries for the heavens. On the fifth day the water swarmed [to produce creatures] for the earth. It was [therefore] necessary that on the sixth day to create [something] from heavenly and earthly matter. If this were not so there would be jealousy in creation for these would outnumber those by one day’s creation.

A living soul. Animals and beasts are also called living souls. But, the one of man is the most alive for he additionally was given intelligence and speech.

To the east. East of Eden was where He planted the Garden. Should you ask, it has already been written: “And He created man, etc.” [The answer is based on that which] I saw in the B’rayso of R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosi Hagalily. The Torah is expounded through thirty-two principles and the following is one of them: A general statement followed by an action are the specifics of the first [statement]. [Thus,] “He created man” is the general statement leaving from whence he was created obscure [as well] as obscuring what was done. It then repeats and clarifies: “Hashem formed man, etc.” and caused the Garden of Eden to sprout for his benefit “and placed him in the Garden of Eden” and put him into a deep sleep. The one who hears this may think that this is a different story, but, in reality, it is the details of the first. Similarly, concerning the animals. He again writes: “Hashem created from the earth all animals of the field” for the purpose of clarifying [the verse] “And He brought them to the man so that he may name them” and to teach concerning the birds that they were created from the swamp.

Made grow. This verse relates to the Garden.

In the middle of the Garden. [Meaning] in the center of the Garden.

Pishon. This is the Nile, the river of Egypt. Because its waters are bountiful and rise to irrigate the land it is called Pishon [from the same root] as [the word וּפָשׁוּ] [in the verse] וּפָשׁוּ פָּרָשָׁיו [His riders increased.] Another interpretation: [It is called] Pishon because it causes flax [פִּשְׁתָּן] to grow as it is said concerning Egypt, “And the flax workers shall be shamed.”

Gichon. [So called] because it flows and roars and its roar is very great as [is written]: “If [an ox] gores,” for he gores and goes on to roar.

Chidekel. [So called] because its waters are pungent and light.

P’ras. [So called] because its waters increase abundantly and have healing qualities for man. Kush … Ashur. [Kush and Ashur] did not yet exist, but the Torah writes [these names] based on the future.

To the east of Ashur. [Means] on the eastern side of Ashur.

Is P’ras. It is the most important of all [the rivers] [because] it is mentioned in conjunction [with] the Land of Israel.

Took. He “took” him with kind words and induced him to enter.

It is not good for, etc. So that they [the heretics] not claim that there are two dominions, Hashem, above, is alone, without a mate and this one [man], below without a mate.

A helper for him. If he is worthy then [she is] a helpmate, if he is not worthy then [she is] opposite him, to fight him.

Formed from the ground. This “forming” is the same as “the making” which was stated above: “And Hashem made the animals of the earth, etc.” However, here it comes to explain that the fowl was created from the swamps. Since above it stated that they [the fowls] were created from water and here it states that they were created from the earth. Also, it teaches you that immediately, on the day they were created He brought them to “the man” to call them by name. According to Aggadah, the word יְצִירָה here has the meaning of dominating and subjugating as [in the verse:] “When you will besiege a city;” [accordingly, here it means] that He subjugated them under the domination of man.

Whatever the man called [each] living creature, etc. You must transpose [the words] and explain it: Each living creature that was called a name by Adam will retain its name forever.

But the man did not find a helper … Adonoy Elohim caused unconciousness to fall. When He brought them [the animals] before him He brought the male and female of each specie. [Adam] said: They each have a mate but I have no mate; immediately: “And Hashem put [Adam] …”

Of his ribs. [Has the meaning] from his sides as [in the verse] “The sides of the Tabernacle.” This [coincides with] what we said: that they were [first] created with two faces.

And closed over. The place of the cut.

And he slept … and He took. So that he not see the piece of flesh from which she was created and be repulsive to him.

[He] built. Like a building, broad at the bottom and narrow at the top so that she can carry the child. [Just] as a wheat silo which is broad at the bottom and narrow at the top so that its weight not be a strain on its walls.

[He] built the rib … into a woman. [Meaning:] so that it should become a woman as [in the verse]: “And Gidon made it to an ephod,” [meaning] so that it should become an ephod.

This at last. This teaches that Adam attempted to find [a mate] amongst all the animals and beasts and he was not satisfied with them until he discovered Chavah.

This shall be called Woman, for from Man, etc. [The words אִישׁ and אִשָּׁה] have the same root. From this [we derive] that the world was created with the Holy Tongue.

Therefore, a man shall leave. The Divine Spirit is saying this prohibiting forbidden marital relations to the “sons of Noach.”

One flesh. The child is formed by both [parents] thereby becoming unified as “one flesh.”

And they were not ashamed. They did not know the ways of modesty to distinguish between good and evil. Although he [Adam] was given the wisdom to call [all the creatures] by name, he was not imbued with the evil inclination until he ate from the tree and the evil inclination entered him and he was able to distinguish good and evil.