COMMENTARIES VERSES 15-18

Man in the Garden. Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard it (verse 15). The Midrash interprets this allegorically since the Torah mentioned above that the garden's trees grew of their own accord and the river provided the necessary irrigation. Instead, Adam was to work the garden through the study of the Torah and the performance of positive commandments and to guard it by refraining from forbidden activities (Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer: a book composed in Italy shortly after 830). This means that Man's task in this world is to serve God. If he does that, then his material needs will be satisfied, as Adam's were in Eden, for to think that only physical exertion can bring success is to believe in an illusion.

COMMENTARIES VERSES 18

עֵזֶר

EZER

This word means “Helper” and or “Succor.”

What is a “Helper”? A helper is a person, group, or entity that assists another with a task. Ether to make the task easier to accomplish, to finish it sooner, or to lessen the burden.

What is “Succor”? Succor gives assistance and support in times of hardship and distress. Also is one who gives aid.

כְּנֶגְדּוֹ

This Word translates to

1) what is conspicuous, what is in front of
adverb
2) in front of, straight forward, before, in sight of
3) in front of oneself, straightforward
4) before your face, in your view or purpose
with proposition
5) what is in front of, corresponding to
6) in front of, before
7) in the sight or presence of
8) parallel to
9) over, for
10) in front, opposite
11) at a distance
prep
12) from the front of, away from
13) from before the eyes of, opposite to, at a distance from
14) from before, in front of
15) as far as the front of

The word K’Neg’Do/כְּנֶגְדּוֹ is comprised of three words put together. The one is “כְּ,” which means “As.” Adding in the “וֹ” at the end gives the word the meaning of “for him.” The middle section is “נגדּ,” which means the above list of all 15 possible translations. This word appears 152 times in the Hebrew Bible. So, it is crucial to see how this word gets used in the Bible. Here are some examples.

Gen 21:16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off,

Gen 31:32 In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.

Gen 33:12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”

Exodus 19:2 There Israel encamped before the mountain

Numbers 2:2 They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.

Joshua 3:16 And the people passed over opposite Jericho.

Judges 20:34 And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them.

2 Samuel 22:25 And YHVH has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

It would seem that this word always shows the position of a person, people, or objects relative to another person, people, or objects. Sometimes, someone is shown in opposition to another, like in Judges 20:34, which says against. How would this change the translation?

From this:

“I will make him a helper K’Neg’Do/כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.”

To probably something like this:

“I will make him a helper for him who is always with him but willing to confront him if necessary.”

The Torah begins this verse by HaShem stating that “it is not good for Adam/Man to be alone.” However, the Torah does not simply say that HaShem made ADAM/Man a companion. Instead, the Torah describes what this companion will be, should be, or could be. Many words get put into this verse, like “helper suitable for him” or “helper comparable to him.” The list of words is endless.

So, this new creation will be a creation that helps and grants aid, according to the first word. This first word is easy enough to understand, but people try to give it a new meaning, like people stating that Eve is under Adam as a subservient. That is not what the definition of helper is. For example, a stronger military country grants aid or help a smaller country with a war. Or, two countries of equal military sizes band together to defeat an enormous threat. One does not necessarily have to be overseer over the other. Simply put, this new creation will grant aid under a partnership because if not, HaShem would not be concerned about ADAM’s/Man’s being alone if it were not a partnership. HaShem could have said that Adam/Man needed a servant or underling. For HaShem to say that ADAM/Man is not suitable for being alone means that men or women, for that matter, are not created to be alone. So, this new creation will be someone to alleviate that loneliness, and Adam/Man needs someone to share the burden, which would be with him through thick and thin, as they say. That brings us to the second word.

Would you say that everything is sunshine and flowers always in a marriage? Long-married couples would answer with a resoundingly no. The woman/אִשָׁה/Ishah is created to help and oppose her husband if said husband is not fulfilling his role in the relationship. She is there to oppose her man when he is wrong in the eyes of HaShem. A helper and an opposing power. Someone who will always be by his side, but not necessarily on his side if it comes to that. Then you may ask. How do you know that a man or a woman is good for each other? Rabbi Manis Friedman says this. If a woman meets a man and after starting to know him, she starts to relax, can be herself, and thinks, you know, I feel comfortable and protected; I don’t have to put up my defenses with this man. She says I do not want to oppose him; I want to be his helper; I feel feminine. Conversely, a man gets to know a woman, and he feels like he wants to protect this woman. He wants to provide anything she wants, and suddenly, he feels masculine, and she lets him. Then you know you got a match.

Something else Rabbi Manis Friedman says is that a man and a woman will never make it as a couple. What does this mean? It means that for two people to make it as a couple, they both have to want to cease to be a man and a woman. They must want to become a husband and a wife to each other. They have to go through this transformation into husband and wife willingly. A man or a woman are all for themselves, and they want to achieve their own goals. I want a car, I want a house, I want a better job. But when a man or a woman says I want to be a husband to this woman or a woman says I want to be a wife to this man. There is no longer what I want. It then transforms into We need a bigger car, a bigger house, our kids need this, and that. A husband and a wife are all about each other and the family, but if a man or woman still wants to party and go out with friends independently, marriage will never work. They are just not compatible or ready for marriage. But if a woman wants to be a wife to a man and a man wants to be a husband to a woman. That is a match. A man and a husband are not the same thing, neither a woman and a wife.

Rabbi Elazar (1st century Jewish Sage) said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I will make him a helpmate for him [kenegdo/כְּנֶגְדּוֹ]”? If one is worthy, his wife helps him; if he is not, she is against him.

The Gemara relates that Rabbi Yosei encountered Elijah the prophet and said to him: It is written: I will make him a helper K’Neg’Do. In what manner does a woman help a man? Elijah told him: When a man brings wheat from the field, does he chew raw wheat? When he brings home flax, does he wear unprocessed flax? His wife turns the raw products into bread and clothing. Is his wife not found to be the one who lights up his eyes and stands him on his feet?