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)

אָמַר 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: 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.