“The Lord God built the side that He had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:22). “The Lord God built [vayiven] the side” – Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Understanding [bina] was inserted in her, more than in man, as we learned:1Mishna Nidda 5:6. A girl who is aged eleven years and one day, her vows are examined;2She is probed to determine whether or not she fully understands the import and consequences of vows. at age twelve years and one day her vows take effect [without examination].
And she is examined during her entire twelfth year.3From her eleventh birthday to her twelfth. A boy who is aged twelve years and one day, his vows are examined; at age thirteen years and one day his vows take effect [without examination]. And he is examined during his entire thirteenth year.4This shows that girls mature earlier than boys. Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak: Some reverse it;5Some hold that boys mature intellectually at twelve and girls at thirteen. the woman typically sits inside her house, while a man typically goes out to the marketplace and gains understanding from [interaction with other] people.6That is why, although girls certainly mature physically earlier than boys, it is boys who have the intellectual advantage.
According to this opinion, vayiven must be given a different interpretation. Rabbi Aivu, and some say it in the name of Rabbi Benaya, and he taught it in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: He [God] adorned her [Eve] like a bride and then brought her before him [Adam]. There are places where they call braiding hair binyata.7And that is what is meant by vayiven. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Do you think that He brought her to him under a carob or under a sycamore?8With no adornment.
It was only after He adorned her with twenty-four types of ornaments9See Isaiah 3:18–24. that He brought her to him. That is what is written: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your canopy: Ruby, topaz…” (Ezekiel 28:13). The Rabbis and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, the Rabbis said: There were ten [canopies],10There are ten precious items listed in the aforementioned Ezekiel verse. and Rabbi Shimon said: Eleven. [This is because] Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, both of them say: When there is a generalization followed by details, the generalization is meant to add on something to the details, so that the word “every” is also included.11It is intended to add one more item to those listed explicitly.
“Every precious stone was your canopy” is the generalization; “Ruby, topaz and clear quartz, beryl…” are the details, and the word “every” is included: “Every precious stone was your canopy.”12This is why Rabbi Shimon said there were eleven canopies. Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Simon, one said: There were nine [canopies], and one said: Ten. The one who said ten, it is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis.13In the previous paragraph.
The one who says that there were nine, [this is because] the gold mentioned here14It is the final item on the list. is not one of the canopies.15Rather, it was given to Adam to put to his own use. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He made the [canopy’s] walls of gold and the roofing of gems and pearls. Rabbi Elazar bar Bisena said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: He even made hooks of gold for it.