“They heard [vayishme’u]”32The underlying question here is: It is impossible to understand “the voice of the Lord God” literally, as this would be ascribing physicality to God. – do not read it vayishme’u, but rather, vayashmiu [they made heard] – they heard the voice of the trees saying: ‘This is the thief who deceived his Creator.’33Vayashmiu means that they [the trees] made something heard to Adam and Eve.
Another interpretation: They heard the voice of the angels saying: ‘The Lord God is going to those in the garden.’34To punish them. The beginning of the verse should thus be translated: “They heard a voice [saying:] The Lord God is going into the garden.” Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak, Rabbi Levi said: [The angels said:] ‘Is the one in the garden to die [met]?’35Mithalekh is interpreted as two words: Is he going to die [met], that man walking [holekh] in the garden?
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Is he to die [met], for having gone off [halakh] on his own way? That is astonishing. The Holy One blessed be He said to them: “With the day breeze [ruaḥ]” – the expansion [revaḥ] of the day. I will make this day alive for them.
This is what I said to him: ‘“As on the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:17), but you do not know whether I meant one of My days or one of your days. But I will grant him one of My days, which is one thousand years.’36Psalms 90:4. He lived nine hundred and thirty years,37Genesis 5:5. and left seventy years for his descendants. That is what is written: “The days of our lives in it are seventy years” (Psalms 90:10).
“With the day breeze [ruaḥ]” – He judged them by the eastern direction [ruaḥ] – by the direction that rises with the day.38The sun. Zavdi ben Levi said: He judged them by the western direction – by the direction that sets with the day. According to Rav’s opinion, [this means that] He treated him harshly, for as long as the day rises it gets hotter. According to Zavdi ben Levi, He treated him leniently, for as long as the day is setting, it gets cooler.
“The man and his wife hid” – Rav Aivu said: His [Adam’s] stature diminished and it became [a mere] one hundred cubits.39Originally he had been much taller. See Bereshit Rabba 8:1. “[The man and his wife hid …] among the trees [etz] of the garden” – this is an allusion to his descendants who would be placed in wooden [etz] caskets.40Because of his sin.