Let's dive into one particularly rich passage from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. Specifically, we'll explore a section from Bereshit Rabbah 20, which unpacks the verse "And your desire shall be for your husband" (Genesis 3:16).
This verse, of course, comes right after the Fall, after Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge. It's part of the consequences, the new reality they face. But the Rabbis, they don't just see it as a punishment. They see layers upon layers of meaning.
The passage begins by identifying four key desires in the world. The first, naturally, is the desire of a woman for her husband, directly tied to the verse we’re examining. The text emphasizes this connection, stating, “The desire of a woman is only for her husband, as it is stated: ‘And your desire shall be for your husband.’”
But that’s just the beginning. What else drives us?
The passage continues, "The desire of the evil inclination is only for Cain and his counterparts, as it is stated: ‘[Sin crouches at the entrance,] and its desire is for you’ (Genesis 4:7)." Here, the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, is personified as a force that seeks to consume us, just as sin desired to overcome Cain. It's a potent image, isn't it? Sin, not just as an abstract concept, but as a crouching beast, hungry for our downfall.
Then, the text shifts to a more benevolent desire: "The desire of rain is only for the ground, as it is stated: ‘You remember the earth and fulfill its desire…[the streams of God are full of water]’ (Psalms 65:10)." This speaks to the life-giving force of nature, the way the earth craves nourishment and the heavens provide. It's a beautiful reminder of the interconnectedness of all things.
And finally, the passage reaches the most profound desire of all: "The desire of the Holy One blessed be He is only for Israel, as it is stated: ‘His desire is for me’ (Song of Songs 7:11)." This speaks to the special relationship between God and the Jewish people, a bond of love and longing. It's not about superiority, but about a deep, reciprocal yearning.
The text then delves even deeper into that last verse, "His desire [teshukato] [is for me]." It offers a play on words, linking teshukato to tashim (we are exhausted) and mekavim (we hope). The Rabbis suggest: "We are exhausted, but even though we are exhausted, we hope for the salvation of the Holy One blessed be He, and we declare the unity of His name each day." Even in our weariness, our hope and faith endure. Even when we feel depleted, we cling to the promise of redemption.
The passage returns to the original verse, "And your desire shall be for your husband," adding another layer of interpretation. "When a woman is sitting on the birthing stool, she says: ‘I will never be intimate with my husband anymore.’ But the Holy One blessed be He says to her: ‘You will return to your desire, you will return to desiring your husband.’" Childbirth is a transformative experience, both physically and emotionally. In the throes of labor, a woman might swear off intimacy forever. But the text suggests that desire, like life itself, has a way of returning.
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Simon, citing Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, offer a poignant explanation for the offering brought after childbirth: "Because her heart fluttered, that is why she brings a fluttering offering – two turtledoves or two young pigeons" (Leviticus 12:8). The offering mirrors the emotional upheaval, the fluttering heart, that accompanies childbirth.
Finally, the text addresses the second part of the verse, "And he shall rule over you." Rabbi Yosei HaGelili cautions against interpreting this as absolute dominion. He refers to Deuteronomy 24:5–6, which states that a man should "cheer his wife" and not "yaḥavol the upper and lower millstones." The Midrash interprets "yaḥavol" not just as taking something for collateral, but as injuring. The millstones, in this context, become a metaphor for the wife. Thus, the verse forbids physical aggression against one's wife.
The passage concludes with a story: "There was an incident involving a certain woman from the Tevaryanus family who was married to a robber, and her husband mistreated her. The Sages heard, and they went to her house to rebuke him. When she came before the Sages, she took out before them a golden candlestick with an earthenware lamp upon it, affirming what is stated: ‘And your desire shall be for your husband.’" Even in a difficult and abusive relationship, the woman's desire for her husband persisted. The golden candlestick and earthenware lamp symbolized the contrast between the refined and the coarse, perhaps reflecting the complexities of their relationship.
What do we take away from this intricate exploration of desire? It's a reminder that desire is a multifaceted force, present in every aspect of our lives, from the physical to the spiritual. It can be destructive, as in the case of the yetzer hara, but also life-giving, like the rain that nourishes the earth. And ultimately, it connects us to something larger than ourselves, to the divine desire that binds us all.