My question is out of the book of Genesis. The description of the "rib" being taken out and used to fashion Eve. I was told the word rib in this content from a Rabbi that this would also have the meaning of a "side chamber" or chamber. It could be read as God took the side chamber out of Adam and made Eve. This side chamber alluded to the reproductive system that Adam held inside of him. As the scripture say both male and female they were made. Is this possible that Adam meaning all mankind had both parts in him from the beginning and God had to put him to sleep to remove this part to enhance and complete the command to be able to reproduce and be fruitful?
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1ou.org/jewish_action/12/2007/…– Double AA ♦Commented Sep 29, 2013 at 2:02
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Related.– msh210 ♦Commented Oct 2, 2013 at 8:21
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1 Answer
There are midrashim that speak of Adam and Chava being a single unit before Chava was separated from Adam. The cryptic nature of the pasuk could lead us to think of Adam and Chava as being one (Bereishit 1:27):
וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ: זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, בָּרָא אֹתָם.
The next statement about separating Chava is as follows (Bereishit 2:22):
וַיִּבֶן יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הַצֵּלָע אֲשֶׁר-לָקַח מִן-הָאָדָם, לְאִשָּׁה; וַיְבִאֶהָ, אֶל-הָאָדָם.
Rabbi S. R. Hirsch (a champion of etymology) notes that the word הַצֵּלָע does not refer to a rib, but rather a 'side'. R' Hirsch makes no mention of this referring to reproductive organs. He also mentions that there are no instances in Tanach which refer to הַצֵּלָע as being a rib.
