What are the ramifications of "Lo Tov Heyos ha'Adam Levado"?
Yevamos 61b: Even a man who has many children is not permitted to live without a wife, because the Torah writes "Lo Tov ... ". 1
Yevamos 62a: It teaches us that a man who does not have a wife lives a life devoid of goodness. 2
Oznayim la'Torah: "Lo Tov" means that it is not good for the world, since the love and compassion that a man bears his wife and children serve as a conduit, instilling in him the Midah of love and compassion towards his fellow man. 3
See Torah Temimah, note 40.
Yevamos, ibid.: And devoid of Berachah; as the Navi writes in Yechezkel 44:30, "l'Hani'ach Berachah el Beisecha." See Torah Temimah, note 41.
See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates
Why was it 'not good' for Adam to be a single creation? Why was it necessary to create Chavah?
Rashi: So that it should not be said that there are two deities (Chas ve'Shalom) - seeing as Hashem has no partner in Heaven, and Adam had no partner on earth (bearing in mind that all other creatures were created male and female).
Ramban #1 (and Targum Yonasan): Because Hashem created all living things male and female, so that they should procreate (even the trees and the plants contain seeds for that purpose). It is not therefore befitting for Adam to remain single without a wife with whom to procreate. 1
Ramban #2: The problem lay in the fact that Chavah (although she was not yet called by that name) was attached to Adam, and it was preferable that she should be an independent person, to join together if and when they wished. Consequently, the stress is on the words "Eizer ke'Negdo" - 'a helpmate opposite him.' 2
Seforno: Because, unless Adam has a partner to see to his material needs, he would be unable to fulfill the spiritual goals for which he was created.
The Ramban is an extension of the Seforno - See answer #4 - Yet according to the Ramban, it was not a question of creating a helpmate for Adam - since Chavah was already created as part of him, but of her being separated from him to become an independent person.
The Ramban cites this explanation according to the opinion (in Berachos 61a), that Adam and Chavah were created together as one unit, and were capable of procreating internally.
What are the implications of the (otherwise superfluous) word "E'eseh lo Eizer ke'Negdo"?
Rashi (citing Yevamos 13a): In fact, "ke'Negdo", (which can mean 'against him') clashes with the meaning of "Eizer" ('a helpmate'). Consequently, what the Torah is hinting here is that if man is worthy, his wife will be a helpmate; but if he is not, then she will be a hindrance.
Ramban: Refer to 2:18:1:3.
Seforno: In order for Chavah to serve as a helpmate, she had to be largely similar to him 1 (like an object on a scale, that weighs the same as the weight at the other end).
Maharal (Chidushei Agados, Vol. 3, p. 106, in Bava Basra 74a): Woman completes man, not in the sense of her physical assistance by providing his needs, nor in her bearing children, but rather in the existential sense. A lone person is deficient, and is made whole by his spouse; each one complements the other. 2
Yevamos 63a: 'When a man brings wheat from the field, does he eat wheat? When he brings in flax, does he wear flax? - (Of course not! It is his wife who prepares the bread and weaves his clothes). Does it not transpire that his wife causes his eyes to sparkle and stands him on his feet!" 3
Yevamos 63a: See answer #1. Alternatively, if a man is worthy, his wife will be 'K'Negdo' - opposite him (to work together him); but if he is not, then she will be a 'ke'Nigdo' - against him.
If a wife can be "ke'Negdo", why is it better than being alone?
Oznayim la'Torah #1: Because to be alone is certainly not good, whereas a wife has a fifty-percent chance of being an Eizer ('Ein Safek Motzi mi'Yedei Vaday').
Oznayim la'Torah #2: "Ke'Negdo" means that, if he strays from the path, she will correct him and lead him back. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: Like the wife of On ben Peles in the episode of Korach (see Sanhedrin 109b).
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'It is not good that man should be alone' - so that it not be said that there are two powers...." But seemingly, the main reason that man needed a mate was in order to reproduce?
Gur Aryeh: Chazal understood that something was "not good" relating the essence of man's creation. Having children is merely incidental to man's creation, whereas Adam being the only intelligent being in the lower realms relates to his definition.
Rashi writes: "So that it not be said that there are two powers...." How can this be explained?
Gur Aryeh #1: It would be fitting that there be one man in the lower realms, for man is unique as the only intelligent being there. But taking the upper realms into account, it would be completely unfitting for man to be alone, for only Hashem is One. Therefore, man needed to have a mate.
Gur Aryeh #2: The expression "not good" means being distanced from Hashem, Who is the Ultimate Good. The phrase specifically refers to idolatry. 1 Rashi therefore explains that Adam being alone would lead to an essential heresy against Hashem's Unity.
Maharal (Tif'eres Yisrael Ch. 40, p. 125): It is impossible that any other entity can be whole, lacking for nothing; as only Hashem is One and perfect. Hashem therefore created man with a mate, so that he would not be taken as a god. 2
Rav Hartman (Mechon Yerushalayim edition of Gur Aryeh) cites Yeshayah 65:2.
Also see Maharal (Netzach Yisrael Ch. 3, p. 16).
Rashi writes: "'A helpmate, opposite him' (Eizer, ke'Negdo) - If he merits it, [she will be] a helpmate; if he does not merit it; [she will] oppose him and do battle!" What does this mean?
Gur Aryeh #1: The verse should be explained, "a helper, [of the sort] that corresponds to him." Unlike a father who helps a son (or son to father), man and woman are on equal standing. 1 Thus, a father and son do not [naturally] oppose each other; while a husband and wife who are not worthy can find themselves in complete opposition. 2
Gur Aryeh #2: Male and female are opposites. If they merit it, Hashem gets involved, for only Hashem can unite opposing forces and make peace between them. 3 Otherwise, opposites will be in conflict.
Gur Aryeh: E.g., in running the home, they form a partnership; the husband brings home, and his wife prepares it.
It seems that Gur Aryeh was bothered that in its simple explanation, "Eizer k'Negdo" is one phrase, yet the Midrash interprets it as two alternate possibilities. He therefore explains that the potential for opposition stems from the nature of her help. (EK) Also note that the Ta'amei ha'Mikra do in fact separate the two words; this supports the Midrash. (CS)
Refer to 15:7:151.1:2**.
