What is the significance of the order in which Hashem took them to task - first the Nachash, then Chavah, then Adam?
Berachos 61a: When it comes to the realm of curses, one begins with the smallest in importance and goes upwards. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 8.
Why did Hashem not ask the snake why he sinned (like He asked Adam and Chavah)?
What are the ramifications of the statement, "Arur Atah mi'Kol ha'Beheimah ... "?
Rashi: Commenting on the need to add "the wild beasts", Chazal explain that, just as the pregnancy of the domesticated animals lasts seven times as long as that of wild beasts, 1 so too, does the pregnancy of a snake last seven times as long as domesticated animals 2 - seven years, as opposed to one.
Seforno: From now on the snake would attain its desires and its needs with difficulty and in a less pleasurable way than all other creatures, 3 as it goes on to explain, "You will crawl on your belly". 4
Sotah 9b: Based on the principle that someone who tries to obtain what is not his, will lose what he already has, Ha'Kadosh-Baruch-Hu declared, 'I said that the snake would be the king of all the animals, that he would walk upright and that it would eat the same food as Adam. Now that it planned to kill Adam and marry Chavah, it is accursed more than all the animals, that it will crawl on its belly and it will eat earth!'
Gur Aryeh: The Gemara states that the gestation of a cat (classified as a Chayah) is 52 days, while that of a donkey (the longest term among Behemah) is one year (365 = approx. 52x7). If so, the gestation of a snake is 7 years.
But this is a punishment only for female snakes! Therefore, He added, "you will crawl on your belly and eat earth", which applies also to males. These were Midah k'Neged Midah, since it caused Adam's height to be lowered, and that he would return to earth (Moshav Zekenim).
As the Gemara states in Kidushin 62a, 'Have you ever seen an animal or bird with a profession? Yet, they are sustained without difficulty!' Not so the snake.
Commenting on the words, "And you will eat earth", the Seforno adds - 'You will not attain the pleasures that you would have enjoyed before you sinned - eating and drinking and being intimate. The same happened to a certain extent to Yisrael after the Churban, as the Gemara records in Sotah 48a-49a; Sanhedrin 75a.
What are the connotations of "ve'Afar Tochal Kol Yemei Chayecha"?
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It means literally, that earth will be its staple diet.
Seforno: Refer to 3:14: 2:2. 'You will not attain the pleasures that you would have enjoyed before you sinned - eating and drinking and being intimate. 1
Chizkuni: It means that the snake will always need to search for virgin soil.
It means that whatever it eats will taste like earth. Refer to 3:14:151:1 & 2.
Seforno: And the same happened to a certain extent to Yisrael after the Churban, as the Gemara records in Sotah 48a-49a and in Sanhedrin 75a..
Eating earth seems to be a benefit for the snake; its food is always available!
Moshav Zekenim (from Yoma 75a) #1: Even if it eats the tastiest food, it tastes earth 1 . Also, it will need to toil as much as other animals.
Moshav Zekenim (from Yoma 75a) #2, from Midrash Agadah: It does not feel satisfied until it eats earth.
Pesikta Zutresa: Indeed, this is a blessing amidst its curse. 2
Rav Elyashiv (to Chulin 10a): If everything tastes the same to a snake, why are only four liquids forbidden if they were exposed? It should drink anything! Perhaps this curse applies only to eating, but not to drinking, like Aderes Eliyahu says here. Or, initially it tastes the food [or drink], just while chewing and swallowing it tastes earth. (Ha'amek Davar says that it tastes food, but also earth. This answer fits better with Midrash Agadah (Naso 5:17), that we put earth on Mei Sotah, so she will taste earth, like the snake was cursed. - PF)
Perhaps this is like the difference between Eretz Mitzrayim and Eretz Yisrael (Devarim 11:10-11). Eretz Yisrael depends on rain, which forces us to turn to Hashem (just like in the Midbar, people did not have food for tomorrow, so they turned their hearts to Hashem - Yoma 76a). Mitzrayim relies on the Nile (and does not turn to Hashem). Similarly the snake does not turn to Hashem, unlike other animals - "Einei Chol Elecha Yesaberu..."! (Tehilim 145:15) (PF)
What does "Kol Yemei Chayecha" include?
R. Bechayei: It will eat dirt even in the days of Mashi'ach. We derive this from the Mitzvah to remember Yetzi'as Mitzrayim "Kol Yemei Chayecha" (Devarim 16:3; Berachos12b).
Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'G'ra: It will not be cured (i.e. able to walk again) even when others are cured in the days of Mashi'ach.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "The snake could have responded, 'Should one heed the words of the teacher, or of the student (i.e., Adam and Chavah ought not to have listened to me)!'" Mizrachi asks - a. the Torah does give a penalty to the Mesis (one who entices another towards idolatry (Devarim 13: 7-12)); and such a claim does not help him; b. The claim seems to be irrelevant here, as Chavah was misled, akin to a Shogeg (unintentional sin); as such the only guilty party was the snake itself?
Mizrachi: a. Hashem could have given the snake a chance to speak, even though its argument was insufficient, even if only to remove any later complaint; b. Chavah was fully aware that Hashem had forbidden eating from the Eitz ha'Da'as; the snake only misled her as to why Hashem might have forbidden it.
Gur Aryeh: a. A Mesis towards idolatry is liable to punishment for the act of enticement itself, irrespective of whether the victim takes the bait and sins, or not. 1 It is therefore irrelevant for a Mesis to argue that the victim should not have listened; for he is liable for his own deed. Here, on the other hand, the snake was being punished for the result of having caused man to sin; and he could have made this argument - had he been given the chance. b. An enticed party is in fact deemed willful (Meizid), and is liable to punishment, as was Chavah in this case.
Gur Aryeh: This is in fact the Halachah (Rambam Hilchos Avodas Kochavim 5:1).
Rashi writes: "From here we learn that we do not argue on behalf of a Mesis." While the court does not go out of its way to find a reason to exempt him, certainly if they know a clear reason to acquit him, they must do so?
Gur Aryeh: As a Mesis, the snake is deemed guilty unless he himself makes the claim (that Adam and Chavah should not have listened); the court will not make any claim on his behalf.
Rashi writes: "'You shall move on your belly' - [The snake previously] had legs, and they were chopped off." What is the source for this?
Gur Aryeh: If the snake never had legs to begin with, what was its curse now? Rather, we learn from this Pasuk that it used to have legs, and they were now removed.
