My Broken Fiat
  • Blog
  • About / Contact Me
    • My 'Reversion'
    • Why "MyBrokenFiat?"
  • The Archive
  • Prayers
  • Blog
  • About / Contact Me
    • My 'Reversion'
    • Why "MyBrokenFiat?"
  • The Archive
  • Prayers

Question Box Stumper - Adam and Eve

10/18/2011

2 Comments

 
Picture
So last Tuesday, I chose the Big Bang Theory question out of the question box.  While I was elated to delve into that with my students, I got smacked with a stumper at the tail end of that discussion. 

One of my kids shot her hand up and asked "Why did God create man before woman?"

I knew it would happen eventually.  My first stumper!  I took a moment and said, "That is a great question!  I honestly am not sure of the answer.  Looks like this is one we get to save for next week!"

She was triumphant.  She deserved to be.  All the questions that got sent my way this year have been cake.  To finally stump me... all the kids got excited.  Ha ha ha.  It was fun to see them so giddy.  The best part, though, is I know all of them will be looking forward to how I tackle it this week.  It's one of the reasons I love the question box so much.  I've always got something to get them psyched about coming back!

Anyway, this one really did stump me.  I talked it over with my Spiritual Director to gain some insight, but she had the same original reaction I did.  We both had a good laugh over it, but neither of us offered any "concrete" answer that would satiate (and not befuddle) 6th graders.

My original thought process was "Man was created in the image of God.  God, though "genderless" personifies the creative capacity of men moreso than the creative capacity of women.  Though women take part in creation, it's a more passive role - accepting into herself the life that man offers.  Mind you, I don't claim women are more passive in bearing forth life ('cause let me tell you, honey... we're about 1,000 times more active than men are in that regard).  However, in the simple act of creation, women are the passive recipients of the life force men actively give. 

Also, Adam may very well have come before Eve to solidify that God wishes men to be the heads of families. 

That's when it hit me... God didn't create man first.  God created man and woman at the same time.  After all, when God brought forth Eve, He brought her forth from the rib of Adam.  Eve, though not "alive" in the way we picture her - wandering around the garden getting hustled by a wily snake - existed within the bosom of Adam.  God wished of Adam to recognize the need for a true mate so that Adam would appreciate the gift when God deemed him ready to accept her. 

I then went and looked up the Hebrew versions of Adam and Eve.  Here's what I found:

Adam comes from the Hebrew word "adamah" which means "earth" (a hilarious note for Battlestar Galactica fans out there).  It also traces roots back to an Akkadian word, "adamu" meaning "to make."  Akkadian, by the way, is a defunct Semitic language, so it's no wonder it shares the sound of the Hebrew.

Eve (or Eva) comes from the Hebrew word "havah" or "chavah" meaning "to breathe" or "to live."

Keeping this in mind, it makes sense, then, that Adam (earth) already possessed the breath of life (Eve) within himself.  Until he was mature in both mind and spirit to appreciate understanding this gift, God with-held this knowledge from him.  Adam thus had to ask God for a mate (prayer, anyone?).  Only when Adam understood his need and God as the answer to that need did God cause Adam to sleep, thus enabling Him to "awaken" Adam, opening his eyes to the gift of woman that He chose to bless humanity with.

Okay, for real, how awesome is that?!  The Holy Spirit let me dangle for a whole week this time, but ya know what?  He knew the kids would be hounding me tonight, so He cut me a break.  :)  Three cheers for the Holy Spirit!  :)

2 Comments
Susan Adams link
10/19/2011 06:11:33 am

Wow Gina....What a great question to something I never even thought about. Great answer too!! Three cheers for the Holy Spirit is right. Can I be in your CCD class? Haha....I do go to RCIA now and am loving it, but I sure learned a lot from your answer to that question.....

Reply
Gina link
10/19/2011 08:07:05 am

Thanks, Susan! You can join in on my class anytime you'd like. ;)

Glad you're enjoying your RCIA classes. Keep me in the loop - I love hearing about that sorta stuff.

And yes, these kids ask some stellar questions. This one forced me to dig super deep to learn something new myself. One of the perks of teaching... us educators end up learning, too!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Top Rated Entries

    My Darkest Secret

    Do Animals Have Souls?

    10 Things a Parent of an SPD Kid Wants to Say

    Fun and Easy Lenten Crafts

    Tattoo Taboo

    Blessed Mother as Intercessor

    Loss of Life

    Women Priests II

    Animal Sacrifices

    Render Unto Caesar

    Veiling

    The Godparent Poem

    Broken Friendships

    Miscarriage Reflection

    NYT Anti-Catholic Ad

    Categories

    All
    180
    Abortion
    Adoption
    Adoration
    Adultery
    Agnosticism
    Angels
    Animals
    Annulment
    Apparitions
    Art
    Atheism
    Bahamas
    Baptism
    Blessed Mother
    Blessed-mother
    Blogging
    Books
    Boycott
    Breastfeeding
    Bullying
    Cafeteria Catholic
    Cafeteria Catholics
    Cats
    Ccd
    Celibacy
    Chaput
    Children
    Christmas
    Churches
    Confession
    Conscience
    Contests
    Contraception
    Cookies
    Corapi
    Crafts
    Creation
    Cross
    Defense Of Faith
    Depression
    Divine Mercy
    Divine Providence
    Divine-providence
    Divorce
    Dolan
    Donation
    Dreams
    Easter
    Education
    Eucharist
    Euthanasia
    Evangelization
    Family
    Feasts
    Food
    Forgiveness
    Free Will
    Friendship
    Fun
    Gaza
    Guest Post
    Hat Tip
    Health Care
    Heaven
    Hebrew
    Hhs
    Holy Week
    Homeschooling
    Homily
    Homosexuality
    Illumination
    Incarnation
    Incorruptibles
    Indulgences
    Infertility
    Inspiration
    Intentions
    Intercession
    Intercessions
    Interview
    Islam
    Jewelry
    Kidney
    Komen
    Language
    Lawsuit
    Lbm
    Lent
    Lightbulb Moments
    Liturgy
    Mandate
    Marriage
    Martyrs
    Mass
    Media
    Medjugorje
    Mercy
    Mexico
    Miracles
    Miscarriage
    Moderation
    Moses
    Motherhood
    Music
    Myla
    Nuns
    Old Testament
    Parenting
    Parishes
    Pedophilia
    Pentecost
    Persecution
    Personal
    Philadelphia
    Philly
    Pilgrimage
    Planned Parenthood
    Poetry
    Politics
    Poll
    Pope
    Prayer
    Pregnancy
    Priests
    Prophecy
    Propoganda
    Purgatory
    Question Box
    Quick Takes
    Random
    Recipes
    Reflections
    Relics
    Religious Freedom
    Reviews
    Ridiculous
    Rosary
    Sacrament
    Sacrifice
    Saint
    Saints
    Scandal
    School
    Science
    Seed
    Sewing
    Sexuality
    Sin
    Social Issues
    Social Issues
    SPD
    Spiritual Dryness
    St Anthonybd986ec1d5
    Steubenville
    Suffering
    Tattoos
    Terrorism
    TLM
    Triduum
    Trinity
    Trust
    Twa
    Vatican
    Veiling
    Veils
    Vincent
    Visionaries
    Wedding
    Women Priests

    Pages I Stalk

    A Woman's Place
    Dymphna's Road
    Real Catholic Love & Sex
    Having Left the Altar
    Fr. Z @ WDTPRS
    Spirit Daily
    These Stone Walls
    St. Joseph's Vanguard
    Catholic Sistas
    Catholic Icing
    Liturgical Time
    Traditional Latin Mass
    Shameless Popery
    Life Victorious
    Catholic Dads
    S'aint Easy
    Truth, Beauty and Goodness
    The Way Out There
    Written by the Finger of 
       God
    Little Catholic Bubble
    So You're a Church Musician
    There and Back Again
    Make It - Love It
    St. Monica's Bridge
    Seeking Renewal 
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    December 2010
    October 2010
    October 2005

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2021