“Tell me, Rabi,” he began, “in the Torah it relates how the Almighty created the first woman. It says that He cast a deep sleep upon Adam and while he slept, He removed Adam’s rib and created from it the first woman.
“What I would like to know is why your G-d felt it necessary to cast a deep sleep on Adam. Why did He not perform this operation while he was awake?”
The Noblewoman Answers
Rabban Gamliel began to answer the scoffer when a noblewoman who was sitting nearby suddenly interrupted him.
“Allow me to answer this man if you will.”
She ordered her servant to bring her some raw meat from the kitchen and proceeded to go through the entire cooking process right before the eyes of the entire assemblage.
When she had finished the process, she took the meat and the ashes that still covered it and put it before the scoffer, saying:
“I have prepared for you a wonderful repast. Please eat.”
When the scoffer saw the plate he made a face and said:
“Forgive me, madam, but I must respectfully decline.”
“Why, sir,” asked the royal lady, “is not the meat of the highest quality and does not its fragrance water your mouth?”
“Indeed it is as you say, madam,” said the scoffer, “but to be quite blunt, the process of cooking it together with the ashes has repelled me.”
“Why, that is no problem,” said the noblewoman, “I will simply clean the ashes from the meat and you then can eat to your heart’s content.”
“Even so,” persisted the scoffer, “I still have no stomach for it. You see, having seen the entire process of the cooking with all the unsavory things that are part of it I cannot eat it even after it has been cleansed and looks good to eat. The very seeing and remembering it is too much for me.”
“Indeed, sir,” laughed the clever woman. “Is it not your very tongue that has now answered your own question to Rabban Gamliel?
“Consider how wise is the Almighty. If He had allowed Adam to see the process of His making of Eve, Adam would surely have been so repelled that he would have not wanted Eve even though she looked beautiful afterwards.
“Great indeed are the ways of the God of the Jews!”