The Legs of the Primordial Serpent Were Cut Off as Punishment for Corrupting Man’s Emunah
I would now like to propose to this royal audience an intriguing idea. After Adam and Chava sinned by partaking of the Eitz HaDa’as on the malevolent advice of the nachash, the evil serpent was punished. HKB”H removed its legs forcing it to crawl on its belly. Additionally, He cursed it decreeing that there would always be enmity between it and man, as it is written (Bereishis 3, 14):
"ויאמר ה' אלקים אל הנחש כי עשית זאת ארור אתה מכל הבהמה ומכל חית השדה, על גחונך תלך ועפר תאכל כל ימי חייך, ואיבה אשית בינך ובין האשה ובין זרעך ובין זרעה, הוא ישופך ראש ואתה תשופנו עקב".
Hashem G-d said to the nachash, “Because you have done this, accursed are you beyond all the cattle and beyond all beasts of the field; upon your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will pound you on the head, and you will hiss at his heel.” Rashi comments: "רגלים היו לו ונקצצו"—it (the serpent) once had legs, which were later cut off. In other words, man will win out over the nachash by stomping on its head and crushing it; whereas the nachash will win out over man by biting man’s feet. So, why did HKB”H select this specific punishment for the nachash hakadmoni—to deprive it of its legs?
Based on what we have learned, we have a marvelous answer. It is apparent that the nachash succeeded in trapping Adam and Chava in its treacherous web by introducing heretical thoughts and doubts in Chava’s mind. As the passuk teaches us (ibid. 4): ד): "ויאמר הנחש אל האשה לא מות תמותון, כי יודע אלקים כי ביום אכלכם ממנו ונפקחו עיניכם והייתם כאלקים יודעי טוב ורע". The nachash said to the woman, “You will not surely die; for G-d knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like G-d, knowing good and bad.” Rashi explains: The nachash argued: “Every craftsman hates others of his craft; G-d ate from the tree and created the world. So, by eating from the tree, you will be like G-d, fashioners of the world.”
In order to undermine Adam and Chava’s emunah in Hashem, the nachash blasphemed Hashem. Thus, it impaired the midos of “netzach and hod,” the two pillars that support emunah in Hashem. Therefore, HKB”H punished the nachash measure for measure—“midah k’neged midah”—by excising its legs. Since then, there has been a life-and-death battle between the forces of kedushah and the forces of the “nachash hakadmoni.” They oppose the two legs of kedushah, represented by “netzach and hod,” that support and fortify our emunah in Hashem. The strategy of the nachash is to remove these legs from the forces of kedushah by spreading its propaganda of heresy to undermine the emunah in Hashem.
This was apparent in the crucial, momentous battle waged by the guardian angel of Eisav with Yaakov Avinu (ibid. 32, 25): "ויותר יעקב לבדו ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר, וירא כי לא יכול לו ויגע בכף ירכו ותקע כף ירך יעקב בהאבקו עמו". And Yaakov remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. Upon realizing that he could not overcome him, he struck a blow to the ball of Yaakov’s thighbone, and it became dislocated, as they wrestled. According to the Zohar hakadosh, the malach struck a blow to the left thigh associated with the midah of “hod.” In truth, however, the right thigh associated with the midah of “netzach” was also damaged. In keeping with this discussion, this battle was a continuation of the battle started by the “nachash hakadmoni” to undermine the emunah of Adam and Chava.
In conclusion, we have succeeded in shedding some light on the profound words of Chazal. They expounded on the opening passuk of the parsha: "אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאותם ביד משה ואהרן, זהו שאמר הכתוב נחית כצאן עמך ביד משה ואהרן". They are teaching us that in every generation, it is incumbent upon us to continue following the path blazed by Moshe and Aharon. They are the two prototypes of the midos of “netzach and hod,”—the two central support pillars of emunah in Hashem. For this reason, Ezra HaSofer deliberately arranged that this parsha will always be read during the three weeks of Bein HaMetzarim to reinforce our emunah in Hashem, so that in exile, we maintain the simple, unwavering, absolute emunah demonstrated by Moshe and Aharon. In this merit, we will merit the complete geulah, swiftly in our times! Amen.
