Another myth to debunk. Where does it state that Eve was taken from Adam’s rib? Not in my version of the Torah. Or in any version of the Torah for that matter.
The word that appears in the verses that teach the formation of Eve is “tzela” (see Gen. ch. 2, verses 21 and 22). This word is never found in the Torah to bear any relationship to a bone of the chest – a rib. It is the Biblical word for “side” - as Rashi, Rabbi S. R. Hirsh, and others all point out.
Adam and Eve were originally created as one single unit with two “sides”. After the original creation of this unit with a “dual nature”, Eve was separated from a “side” and was formed to exist as a distinct and individual being.
An interesting observation is made by Rabbi Hirsh regarding the different ways in which Adam and Eve were made and the ramifications of this difference. Adam was created in a one-step act. He was the result of the direct handiwork of the Creator. The additional step of separating Eve, however, resulted in further “refinement” in certain ways. For example, she was “enhanced” in her singing voice, physical beauty, temperament and physical maturation. But, clearly, they were both created as equal human beings.
