325. On the day THAT ADAM WAS BORN, they were commanded concerning a certain tree, THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, but they transgressed the commandment of their Master. Since the woman was the first to sin and the serpent came in to her, it is written, "And he shall rule over you" (Beresheet 3:16). From then on, whenever men were guilty before the Holy One, blessed be He, we explained that women, who are on the side of severe Judgment, would rule over them on the side of severe Judgment. Hence, it says, "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them" (Yeshayah 3:12) and surely women rule over them.

326. Those WOMEN are called "the bright blade of a revolving sword" (Beresheet 3:24). It is not that they themselves are the revolving sword, but they are the sharp brightness coming from the sword, called "a sword...that shall avenge My covenant" (Vayikra 26:25) and "the sword of Hashem is filled with blood" (Yeshayah 34:6). The bright blade revolves, so that it is sometimes men and sometimes women, as we have already understood.

327. Woe to the world when women rule over the world. When a prophet in Yisrael saw Yisrael deviating from their way, and are sinful before their Master, he said, "You women that are at ease" (Yeshayah 32:9) how can you be still, how can you sit without stirring in the world? "Rise up" AND RULE OVER MEN. We explained this verse elsewhere, and the friends explained it.

328. They spoke only of instances such as we find in Deborah, as written, "She judged Yisrael at that time" (Shoftim 4:4). We therefore learned that woe is to man, whose wife says grace for him at his table; NAMELY, THAT SHE SPEAKS FOR HER HUSBAND WHEN SAYING GRACE, SINCE HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DO IT. So was Deborah, who judged Yisrael at that time. Woe to the generation in which there is no one to judge the people, but a woman.