Why did Hashem ask Chavah what she did, even though He obviously knew already?
Seforno: To encourage her to do Teshuvah, since "Hashem does not want a Rasha to die" (Yechezkel 18:23). 1
Since Chavah was not yet created when Adam was issued the warning not to eat from the Etz ha'Da'as, why was she punished?
Ramban: Because she was part of Adam at that time, the warning automatically pertained to her as well. 1
Sanhedrin 38b: Chavah was created in the seventh hour, whereas Hashem commanded Adam not to eat in the ninth hour, in which case the Pesukim are not written in chronological order).
Why did Hashem not ask her why she ate from the Tree, like He asked Adam?
Ramban: Because He was also taking her to task for causing Adam to sin 1 (like the snake), although in her answer, she only referred to the sin of eating, since that was the major sin.
Ramban: We can learn from here , that someone who causes somebody else to sin will receive his due punishment.
What are the connotations of "ha'Nachash Hishi'ani" ?
Rashi #1: It means 'the snake tricked me'. 1
Rashi #2 (in Yeshayah 19:13) and Targum Yonasan: It means 'the snake enticed me (in his wisdom and tricked me in his wickedness' - Targum Yonasan). 2
Shabbos 146a: It means 'the snake was intimate with me'. 3
Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'G'ra: "Hishi'ani" is an expression of 'Hisnas'us' (haughtiness of heart, which leads man to investigate what he should not investigate. 4
Gur Aryeh: We might have thought to translate, it as ' ... enticed me', but that would not suffice as an excuse for why she sinned.
This is a perfect description of the Yeitzer ha'Ra - wise, and wicked.
Rashi (Ibid.): And "Hishi'ani" is from the root of Nisu'in.
See Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'G'ra.
