Adam HaRishon, Part 2

B"H

Note: Please find "Adam HaRishon, Part 1" here:

http://shearim.blogspot.com/2008/09/adam-harishon-part-1.html
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The subject "Adam HaRishon – The first Man" an important issue before Rosh HaShana. Of course, not only before Rosh HaShana but especially then, as Adam was created on the sixth day of Creation with comes out on Rosh HaShana.

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 38a asks why G – d didn't already create Adam on the first day of Creation. Why only at the end ? One of the various answer the Talmud suggests is if G – d had created Adam on the first day, heretics could claim that G – d didn't create everything alone but had a partner. On the other hand, one can argue that not everything was created on the first day. How should Adam have been able to live; without plants, sustenance and everything else a human beings need to survive ? But didn't G – d create and put him into Gan Eden (Paradise) on the sixth day of Creation ?

Until today, no one in this world is fully able to explain the concept of "Gan Eden". Is Gan Eden a physical existing place or just an unbelievable high soul level ? It says in Midrash Rabbah that Paradise (Gan Eden) was already created on the third day and thus, Adam could have been created earlier.

There are different interpretations regarding the "Tree of Knowledge – Etz HaDa'at Tov ve'Rah"; what kind of fruit exactly did Adam and Chava (Eve) eat ? One thing is for sure, it wasn't an apple but otherwise, many opinion exist. In the Talmud as well as in the Midrash. Some commentators say that the tree actually was a wheat tree, other say a grape tree. Adam and Chava ate grapes representing the concept of drunkenness. Were the two of them drunk ? Furthermore, figs and Etrogim (citrus) are being discussed.

When Adam and Chava ate from the tree, they did so without saying any Beracha (blessing) for the food. How could they, as they weren't feeling too comfortable with breaking G – d's rules ? G – d had commanded them not to eat from the "Etz HaDa'at" and if the two first human beings had done so, they would have been allowed to eat from the tree on Shabbat anyway. G – d's plan was to give them anything on Shabbat. But, as it usually is, humans mostly want what they cannot have. However, Adam was supposed to be on the highest level a human being could ever be. As soon as he sinned, most of these high levels disappeared and until today, we spend our lives with Tikunim (soul rectifications) in order to bring the world back to its former high spiritual level. Those Tikunim our done by prayer and Mitzwot.

One of the most famous questions deals with the snake. Was it a real snake or just a concept for something else ? If the snake was just a concept, then why did it speak ?

There are two main definitions:

1. The snake was real. It says in Midrashic literature that in Gan Eden, snakes still walked on two legs and had a mind similar to ours today. Including speech.
The snake wanted Chava for sexual purposes to itself and, therefore, planned to get rid of Adam. Chava was to be convinced to eat from the tree; then Chava did the same with Adam an, as a punishment, G – d would kill Adam. The result would be that the snake has Chava to itself. The plan failed and the snake lost.

2. The snake was not real but stands as a symbol for something else. Gan Eden never existed in the physical but only in the metaphorical spiritual world. The snake rather represents the "Yetzer HaRah – evil side" of human beings. Chava stood in front of the tree and fought with herself if she should eat or not. She lost her inner conflict and ate. And, until today, this is the "snake" in each of us. We want to do the right thing and follow G – d's Mitwot but suddenly all these little doubts enter our minds. Maybe we should fulfill the Mitzwot later and first sit down and have breakfast. Maybe eating a cheeseburger is not that bad. In other words, we are able to find any justifications concerning our missing the Torah goal.

Chava could have been convinced as follows:
The snake (or whatever it was) came and wanted Chava to eat from the tree. Chava claimed that G – d had told them not to eat from the tree. The snake then pushed her against the tree and said that it doesn't do any harm touching the tree. And if she can touch the tree, she can eat its fruit.

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The whole story of Creation as well as Adam and Chava are the most complicated subjects / topics in our Torah. Nevertheless, Adam afterwards regretted his action und today, we can read his Teshuva prayer in many kabbalistic books (e.g. "Sefer Raziel HaMalach").