Parashat Bereshit tells the well-known episode of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. This event is particularly striking, given that Adam had received a direct command from God not to eat from the tree.
It’s one thing for us to claim ignorance when we fail to adhere to the system of mitzzvot, but how was it possible for Adam and Eve to get it so wrong after they had received a clear communication from The Creator. The answer, in short, is the immense danger of inaccurate communication.
God’s instruction to Adam was to not eat from the tree. Nothing else. But, in an effort to be cautious, Adam added an extra layer of protection by telling Eve that God had said that they should not even touch the tree. But Adam’s warning was the Achilles heel that allowed the serpent to exploit the primoridial couple..
When it approached Eve, she reported what she had heard from her husband: “We’re not allowed to touch it.”
According to the Midrash, the serpent then pushed Eve against the tree, exclaiming, “You see! You touched it and nothing happened!” The door was open for the serpent to further manipulate her by claiming, “God only wants you to avoid that tree to protect His own position. Do you know where God got the power to create the world? By eating from that tree! That’s why He wants everyone else to stay away!”
So The serpent continued, “Why not eat from it, too?” Eve ate. Adam ate. The couple were banished from the garden and death descended into the world.
It is clear that Adam’s decision to prohibit touching the tree was a reasonable precaution against the dangers it represented. We all know how important it is to have safety barriers around hazardous areas and to place tamper-proof seals on our medicine boxes.
Adam’s intentions were good as he was aiming to safeguard against disobendience. However, his error lay in failing to clarify to Eve the crucial difference between God’s command and his own precautionary measure. Had it been clear that Adam, with the best intentions, had tacked on his own stringency, Eve would have surely shut down the serpent’s cunning plan.
This distinction is why the sages have always emphasised the difference between the Torah’s laws and the stringencies that rabbinic law has put into place to ensure that we don’t come to violate them. While we understand that the stringencies are important, there is always the danger that people will misinterpret what is actually vital and what is not.
Rabbi Benjy Morgan
This year’s sidrah columnists for 5785 are:
Rabbi Benjy Morgan, chief executive, the Jewish Learning Exchange
Rabbi Natasha Mann, New London Synagogue
Rabbi Dr Harris Bor, research fellow, the London School of Jewish Studies
Rabbi Miriam Lorie, Kehillat Nashira, Borehamwood: JOFA UK rabbinic scholar
Rabbi Paul Freedman, senior rabbi, Radlett Reform Synagogue
