Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 3/0

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Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 3

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Knowledge of Good and Evil

Tools

Concordance – By using the concordance one can explore the usage of both the root "ידע" and the phrase "ידע טוב ורע" to gain further insight into the nature of the knowledge granted by the Tree of Knowledge and acquired by Adam and Chavvah..

  • By double clicking on the word "ידע" in the Mikraot Gedolot Bereshit 3:5, one can find Biblical parallels that demonstrate the various connotations of knowledge in Tanakh.  This root word can relate to: a) skilled knowledge b) intent or will c) knowledge of God and d) sexual knowledge.
  • One can then click on “יֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע” in the same verse to see parallels to this phrase in Tanakh:

Primary Sources

Almost all commentators question the nature of the knowledge granted by the tree.

  • Ibn Ezra, Radak, Abarbanel – These exegetes all suggest that the fruit of the Tree introduced sexual desire to mankind.
  • Rashi, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Ramban and R. Y"S Reggio – According to these commentators, upon eating from the Tree, humans acquired an inclination to do evil (יצר הרע), thereby giving them the free will to choose between good and bad.
  • U. Cassuto, Rambam, Ralbag  – According to these commentators, partaking from the Tree affected the intellect of man, either increasing man's intellectual knowledge or introducing subjective (and not simply objective) knowledge.
  • R. D"Z Hoffmann – The tree granted moral knowledge. After eating from it, universal concepts of right and wrong were instilled in mankind.

Articles

  • See The Tree of Knowledge for an overview of different understandings of what constituted knowledge of good and evil.

Adam and Avraham

Many Midrashim, commentators, and contemporary authors have noted the connections between the stories of Adam and Avraham.

Primary Sources

  • Bereshit Rabbah 14:6 – The Midrash suggests that Avraham was worthy of being the first man, but was created after Adam only so that he could be a corrective to his sins.

Articles

Gan Eden and Shir Hashirim

Articles and Lectures

Adam and Kayin

The first two stories about man are tales of egregious sins of different sorts.

Primary Sources

Articles