The Tree of Knowledge/2/en

The Tree of Knowledge

Exegetical Approaches

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Sexual Desire

The fruit of the tree introduced sexual desire to mankind.

Sources:Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 2:9, 17Bereshit First Commentary 3:7Bereshit Second Commentary 2:9, 16-17Bereshit Second Commentary 3:7About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakBereshit 2:9Bereshit 2:17Bereshit 3:7About R. David Kimchi, AbarbanelBereshit 2:1About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel #1,

Meaning of the root "דעת" – These sources point to the many places in Tanakh where the root ידע connotes sexual relations¹ to suggest that here, too, the knowledge gained by the tree was the "intimate knowing" of two people, i.e. sexual desire.

Meaning of "טוֹב וָרָע" – Abarbanel claims that the "good and bad" refer to the fact that a proper amount of sexual desire can be positive but when the desire becomes excessive it is harmful.²

"...וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם" – Ibn Ezra and Radak points to this verse as proof of this position. After eating from the tree, the first thing that Adam and Chavvah gain awareness of was the fact of their nakedness.  Only with sexual desire did nakedness take on any import and lead to a feeling of embarrassment.³

"וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ" – The first deed done by Adam after our story is to have relations with his wife, a direct result of the new "knowledge" that he gained.

"הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע" – Ramban questions this approach from the fact that Hashem declared that in eating from the tree, man became similar to God.  Since Hashem does not have sexual desire, it would seem difficult to define the knowledge gained by the fruit in  such a manner.  Abarbanel responds that Hashem is referring to His role as Creator.  Sexual desire leads to procreation, and in this man is similar to Hashem who brings life to all.

Measure for measure punishment? Chavvah's punishment of pain in childbirth and always desiring her husband is an appropriate one if the sin related to sexual desire.  In fact, it could even be seen as a direct consequence of her deed rather than simply a punishment.

"וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ חַוָּה" – This position might suggest that the naming of Chavvah, which appears to interrupt the story, is actually integrally related to the sin.  It is now, with the introduction of sexual desire, that she becomes "אֵם כׇּל חָי".  It is possible that until the sin, mankind was not meant to procreate,⁴ but instead to eat from the tree of life and live forever.

"כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכׇלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת"

Eating from the Tree of Life

Free Will

Upon eating from the tree, humans attained the ability to choose between good and bad.  They were given free will.

Sources:RambanBereshit 2:9, 17Bereshit 3:7, 16, 22About R. Moshe b. Nachman

Subjective Knowledge or Moral Conventions

Before the sin, humans had objective knowledge of truths and falsehoods, knowledge gained by pure analytical reasoning.  Afterwards their intellectual level dropped and became the subjective knowledge of moral convention, knowledge gained by custom and empirical observation.

Sources:Rambam1 2About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim, Ralbag

"וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים יֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע" – Rambam understands "" in the secular sense of the word to refer to political leaders.

Partial / Moral Knowledge

Sources:R. Saadia GaonCommentary Bereshit 2:17Commentary Bereshit 3:1Commentary Bereshit 3:22About R. Saadia Gaon, R. D"Z HoffmannBereshit 2:17Bereshit 3:7Bereshit 3:22About R. David Zvi Hoffmann

Objective Knowledge

Sources:Cassuto

Appreciation of Aesthetics

Sources:? Rashbam

No New Knowledge

The fruit of the tree did not change the intellect of man at all.

Sources:Midrash Tadshe, R. HirschBereshit 2:9About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch,

¹ For a few of many examples, see Bereshit 4:1, 4:17, 4:25, and 19:5.

² He, in fact, claims that the tree aroused sexual desire just by looking or feeling it, actions which Hashem did not prohibit knowing that a small amount of desire would be beneficial to man and lead him to couple with his wife. 

³ Beforehand they were like toddlers who are not inhibited to take off their clothing in public.

⁴ It should be noted that Abarbanel explicitly disagrees and claims that Adam and Chavvah were meant to cohabit and bear children regardless.