The Tree of Knowledge/2/en
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The Tree of Knowledge
Exegetical Approaches
Sexual Desire
The fruit of the tree introduced sexual desire to mankind.
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. A variation of this approach could suggest that until this point
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"
"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:Ramban
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:Rambam, Ralbag
"וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים יֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע" – Rambam understands "" in the secular sense of the word to refer to political leaders.
Partial / Moral Knowledge
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. Hirsch,
