Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 25 Tishri, 5784
Parsha Bereshit: (Genesis 1:1 – 6:18)
Third Portion: Genesis 2:20- 3:21
So today’s portion is really interesting and there are two main focal points.
First, we are learning about how “Eve” was created (Spoiler – NOT her real name).
Remember yesterday, Hashem created a helpmate for us – so we wouldn’t be alone? Here is the text Genesis 2:18-19):
18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man is alone; I shall make him a helpmate opposite him.”
19 And the Lord God formed from the earth every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens, and He brought [it] to man to see what he would call it, and whatever the man called each living thing, that was its name.
Notice. It did not say “man” was lonely. And the Hebrew word here for “man” (Adam) is more translated to “Humanity” in my opinion. Because I think what I am about to share may blow some people’s minds – but there is a good chance “Adam” was a hermaphrodite – both male and female. And we will get to that in a minute.
Hashem created “helpers” for Adam. But Adam was looking outside for help – and didn’t consider what was within. So today’s portion begins with Adam complaining to Hashem that there was no actual helpmate.
So did Hashem set us up? Hashem created all these animals to help us. But it wasn’t enough for us. We complain.
Next we see in today’s portion the following text (From Genesis 2:21-25):
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon man, and he slept, and He took one of his sides, and He closed the flesh in its place.
22And the Lord God built the side that He had taken from man into a woman, and He brought her to man.
23And man said, “This time, it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called Ishah (woman) because this one was taken from Ish (man).”
24Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
25Now they were both naked, the man and his wife, but they were not ashamed.
So. Sit with this passage. Reread it. And before we move forward? Reflect. What do you notice? Be curious!
I’ll wait.
Ok. Here is what I notice:
- “took one of his sides” –
- We often think of “ribs.” Because…well…Christianity.
- However, if Adam was a hermaphrodite and had masculine and feminine spiritual, emotional, and physical components all contained within (remember Adam was made in the image of Hashem – “let US make man in OUR image.”), “sides” could mean Hashem LITERALLY took the physical side of Adam that was female and separated it out from the one physical body. This was a PHYSICAL separation – not an emotional or spiritual one.
- We know this because we are talking about FLESH.
- And HERE we get the word that separates man and woman. It is NOT Adam and Eve. Its Ish and Ishah. Or Adam and Ishah.
- However, Adam gives Ishah an ACTUAL name at the end of this passage AFTER the fall (which we will talk about shortly).
I also believe that when Adam and Ishah are created within them STILL existed the masculine and feminine energies. The ONLY thing separated was flesh. Physical.
I’ll pause for you to chew on this.
But let’s keep going.
We now go to the story of the apple and the tree. Spoiler alert – THERE WAS NO APPLE.
So Adam and Ishah were both naked and unashamed.
The serpent was “cunning” – more cunning than all the beasts of the field. And HERE we get a curious question that the serpent asks Ishah:
- (Genesis 3:1) “Did God indeed say, ‘You shall not eat of any of the trees of the garden?'”
This is a SEEMINGLY curious question – “did God REALLY say?” However, it came from a place of manipulation.
But Ishah’s reaction is one of defensiveness. She is NOT resolved. She engages with the serpent and her defensiveness and doubt leads to LITERALY judgment. She ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She took upon herself and made the CHOICE to judge – and not be curious.
I don’t know about you, but I relate to Ishah in this moment. BECAUSE. The feminine is ALSO within my male body. How often have I been defensive when people ask curious questions? But even if the motives are for manipulation – I have a literal choice. Judge or stay curious. Eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or remain curious back.
So her defensiveness causes her to eat. To judge. She gave some to Adam – who was with her – and he also ate. He judged. He remained silent.
And. Here we see man’s first fragile masculinity appear. Remaining silent in the face of judgment.
Ishah got defensive (like we all do) when faced with curious questions. Ish remained silent (like we all do) when faced with judgment.
And immediately I think of the conflict in the middle east right now.
- A lot of what I see is judgment and silence. On both sides.
- I don’t see curiosity.
But that’s another blog for another time. Let’s get back to the portion.
So Ishah and Adam eat the fruit. They judge, because they NOW KNOW good and evil.
And immediately, they realize. They are naked. And. The descent to slavery continues.
Instead of being CURIOUS about their nakedness? They judge. They feel embarrassed and shame. Probably NOT because of the nakedness, but because of the choice they made to judge. They are now judging THEMSELVES. And to cover up this shame – which exposed their nakedness? They cover the nakedness.
Wow – they missed the point. And so do we. How often, when we JUDGE (ourselves and others) do we try to cover it up -instead of focusing on the judgment? Releasing the judgment and remaining curious. THIS is the lesson (in my opinion).
And now? Hashem confronts Ishah and Adam.
Hashem asks them “where are you?” Which is a curious question for God who knows all. Hashem knew. The question wasn’t meant for Hashem – it was meant to expose something for Adam and Ishah. It was a CURIOUS question – and we see both Adam and Ishah respond with DEFENSIVENESS.
And. We see Adam engage in more masculine fragility. What does he do? He blames the woman. (Eye roll). And what does Ishah do? Blames the serpent. Toxic masculinity at it’s finest. Because we are called to be CURIOUS. And to NOT judge. Hashem so far doesn’t judge, Hashem is curious. But right now – at this moment in the Torah, we see Hashem’s judgement appear. And who gets judged FIRST?
The serpent. God curses the serpent. Because the truth is – the serpent began this curious journey from manipulative intents. The serpent instigated.
Then, God levels consequences for Ishah – because she doubted and got defensive. She did not respond in curiosity. She responded with judgment.
Then God levels consequences for Adam – because he remained silent.
And we close today’s portion with Eve’s REAL name – Chavah (the CH is pronounced like Chanukah). Why Chavah? BECAUSE SHE IS THE MOTHER OF ALL LIFE. Despite the judgment. All of life will be born from Chavah. Chavah is a powerful woman – despite her initial defensiveness. She is not the Eve we hear about who was weak. Hashem EMPOWERS CHAVAH after these events. Because (in my opinion) Hashem knew her guilt and shame were part of the series of events that unfolded to the judgment.
But the lesson here – continues to be – curiosity and not judgment.
Yesterday I wrote:
- The Path of Ascension begins with curiosity and not judgement
- The Path of Imprisonment begins with judgment and not curiosity
Today I add:
- If someone’s curiosity causes doubt and defensiveness, be curious about our own doubt and defensiveness and NOT their motives for curiosity.
- Curiosity with the intent to manipulate and sow seeds of doubt is problematic for THEM – but doubt and defensiveness is a problem for US.
The lesson of Adam and Chavah (not ADAM AND EVE) is will we remain curious and ascend? Or will we judge and begin to form our own prison?
What are your thoughts?
One response
[…] This;. This is the lesson of the Torah. PERSPECTIVE. So many of us fight for “right” or “wrong.” And this is about JUDGMENT. We do this WITHIN ourselves. We do this with others. I go back to our FIRST lesson in Genesis that we took away on 25 Tishri. […]