Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 24 Tishri, 5784
Parsha Bereshit: (Genesis 1:1 – 6:18) 
Second Portion: Genesis 2:4-19

What I love about today’s portion is it “digs deeper” into the creation of us as humans. Yesterday we studies the entire process of creation – from a 30,000 foot view. Today, we start with a reset of right before Hashem created us.

The idea is:  There was no vegetation in the ground yet. It was all dirt.  There were likely seeds germinating, but rains had not come yet, and there was no one to work the soil. The POTENTIAL existed in this “real” space (or reality) that Hashem was creating – but the potential had not come to fruition yet.

Genesis 2:6 talks about Hashem creating a mist to ASCEND from the earth – to soak the ground. So that Hashem would form US out of the MOIST soil.  He blew into the nostrils a living soul, and we became a living being.

Now lets pause, because I am reflecting on a few things.

Water ASCENDED from the earth.  Think about that – within the earth was POTENTIAL for rain as well.  Hashem created the earth with POTENTIAL.  Hashem created US with Potential.  Within us – there is living water – our Neshama that has the potential to ascend from within us – to do good on this earth.

And we are created from dirt. I’ve always had difficulty wrapping my head around this idea, but our Rabbi this High Holy days made it really clear for me.  Consider. When we die. What happens to our bodies?  They decompose. They return to earth.  We get buried in coffins.  I am curious as to why? Why don’t we just get buried in the dirt? Is it to slow down the body decomposing into the earth? To prevent our earthly bodies from returning to our source?

It comes back to the question – who are we? Bodies with souls inside, or souls with a body wrapped around us? Because if you think about the decomposition process of dead bodies, if we reversed the video (ala TikTok) we can begin to get a picture of how our bodies could be formed “from dirt.”  Because ALL the materials within us – are from the earth. That was mind blowing to me. We are LITERALLY made from the stuff of dirt. But our essence. Our potential? That is not of this earth.  The earth CONTAINS the potential.

And. Immediately, Hashem made us a garden to attend to. And. Guard.

Full stop.  Guard the Garden? From WHAT? Or WHO? Why was our purpose not just to TEND the garden, but to GUARD it too?  I am still reflecting on that. And I don’t have answers. I’d be curious if you did!

Then, Hashem hints at an answer. The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.  Eat anything you want.  Just don’t eat of good and evil.

Hot take: What is good and evil?  Judgment. Hashem was giving us a hint.  Do not judge.  I often have conversations with folx about “feeling good.”  Good isn’t a feeling.  It’s a judgment of a feeling.  Knowledge of Good and Evil really is the idea of moving away from curiosity and into judgment.  This is the root of judgment.  And we are ONLY judged BECAUSE we judge. My opinion. This is where “judge not lest ye be judged” comes from. I think.

I think the message may be – guard ourselves from judgment.  This is the beginning to the path of slavery. We have the POTENTIAL within us – to avoid judgment. When we judge ourselves inwardly (I am good. I am bad. I am evil) we then begin to judge externally (that is good. That is bad. That is evil).  AND. The more we judge EXTERNALLY? The less we have to deal with how we judge ourselves INTERNALLY.

And in verse 2:18 we come to the end of today’s portion with Hashem giving us a “helpmate” opposite us.  And. Surprise – it is NOT woman.  And we will talk about the REAL story of Adam and Eve (which isn’t REALLY her name, by the way) but Genesis 2:18 basically says the ANIMALS were created to help us tend the garden and GUARD.

Because it is the soil that needs TENDING and GUARDING.  Not the judgment.

What are your thoughts?