CHAPTER XII [ In the MS. this is ch. xi.] ADAM IN PARADISE [14A. ii.] WITH love abounding did the Holy One, blessed be He, love the first man, inasmuch as He created him in [ The first editions read: “from a pure and holy place. From which place did He take him? From the site of the Temple.”] a pure locality, in the place of the Temple, [ Man’s body is an emblem of God’s sanctuary. In the preceding chapter we are told that God gathered the dust to form the first man from the four corners of the earth, establishing thereby the right of every human being to live and to be buried in any part of the earth. A similar idea was known to Philo, de Mundi opific. Mi. 35, C.W. i. p. 42, § 51. As to the Temple being the site of Adam’s origin see T.J. Naẓir vii. 2, 52b, and Gen. Rab. 14:8, and cf. infra, p. 143. Eden was more than a mere garden. See T.B. Berakhoth, 34b.] and He brought him into His palace, [ “Palace” recalls Dan. 11:45.] as it is said, "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden [ The words “to dress it and to keep it” are missing in the MS., but they are found in the 1st ed.] to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15). From which place did He take him? From the place of the Temple, and He brought him into His palace, which is Eden, as it is said, "And he put him into the garden of Eden to dress it" (ibid.). [ This does not occur here in the printed texts, which continue: “What labour then was there in the midst of the garden, that (the text) should say: ‘to dress it and to keep it’?” According to Jubilees iii. 15, “Adam and his wife were in the garden of Eden for seven years tilling and keeping it, and we gave him work, and we instructed him to do everything that is suitable for tillage.” As we shall see, our book gives an allegorical interpretation of this “work in Eden.”] Perhaps thou wilt say: [ The first editions add here: “There was work (to be done) in the garden of Eden, namely, that he should prune the vines in the vineyards.”] To plough (the fields) and cast out [ See Isa. 28:24 for phraseology.] the stones from the ground. [ The first editions add: “or again, that he should pile up the sheaves or cut (the corn).”] But did not all the trees grow up of their own accord? [ Cf. Gen. Rab. 13:1.]
Perhaps thou wilt say: There was some other work (to be done) in the garden of Eden, (such as) to water the garden. But did not a river flow through and issue forth from Eden, and water the garden, as it is said, || "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (ibid. 10)?
What then is the meaning of this expression: "to dress it and to keep it"? (The text) does not say "to dress it and to keep it" except (in the sense) of being occupied with the words of the Torah [ Torah means not merely the written word of God, but also its interpretation and implication.] and keeping all its commandments, [ The printed texts read differently here: “to keep the way of the tree of life.” See Siphrê, Deut. § 41.] as it is said, "to keep the way of the tree of life" (ibid. iii. 24). But the "tree of life" signifies only the Torah, [ The Palestinian Targum renders Gen. 2:15 as follows: “And the Lord God took the man from the mountains of worship, where he had been created, and made him dwell in the garden of Eden, to do service in the Law and to keep its commandments.” A similar interpretation occurs in the Church Father Theophilus (To Autolycus, ii. 24) and in the Slavonic Enoch xxxi. 1: “And I made a garden in Eden in the East, and (I ordained) that he should observe the Law and keep the instruction.”] as it is said, "It is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon it" (Prov. 3:18).
And (Adam) was at his leisure in the garden of Eden, like one of the ministering angels. [ Man is become “like one of us,” was interpreted by the Midrash, Gen. Rab. 21:5, and Mekhilta, Beshallach, vi. p. 33a (n. 18 for parallels) as meaning: “like one of the ministering angels.” This idea of the Midrash was known to Justin Martyr, Dial. c. Tryph. lxii.] The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am alone in My world and this one (Adam) also is alone in his [ Some texts read: “My.” See Pal. Targum, Gen. 2:18.] world. There is no propagation before Me and this one (Adam) has no propagation in his life; [ Lit. “before him.”] hereafter all the creatures [ Supra, p. 79, we read that the animals wished to worship Adam, thinking he was their Maker. The belief was prevalent in former days that all the animals in Paradise were endowed with speech and reasoning power. See Jubilees iii. 28 (n. 28), and Grünbaum, op. cit. pp. 56, 60.] will say: Since there was no propagation in his life, [ Lit. “before him.”] it is he who has created us. [ Our author may wish to refute the notion obtaining in some non-Jewish religions that God had physical offspring.] It is not good for man to be alone, as it is said, "And the Lord God said, It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him an help meet for him …" (Gen. 2:18). [ Thereby divine attributes will not be given to him by the other creatures. They will perceive that man is not omnipotent. Our Midrash may also hint that Adam (first or Second Adam) was not the Creator. As we have pointed out, the view that the Second Adam was the Creator obtained in early Christian circles. See Gen. Rab. 12:7.]
Rabbi Jehudah said: [ The first editions insert here: “Do not read (in Gen. 2:18) k’negdo, ‘meet for him,’ but (read) l’negdo, ‘against him.’”] If he be worthy she shall be an help meet for him; if not, she shall be against him to fight him. [ Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 23, reads: “If he be fortunate she will correspond to him (and be in harmony with him); if not, she will oppose him.” According to Rashi she will be a “lash” (“Nigdo”) to him; see Midrash Agadah on Gen. 2:18.]
When the earth heard this expression [ i.e. of man’s supremacy over it. Man was to increase and multiply, to fill the earth and to subdue it (Gen. 1:28). The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: “When the earth heard the expression help-meet.”] thereupon it trembled and quaked, crying before its Creator: Sovereign of all worlds ! I have not the power to feed the multitude [ Lit. sheep or herd.] of mankind. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: I and thou will (together) feed the multitude [ Lit. sheep or herd.] of mankind. They agreed to divide (the task) between themselves: the night was for the Holy One, blessed be He, || and the day (was apportioned) to the earth. [ See Ps. 42:8.] What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He created the sleep of life, [ See Ps. 3:5; T.B. Berakhoth, 58b; Gen. Rab. 14:9, and Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 25:2; and cf. infra, p. 253. For further references to Adam legends see Die Sagen der Juden, ed. Micha Josef bin Gorion, 1913 (Anhang). Two volumes of this Midrashic collection have appeared, and in the appendix the sources are given for the legends dealing with the Creation, the Patriarchs, etc. Equally interesting and valuable are the Legends of the Jews, by L. Ginzberg; the sources of the legends have not yet appeared in the promised final volume. Parallels to the Midrashim in Christian literature are dealt with by L. Ginzberg in his Haggada b. d. Kirchenvätern, i., Amsterdam, 1899. Parallels in Mohammedan literature are given by Geiger, Was hat Mohammed, etc., and M. Grünbaum, op. cit. pp. 60 ff., and in Z.D.M.G. xxxi. pp. 183 ff.; the monographs by Rahmer (on Jerome), Funk (on Aphraates), Gerson, and Goldfahn (on Justin Martyr) should be consulted for “Christian” Midrashic parallels.] so that man lies down and sleeps whilst He sustains him and heals him and (gives) him life and repose, as it is said, "I should have slept: then had I been at rest" (Job 3:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, supports (man) with [ The first editions read: “supports the earth.”] the earth, giving it water; and it yields its fruit and food for all creatures—but the first [ The first editions omit: “the first.”] man's food "in toil [ Or “sorrow,” see 4 Ezra 7:12, and Jewish Sources of the Sermon on the Mount, p. 191.] shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life" (Gen. 3:17).
The Holy One, blessed be He, had compassion upon the first man (Adam), and, in order that he should not feel any pain, He cast upon him the sleep of deep slumber, [ The deep sleep made Adam insensible to pain; cf. T.B. Synhedrin, 39a. Tertullian, De Anima, xliii., discusses the “sleep” of Adam.] and He made him sleep whilst He took one of his bones from his side and flesh from his heart [ See Pal. Targ. Gen. 2:21. According to the Leḳach Ṭob, Gen. 2:21, Eve was made from the sixth rib. Theophilus, op. cit. xxviii., discusses why Eve was formed from Adam’s rib.] and made it into an help (meet for him) and placed her opposite to him. When he awoke from his sleep he saw her standing opposite to him. [ A similar expression is used by the Book of Jashar i. 4.] And he said, "Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (ibid. ii. 28). As long as he was alone he was called Adam (man). [ According to the Talmud (T.B. Jebamoth, 63b) an adult male who lives without a wife is not called man (“Adam”). This designation was given when God blessed the first pair. This view is opposed by our author.]
Rabbi Jehudah [ The first editions omit till “R. Joshua ben Ḳorchah.”] said: Because of the name Adamah (ground) whence he was taken, his name was called Adam. Rabbi Joshua ben Ḳorchah said: He was called Adam because of his flesh and blood (dām [ See ‘Arukh, ed. Kohut, i. p. 34b: “The first man was called Adam because of the word for earth (Adamah), whence he was taken;” and see ibid. p. 307a for another version. The Church Fathers also find fanciful interpretations of the name of the first man. Augustine on the Gospel of John ix. 14 explains the four letters of Adam’s name (in Greek) as referring to the East, West, North, and South. Cf. Slavonic Enoch xxx. 13, and Sibylline Oracles iii. 24–26. Augustine (op. cit. x. 12) gives the numerical value of Adam as 46, pointing out that the Temple had stood 46 years at the time of the death of the Founder of Christianity. The Rabbis were not the only people who had recourse to “Gemaṭria.” The first editions add the following paragraph: “Immediately he embraced her and kissed her, and he said: Blessed art thou of the Lord, thy bone is from my bones and it is becoming for thee to be called woman (ishah), as it is said.”] ). He said to him: Adam ! Adam ! And when an help-mate had been built for him, his name was called êsh (fire), and she (was called) êsh (fire). [ The first editions read: “When an help-mate, a woman (ishah), had been built for him, his name was called man (ish), and she was called woman (ishah).”]
What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He put His name (יה) between their (names), saying: If they go in My ways || and keep all My precepts, behold My name is given to them, [ Ish (איש) and ishah (אשה) have the letters Yod (י) and Hêh (ה) apart from the letters אש which they have in common. See Jeraḥmeel vi. 16, and cf. Pal. Targ. Ex. 28:30, on the Ineffable Name.] it will deliver them from all distress. If they do not (walk in My ways), behold I will take away My name from their (names), and they will become êsh (fire). [ By removing the letters Yod and Hêh from the Hebrew words ish and ishah each word spells êsh, fire; and see T.B. Soṭah, 17a.] And fire consumes fire, as it is said, "For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction" (Job 31:12). [ See ‘Arukh, s.v. “Adam” and s.v. “êsh,” and cf. T.B. Soṭah, 5a.]
The Holy One, blessed be He, made ten wedding canopies [ The canopy used at Jewish weddings is still called Chuppah. The word may also mean Wedding Chamber. For further details, see Jewish Encyclopœdia, s.v.; and cf. T.B. Baba Bathra, 75a; Gen. Rab. 18:1; Jalḳuṭ, Gen. §20; and Büchler in Monatsschrift, xlix., 1905, pp. 18 ff., and in J.Q.R. (New Series) iv. pp. 490 f.] for Adam in the garden of Eden. They were all (made) of precious stones, pearls, and gold. Is it not a fact that only one wedding canopy is made for every bridegroom, [ See Ps. 19:5.] whilst three wedding canopies are made for a king? [ See Cant. 3:9–11.] But in order to bestow special honour upon the first man, the Holy One, blessed be He, made ten (wedding canopies) in the garden of Eden, as it is said, "Wast thou in Eden the garden of God; was every precious stone [ The rest of the verse is omitted by the MS. and the first editions, which read: “etc.”] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold?" (Ezek. 28:13). [ On this verse see Hellenism and Christianity, pp. 99 f. The ten canopies are apparently indicated by the nine precious stones and gold as mentioned in the verse. Menorath Ha-Maor § 205, states that the Messiah will have ten canopies. See also B.H.M. iii. p. 60.] Behold these are the ten canopies. The angels were playing upon timbrels and dancing with pipes, [ The first editions read: “like females.” See Jalḳuṭ Makhiri, Ps. 91 p. 46a.] as it is said, "The workmanship [ The Hebrew here (Melëkhëth) suggests angels (Mäläkhim). The Midrashim which deal with the “Canopies” are numerous. The subject has not been considered in all its bearings. The Jewish Messiah will be married, hence the “Canopies,” for his wedding. This is probably a disguised attack on the Christian exaltation of the unmarried state, as exemplified by the Founder of the Christian Church. The discussion on the Canopies is to be found also in Lev. Rab. 20:2; Eccles. Rab. 8:1; Jalḳuṭ, Eccles. § 764. According to Dr. Büchler (J.Q.R., New Series, iv. pp. 490 f.) the word Chuppah might be rendered “bower.” One also thinks of cave or cavern in this connection. According to the Schatzhöhle, p. 7, Adam had one cave after his expulsion from Paradise; see also Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 1. v.] of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was with thee" (ibid.).
On the day when the first man was created, as it is said, "In the day when thou [ Adam.] wast created they were prepared" (ibid.), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering angels: Come, let us descend and render loving service to the first man and to his help-mate, for the world rests upon the attribute of the service of loving-kindness. [ On Gemilluth Chasadim (Service of Loving-kindness) see Paul Goodman, Die Liebestätigkeit im Judentum, and Bergmann, in Soziale Ethik im Judentum, pp. 51 ff., and see infra, Chapter XVI.] The Holy One, blessed be He, said: More beloved is the service of loving-kindness than the sacrifices and burnt-offerings which Israel will bring in the future upon the altar before Me, as it is said, || "For I desire love, and not sacrifice" (Hos. 6:6). [ See infra, p. 107.]
The ministering angels were going to and fro and walking before him like friends who guard the wedding canopies, [ The reading in Menorath Ha-Maor, loc. cit., is as follows: “And the ministering angels were going before him like friends who guard the wedding canopies, as it is said, ‘For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to guard thee on all thy ways’” (Ps. 91:11). The first editions read: “ministering angels were like groomsmen.”] as it is said, "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, [ The MS. quotes this verse up to “thee”; the entire verse is given by the first editions.] to keep thee in all thy ways" (Ps. 91:11). (The word) "way" here means only the way [ See Prov. 30:19.] of bridegrooms. The Holy One, blessed be He, was like a precentor. [ Our text is preserved in Menorath Ha-Maor, loc. cit., and cf. Jalḳuṭ Makhiri, Ps. 92 p. 46a. The precentor is the Chaẓan. The period when the Chaẓan became the Reader of the prayers is that of the Geonim. See Sopherim, 10:7, xi. 3, 5, and xiv. 14; Eppenstein’s article in Monatsschrift, lii., 1908, pp. 467 ff., and infra, p. 109.] What is the custom observed by the precentor? He stands and blesses the bride in the midst of her wedding chamber. [ Or canopy.] Likewise the Holy One, blessed be He, stood and blessed Adam and his help-mate, as it is said, "And God blessed them" (Gen. 1:28). [ This indicates the sacred nature of matrimony, which is aptly termed Ḳiddushin (sanctification). See Gen. Rab. 18:2 for the marriage of Adam and Eve.]