Jewish philosophy -- Early works to 1800; Judaism -- Works to 1900; Philosophy, Medieval -- Early works to 1800
change of his original aim he was sent away. For panim, the Hebrew
equivalent of face, is derived from the verb panah, “he turned,” and
signifies also “aim,” because man generally turns his face towards the
thing he desires. In accordance with this interpretation, our text
suggests that Adam, as he altered his intention and directed his
thoughts to the acquisition of what he was forbidden, he was banished
from Paradise: this was his punishment; it was measure for measure. At
first he had the privilege of tasting pleasure and happiness, and of
enjoying repose and security; but as his appetites grew stronger, and
he followed his desires and impulses, (as we have already stated
above), and partook of the food he was forbidden to taste, he was
deprived of everything, was doomed to subsist on the meanest kind of
food, such as he never tasted before, and this even only after exertion
and labour, as it is said, “Thorns and thistles shall grow up for thee”
(Gen. iii. 18), “By the sweat of thy brow,” etc., and in explanation of
this the text continues, “And the Lord God drove him from the Garden of
Eden, to till the ground whence he was taken.” He was now with respect
to food and many other requirements brought to the level of the lower
animals; comp., “Thou shalt eat the grass of the field” (Gen. iii. 18).
Reflecting on his condition, the Psalmist says, “Adam unable to dwell
in dignity, was brought to the level of the dumb beast” (Ps. xlix. 13).
“May the Almighty be praised, whose design and wisdom cannot be
fathomed.”
CHAPTER III
It might be thought that the Hebrew words temunah and tabnit have one
and the same meaning, but this is not the case. Tabnit, derived from
the verb banah (he built), signifies the build and construction of a
thing—that is to say, its figure, whether square, round, triangular, or
of any other shape. Comp. “the pattern (tabnit) of the Tabernacle and
the pattern (tabnit) of all its vessels” (Exod. xxv. 9); “according to
the pattern (tabnit) which thou wast shown upon the mount” (Exod. xxv.
40); “the form of any bird” (Deut. iv. 17); “the form (tabnit) of a
hand” (Ezek. viii. 3); “the pattern (tabnit) of the porch” (1 Chron.
xxviii. 11). In all these quotations it is the shape which is referred
to. Therefore the Hebrew language never employs the word tabnit in
speaking of the qualities of God Almighty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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