Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
Paradise being such as it was, it was, naturally, not necessary for
Adam to work the land. True, the Lord God put the man into the Garden
of Eden to dress it and to keep it, but that only means he is to study
the Torah there and fulfil the commandments of God.[54] There were
especially six commandments which every human being is expected to
heed: man should not worship idols; nor blaspheme God; nor commit
murder, nor incest, nor theft and robbery; and all generations have the
duty of instituting measures of law and order.[55] One more such
command there was, but it was a temporary injunction. Adam was to eat
only the green things of the field. But the prohibition against the use
of animals for food was revoked in Noah's time, after the deluge.
Nevertheless, Adam was not cut off from the enjoyment of meat dishes.
Though he was not permitted to slaughter animals for the appeasing of
his appetite, the angels brought him meat and wine, serving him like
attendants.[56] And as the angels ministered to his wants, so also the
animals. They were wholly under his dominion, and their food they took
out of his hand and out of Eve's.[57] In all respects, the animal world
had a different relation to Adam from their relation to his
descendants. Not only did they know the language of man,[58] but they
respected the image of God, and they feared the first human couple, all
of which changed into the opposite after the fall of man.[59]
THE FALL OF MAN
Among the animals the serpent was notable. Of all of them he had the
most excellent qualities, in some of which he resembled man. Like man
he stood upright upon two feet, and in height he was equal to the
camel. Had it not been for the fall of man, which brought misfortune to
them, too, one pair of serpents would have sufficed to perform all the
work man has to do, and, besides, they would have supplied him with
silver, gold, gems, and pearls. As a matter of fact, it was the very
ability of the serpent that led to the ruin of man and his own ruin.
His superior mental gifts caused him to become an infidel. It likewise
explains his envy of man, especially of his conjugal relations. Envy
made him meditate ways and means of bringing about the death of
Adam.[60] He was too well acquainted with the character of the man to
attempt to exercise tricks of persuasion upon him, and he approached
the woman, knowing that women are beguiled easily. The conversation
with Eve was cunningly planned, she could not but be caught in a trap.
The serpent began, "Is it true that God hath said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree in the garden?" "We may," rejoined Eve, "eat of the fruit of
all the trees in the garden, except that which is in the midst of the
garden, and that we may not even touch, lest we be stricken with
death." She spoke thus, because in his zeal to guard her against the
transgressing of the Divine command, Adam had forbidden Eve to touch
the tree, though God had mentioned only the eating of the fruit. It
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