When Hashem (G-d) created the world, He saved the creation of people for last. Hashem took dust from all four corners of the earth to create Adam, so he would belong everywhere and every place would be his home. Hashem shaped Adam’s body from the earth and then breathed into him the breath of life, giving Adam a soul. This made Adam special—unlike the animals, Adam had the ability to think, speak, and understand Hashem’s teachings.
Once Adam came to life, the angels were amazed! They were so impressed with Adam’s wisdom and beauty that some of them even wanted to bow to him, thinking he might be like a god himself. But Hashem reminded them that Adam, though special, was only a human and that they should only bow to Hashem.
Hashem placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, a beautiful, perfect paradise filled with every kind of tree, flower, and fruit you could imagine. Adam’s job was to take care of the garden, and he was free to eat from any tree except for one: the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The Creation of Eve
Now, Adam was alone in the garden, surrounded by all the animals, but he had no partner. Adam first noticed this when he saw the animals coming together in pairs—male and female. He realized that while they all had a companion, he had no one to share his life with.
Hashem saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone, so He decided to create a partner for him. Hashem first created different creatures before Eve, trying to find the right match for Adam, but none of them were suitable. Finally, Hashem caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and from his side, He created Eve. This is why Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh,” when he saw her, understanding that she was his true partner.
Life in the Garden of Eden
Adam and Eve lived happily in the Garden of Eden. They didn’t need to work hard for food because everything grew easily, and they were surrounded by beauty and peace. Hashem would even visit them and speak to them directly, and they felt close to Him in every way.
But Hashem had given Adam one important rule: they were not allowed to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. All the other trees in the garden were theirs to enjoy, but that one tree was off-limits.
Adam told Eve that she wasn't even allowed to touch the fruit from Knowledge of Good and Evil. He set up an extra rule to protect Eve. If Eve wasn't allowed to touch the fruit, then she wouldn't be able to break G-d's law that forbids her from eating it.
The Snake’s Trick
Now, in the garden, there was a clever snake. This snake wasn’t like the snakes we know today. It could walk upright and even speak! The snake was jealous of Adam and Eve’s special relationship with Hashem and wanted to ruin it.
One day, the snake came up to Eve and said, “Did G-d really say you’re not allowed to eat from any of the trees in the garden?”
Eve corrected the snake, saying, “We can eat from all the trees, except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. If we eat from it or even touch it, we’ll die.” But G-d didn't say she couldn't touch it, she was only not allowed to eat it! It was Adam who said not to touch it.
But the snake, being sneaky, told Eve a lie. He said, “You won’t die! In fact, G-d knows that if you eat from the tree, you’ll become as wise as Him, knowing good and evil.” The snake’s words made Eve doubt whether she should or shouldn't eat of it.
The snake pushed Eve toward the tree, making her touch it. When nothing happened, Eve thought, “Maybe the snake is right. If touching it didn’t harm me, then eating the fruit won’t either.” So she took the fruit and ate it. Then, she gave some to Adam, and he ate it too.
The Consequences
As soon as they ate the fruit, Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened, and they realized that they were naked. For the first time, they felt shame. They quickly made clothes for themselves out of fig leaves and tried to hide from Hashem.
But, of course, you can’t hide from Hashem! When He came to speak with them, He asked, “Where are you?” (Even though Hashem knew exactly where they were, He asked this question to give them a chance to admit what they had done.)
Adam, feeling scared, said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”
Hashem asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
Instead of admitting his mistake, Adam said, “The woman You gave me—she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then, when Hashem asked Eve what happened, she said, “The snake tricked me, and I ate it.”
Hashem was disappointed because they didn’t take responsibility for their actions. He told Adam, Eve, and the snake that there would be consequences for their choices. Adam would have to work hard to grow food, Eve would experience pain in childbirth, and the snake would no longer walk upright but would crawl on its belly for the rest of time. It would also be enemies with humans from then on.
Hashem showed even more kindness before sending Adam and Eve out of the garden. He made them special clothes from animal skins to protect them and allowed them to stay in the garden for the Sabbath. Even though they had made a mistake, Hashem still loved them and cared for them.
Leaving the Garden
Because Adam and Eve had disobeyed Hashem’s command, they could no longer stay in the Garden of Eden. Hashem sent them out to live in the world, where they would now need to work the land and build their lives with effort and toil. Turning the outside world into a dwelling place for G-d through obedience to the commands. Each command repairs the world from sin, slowly making the entire world more like Eden.
Hashem continued to watch over them and their children, and He gave them the ability to make good choices and learn from their mistakes. While life outside the Garden of Eden would be harder, it would also be filled with opportunities for growth, learning, and returning to Hashem.
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