AND NO PLANT OF THE FIELD WAS YET IN THE EARTH ETC. R. Simeon said further: ‘These are the great trees which were planted out later, but as yet were tiny.
We have stated that Adam and Eve were created side by side. Why were they not created face to face? Because “the Lord God had not yet caused it to rain upon the earth” (Gen. 2, 5), and the union of heaven and earth was not yet firmly established. When the lower union was perfected and Adam and Eve were turned face to face, then the upper union was consummated.
We know this from the case of the Tabernacle, of which we have learnt that another tabernacle was erected with it, and that the upper one was not raised till the lower one was raised; and similarly here. Further, since all was not yet in order above, Adam and Eve were not created face to face. The order of verses in the Scripture proves this: for first we read, “For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth”, and then “there was not a man to till the ground”, the meaning being that man was still defective, and only when Eve was perfected was he also perfected.
4
וְכַד אִשְׁתַּלִּימַת חַוָּה אִשְׁתְּלִים אָדָם. וְקֹדֶם לָכֵן לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים. וְרָזָא דָּא דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא אִית אָתְ סָמֶךְ בְּפַרְשָׁתָא. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָיא אָמְרוּ. אֲבָל סָמֶךְ דָּא עֵזֶר. וְדָא עֵזְרִ דִּלְעֵילָא דְּאִתְהַדַּר לְעֵילָא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. אִסְתַּמַּךְ דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא וַדַּאי. (תהילים קי״א:ח׳) סְמוּכִים לָעַד לְעוֹלָם עֲשׂוּיִים בֶּאֱמֶת וְיָשָׁר. סְמוּכִים, דָּא דְכַר וְנוּקְבָא דְּאִנּוּן סְמוּכִים כְּחֲדָא (נ"א דאנון סמוכים עולם תתאה בעולם עלאה דעד לא אתתקן עולם תתאה לא אתתקן ההוא עולם דקאמרן) (האי עולם דקא אמרן תליא בעולם דלתתא וכד לא אתתקן עולם דלתתא לא אתתקן ההוא עולם דקא אמרן).
This is further indicated by the fact that in the word vayisgor (and he closed) the letter samekh, which means “support”, occurs for the first time in this section, as if to say that they now supported one another, as male and female. Similarly the lower and the upper world mutually support one another. For until the lower world was completed, that other world of which we have spoken was not completed.
When this lower world was turned face to face to the upper, it became a support to the upper, for previously the work had been defective, because “the Lord God had not caused rain to fall upon the earth”.
Next, A MIST WENT UP FROM THE GROUND, to repair the deficiency below, by “watering the whole face of the ground”. The rising of the mist signifies the yearning of the female for the male. According to another explanation, we supply the word “not” from the previous clause after “mist”, the meaning being that God did not send rain because a mist had not gone up, etc., it being necessary for the impulse from below to set in motion the power above.
So vapour first ascends from the earth to form the cloud. Similarly, the smoke of the sacrifice rises and creates harmony above, so that all unite, and in this way there is completion in the supernal realm. The impulse commences from below, and from this all is perfected. If the Community of Israel did not give the first impulse, the One above would not move to meet her, for by the yearning from below completion is effected above.’
THE TREE OF LIFE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN, AND THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. The Tree of Life, according to a tradition, extends over five hundred years’ journey, and all the waters of Creation issue from its foot. This tree was in the middle of the Garden, and it collected all the waters of Creation, which afterwards flowed from it in different directions.
For the perennially flowing stream rests upon this Garden and enters it, and the waters issuing from it divide into numbers of streams below which water the “beasts of the field”, just as the waters originally issued from the supernal world and watered the celestial “mountains of pure balsam”.
THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. This tree was not in the middle. It is called by this name because it draws sustenance from two opposite sides, which it distinguishes as clearly as one distinguishes sweet and bitter, and therefore it is called “good and evil”. All those other plants rest upon it.
Other supernal plants are also attached to it, which are called “cedars of Lebanon”; these are the six supernal days, the six days of the Creation which we have mentioned, which were indeed saplings which God first planted and then transferred to another place, where they were firmly established.
R. Abba here remarked: ‘How do we know that Adam and Eve were also planted out? From the verse, “the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, wherein I glory” (Is. 60, 21). They are called “the work of God’s hands,’ because no other creatures were concerned in their formation.
We have been taught that the plants at first were like the antennae of grasshoppers, and their light was feeble, until they were planted and firmly established, when their light was augmented and they were called “cedars of Lebanon”. Adam and Eve also when they were first planted were not swathed in light nor did they emit a sweet odour; of a surety they were uprooted and replanted and duly established.’
תּוּ אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּתִיב וְכֹּל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמָח כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר יְיָ אֱלהִים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְגו'. וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה אִלֵּין אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין לִנְטִיעוּ לְבָתַר וְהֲווּ זְהִירִין.
AND NO PLANT OF THE FIELD WAS YET IN THE EARTH ETC. R. Simeon said further: ‘These are the great trees which were planted out later, but as yet were tiny.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אָדָם וְחַוָּה דָּא בְּסִטְרָא דְדָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ. מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין. בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב כִּי לא הִמְטִיר יְיָ אֱלהִים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְזִווּגָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּתִקּוּנִיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכַד אִתְתָּקָנוּ הַאי דִלְתַתָּא וְאִתְהַדָּרוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכַח לְעֵילָא.
We have stated that Adam and Eve were created side by side. Why were they not created face to face? Because “the Lord God had not yet caused it to rain upon the earth” (Gen. 2, 5), and the union of heaven and earth was not yet firmly established. When the lower union was perfected and Adam and Eve were turned face to face, then the upper union was consummated.
מְנָלָן מִן הַמִּשְׁכָּן דִּכְתִיב, (שמות מ׳:י״ז) הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּגִין דְּמִשְׁכָּן אָחֳרָא אִתָּקַם עִמֵּיהּ. וְעַד לָא אִתָּקַם לְתַתָּא לָא אִתָּקַם לְעֵילָא. אוּף הָכָא כַּד אִתְתָּקַם לְתַתָּא אִתְתָּקַם לְעֵילָא. וּבְגִין דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא אִתְתָּקַן לְעֵילָא לָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין. וּקְרָא אוֹכַח דִּכְתִיב כִּי לא הִמְטִיר יְיָ אֱלהִים עַל הָאָרֶץ. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ וְאָדָם אַיִן דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּתִקּוּנֵיהּ.
We know this from the case of the Tabernacle, of which we have learnt that another tabernacle was erected with it, and that the upper one was not raised till the lower one was raised; and similarly here. Further, since all was not yet in order above, Adam and Eve were not created face to face. The order of verses in the Scripture proves this: for first we read, “For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth”, and then “there was not a man to till the ground”, the meaning being that man was still defective, and only when Eve was perfected was he also perfected.
וְכַד אִשְׁתַּלִּימַת חַוָּה אִשְׁתְּלִים אָדָם. וְקֹדֶם לָכֵן לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים. וְרָזָא דָּא דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא אִית אָתְ סָמֶךְ בְּפַרְשָׁתָא. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָיא אָמְרוּ. אֲבָל סָמֶךְ דָּא עֵזֶר. וְדָא עֵזְרִ דִּלְעֵילָא דְּאִתְהַדַּר לְעֵילָא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. אִסְתַּמַּךְ דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא וַדַּאי. (תהילים קי״א:ח׳) סְמוּכִים לָעַד לְעוֹלָם עֲשׂוּיִים בֶּאֱמֶת וְיָשָׁר. סְמוּכִים, דָּא דְכַר וְנוּקְבָא דְּאִנּוּן סְמוּכִים כְּחֲדָא (נ"א דאנון סמוכים עולם תתאה בעולם עלאה דעד לא אתתקן עולם תתאה לא אתתקן ההוא עולם דקאמרן) (האי עולם דקא אמרן תליא בעולם דלתתא וכד לא אתתקן עולם דלתתא לא אתתקן ההוא עולם דקא אמרן).
This is further indicated by the fact that in the word vayisgor (and he closed) the letter samekh, which means “support”, occurs for the first time in this section, as if to say that they now supported one another, as male and female. Similarly the lower and the upper world mutually support one another. For until the lower world was completed, that other world of which we have spoken was not completed.
כִּי לא הִמְטִיר יְיָ אֱלהִים עַל הָאָרֶץ. דְּהָא דָּא בְּדָא סָמִיךְ. עוֹלָם דָּא תַּתָּאָה כַּד אִתְתַּקַּן וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין וְאִתְתָּקָנוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח סָמֶךְ לְעֵילָא. דְּהָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא לָא הֲוָה עוֹבָדָא בְּתִקּוּנָא (נ"א עולם בתיקוניה) בְּגִין דְּלָא הִמְטִיר יְיָ אֱלהִים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְדָא בְּדָא תַּלְיָיא.
When this lower world was turned face to face to the upper, it became a support to the upper, for previously the work had been defective, because “the Lord God had not caused rain to fall upon the earth”.
מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ דָּא תִּקּוּנָא דִּלְתַתָּא לְבָתַר וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה. וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ דָּא תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר מַאי טַעְמָא לֹא הִמְטִיר בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח תִּקּוּנָא דְּיַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ. וְעַל דָּא מִן אַרְעָא תַּתָּאָה אִתְעַר עוֹבָדָא לְעֵילָא.
Next, A MIST WENT UP FROM THE GROUND, to repair the deficiency below, by “watering the whole face of the ground”. The rising of the mist signifies the yearning of the female for the male. According to another explanation, we supply the word “not” from the previous clause after “mist”, the meaning being that God did not send rain because a mist had not gone up, etc., it being necessary for the impulse from below to set in motion the power above.
תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּנָנָא סָלִיק מִן אַרְעָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא. וְעֲנָנָא אִתְעַר. וְכֹלָּא אִתְחַבַּר לְבָתַר דָּא בְּדָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא תְּנָנָא דְקָרְבָּנָא אִתְעַר מִתַּתָּא וְעֲבִיד שְׁלִימוּ לְעֵילָא וְאִתְחַבַּר כֹּלָּא דָא בְּדָא וְאִשְׁתַּלִּימוּ כְּגַוְונָא דָא לְעֵילָא. אִתְעֲרוּתָא שָׁרֵי מִתַּתָּא וּלְבָתַר אִשְׁתְּלִים כֹּלָּא. וְאִלְמָלֵא דִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שַׁרְיָא בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, לָא אִתְעַר לְקִבְלָהּ הַהוּא דִלְעֵילָא. וּבְתִיאוּבְתָּא דִלְתַתָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים לְעֵילָא.
So vapour first ascends from the earth to form the cloud. Similarly, the smoke of the sacrifice rises and creates harmony above, so that all unite, and in this way there is completion in the supernal realm. The impulse commences from below, and from this all is perfected. If the Community of Israel did not give the first impulse, the One above would not move to meet her, for by the yearning from below completion is effected above.’
רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר אַמַּאי כְּתִיב וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע. עֵץ הַחַיִּים הָא תָּנִינָן דְּמַהֲלַךְ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאָה שְׁנִין הֲוָה. וְכָל מֵימוֹי דִּבְרֵאשִׁית מִתְפַּלְגִין תְּחוֹתוֹי. עֵץ הַחַיִּים בִּמְצִיעוּת דְּגִנְתָּא מַמָּשׁ וְהוּא נָטִיל כָּל מֵימוֹי דְּבְרֵאשִׁית וּמִתְפַּלְּגִין תְּחוֹתוֹי.
THE TREE OF LIFE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN, AND THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. The Tree of Life, according to a tradition, extends over five hundred years’ journey, and all the waters of Creation issue from its foot. This tree was in the middle of the Garden, and it collected all the waters of Creation, which afterwards flowed from it in different directions.
דְּהָא הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק הוּא שַׁרְיָא עַל הַהוּא גִנְתָּא וְעֲיִּיל בֵּיהּ וּמִתַּמָן מִתְפַּלְּגִין מַיָא לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין. וְנָטִיל כֹּלָא הַהִיא גִּנְתָּא. וּלְבָתַר נָפְקֵי מִינָּהּ וּמִתְפַּלְּגִין לְכַמָּה נַחֲלִין לְתַתָּא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ק״ד:י״א) יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי. כְּמָה דְּנָפְקִין מֵהַהוּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה וְאַשְׁקֵי לְאִנּוּן טוּרִין עִלָּאִין דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא. לְבָתַר כַּד מָטָאן לְעֵץ הַחַיִּים מִתְפַּלְּגִין תְּחוֹתוֹי בְּכָל סְטַר כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי.
For the perennially flowing stream rests upon this Garden and enters it, and the waters issuing from it divide into numbers of streams below which water the “beasts of the field”, just as the waters originally issued from the supernal world and watered the celestial “mountains of pure balsam”.
וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרַע אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי הָכִי. דְּהָא עֵץ דָּא לָאו אִיהוּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. אֲבָל עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע מַאי הוּא. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּיָנְקָא מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין וְיָדַע לוֹן כְּמָאן דְּיָנִיק מִתְקָא וּמְרִירָא. וּבְגִין דְּיָנְקָא מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין וְיָדַע לוֹן וְשַׁרְיָא בְּגַוַויְיהוּ אִקְרֵי הָכִי טוֹב וָרָע. וְכָל אִנּוּן נְטִיעִין שָׁרְיָין עֲלַיְיהוּ.
THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. This tree was not in the middle. It is called by this name because it draws sustenance from two opposite sides, which it distinguishes as clearly as one distinguishes sweet and bitter, and therefore it is called “good and evil”. All those other plants rest upon it.
וּבֵיהּ אֲחִידָן נְטִיעִין אָחֳרָנִין עִלָּאִין וְאִנּוּן אִקְרוּן אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן. מָאן אִנּוּן (לעיל לא א) אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן. אִנּוּן שִׁית יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית דְּקָאֲמָרָן. אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָטָע. נְטִיעוֹת וַדַּאי דְּאִתְקַיְימוּ לְבָתָר.
Other supernal plants are also attached to it, which are called “cedars of Lebanon”; these are the six supernal days, the six days of the Creation which we have mentioned, which were indeed saplings which God first planted and then transferred to another place, where they were firmly established.
מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה סָמֶךְ מַאי הִיא וַיִּסְגּוֹר בָּשָׂר תַּחְתֶּנָּה. בְּסִטְרוֹי הֲוָה. וְהֲוָה דָא בְּסִטְרוֹי דְדָא. וַדַּאי עֲקָרָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְשָׁתִיל לוֹן בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין לְקִיּוּמָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא סְמִיכָן עָלְמִין. עֲקָרָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְשָׁתִיל לוֹן בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא וְאִתְקַיְּימוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים.
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא מְנָלָן דְּאָדָם וְחַוָּה נְטִיעִין הֲווּ. דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) נֵצֶר מַטָעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר. מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי דַּיְיקָא. דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ בְּהוֹן בִּרְיָין אָחֳרָנִין. וּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו י״ז:י״א) בְּיוֹם נִטְעֵךְ תְּשַׂגְשֵׂגִי דִּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִתְנְטָעוּ בְּעָלְמָא סָרְחוּ.
R. Abba here remarked: ‘How do we know that Adam and Eve were also planted out? From the verse, “the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, wherein I glory” (Is. 60, 21). They are called “the work of God’s hands,’ because no other creatures were concerned in their formation.
תְּנַן הַנְּטִיעוֹת כְּקַרְנֵי חֲגָבִים הֲווּ וּנְהוֹרָא דִּלְהוֹן דַּקִּיק וְלָא הֲווּ נָהֲרִין. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְנְטָעוּ וְאִתְתַּקְּנוּ. אִתְרַבִּיאוּ בִּנְהוֹרָא וְאִקְרוּן אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן. וְאָדָם וְחַוָּה עַד דְּאִתְנְטָעוּ לָא אִתְרַבִּיאוּ בִּנְהוֹרָא וְלָא סְלִיקוּ רֵיחָא וַדַּאי. אִתְעַקָּרוּ וְאִשְׁתִּילוּ וְאִתְתָּקָנוּ כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת:
We have been taught that the plants at first were like the antennae of grasshoppers, and their light was feeble, until they were planted and firmly established, when their light was augmented and they were called “cedars of Lebanon”. Adam and Eve also when they were first planted were not swathed in light nor did they emit a sweet odour; of a surety they were uprooted and replanted and duly established.’