Fall
A while back, I was having a heated debate with a friend of mine. We were discussing Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. As all friends do on Thursday evenings, of course. The debate began when my friend referred to Adam and Eve's removal from the garden as the "Fall the Man" or simply, "The Fall." These terms are often used to describe the transition of the first man and woman from a state of innocence to a state of awareness. But this word “fall,” to me at the time, had negative or adverse implications. And I was correct in assuming so. Because "Fall from grace," was, in fact, a failure to some degree.
Now, it should be noted that my friend had been raised in the Christian faith - which makes sense. But something about this word "fall" just didn't sit right. Which prompted me to boldly ask: "Where does it say fall? Show me where it says they fell? Did they trip and stumble out of the garden? Did they miss a step on the way out? Show me the word fall. So we took out our bibles, mine an Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, and his, a New King James Version. And right there in bold print before chapter three (in the King James), it read: "The Temptation and Fall of Man" – one could say we were both right and wrong. But it left us wondering how our versions of events were so different.
In the Book "Eve and Adam: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim readings on Genesis and Gender," the authors explain as follows:
“Eve’s story didn’t play the foundational theological role in Jewish thought as it did for later Christian readers…For Christians, the opening chapters of Genesis deposit a wonderful good creation in which human beings lived harmoniously with God and one another in a state of innocence and peace. When the first human couple ate the forbidden fruit, [theologians] have argued, they plunged humanity into sin and strife. This narrative of a Good creation, followed by a devastating Fall...has been crucial to Christian theology.”
But before I move on, let me ask you? Have we entered the season of Autumn, from the Latin, appearing in the 1300s? or Fall, appearing in late-16th century England. Well, I guess it’s a matter of opinion – okay, not back to the debate at hand. Because, while I understand our theological differences and interpretations, I prefer to make a bit of my own interpretation. Two Jews, nine opinions. In our Parsha this week, Bereishit, the beginning of the book of Genesis, we read:
“So the LORD God banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the soil from which he was taken. He drove the man out, and stationed east of the garden of Eden…”
But let’s investigate on the words “banish (שלך), drove (גרש), and stationed (שכן).” There are many words in Hebrew with negative connotations, and there is a litany of words for war and aggression. But the word for banish is “shalach.” Means really to send. They were sent from the garden. Like during the holidays, we perform tashlich (תשליך). The sending of our sins away.
And this phrase “drove man out,” well, it isn’t great. Being “cast out” is another interpretation that can be perceived as a bit aggressive. But what if we said that Adam and Eve were “thrust out.” Which is the word I like, and I’ll explain why in just a moment. And finally, I have no problem with being “stationed” anywhere.” God didn’t imprison Adam and Even in our world. They were simply stationed here. The word stationed is unique because it really means “caused to settle. To dwell.” You might know this word from the “schenah (שכינה),” the spiritual presence of God that dwells among the people in the desert. Which is really all to say that I can’t find a single instance of the word fell except for the following, right before God takes a rib:
“So the LORD caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man...”
Other than God's special spiritual anesthesia, there's not a lot of falling that happens. And there's a big reason why in Jewish thought, we don't use this phrase. Because I, among other Jewish thinkers, don't really see being thrust out of Eden as a bad thing at all. In fact, I believe we were never meant to stay there permanently, and I don't think that was ever the plan.
In my understanding, "moving out" from the Garden of Eden allowed human beings to enter our next stage of development. Frequently, this occurs in our own lives for many reasons. Sometimes we are thrust into a new world with brand-new expectations. However you connect to it, the Fall or the "Big Move" was the birth - the commencement of human life. Just as a baby is thrust from its mother's womb. We simply cannot stay in mom's belly (or her basement for that matter) permanently. Eventually, it becomes time to emerge. Evolve - not devolve. As we enter the next stage of our lives. And this may occur, as it did for Adam and Even, because of an accident. Or even, in a more critical reading, a failure.
Whatever the case, we are driven to find new dwelling places. Spiritually, emotionally, or mentally. Even if it's not of our choosing. The events that command us into new lives, altogether, like Adam and Even, aren't always successes or triumphs. We have this commonplace understanding that each new success leads us to the next, more perfected, more cognizant chapter of our lives. That's not always the case. It's not always what we do right that opens to door to a new world. But like the Garden Eden, we cannot go backward. The way is forward. On to the next one.
This is really to say that in Judaism, we don't fall. Not really. We simply adjust. In fact, Judaism places hyper-awareness on the upward movement of our lives. When we go to Torah, when we go to wisdom - we go up! We go up to the Torah! Up to the Bima! We go up to life. We raise our kiddush cups. And rise up to the occasion.
On this Shabbat, let us find our way up. Let us navigate through the world, God or human-driven, upwards. Let us reach the next level of awareness. Even if it's through our own mistakes.