The Rabbis and Sages pour over the texts of Scripture looking for every little jot, every dot, every marker, making sure they have not missed any possible conclusion or outcome to the texts. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their tireless efforts. For them, finding several explanations of Torah is not an issue-but rather their mission-to find God in the details of the writings.
There are many sacred texts that recount their findings, such as the Mishnah, The Ethics of Our Fathers, the Talmud (just to name a few) and a rather stunning text, some 23 volumes long (In the English Commentary version), known as The Zohar (The Book of Splendor). These texts and countless other writings by the Rabbis and Sages offer a depth of learning and understanding about God, life, work ethics and deep spiritual mysteries.
The Zohar itself contains many stories about the Torah and the characters that appear within its pages. One such story is the subject of our article. Very few Biblical characters are as well-known as Adam. Much of the fame of his story has been diminished by the fact he is best known as the cause of “The Fall of Man”. Remember, Adam is the First Man of Creation-that is quite an accomplishment.
The concept of the “Fall of Man” is a uniquely Christian understanding of the events of the Garden of Eden. It has led to many other doctrines and teachings as well. One of the ideas from this teaching expresses the thought that we are born into a sin nature, will fall to our sin nature and will be sinners. We have no control over this-we can only impact it by salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
We will now turn to a section of the text of the Zohar for a keen insight about Adam.
“So it is that when a man is about to depart from life, Adam, the first man, appears to him to ask why and in what state he leaves the world. The man replies, “Woe to thee, that through thee I have to die”.
To which Adam replies, “My son, I transgressed one commandment and was punished for so doing, see how many commandments of your Master, negative and positive, you have transgressed”.
In our story here, the man departing life seems to blame Adam for his death and sufferings. He claims that through Adam’s fall, his own life in in peril. We are all about blame. Someone needs to be held responsible as long as it is not us. Admitting guilt and taking responsibility are key to any significant spiritual growth.
This may be an uncomfortable subject to approach, but one worth the effort. If you are confused by the lack of transparency and truthfulness of the people around you, look no further than our current religious landscape for the answer. People are often humiliated, shamed and dismissed for their confessions of any wrong-doing. Christianity has earned the moniker-“We Kill Our Wounded”.
For years I was raised in a church environment that embraced the idea that we currently live in the Age of Grace, and that the Age of the Law of Moses, is done. The Old Testament is about an angry God, taking vengeance on those that disobey Him with acts of violence, death and plague.
Surprisingly, this was the whole teaching premise of an early church influencer named Marcion. His doctrines, while as wholesale were rejected, parts were engrained deeply into Christian thought and Theology.
I hear so much about the Age of Grace, but do not witness much grace from the people that hold that doctrine in high regard. Even in the talking about grace, it is used as a weapon against those thought of as “less graceful”. When does grace extend to the people that need it most from the people that claim to have it? What would be the benefit to come forward to confess only to be pushed back farther that you had come? How does grace work?
Adam’s narrative here expresses an interesting change in God’s approach: God started the Age of Grace during the Garden of Eden, not some 2,000 years later. Adam’s point is clear; he was judged quickly and severely. He lost his immortality, his perfect environment and his direct connection with the Light of the Creator. God did not strike Adam or Eve dead at the moment-he started a new life with them.
You and I do not fall under that same judgment. God’s grace started during the Garden of Eden and extends to all today. This is not a license (as mentioned by the Apostle Paul) to sin and expect to live unscathed by God. When I sin-do behave wrong towards another-speak words of hate and contempt-I disconnect from the Light of the Creator. God does not leave me. I walk out from His presence. Being away from Him-His Love-His Connection and Care for His creation-is painful. For me, I have missed so many moments to create opportunities and memories when I have been seeking to fulfill my own desires. That is moments of time lost forever.
Will I meet Adam on the day of my death? Will he really ask me these questions? The point of the story is not to give us the “Hey, watch out for this guy when you get there” version of events after death. The point is to get us to pause-reflect-and think. What would be the answer I would give Adam?
When Adam comes to me on that final day and asks me about “the what and why” of my world and my life, I want to engage this conversation-to be able to tell him I learned from the example he set for me-that we all understand the active grace of God through all the Scriptures, starting in the Garden of Eden.
Maybe he will give me a tour of the World to Come, my home after death.
David Fournier Rev. Dr.
Centre For Hebraic Insights
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