תלמוד בבלי מסכת פסחים דף קיח עמוד א
בשעה שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא לאדם בראשית וקוץ ודרדר תצמיח לך, זלגו עיניו דמעות, אמר לפניו: רבונו של עולם, אני וחמורי נאכל באבוס אחד? כיון שאמר לו בראשית בזעת אפך תאכל לחם - נתקררה דעתו.
When the blessed Holy One told Adam, “Cursed be the ground because of you… thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you” (Gen. 3:17-18), Adam wept. He said, “Master of the Universe, am I and my cattle to eat in the same manger?” But when he heard the words, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread” (Gen. 3:19), he was consoled.
[This text was compiled by Rabbis J. Rolando Matalon, Marcelo Bronstein and Felicia Sol of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in New York, NY, for Rabbi Matalon’s teaching on the American Jewish World Service Rabbinical Student Delegation. Their work was based on and inspired by The Dignity of Difference by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What is the difference between thorns and bread?
2. Where do humans get their food as opposed to animals? What does this say about our interaction with nature?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)