The Tree

(ח) וַיִּטַּ֞ע ה' אֱלֹקִ֛ים גַּן־בְעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃ (ט) וַיַּצְמַ֞ח ה' אֱלֹקִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃

Genesis 2:8-9

(8) The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom He had formed. (9) And from the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad. (TNK)

^16WTTוַיְצַו֙ ה' אֱלֹקִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃

¹⁷וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃

Genesis 2:16-17

(16)And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; ¹⁷ but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die." (TNK)

וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה ה' אֱלֹקִ֑ים וַ֙יֹּאמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃2 וַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל׃3 וּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃
4 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃
5 כִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹקִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃6 וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֙ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃7 וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃(WTT)

Genesis 3:1-7

(1) Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"2 The woman replied to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the other trees of the garden. 3 It is only about fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said: 'You shall not eat of it or touch it, lest you die.'"4 And the serpent said to the woman, "You are not going to die, 5 but God knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad."

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed together fig leaves and made themselves loincloths.(TNK)

בראשית ג׳:כ״ד

(כד) וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ (ס)

Genesis 3:24

(24) He drove the man out, and stationed east of the garden of Eden the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.

רש"י על בראשית ב׳:ט׳:ב׳

(ט) בתוך הגן בְּאֶמְצָע:

Rashi on Genesis 2:9:2

(9) בתוך הגן IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN — means in the very center of the garden.

בראשית רבה ט״ו:ו׳

(ו) ויצמח ה' אלקים מן האדמה - תני, עץ שהוא פוסה על פני כל החיים. אמר רבי יהודה בר אלעאי עץ חיים מהלך ת"ק שנה, וכל מי בראשית מתפלגין מתחתיו. רבי יודן בשם רבי יהודה בר אלעאי: לא סוף דבר נופו מהלך ת"ק שנה, אלא אפילו קורתו מהלך ת"ק שנה:

Bereshit Rabbah 15:6

And Adonai Eloheim made every pleasant tree sprout from the ground: It was taught that this was a tree that spread over all living things. R Yehuda bar Eliai said: The tree of life extended over a journey of 500 years and all the waters of Creation divided into streams beneath it. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Eliai: It is not only the boughs that extend 500 years, but also its trunk that extends 500 years.

רד"ק על בראשית ב׳:ט׳:א׳

(ט) . ועץ החיים בתוך הגן ועץ הדעת טוב ורע, בתוך, כתרגומו במציעות גינתא, והדבר יהיה נשמר יותר באמצע המקום מפני שהדברים שהם סביביו יהיו כחומה לו, והדבר החביב והנאהב לאדם ישימנו בתוך הדברים האחרים כדי שיהיו לו חומה ומשמרת. ופירוש עץ החיים שהצמיח גם עץ החיים בתוך הגן, והוא עץ שהיה בטבעו לחזק טבע האדם האוכל ממנו ויחיה זמן רב מאוד. ולפי המשל שהוא הנסתר שכל האוכל ממנו יחיה עדי עד. ובב"ר (פט"ו) אמר ר' יהודה בר אילעי עץ החיים מהלך ת"ק שנה וכל מימי בראשית מתפלגין תחתיו,...

Radak on Genesis 2:9:1

(9) ועץ החיים בתוך הגן ועץ הדעת טוב ורע, the word בתוך, normally translated as “within,” or “among,” here means literally “in the middle.” (Targum Onkelos) The reason it was dead in the center is that if you want to protect something carefully you place it in the center where it is surrounded, i.e. protected, from all sides equally. Man’s heart, lung, liver, his most precious organs, are surrounded by all manner of protective bone, flesh, and other tissue. These all act like a wall protecting the interior organs from injury.
The explanation of the words “ועץ החיים,” is: “God had also made a tree of life grow in the center of the garden.” The normal function of this tree, i.e. its fruit, is to reinforce the vital organs and parts of the human being. Anyone eating from the fruit of this tree regularly would enjoy very long life. According to the aggadah, which deals with the hidden meaning of this text, (compare Genesis 3,22, פירוש הנסתר) anyone eating of this tree would live forever. According to Bereshit Rabbah 15,6 Rabbi Yehudah bar IIai is quoted as saying that this tree travels a distance of 500 years, and all the waters dating back to the days of creation split beneath it when it approaches.

A Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Part One, U. Cassuto (Hebrew)(English trans. Israel Abrahams) (Jerusalem 1961) at 110, 176 "[T]he Torah makes only brief reference of the tree of life and declares, in the end, that the Lord God set the cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life (3:24), as though to tell us that now there is no connection between the tree and our world, and we need pay no further heed to it. In its closing words (chapter 3), the section recalls what was stated at the beginning: the Tree of life also in the midst of the garden; the repetition serves to point to an antithesis, to emphasize the contrast between the original state of Adam and the situation created as a result of his sin. At first the man dwelt in the midst of the garden, in the vicinity of the tree of life, and he could at any moment approach it and eat of its fruit; now his is far from there, and the cherubim and sword-flame guard the way and prevent him from again drawing near to the garden and to the tree of life.

זוהר חדש, פרשת בראשית תשע״ה

() רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּשֵׁם ר' חִיָּיא אָמַר, עֵץ מַמָּשׁ הָיָה, וְהָיוּ שְׁנַיִם, הָאֶחָד הַנּוֹתֵן חַיִּים לָאָדָם. וְהָאֶחָד שֶׁהָאוֹכְלוֹ יֵדַע הַטוֹב וְהָרָע. לָדַעַת הַדֶּרֶךְ הַטוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר, שֶׁיּוּכְשַׁר הָאָדָם. וְהַדֶּרֶךְ הָרַע, שֶׁיִּתְקַלְקֵל בָּהּ הָאָדָם. וּלְפִיכָךְ צִוָּהוּ הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ, פֶּן יִדְחֶה הַטוֹב, וְיַחְזִיק בָּרָע.

Zohar Chadash, Bereshit 775

Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rabbi Chiyya: "It was an actual tree! There were two, the first one gave life to Adam. The other one, whoever ate from it, he would know good and evil, knowing the way of the good and the upright, by which a person becomes righteous, as well as the evil way, by which a person becomes corrupted. For that reason, the Holy Bless One commanded him not to eat from it, lest he reject the good and embrace evil.

The Meaning of the Torah in Jewish Mysticism, Gershom Scholem (69-70): According to an old Talmudic tradition, the venom of the serpent, which had corrupted Eve and through her all mankind, lost its strength through the Revelation on Mount Sinai, but regained it when Israel began to worship the golden calf. The Kabbalistic author interprets this in his own way. The first tablets, which had been given before Israel sinned with the golden calf but which, apart from Moses, no one had read, came from the Tree of Life. The second tablets, which were given after the first had been broken, came from the Tree of Knowledge. The meaning is clear: the first tablets contained a revelation of the Torah in keeping with the original state of man, when he was governed by the principle embodied in the Tree of Life. This was a truly spiritual Torah, bestowed upon a world in which Revelation and Redemption coincided, in which everything was holy and there was no need to hold the powers of uncleanness and death in check by prohibitions and restrictions....On the second tablets the Torah appears in a historical garment and as a historical power. To be sure, it still has its hidden depths, its infinite mystery. The good is still translucent, while evil must be fenced in and combated by all the prohibitions that are conceived as its counterparts. This is the hard shell of the Torah, indispensable in a world governed by the powers of evil. But the shell must not be mistaken for the whole. In enacting the commandments, a man can break through the outer shell and penetrate to the kernel.

On the Mystical Shape of the Godhead, Gershom Scholem (65-70): You already know that the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge are one [tree] below but two [trees] above: the Tree of Knowledge is from the northern side, but the Tree of Life is from the eastern side, from whence light emanates into the entire world and the potency of Satan is there....Now this is the meaning: So long as the Tree of Life, which comes from the side of the east and is the Good Urge and the quality of peace [harmony], is connected with the Tree of Knowledge, which comes from the side of the north, from the side of Satan and evil, then Satan can do nothing, for the Tree of Life is the quality of peace [i.e.harmony] shall overwhelm him. But the moment it [the Tree of Knowledge] is separated [from the Tree of Life], its strength is freed and Satan is able to act....Had Adam not first separated the fruit, Satan would have been unable to separate him from the Tree of Life....The two trees are fundamentally one: they grow from a common root, in which masculine and feminine, the giving and receiving, the creative and reflective, are one. Life and knowledge are not to be torn asunder from one another: they must be seen and realized in their unity. So long as the two trees are connected, the Tree of Life retains control over the power of severity, the harsh critical power within the Godhead....When he [Adam] plucked and ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, he allowed the power acting in the Tree of Knowledge from the north (i.e., the principle of Severity) to operate upon it in isolation. This power was thereby removed from its position within the union of the Sefiroth and now gained control over Adam as the satanic principle of evil.