וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם׃
And YHWH God said, “Here, the human has become like one of us, knowing good and bad. And now, what if he’ll put out his hand and also take from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever?!”
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים הֵן הָאָדָם. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: לְבַד רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר (קהלת ז, כט). לֹא בְרָאוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנִּקְרָא צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר, אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לִהְיוֹת צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר כָּמוֹהוּ. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, לָמָּה בָּרָא יֵצֶר הָרַע שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ, כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעֻרָיו (בראשית ח ,כא) אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁהוּא רַע, מִי יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ טוֹב? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ רַע. לָמָּה? תִּינוֹק בֶּן חָמֵשׁ בֶּן שֵׁשׁ וְשֶׁבַע וּשְׁמוֹנֶה וְתשַׁע אֵינָם חוֹטְאִים, אֶלָּא מִבֶּן עֶשֶׂר וָאֵילַךְ, וְאָז הוּא מְגַדֵּל יֵצֶר הָרָע.
(1) And YHWH God said, Here, the human. Scripture states [alluding to] this verse: Behold, this only have I found, that Adonai God made the man upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29). The Holy One, blessed be He, who is called righteous and upright, created man in His own image, only so that he might be upright and righteous like Him. And if you should say, Why did He create the evil inclination, about which it is written: because the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth (Gen. 8:21), you say thereby, Since he is evil, who can make him good? The Holy One, blessed be He, contends: You make him evil! A child of five, six, seven, eight, or nine years of age does not sin; rather only after he reaches the age of ten and older, then does the evil inclination begin to develop.
(ב) וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אֵין אָדָם יָכוֹל לִשְׁמֹר אֶת עַצְמוֹ? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ אוֹתוֹ רַע. לָמָּה? תִּינוֹק הָיִיתָ וְלֹא חָטָאתָ, נִתְגַּדַּלְתָּ וְחָטָאתָ. וְכַמָּה דְבָרִים קָשִׁים יֵשׁ בָּעוֹלָם יוֹתֵר מִיֵּצֶר הָרַע וּמָרִים מִמֶּנּוּ וְאַתֶּם מְמַתְּקִין אוֹתוֹ. אֵין לְךָ מַר מִן הַתּוּרְמוּס וְאַתָּה שׁוֹקֵד לְשָׁלְקוֹ וּלְהַמְתִּיקוֹ בַמַּיִם שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים עַד שֶׁהוּא נַעֲשָׂה מָתוֹק, וְכֵן חַרְדָּל וּצְלַף וּדְבָרִים הַרְבֵּה. וּמָה, מָרִים שֶׁבָּרָאתִי אוֹתָן אַתָּה מְמַתְּקָן לְצָרְכֶךָ, יֵצֶר הָרָע הַמָּסוּר בְּיָדֶיךָ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
(2) And if you should say, No man is able to guard himself [from the evil inclination]? The Holy One, blessed be He, replies: You caused yourself to become evil. When you were a child, you did not sin; when you grew up, you did sin. There are many things in this world that are harsher than the evil inclination, and more bitter than it, yet you know how to sweeten them. There is nothing more bitter than lupine, but you are diligent to boil it to sweeten it, in water seven times, until it becomes edible, and similarly, mustard and capers, and many other things. And how﹘you are able to sweeten the bitter things that I have created to satisfy your needs﹘ are you able to control the evil inclination within you﹘how much more so!
Midrash Tanhuma is the only source which states that the evil inclination does not appear at birth. A response to the notion of original sin.
Lupin or lupini beans are the yellow legume seeds of the genus Lupinus. They are traditionally eaten as a pickled snack food, primarily in the Mediterranean basin (L. albus), Latin America (L. mutabilis) and North Africa (L. angustifolius). The bitter variety of the beans are high in alkaloids and are extremely bitter unless rinsed methodically. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupin_bean
Photo by Calapito - Own work, Public Domain,
(א) אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ. כָּךְ פָּתַח רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא בַּר אַבָּא וְאָמַר, פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם (משלי יא, ל). אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַלֵּוִי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָאָדָם מִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הָעוֹלָם בְּלֹא בָנִים, הוּא מֵצֵר וּבוֹכֶה. אוֹמֵר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לָמָּה אַתָּה בוֹכֶה? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הֶעֱמַדְתָּ פְרִי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, יֵשׁ לְךָ פְּרִי יָפֶה מִן הַבָּנִים. אוֹמֵר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֵיזֶה פְרִי שֶׁהֶעֱמַדְתִּי. אוֹמֵר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהּ, פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים. בָּנִים אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא פְּרִי צַדִּיק. וְכֵן תּוֹלְדוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, אֵלּוּ מַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ, נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים.
(1) These are the generations of Noah. R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion of this subject: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that is wise wins souls.'' (Proverbs 11:30) R. Judah the Levite said, Whenever a man dies childless, he grieves and weeps. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to him, “Why do you weep over having left no fruit in this world? You have left fruit that is more desirable than children.” He says before him, “Master of the universe, what fruit did I produce?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replies, “The Torah, in which it is written, “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.” The verse does not say, “children,” rather “the fruit of the righteous.” Accordingly, the generations of humanity are his good works. And so it says, “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous and unblemished man.” (Genesis 6:9)
(ב) אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ, מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לָאַחֲרוֹנִים בִּזְכוּת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאַף לָרִאשׁוֹנִים בִּזְכוּת הָאַחֲרוֹנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי ה'. וּבְאֵיזֶה זְכוּת, בִּזְכוּת תּוֹלְדוֹתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ.
(2) R. Abahu taught: We find that the Holy One, blessed be He, rewards descendants because of the merit of their ancestors. Where do we find that He also rewards ancestors because of the merit of their descendants? As it is said, “Noah found favor in God’s eyes.” (Genesis 6:8) Because of whose merit? Because of the merit of his descendants, as it is said: “These are the generations of Noah, Noah.” (Genesis 6:9)
(ג) וְלוֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם (משלי יא, ל), זֶה הַזָּן וּמְפַרְנֵס הֶעָנִי, כָּךְ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא, אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לֹא מֵת נֹחַ עַד שֶׁרָאָה הָעוֹלָם בְּיִשּׁוּבוֹ וְעַד שֶׁרָאָה ע' אֻמּוֹת יוֹצְאִים מֵחֲלָצָיו וּמִשָּׁם לֹא נִזְכָּר אֶלָּא צִדְקוֹ.
(3) “And he that is wise wins souls.” (Proverbs 11:30) This refers to those who feed and entertain the poor. R. Tanhuma continued his exposition, saying: Our masters taught that Noah did not die until he saw the world reinhabited and he saw seventy generations of his descendants. And from here, only his righteousness is mentioned.
(ד) וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, זֶה נֹחַ שֶׁזָּן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת הַבְּהֵמָה. וּמֶה הָיָה מַאֲכִילָן? אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, דְּבֵלָה הָיוּ כֻלָּן אוֹכְלִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָיָה לְךָ וְלָהֶם לְאָכְלָה. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, לֹא, אֶלָּא כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִכָּל מִין וָמִין הֶאֱכִיל מַה שֶּׁלָּמֵד. הַגָּמָל, תֶּבֶן. וְהַחֲמוֹר שְׂעוֹרִים. וְכֵן כֻּלָּם מַה שֶּׁלָּמֵד הָיָה אוֹכֵל, הֱוֵי וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם.
(4) “And he that is wise wins souls.” (ibid.) This is Noah, who fed and sustained the animals. What food did he feed them? R. Akiba said, All of them ate dried figs, as it is written, “And it will be for you and for them food.” (Genesis 6:21) Our sages said: No, he provided each of them with the kind of food it was accustomed to eat. Straw for the camel, and barley for the ass. Each animal was fed what it was accustomed to eat. Thus, “And he that is wise wins souls.”
(ה) יֵשׁ בְּהֵמָה שֶׁהִיא אוֹכֶלֶת בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת בַּיּוֹם, וְיֵשׁ בִּשְׁתַּיִם וְיֵשׁ בְּשָׁלֹשׁ, וְיֵשׁ בִּשְׁלִישׁ הַלַּיְלָה וְיֵשׁ בְּאֶמְצָעוֹ, וְיֵשׁ בִּקְרוֹת הַגֶּבֶר. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהָיָה נֹחַ בַּתֵּבָה לֹא רָאָה שֵׁנָה לֹא בַיּוֹם וְלֹא בַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק וְזָן הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁעִמּוֹ, הֲרֵי וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם.
(5) Certain animals were fed at the first hour of the day, others at the second, and still others at the third, while some animals were fed at the third of night, others at midnight, and still others at the time of the crowing of the cock. Our sages said: during the twelve months in the ark, Noah never slept, not during the day nor at night, because he was occupied with feeding the creatures that were with him. Thus, “And he that is wise wins souls.”
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַהוּ שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהַלֵּךְ. רַב אִידִי וְרַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אָמְרוּ, אָסוּר לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהַלֵּךְ, אֶלָּא יַעֲמֹד בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד וִיכַוֵּן לִבּוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה בְּרֶתֶת וּבְזִיעַ בְּיִחוּד הַשֵּׁם, וְיִקְרָא שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד (דברים ו, ד), כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּכַוָּנַת הַלֵּב, וְאַחַר כָּךְ, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. וּכְשֶׁמַּתְחִיל וְאָהַבְתָּ (דברים ו, ה), רָצָה מְהַלֵּךְ, רָצָה עוֹמֵד, רָצָה יוֹשֵׁב, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ (דברים ו, ה).
And the Lord said unto Abram, “Go!” (Gen. 12:1). Teach us, Rabbi: An Israelite, how does he take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom while traveling? Rav Idi and Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Judah, and Rabbi Yosi said in the name of Rabbi Samuel said: It is forbidden to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom while traveling, rather he must stand in one place and direct his heart to heaven in trepidation and fear, in trembling and quaking, proclaiming the oneness of God "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deut. 6:4), each word with heartfelt sincerity, and after that, Blessed be His name, whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever. And when he begins, “And you shall love” (Deut. 6:5), he may walk, he may stand, he may sit, as he desires, as it is written: "When you sit in your house, when you go on the road, when you lie down, and when you rise up." (Deut. 6:7)
אָמַר לָהֶם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: חָבִיב הַגֵּר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִן אוֹתָן אֻכְלוֹסִין שֶׁעָמְדוּ עַל הַר סִינָי. לָמָּה? שֶׁכָּל אוֹתָן אֻכְלוֹסִין אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁרָאוּ הַקּוֹלוֹת וְהַלַּפִּידִים וּבְרָקִים וְהֶהָרִים רוֹעֲשִׁים וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָרוֹת, לֹא קִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. וְזֶה לֹא רָאָה אַחַד מִכֻּלָּם וּבָא וּמַשְׁלִים עַצְמוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, יֵשׁ חָבִיב מִזֶּה.
Rabbi Simeon the son of Lakish said:
A convert is more precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, than those who stood at the foot of Sinai. Why? If all those had not seen the thunder, the flames, the lightning, the quaking of the mountain, and the sound of the shofarot, they would not have taken the yoke of the heavenly kingdom upon themselves. But this one saw none of these things, and he comes and completes himself to the Holy One, blessed be He, and takes upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom. Is anyone more precious than this?