Commentaire sur La Genèse 1:11

תדשא הארץ דשא עשב THE EARTH SHALL SPROUT FORTH SPROUTS, HERB — דשא does not mean the same as עשב nor does עשב mean the same as דשא so that it is not a correct expression in Biblical Hebrew to say תעשיב הארץ, for the species of דשא are all different, each by itself being called this or that עשב, and it would not be linguistically correct for a speaker to say this or that דשא, for by דשא is meant that which forms the covering of the ground when it is filled with herbage.

דשא, every kind of herb collectively is known as דשא whereas every individual type of herb is known as עשב.

דשא, herbs fit for consumption by animals. We find this expression used in this sense in Yoel 2,22כי דשאו נאות מדבר, “for its herbs (the ones for the beasts) are found in the pastures of the wilderness.”

"Let the earth bring forth (tadshe) grass (deshe):" The correct [understanding] is that deshe is small, soft grass, in which the seed is not recognizable (and therefore it does not say "grass that gives off seed") and the esev (herbs) is bigger than it. And Rabbi Ovadia Sforno says, that deshe is animal food and esev is food for people. But what the commentator on Netivot Shalom wrote - that deshe also includes trees - is not possible, since behold, we find [this word] in many places adjacent to herbs and vegetables (for example II Kings 19:26; Isaiah 15:6; 37:27) and not even once adjacent to trees. And nonetheless, [when used as a verb here in the phrase], "Let the earth bring forth (tadshe)," [it] includes the trees also, since the trees also are small and soft at the beginning of their sprouting (My student, our teacher, Rabbi Avraham Chai Meinster). And behold, "tadshe" is like, "let sprout" and afterwards [the verse] explains [what should sprout]: the deshe which is the smallest, and afterwards, it adds esev that gives off seed - which is bigger than deshe, and afterwards, it adds fruit trees. And therefore the cantillation sign, ravia, which is on top of the word, grass, is correct, since it creates less of a pause than the sign, zakef, which is on top of the word, seed; as grass and herbs [that bear seed] are one matter and fruit trees are another matter. And the sign, pashta over the [word,] earth, creates more of a pause than the ravia after it, as is the way of any ravia that comes after a pashta since it is [only there] so as not to repeat the pashta three times, as [is also the case in] "Behold, I have made him a lord over you, and all of his brothers have I given to him as slaves" (Genesis 27:37). And it is known that the sign, yetiv under the [word,] herb, is only to take the place of a pashta, since the word is [too] short [for it]. However, there is no doubt that the versions that have the word, grass, with a zakef are mistaken. And the 'trustworthy witness' [to this] is in the verse after it, "and the land brought forth grass;" wherein 'grass' is not with a zakef but with a tilsha gedola sign; and the words, "and the land brought forth" are with the signs, kadma and azla, which would not be possible if grass had been with a zakef. And the error in the first [of these two verses] came about because it is easy to mix up a ravia with a zakef, besides [the fact] that there is a pashta in front of it, and it is its way to come in front of a zakef; while no error in the second verse came about because it is unlikely to mix up a tilsha with a zakef, besides [the fact] that there is no pashta in front of it there.

AND G-D SAID: ‘LET THE EARTH PUT FORTH GRASS.’ He decreed that there be among the products of the earth a force which grows and bears seed so that the species should exist forever. It is possible that the name “earth” mentioned in the first verse already contains a hint that a force which causes things to grow should spring up from the earth, and it was from this force that the foundations of all vegetations according to their kinds emanated. From them sprang the grass and trees in the garden of Eden, and from them came those in the world. This is what the Rabbis have said:¹³⁴The source is not definite. See Pirke d’Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 3. “On the third day He created three creations: trees, grass, and the garden of Eden.” They have also said:¹³⁵Bereshith Rabbah 10:7. “There is not a single blade of grass below [that does not have] a constellation in heaven that smites it and says to it, ‘Grow.’ It is this which Scripture says, Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish ‘mishtaro’ (the dominion thereof) in the earth?¹³⁶Job 38:33. — [mishtaro being derived from the root] shoter (executive officer).”
And He said that all this vegetation should be after its kind. This is the basis of the prohibition of sowing mixed kinds of seeds,¹³⁷Leviticus 19:19. since he who sows them works contrary to the power of the work of creation. I will yet explain this¹³⁷Leviticus 19:19. with the help of G-d.
Now Rabbeinu Shlomo [Rashi] wrote: “Deshe essev (grass, herb). Deshe does not mean the same as esev and esev does not mean the same as deshe, for by deshe is meant that which forms the covering of the ground when it is filled with vegetation, and it is not linguistically correct to say ‘this or that deshe.’ Each by itself is called this or that esev.”
This interpretation of Rashi is not correct. For if it were so, the word deshe¹³⁸Chullin 60a. could have no plural, and yet we find the Sages saying, “If a person grafted together two kinds of deshaim, what should the law be?”¹³⁸Chullin 60a. And the Rabbi himself¹³⁹Rashi. The title Harav (the Rabbi, the Master) without specification of the name is used by Ramban only with reference to Rashi or Rambam. It is the highest mark of respect. Precedent for it is found in the Talmud where just the title Rabbi meant Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, redactor of the Mishnah, and the title Rav was a reference to Abba Arucha, founder of the Babylonian Academy of Sura. mentions deshaim.¹⁴⁰That is, when Rashi writes, “For the species of deshaim are different; each by itself called this or that esev.” Rather, deshe is the young growing plant, and esev is the mature product which produces seeds. This is why Scripture says, ‘tadshei ha’aretz’ (let the earth put forth) ‘deshe’ (young plants), and it would not be correct usage to say ta’asiv [for the word esev applies to mature products which produce seeds]. And every young thing that grows from the earth is called deshe, even trees. Therefore tadshei ha’aretz in the verse extends also to the expression etz pri (the fruit-tree). [This interpretation is necessary] since He did not say, “Let the earth put forth deshe esev and let it bring forth the fruit-tree.” The word deshe thus has the same meaning as tz’michah (growing). Similarly we find: For the pasture of the wilderness ‘dash’u’ (do spring), for the tree beareth its fruit.¹⁴¹Joel 2:22.
I wonder why Scripture did not mention the creation of fruitless trees, and how is it that He commanded only concerning fruit-trees? Perhaps this is what induced our Rabbis to say,¹⁴²Bereshith Rabbah 5:9. “Even the presently barren trees at first bore fruit.” If so, we must say that since the imprecation [which was visited upon Adam for his sin] — Cursed be the ground for thy sake¹⁴³Genesis 3:17. — barren trees came into existence. But it is possible that the explanation of the verse before us is as follows: “Let the earth bring forth growing things, and herbs which yield seed and trees which bear fruit.” Thus He decreed at first the creation of barren herbs and barren trees in general, and then He specified herbs which yield seed and trees which bear fruit. From what He said later on — bearing fruit… wherein is the seed thereof — we may derive that all trees were to grow from their seed although it is the custom with some trees to be propagated by planting a branch.

Fruit tree, making fruit according to its species: [The verse refers to all trees as fruit trees] since all trees are called fruit trees and all trees make fruit, some for food and some for medicine. And that which is stated, "making fruit according to its species," appears to be explained, in that 'man is [like] the tree of the field' and [a tree] is similar to him, whether as a result of its stature or whether as a result of its enduring remnant, like man, as it is stated (Job 14:7), "Since there is hope for a tree." And all of the grasses relate to the other animals, whether because of their being of lowly stature or whether because they don't have roots and branches, but rather (Job 14:7), "like a flower, comes out and withers." And the Holy One, blessed be He, created all types of food, such that [each food] should be appropriate to the constitution of the eater; and combined every 'type [of food] to its type' [of eater], as it is stated (Psalms 145:16), "and He satiates the will of all life," which means to say [He feeds it with] something that is its will, from the angle that it is close to its nature and its constitution. And that is why it states, "And to all the living on the earth, etc... all of the green grass to eat." Since grass is not specifically appropriate except for the species of physical life that do not speak. But for man, He said, "Behold, I have given all grass, etc. and all trees etc.," since from the physical aspect of man, the grass is also appropriate for him, and from the aspect of the spiritual mixture within him, the fruit of the tree is appropriate for him. And then every 'specie will go with it specie;' and that is why it says [here], "according to its species," [meaning] to the one who is its specie, which is man. And [with] grass that give off seed, the phrase, "according to its species," is not mentioned, since it is also for man [as well as animals], even though it is not completely its specie. But when [the grass] is [actually] made, [the Torah] does mention "according to its species," from the angle that [man] is, in one aspect, its species, which is the physical side of man.

And God said, "let the grass be put forth, etc.": The rabbis, of blessed memory, said (Chullin 60a) that even if the Creator said "according to its specie" only to the trees, the grasses brought up an a fortiori argument (kal vechomer), etc. [that they too should spring forth according to their own specie]. And [this] is difficult, since in the order of the verse, God had His words to the grasses precede [those to the trees]; and, if so, why did they delay from coming out immediately [and] exactly adjacent to the statement of God, until [after] God finished saying to bring forth trees, from which they raised the a fortiori argument? And according to what I have explained on the verse, "In the beginning" - that in every place that He speaks of a matter of strength with the name Elohim, He speaks the whole statement in one word; if so - there was no precedence [of the words] to the grasses before the tree.

Grass: It is a species, the entire purpose of which is the herb and not the seed. And if so, its main purpose is that the leaf be more distinguishable, and this is the understanding of 'grass' as I have explained in the song of Ha'azinu.

ויאמר אלוקים תדשא הארץ דשא, on the third “day”. G’d commanded the earth to produce vegetation, in other words, He equipped the earth with the ability, potential, to grow plants of different kinds. This was the second instance in which elements were amalgamated, i.e. employed in conjunction with one another, the product comprising more than one of the basic elements. (compare verse 9) The purpose of these various plants was to serve as food for the land-based living creatures which had not yet been created. The living creatures created on the fifth and sixth day respectively, formed the third stage of employing different elements in conjunction with one another, i.e. in a still more sophisticated manner.
The meaning of the word תדשא is equivalent to תוציא דשא, “bring forth herbs.” This דשא must be viewed as a relatively primitive form of grass, a forerunner of the eventual grass, so that a special verb is used to describe this process. The prophet Yoel 2,22 uses the word in that sense when describing primitive plants growing in the desert. Both the words צמח and דשא describe either primitive plants, or plants which have not yet grown to their full extent. The activities of the luminaries on the third day were relatively weak, not comparable to the power assigned to them on the fourth day, as we already mentioned in our commentary on verse 3. Only on the fourth day did their power increase sufficiently to materially influence the atmosphere covering the surface of the globe. As a result, plants of an advanced calibre were then produced by the earth, the trees growing to their full height, etc.
This is what is meant by the words spoken by G’d on the fourth day: להאיר על הארץ, i.e. to make their impact felt all over the surface of the earth. This is also what Moses referred to in Deuteronomy 33,14 וממגד תבואות שמש, וממגד גרש ירחים. The meaning of the word להאיר, usually understood only as “to provide illumination,” is in fact twofold. It means “to give light,” as well as “to carry out its assigned tasks.”

תדשא הארץ דשא, “let the earth become capable of producing herbs.” Some commentators believe that the word דשא is equivalent to עשב, small thin grass, i.e. grass which has not yet produced seed. The word עשב when used in the Torah would then describe grass that has grown high enough to produce seed capable of reproducing itself. Rashi does not accept this interpretation but believes that the word דשא is a collective term for green vegetation of a primitive nature covering the surface of the earth. Hence, the word דשא does not need an adjective to define it more closely. Nachmanides queries Rashi’s statement, saying that if he were right the word דשא would never appear in the plural mode, whereas our sages speak of combinations of several kinds of .דשאים. Therefore we must accept the view that the word דשא describes grass that has not fully grown. Any plant that has not developed to the stage of reproducing itself, i.e. having produced its own seed, is called דשא. This is also reflected in the word תדשא, a directive to continue to develop eventually into fruit-bearing trees, why else would the Torah not write תוצא הארץ דשא ותוציא עץ פרי, “let the earth produce herbs, and let it produce a fruit-bearing tree?” Clearly, the tree is merely a continuation of a growth process that commenced as דשא. Nachmanides queries further why the Torah does not mention עצי סרק, trees which do not produce edible fruit, saying “why does the Torah not mention non fruit bearing trees and why was the earth commanded to produce only fruit-bearing trees?” He answers that actually the wording of the Torah alerted the sages to say that the so-called עצי סרק also produce fruit; however, after the earth was cursed as a result of the original sin, the fruit of these trees was cursed also and became inedible or poisonous. Nachmanides goes on to explain that the verse may be understood in the following sequence: first the earth was commanded to produce primitive plants. Once the earth had been able to comply with this part of G’d’s directive, He directed earth to produce more sophisticated vegetation, such as fruit-bearing trees, the trunks of which were also edible. Nachmanides adds that the reason the Torah did not assign a specific day as being the one on which the earth carried out this directive was that earth will forever continue to produce vegetation. This was not a one-time event, such as the establishment of a horizon, oceans, etc. Moreover, the earth is a permanent phenomenon in this universe regardless of the fact that certain parts of the earth produce vegetation and other parts do not.

“Let the earth be covered with herbs.” The earth was directed to become material fit for vegetation and living creatures. However, the earth aborted part of G’d’s directive as it should have produced fruit-bearing trees with edible trunks.
The Torah continues by reporting that —

is not synonymous with... Rashi is answering the question: Why did it not say: תדשא הארץ דשא מזריע זרע [omitting עשב], or תעשיב הארץ עשבים [omitting דשא]?

(11-13) Mit diesem elften Verse treten wir in den Kreis des organischen Lebens. Es wird uns דשא, die der Erde entsproßte Pflanzenwelt gezeigt, das Samen säende Kraut, der Frucht schaffende Fruchtbaum, und sie alle, alle diese zahllosen, mannigfach gestalteten Wesen von dem einen großen Gesetze: למינהו ,למינו, beherrscht, das jegliches nur für seine Gattung arbeiten und nur in dem seiner Gattung angewiesenen engen Kreis sich entfalten lässt; und es wird uns das große, diese Welt deutende Wort gesprochen: ויאמר א׳ תרשא הארץ, es war Gott, auf dessen Geheiß die Erde diese Welt von Pflanzen erzeugt, Gott, der das große כלמינו-Gesetz, das große, jedes Pflänzchen bis in das Innerste seines Wesens und in jeder Faser seiner Form beherrschende Gattungsgesetz ausgesprochen, und dessen Gesetzeswort noch jetzt fort und fort in jeder Pflanze und in jedem Keime allmächtig gebietend fortwirkt und offenbar ist.

תדשא הארץ, “let the earth sprout vegetation;” at this point the Torah begins with its report of G-d’s creative activity on the third “day”. The major result was that the surface of the earth became covered with different categories of vegetation including trees, in anticipation of G-d’s placing the luminaries in the sky on the fourth day. A different exegesis: the waters had already completed the process of contracting on the second day as part of that day’s activity, aided by the רקיע, horizon/atmosphere blowing itself up on the second day; for if the (upper) waters had not contracted, how could the earth beneath have become visible and already be covered with vegetation including trees?.

תדשא הארץ THE EARTH SHALL SPROUT FORTH [SPROUTS] — Let it be filled and covered with a garment of different grasses. In old French דשא is called herbaries; English herbage, meaning all species of herbs growing together collectively whilst each root by itself is called an עשב.

עושה פרי למינו, according to the plain meaning of the text the word למינו here refers to the herbs. When the word occurs again in connection with the trees, it includes the עשב which the text had defined as carrying within it its own seed.

עשב מזריע זרע, for consumption by human beings.

"That bears (mazria) seed:" That has seed in it. And this is one of the functions of the causative (hifil) structure, as in "makrin, mafris" (Psalms 69:32), [means respectively] that it has horns and it has hooves; "marbeh raglayim" (Leviticus 11:42), is that it has many feet.

Herbs, that give off seed: The purpose of which is the seed, whether small or large. And behold, it doesn't state now, “according to its specie,” as it states by the fruit of the tree; [meaning] and with it, since it [nonetheless] states in the adjacent verse, “and the earth brought forth grass, herbs that give off seed, according to its specie.” And also [noteworthy] is that the main point of the adjacent verse seems unnecessary. Firstly, we must explain the meaning of, “according to its specie,” or [what it means] when “according to its specie,” is written concerning what grows on the ground or the creations with living souls. And [the Torah need to say this] because there is almost no species, within which are not included several sub-species. As with wheat, we find in Eichah Rabbah, …................?. And so [too,] there are many in each species. And at the time of the creation, only one wheat plant came, which was the best of that strain, but within it was the potential for several types. And about this, [the Sages] said in (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 11), “all creatures were created with their varieties.” And the main [meaning] here is, as written in Tosefot, that “varieties” [tsivionan] is related to the phrase [tsvi ha'arets,], which means with the greatest possible beauty. But it is not like the Tosefot wrote - that 'they are completely finished' is the meaning of the phrase [that is also] there: “they were [all] created in their stature;” but rather, 'in the most praiseworthy manner,' is its correct meaning. And also included in the meaning of “in their varieties,” is that every fruit has different times as to when its beauty is most apparent. And with the fruit of the ground, the main beauty is at the time where it has not finished its growth and [at which time] the leaf appears green; which is not the case, when it is completely finished, behold [at that time] the herb withers and is not in its [greatest] beauty. But with a tree, it is not like this – even when the tree is completely finished [for that year], the leaf stays in its beauty; and is included in the understanding of 'varieties' at the time when they appear most beautiful. From here, it follows that it is not relevant to say, “according to its species” then, since, behold in the first coming forth, there was nothing but leaves. And [so] all of the types were the same in [any particular] strain. For this reason, “according to its species” is not written in the proclamation. Which is not the case with the trees, about which it is written, “according to its species;” since at the time that it first came out, many types were included in it, and all of them were one specie; and for this reason [with trees,] there is no [prohibition] of mixing species (kelayim), as is known [from] the Chapter, “Elu Terefot,”

And the Rabbis, of blessed memory, stated (Bereshit Rabbah 5:9), that the earth sinned in this because the Holy One, blessed be He, said "fruit tree," [meaning] that the taste of the tree be like the taste of the fruit, and [the earth] didn't do that; hence when man sinned, it, too, was remembered for its sin and cursed. And here, it is asked, why wasn't it cursed immediately. And it appears that this is not a question at all, given that the main curse was that the earth should give forth mosquitos and fleas, as Rashi explained on the verse (Genesis 3:17), "Cursed is the ground on your account." But all of these things are destructive to man, and [hence] so long as man didn't sin, the ground was not cursed to bring up cursed things; since even if the earth sinned, nonetheless what was man's sin, that fleas and mosquitos should run after him; but once man also sinned, both of them were fitting for this curse. And later, in Parshat Achrei Mot, on the verse (Vayikra 18:25), "And the land shall be defiled and I will remember its iniquity upon it," it will be explained, with God's help, that the will of the Power, may He be blessed, was to give a clear and fine consistency to his creations, but [instead] He gave them a coarse and thick consistency. And had He given them a clear and fine consistency, the taste of the tree would have been as the taste of the fruit; and also man would not have a tendency for the most physical and he would not have come to sin. Nonetheless, from the angle that [the earth] sinned and gave a coarse consistency, it also caused the tree to make fruit and not [be a] fruit-tree; and this thing also caused man to sin, since this is the reason that man inclined to physicality and he fell to the sin. Therefore, with all of man's sins, the earth is punished and 'its iniquity is remembered upon it,' as will be explained later on, with God's help.

דשא, עשב. “deshe” which would develop into “eyssev.” Once it had attained maturity, it would grow seed by means of which to perpetuate itself. Other commentators (Nachmanides) view דשא as a primitive herb which does not produce seed, whereas עשב is a superior kind of herb producing seed.

That its seed is grown within it. Rashi is answering the question: Is מזריע not a transitive verb that indicates an ongoing action?

Sehen wir uns die Begriffs-Ausdrücke an, unter welchen uns die Erscheinungen der Pflanzenwelt vergegenwärtigt werden. Wir haben ihre Etymologie bereits im Jeschurun (VIII. S. 433f.) versucht. Wir haben דשא (verwandt mit דוש wie זרא und זור usw. davon auch דשא chald. die Türe): die aus dem Erdinnern hervorgetriebene Pflanzenwelt im allgemeinen und die untere Stufe der Kryptogamen — es erscheint bei ihnen nicht זרע im besondern —; die schon selbständigere Kräuterflur: עשב (verwandt mit עזב, loslassen und selbständig hinstellen, festigen), die, nicht perennierend, ganz aufgeht in den Zweck להזריע זרע, Samen hinauszustreuen, nach der Samenbildung abstirbt und immer neu aus der Erde hervorwachsen muss, und endlich: עץ (einerseits von עוץ, verwandt mit ץוא, drängen, eilen, anderseits von עצה, schließen), der Baum, in welchem der Pflanzenorganismus seine höchste, vom Erdkörper freigewordene Selbständigkeit erringt, die perennierenden Pflanzen, in welchen eine festgedrängte Verbindung von Gefäßen und Kanälen, עץ, den Stamm bildet, in welchem alles einem Ziele, der Fruchtbildung — עושה פרי — zuarbeitet, und der עושה פרי ist, der nur einmal der Erde entwachsen, fortan aber sich zur Frucht wie der Erdboden zu den niedern Pflanzengeschlechtern verhält, die alle samt ihrem Samen פרי האדמה sind, die sie immer aufs neue erzeugen muss, während die Baumfrüchte als פרי העץ dastehen; und: זרע (verwandt mit זרח ,זרה.von sich werfen, hinausstrahlen), der völlig von dem Erdkörper losgelöste Samen, den die Pflanze aus sich hinaus und neben sich hinstreut; und: פרי (von פרח, verwandt mit פרח, פרע, ברח, ברה, ברא) die höchste Vollendung dieser frei gewordenen Pflanzenkeime — in allen diesen Erscheinungen sehen wir die zu immer größerer Freiheit sich entfaltende Pflanzen-Individualität.

עץ פרי , “edible trees;” the earth did not carry out this part of G-d’s instructions, producing only trees with edible fruit instead. On the other hand, it produced more species of herbs than it had been instructed to. Bearing this in mind, we can deduce that the “earth’s” intention in doing so was not to countermand G-d, but was well intentioned. It reasoned that if the trunks were edible it would not take long before many such species of trees would die out, as the creatures on earth would consume both the fruit and the trunks. In spite of the earth’s, i.e. nature’s good intentions, when G-d cursed man as a result of his sin, the earth’s non compliance with the directive of its Creator was remembered and it was cursed also. This was in keeping with the principle expressed in B’rachot 10, that when Chiskiyah said to G-d that he had not married as he foresaw that his children would become renegades, G-d asked him if that was a reason to refuse to carry out His command? [In other words, “never mind your good intentions, you must not countermand My orders to be fruitful and to multiply.” G-d did not need his advice about how to achieve His goals. Ed.].

— מזריע זרע YIELDING SEED — that its seed should grow within itself, so that some of it may be sown in another spot.

עושה פרי למינו, an apple tree would produce apples, not dates.

עץ פרי עושה פרי למינו, if it were a mixture of more than one species it would not be able to reproduce itself.

"Fruit trees that make fruit according to its specie:" All the commentators that I have seen explained that "according to its species" refers back to "that make fruit," but the author of the cantillation marks saw better than all of them, and connected "according to its species" with "fruit trees. And [hence] "that make fruit" is a parenthetical statement, as it is only an additional explanation about the fruit trees. And the word, lemino (according to its specie) and lemineihu (according to its species) is a poetic phrase of the Holy language and its sense is, of many types, of all the types that there are; as in "all of the raven of all of its type,... and the hawk of all of its types,... the heron of all of its type,... and the locust of all of its type;" (Leviticus 11:15-22), the sense of which is the raven and the hawk, etc. of all the types that there are. And so [too] below (verse 21), "and all of the crawling living souls that the waters swarmed of their types and all flying fowl of its types;" and so [too] (verse 24) "and let the earth bring forth living souls of their type, beasts and crawling animals and wild animals of the land, of their types;" and so [too] (Genesis 6:20) "From the fowl of their types and from the beasts of their type, from all that crawl upon the earth of its types." 'And the father of all of them' (the clearest example) is (Ezekiel 47:10) "of its type will be their fish, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many;" the intention being that the fish will be numerous and will be of all the types, and so [too is it expalined] in the Talmud Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:2, "'of its type will be their fish;' types of types will be their fish." I wrote this explanation in the year 5596 in my book Prolegomeni, page 191; and at the end of ten years, I acquired the book, Harecasim Lebikaah, and I found that he also explains it thus (and see below 13:3).

And it appears that another correct reason can be given in this matter: since the snake saw that the earth changed the will of its Creator and, nonetheless, did not get punished; hence the snake found room to say to the woman, "you will not surely die," even if she go against the will of her Creator, in the [same] way as the earth did not get punished for that which it did not bring out trees, the taste of which was like the taste of the fruit. And so the snake said, [you will not die] even if God said, "don't eat from every tree of the garden;" that is to say, is the tree fitting to be eaten, that He should command you not to eat even from the tree [itself]? And the woman said, "from the fruit of the garden may we eat;" [meaning] I agree with your words, that only the fruit of the trees in the garden are fitting to eat and not the tree, hence there was no reason for Him to command us except on the fruit of the tree that is in the garden, and not on the tree [itself]. And the snake said, you will not die, since behold, don't you agree with this: the earth changed [what was commanded of it] and nonetheless was not punished; so too you will not die, you too [just like the earth].

Fruit tree: The nature of the tree is different then the seeds, which only grow from planting [them] and not from [placing them] in its trunk; which is not the case with a tree – we can graft a branch and it grows [into] a tree. And this is [the meaning] of 'fruit tree;' within its tree is included the potential for the fruit.

Both in the expressions מזריע זרע and תדשא דשא the noun follows the verb, seeing that it is based on the verb. This is meant either to further define the activity represented by the verb, or to lend more importance to it. We find several examples of such constructions in Samuel Ii 12,15 ויצם דוד צום, “David observed a fast;” another example is found in Isaiah 42,17 יבשו בשת, “being utterly shamed.” Still other examples are: Ezekiel 22,27 and Isaiah 5,6.

So that it can be resown elsewhere. Meaning, the person’s ability to sow the seed in another place is the verb’s ongoing action.

Allein es ist eine Freiheit ohne Willkür. In ganz bestimmten Grenzen und für eine ganz bestimmte, vorgezeichnete Form streben alle Stoffe und Kräfte und gestalten sich die Bildungen einer jeden Pflanze, und dieses große Gesetz, das für unser Auge in der großen Mannigfaltigkeit der Pflanzen-Organismen so deutlich hervortritt, das den kleinsten Keim und die kleinste Faser wie die himmelanstrebenden Pflanzenriesen allmächtig, alldurchdringend und allumfassend beherrscht und jedem Pflanzen-Individunm nur innerhalb der gesetzten Grenze die freieste Entwickelung gestattet, dieses allmächtige von dem Grashalm wie von der Ceder laut verkündete Gottesgesetz heißt: "למינו! Seiner Gat- tung!" — מין von מון, wovon תמונה (vielleicht auch verwandt mit מנה, zuzählen, zuerteilen), ist der Komplex derjenigen wesentlichen Merkmale, wodurch sich eine Wesengruppe von der andern dergestalt sondert, dass sie, sich selbst überlassen, sich nicht mit der andern verbindet. Dieses Besondersein der Gattung findet seinen Ausdruck in תמונה, in der Gattungsform. תמונה ist nicht die individuelle, das eine Individuum von dem andern derselben Gattung sondernde Gestalt, dafür haben wir andere Namen, תבנית ,תואר; -ist die Gattungsform, in welcher die wesentlichen Merkmale zum Ausdruck ge תמונה langen, die allen Individuen derselben Gattung gemein sind und eben das Band ihrer Einigung bilden. תמונה ist somit der Grundriss, der uns den Gattungsbegriff eines Wesens vergegenwärtigt. Daher selbst von der göttlichen Erscheinung. Die ׳כבוד ד, die dem Propheten die besondere Gegenwart Gottes zum Bewusstsein bringt, heißt תמונה, ihr habt :לא ראיתם כל תמונה .die Andeutung, Ankündigung Gottes ,תמונת ד׳ יביט nicht einmal die Andeutung einer körperlichen Gestalt geschaut, nichts זולתי קול, und so ist das Verbot לא תעשה לך כל תמונה noch viel umfassender als לא תעשה לך פסל. Auf dieses, die ganze organische Welt sichtbar beherrschende Gottesgesetz schaut nach der Lehre der Weisen das Gottesgesetz für Israel zurück wenn es spricht: את חקתי תשמרו בהמתד לא תרביע כלאים שדך לא תזרע כלאים ובגד כלאים שעטנו לא יעלה עליך את הקתי תשמרו חקים שחקקתי לך כבר meine Gesetze beobachtet, d.i. meine Gesetze, die ich dir bereits bei der Weltschöpfung ausgesprochen. Indem nämlich hier das Objekt חקתי vor dem die Beachtung gebietenden Zeitwort vorangeht, nicht wie sonst: ושמרתם את חקתי so handle es sich hier nicht um Gesetze, die erst jetzt neuerdings gegeben worden, sondern die schon längst vorhanden waren, und hinsichtlich deren nur jetzt das Gebot der שמירה hinzutritt. Nur noch einmal spricht sich das Gesetz in derselben Konstruktion aus: 16,4 .2.3. B. M. את משפטי תעשו ואת חקתי תשמרו. Das ist aber eben wieder bei Gesetzen, die in tief innerem Zusammenhange mit diesem כלאים-Gesetze stehen, bei עריות nämlich, die ebenfalls bereits vor der sinaitischen Gesetzgebung sanktioniert waren. Durch jenes, die organischen Wesen beherrschende Gottesgesetz sind je zwei verschiedene Gattungen כלאים gegenseitig, sind einander כלואים, gesperrt, geschlossen, vereinigen sich nicht, gatten sich nicht. Vielmehr wahrt jedes seine geschlechtlichen Kräfte nur למינו, seiner Gattung, und nur die Willkür des Menschen zwingt sie zu widernatürlicher, das heißt zu widergesetzlicher Vereinigung. Sich selbst überlassen, gehört noch heute jeder organische Keim so ausschließlich seiner Gattung an wie sein erster Urahn, über den und dessen Nachkommen einst der Schöpfer sein Gesetzeswort: למינו ausgesprochen. Es muss aber dieses Schauen des Weltgesetzgebers in dem organischen Leben der Natur dem göttlichen Worte eine Bedeutsamkeit ersten Ranges für unsern menschlichen und jüdischen Beruf haben; denn es hat den Hinblick auf Ihn mit unserm ganzen Leben verwebt. Nicht nur verbietet es uns wirkliche Störungen dieses Gesetzes, indem es uns in כלאי בהמה und הרכבת אילן das widernatürliche Gatten natürlich geschiedener Gattungen von Pflanzen und Tieren untersagt, sondern bei unserem ganzen Umgang mit der organischen Welt, beim Säen und Pflanzen, beim Gebrauch der Tiere zur Arbeit, beim Bekleiden mit dem Pflanzen- und Tierreich entnommenen Stoffen, bei der Nahrung, lehrt es uns in כלאי זרעים וכלאי כרם, in חרישה בשור וחמור, in שעטנו und בשר בחלב eine solche Ordnung beachten, die uns immer wieder und wieder das große Gattungsgesetz und seinen Gesetzgeber vor die Augen führt. Diese steten Erinnerungen halten in uns die Mahnung wach, in Gott auch den Gesetzgeber für unsere Gattung zu verehren, sein uns gegebenes Gesetz auch alle unsere Kräfte und Triebe beherrschen zu lassen und es in all unserm Tun und Lassen zur Verwirklichung zu bringen. Haben wir gleich Kräfte und Triebe und Entwicklungsphasen mit Tier und Pflanze gemein, werden geboren, nähren uns, wachsen, altern und sterben gleich Pflanze und Tier, so hat doch Gott auch uns zu einem besondern, und zwar höhern מין als Menschen geschaffen, und uns unter den Menschen zu einem besondern מין als Juden berufen, und dem Menschen und Juden das Gesetz seiner Lebensentfaltung geschrieben. Nicht erst mit dem Juden und für den Juden beginnt das Gottesgesetz. Schon als organische Wesen unterstehen wir dem Gottesgesetze, können unsere besondere, von ihm auch uns erteilte Bestimmung nur innerhalb der von Ihm uns gezogenen Schranken erreichen, können auch, wie alle Wesen, unsere höchste individuelle Selbständigkeit und Freiheit nur in der Umschränkung des göttlichen Gesetzes entfalten. Die ganze תורה ist nichts als das למינו für den jüdischen Menschen. Das Gesetz, das für alle unfreien Wesen sich in ihnen ausspricht und sie willenlos beherrscht, das ist für den Menschen und den jüdischen Menschen an diese ausgesprochen, damit sie es frei in sich aufnehmen, von ihm alle ihre Kräfte und Triebe, Kraft- und Willensäußerungen frei beherrschen lassen, und eben in dieser freien Unterordnung unter das Gottesgesetz ihr höheres מין, ihre höhere Gattungsbestimmung rein und voll zur Verwirllichung bringen. Wie Gott den Grashalm und die Zeder, die Kornähre und den Weinstock in seinem Weltenhaushalte braucht und jedem sein Gesetz erteilt, in dessen treuer Erfüllung jegliches froh seines Daseins lebt, unbekümmert darum, warum es Grashalm und nicht Zeder, warum es Ähre und nicht Weinstock, warum Weinstock und nicht Ähre, warum Zeder und nicht Grashalm geworden, Gott den Weltenplan überlassend, froh und glücklich seines Teils seinen Beitrag treu und voll zum Ganzen zu liefern —: so braucht Gott auch in seinem Menschenreiche Menschen und Juden, hat jedem seine Bestimmung und sein Gesetz erteilt, und der große Gotteszweck wird nur dann erreicht, wenn jeder, froh und munter, rein und wahr, treu und voll die Bestimmung löst und das Gesetz erfüllt, das Gott ihm erteilt, und in dieser Erfüllung den Beitrag zum Heile des Ganzen bringt, den Gott von ihm erwartet.

פרי , “fruit(s) of;” this is one of numerous words in classical Hebrew which always appear in the singular mode; others are: שמש, sun, טף, children, שכר, reward, wages, כר,cushion, בצק, dough, to mention just a few.

עץ פרי FRUIT TREE — that the taste of the tree be exactly the same as that of the fruit. It did not, however, do this, but (v. 13) “the earth brought forth a tree yielding fruit” and the tree itself was not a fruit; therefore when Adam was cursed on account of his sin, it (the earth) was also visited (because of its sin) and was cursed also (Genesis Rabbah 5:9).

אשר זרעו בו, the seed would be within the fruit, not within the trunk. This would enable man to plant this kind of tree as well as others, each of their respective species.

ויהי כן, it endured, in its original format, not becoming adulterated nor shedding any of its individuality. Had it absorbed parts of competing species it could not have procreated itself.

"That has seed in it:" [This] refers back to trees; that the trees should have everything they need for the preservation of their specie on the earth.

That makes a fruit, the seed of which is in it. Which means the pit, which is the seed that is located in the fruit. And also within in [and not just the tree] is the potential of the tree.

עץ פרי, the verb תדשא also includes the command to the earth to produce fruit-bearing trees. The meaning of the expression עושה פרי is that when this tree emerges from the bowels of the earth it is not to be masculine [like certain strains of palms, Ed.] but is to directly produce fruit, much as a woman produces children. The trunk does not need to be fertilised by a feminine counterpart. The tree therefore bears a name which includes its masculine and feminine components. Similarly, what the tree produces is known as פרי. As for the Torah sometimes speaking of פרי אדמתך, “the fruit of your soil,” (Deut. 28,4) when we would have expected פרי עציך, “the fruit of your trees,” this formulation is justified seeing that it is only the fruit which is edible and not the trunk, i.e. the tree itself. Therefore the word פרי appears in a construct form, belonging to אדמתך, i.e. the source which also brought forth the tree itself. We find a similar construction in Hoseah 8,7 צמח בלי יעשה קמח, “a plant yielding no flour. Perhaps the best known such construction is להוציא לחם מן הארץ, (Psalms 104,14) or, as we say in our daily benediction before eating bread: המוציא לחם מן הארץ, “Who brings forth bread from the earth.” Bread does not come forth from the earth but is baked by man; nonetheless its origin is in the stalks growing out of the earth.
It is possible, on the other hand, to understand in the term עץ not only the trunk, but the foliage, seeing the leaves and the peel also grow and act as protective covers, shields [שומרים in halachic parlance, Ed.] Even though these leaves do not serve as food for human beings, they do serve as food for the birds. For these various reasons the expression עץ פרי as opposed to פרי העץ can be justified, i.e. even the parts of the tree which are not, strictly speaking, its fruit, may be described as if they were. There is a popular saying quoted in Chulin 92,יבעון איתכליא רחמי על עליא דאלמלי עליא לא מתקיימין איתכליא, “let the grapes pray for the leaves for without the leaves the grapes would not exist.” [a parable comparing the scholars to the ignorant people, reminding the former that but for the latter there would be no point to their own existence. Ed.] As to the fact that the leaves are also part of the trees, the same applies to trees that do not bear fruit. If it were not so, the Torah would have made separate mention of that category of tree when reporting what had been created on the third day.
Consider the fact that David listed the sequence of what G’d had created during these 6 days in Psalm 104. When he referred to the birds in verse 12, mentioning that they sing in the foliage of the trees, he went on in verse 16 to mention the cedars of Lebanon as the place where some of these birds make their nests. These cedars are not fruit-bearing trees, but are referred to as trees which G’d planted. In other words, the non fruit-bearing trees are singled out by David as having been made by G’d for the benefit of the birds. (compare author’s commentary on that Psalm in detail) Moreover, each of those trees is also useful for man who makes all kinds of tools and furnishings out of these non fruit-bearing trees.

However, it [the earth] did not do this. Maharshal asked: Why did the earth disobey? The answer is: Hashem commanded it to bring forth fruit trees in a way similar to herbs, whose stalks and leaves are similar. Thus the earth understood that the fruit trees too should be this way, i.e., the wood should be edible like the fruit. But the earth reasoned as follows: Herbs have stalks and leaves that are naturally similar, yet the stalks are inedible without some preparation. However, the wood and fruit of trees are naturally dissimilar, and rightly so. Thus, even if they were to be made similar, the wood will need a lot of changing and preparation to become edible. Thus, the earth did not do this. This explains why in Hashem’s command, it says למינו once for herbs and trees together, but in the earth’s action it is written למינהו for each one separately. For when Hashem commanded the herbs and the trees to be the same, למינו applied equally to both. But when the earth disobeyed [and made them different], it is written למינהו twice.

Unter diesen, die Menschenkräfte und Triebe zu regeln und zu leiten bestimmten Gesetzen stehen aber die über עריות, über das geschlechtliche Leben, oben an. Von ihrer Beachtung ist ganz vorzüglich die Rein- und Edelerhaltung des spezifisch geistigen und sittlichen Menschencharakters in der Menschengattung, und des Juden in der jüdischen Menschenfamilie bedingt. Und je höher die Gattung steigt, um so umschriebener wird das geschlechtliche Leben, um so enger die Grenzen, innerhalb deren sich das Geschlecht fortpflanzen kann und soll. Auch בני נח haben עריות, aber שאר אחוה ונדה ist ihnen gestattet. Dem ׳שראל ist das geschlechtliche Leben schon auch durch diese איסורי כרת enger geheiligt, den כהנים durch איסורי לאו דכהונה, und dem כה"ג, in welchem die Blüte der jüdischen Individualität gipfeln soll, selbst durch כי אם בתולה ,חייבי עשה מעמיו יקח אשה, die Grenze noch enger gezogen. So erblüht das geistig und sittlich Höchste nur aus präzis umschränktem sittlichen Gattungsleben, und keusche Sittlichkeit ist der Boden, in dem allein die göttlich hohe Blüte der Menschengattung gedeiht.

אשר זרעו בו WHOSE SEED IS IN ITSELF — This refers to the kernels of each kind of fruit from which the tree grows when they are planted.

And it was so: That they were formed, like at the time when they are in all their varieties/beauty. And [only] afterward And the earth brought forth, etc.: The [herbs] were [now] completed, such that it would [now] be relevant to say also about them, "according to their species." And since also with the species that are not eaten, there is a seed, [the eventual emergence of their seed differentiated each sub-specie with them as well] (as is found in Bava Metzia 105a concerning weeds, once a seed falls, it falls.) For this reason [in this verse], it is also written with the herbs, "according to its species;" and a second sprouting forth [besides the implied sprouting forth of the previous verse].

למינו, each species should cleave to its own kind. The word למינה applies also to the different herbs just as to the trees; this is why it is mentioned at the end, i.e. to all the foregoing. The same is true in verse 12 when the Torah reports that earth indeed produced each category of plant so that it could preserve its respective species. Our sages both in Rosh Hashanah 11, as well as in Chulin 60 also display another approach to these verses. Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa explained Psalm 104,31 יהי כבוד ה' לעולם ישמח ה' במעשיו, “let the glory of the Lord endure forever, let Him derive joy from His creatures.” This verse was supposedly said by the angel in charge of running the universe on behalf of G’d. At the time when G’d commanded the trees to be careful not to lose their individuality but to preserve the peculiarities of their respective genes, the herbs said to themselves that “if G’d had been interested in different plants intermingling with one another, why would He have cautioned the trees against doing this? They reasoned further that if G’d said this to the trees which are very distinct from one another by nature, then surely He is interested in their (herbs) maintaining their own individuality, seeing that they are in so much greater danger of losing it through growing so closely to other species of herbs!” As a result, they were careful to emerge on the surface of the earth, each category according to its species. When the angel in charge of running the universe on G’d’s behalf saw this, he spontaneously broke out in the words יהי כבוד ה' וגו'.

It, too, was punished for its sin. [You might ask:] Rashi later comments as follows on the earth’s curse (3:17): “This is comparable to one who adopts evil ways and people curse the breasts at which he was suckled.” Does this not imply that the earth was not punished for its own sin, [but for Adam’s]? The answer is: Both sins caused the punishment. Perforce Chazal said there, “This is comparable to one who adopts evil ways...” because in that verse it says, “The soil will be cursed because of you [Adam],” which implies: it was not cursed for its own sin. (Re’m) [Furthermore,] if the earth was cursed for its sin alone, why was it not cursed immediately, but only when Adam sinned? And if it was cursed only because of Adam, the curse should be in what affects man alone, such as emitting flies and mosquitoes — not by changing the earth’s own nature, to grow thorns and thistles. (Nachalas Yaakov) How is the earth’s sin connected to Adam’s? It seems that the earth’s sin caused Adam to sin, as Adam ate from the esrog tree, whose wood and fruit have the same taste. This quality was unique, thus he desired to eat from it. But if the earth had not sinned, the wood and fruit of every tree would be this way, and man would not have desired the esrog tree, through which he sinned. Therefore, the earth was punished together with Adam. (Divrei Dovid)

Dieser innige Zusammenhang der reinen Fortdauer der Gattung mit dem unverbrüchlichen Gehorsam, den das Individuum den göttlichen Gattungsgesetzen zollt, dürfte in unserem Vers noch eine tiefe Andeutung finden. In den anordnenden Gottesworten ist das למינו-Gesetz für Gräser und Kräuter nicht ausgesprochen. Es heißt für diese nur: תדשא הארץ דשא עשב מזריע זרע. Gleichwohl lautet die Erfüllung: ותוצא הארץ דשא עשב מזריע זרע למינהו. Es war somit das Gattungsgesetz למינו als stillschweigende, selbstverständliche Voraussetzung schon in dem Geheiße: תדשא וגו׳ עשב מזריע זרע gegeben; die Forterhaltung der Gattung ist somit wesentlich durch die Reinhaltung der Geschlechter bedingt, und jede Nichtachtung der göttlichen Gattungsgesetze gräbt ein Grab für die Gattung. Geschlechtliche Ausschweifungen begraben Individuen und Völker, und die Beachtung der durch die איסורי ביאה für die Menschen und die jüdischen Menschen von Gott gezogenen Schranken des geschlechtlichen Lebens ist die Grundbedingung des geistigen und sittlichen Adels der Menschen- und Juden-Geschlechter. Liegt doch der Ernst dieser Gattungsgesetze in der Unfruchtbarkeit der Bastardtiere zu Tage, und wenn die von Tacitus und Plinius bewahrten Berichte der römischen Soldaten über die nicht genug anzustaunende Fülle und Vollkommenheit der Früchte in dem ihren Legionen zur Beute gefallenen Judäa die im jüdischen Schrifttum enthaltenen Überlieferungen in diesem Punkte auch dem schwierigsten Skeptiker bestätigen, so liegt doch hierin mindestens der Beweis,dass auch für die Boden- und Baumkultur die willkürliche, natur- d. h. gesetzwidrige Kreuzung der Gattungen nicht die Veredlung der Früchte bedingt, und die Tatsache, dass es kaum noch gelingt, einen kräftigen Fruchtbaum aus dem Samen zu erzielen, dürfte die Frage sehr nahe legen, ob die sogenannte Veredlung der Früchte nicht in der Tat eine Degenerierung der Baumgeschlechter bewirkt. Jenes in dem Geheiß מזריע זרע implizit gegebene U^-Gesetz dürfte dann auch der Sinn des von den Weisen den Kräutern in den Mund gelegten קל וחומר sein, und uns den Ausruf des Weltgenius, des שר העולם verstehen lehren, der, nach dem tiefen Spruch des ר׳ הנינא בר פפא, als die Kräuter zuerst ohne ausdrückliches Geheiß von dem כלמינו-Gesetz beherrscht hervorgetreten, die einstige Herrlichkeit Gottes auf Erden und die Gestaltung aller irdischen Dinge zum göttlichen Wohlgefallen über die Schöpfüng hin ausgerufen: ׳יהי כבוד ד לעולם ישמח ד׳ במעשיו! (Chulin 60a.). Es ist dies der Hinblick auf jene Zeit, in welcher die Menschen von jedem Grashalm gelernt haben werden, sich freudig dem Gottesgesetze unterzuordnen, in welcher sie zum Bewusstsein gekommen sein werden, dass die Beachtung des Sittengesetzes nicht Laune und nicht Luxus sei, dass es vielmehr also die wahre Existenz und die reine Blüte des Menschengeschlechts bedinge, wie dasselbe Gesetz das Fortdasein und die Blüte aller andern Wesen bedingt. Das wird die Zeit sein, wo das את חקתי תשמרו eine Wahrheit auf Erden wird, das die Zeit, wo ׳ישמח ד במעשין! — Diese Bedeutung des dritten Tages für die organische Reinheit des vege- tabilischen Menschenlebens, für die sittengesetzliche Reinheit des genießenden und geschlechtlichen Lebens, dürfte auch bei der ׳הזאה בג׳ וז für die Rückkehr aus der טומאה zur טהרה dem ׳יום ג seine Bedeutung vindizieren. Er ist für das vegetabilische Leben des Menschen, was der siebente für das animalische. Wie der siebente die Weihe des Geistes durch die Gotteserkenntnis ist und die Menschentat Gott unterordnet, so ist der dritte die Weihe des Leibes in den sittlichen Schranken des Gottesgesetzes. Es kann die Weihe des Geistes nicht erlangt werden ohne die Weihe des Leibes, so wenig, dass, an welchem Tage auch die erste הזאה geschieht, diese immer als am dritten geschehen betrachtet wird, und von da an erst vier Tage zurückgelegt werden müssen, damit die הזאה des siebenten geschehen könne.

אשר זרעו בו, which contained seed of its own kind as part of it. Both the herbs and the fruit contain their seed within themselves. The meaning is that they are equipped with the means to reproduce themselves, to perpetuate their existence on earth as a species. The herbs contain their seeds within pods or peels, the pods acting as protection against these seeds being destroyed. In the case of fruit-bearing trees, the seeds are contained within the fruit. Only the outer part of the actual fruit is eaten, the seeds being discarded. Even figs, which are eaten together with their seeds, can reproduce from the edible seeds within them. The interior of these little grainy particles we eat contain the basic seed needed for them to reproduce. This is the meaning of the words אשר זרעו בו, “whose seed is contained within it.”

These are the kernels... Rashi is answering the question: Why is it written אשר זרעו בו concerning the trees, but מזריע זרע concerning the herbs? Thus Rashi explains, “These are the kernels...” meaning that new trees are grown mainly through grafting or planting a branch from another tree, [although the kernels, too, may be planted]. Thus it says here אשר זרעו בו, [omitting מזריע זרע], since the fruit’s kernels are not its [primary] means of planting. But herbs are planted only by their seeds, thus it says מזריע concerning them. (Devek Tov)

Bedeutsam steht auch hier bei der Anordnung des למינו für die Bäume nicht beim זרע, sondern bei der Frucht: עץ פרי עושה פרי למינו אשר זרעו בו. Es hat nämlich der Baum die doppelte Beziehung, als Fruchtbaum für den Menschen und durch den von der Frucht geborgenen Samen für die Gattung, und eben um Früchte nach seiner Willkür zu erzielen, setzt der Mensch die Rücksicht auf die Gattung außer Augen. Darum warnt dies Gesetz: wenn der Fruchtbaum auch deinem Genusse dient, vergiss nicht, dass er die Frucht auch für seine Gattung schafft, dass die Saat für die Gattung in der Frucht liegt, und lasse dich die Lüsternheit nach der Frucht nicht zu einer Degenerierung des Baumes für seine Gattung verleiten.

על הארץ. What is meant is that when such seed falls onto the earth it will develop into a plant of the same kind as the one it had fallen from. Compare the Jerusalem Targum on this translation.

Es heißt ferner: אשר זרעו בו על הארץ, Fruchtbaum, der Frucht für seine Gattung schafft, in welcher sein (oder ihr, der Gattung) Same ist über der Erde. Der erste Baum war Erzeugnis der Erde, die Keime der künftigen Bäume sind der Erde entnommen, werden über der Erde gezeitigt, und fortan muß die Erde selbst erst den Keim empfangen, um ihn in ihrem Schoß zu entwickeln und zu spenden. So war das Wasser zuerst über die Erde verbreitet, ward dann über die Erde gehoben, um aus der Höhe wieder der Erde zu werden. So wird auch das zuerst über die ganze Erde verbreitete Licht der Erde genommen und an Lichtträger in der Höhe gebunden, von denen es erst die Erde wieder zu empfangen hat. So auch der Samen und die Erde. Dieses gegenseitige Empfangen und Spenden ist der Typus, zu welchem das Schöpfungswerk die ganze Erdschöpfung leitet. Alles Scheiden und Auseinanderlegen erzeugt jenen Wechsel und Austausch, der das ganze Erdenleben ausmacht. Eins ist auf das Andere angewiesen, nicht nur zu empfangen, sondern auch zu spenden. Der Baum bedarf der Erde, aber auch die Erde des Baumes. Alles empfängt um zu spenden, und alles Gespendete kehrt, vervielfältigt, veredelt, zu neuer Segensspende zu ihm wieder.

ויהי כן, it came forth exactly as G’d had directed.

אונקלוס übersetzt למינהו immer: לזנוהי für seine Arten, also wie למיניו im Plural und diese Lesart mit ו (nicht mit י, das Singular wäre,) ist durchaus korrekt. Siehe ס׳ יאר. Diese Auffassung der Pronominalform הו ist auffallend.