Pensée juive sur Les Proverbes 8:35

No doubt, as stated by Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, G-d had planted the garden prior to man's creation (meaning of the word mikedem, "since before") at the hub of the earth, a place where all the positive influences converge and enable the successful growth of all the finest fruit. The concentration of all this excellent fruit would prove to Adam that the whole earth could support such bounty of nature. "Eden” expresses the totality of the earth since ancient times. G-d placed man in the garden, i.e. a miniature of the globe, to make him aware of the nature of the earth, his place and task on it. Since this universe was created for the sake of man, he needed to become aware how he could preserve it. Man's physical parts are really two, as explained in chapter six. (1) G-d created man dust from the earth; (2) He blew a breath of life into his nostrils, completing the process of creating his body. Only then could man become a living creature. Given the matter supplied by G-d, as distinct from the animal kingdom which had been produced by earth, i.e. nature, the life force supplied by mother earth differs materially from the life force supplied by G-d directly. The trees whose function it was to supply man's need for nourishment, were part of the equipment of the garden. All the things necessary for man are mentioned under the heading "pleasant to look at, good to eat," i.e. good as food. G-d made them grow out of the earth since they represented the needs of that part of man that had been fashioned from the dust of the earth. Of the other two trees (tree of life and tree of knowledge), no mention is made as to how they came into existence. They corresponded to man's intellectual and spiritual needs. The tree of life in particular had been designed to assure man's immortality by feeding his intellect so that it could attain independent and enduring existence. Its position in the center of the garden emphasizes that man's entire existence should revolve around what this tree symbolizes. Since matan Torah, the revelation at Mount Sinai, its place has been taken by Torah. Torah is described frequently as our source of life. Next to it was the tree of knowledge, representing practical rather than speculative reason, appealing to expediency, immediate gratification etc. The tree of knowledge was to practical reason what the tree of life was to speculative reason. Its position near the tree of life was to point out that everything it stood for should be placed in the service of the tree of life.

And he makes his will like G-d's will, and his love, what He loves. He will cherish what G-d cherishes, and what is disgusting to him is what is disgusting to G-d. Of like him, the wise man said: "Blessed is the man that hears me (the torah), watching every day at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors" (Mishlei 8:34), and "For whosoever finds me (the torah) finds life, and shall obtain favor of the L-ord" (Mishlei 8:35).

The term ḥai has also been employed in reference to the acquisition of wisdom. Comp. “So shall they be life (ḥayyim) unto thy soul” (Prov. 3:22); “For whoso findeth me findeth life” (ib. 8:35); “For they are life (hayyim) to those that find them” (ib. 4:22). Such instances are numerous. In accordance with this metaphor, true principles are called life, and corrupt principles death. Thus the Almighty says, “See, I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil” (Deut. 30:15), showing that “life” and “good,” “death” and “evil,” are identical, and then He explains these terms. In the same way I understand His words, “That ye may live” (ib. 5:33), in accordance with the traditional interpretation of “That it may be well with thee” [scil. in the life to come] (ib. 22:7). In consequence of the frequent use of this figure in our language our Sages said, “The righteous even in death are called living, while the wicked even in life are called dead.” (Talm. B. Berakkoth, p. 78). Note this well.