Midras Kejadian 31:29: Otzar Midrashim, Midrash Tanchuma & Bereshit Rabbah

And the tree of knowledge of good and evil – Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair said: Until Adam the first man ate from it, this tree was not called by [any] name, but rather just tree, like all the other trees. But from when he ate and transgressed the decree of the Holy One, blessed be He, its name was called, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, based on [what happened to] it later. This is like we find with many things, the names of which are written earlier based on [what happened to] it later, like and they struck the whole territory of the Amalekite (Genesis 14:7). But why was its name called, good and evil? Since the Holy One, blessed be He, informed him not to eat from it, neither the good nor the evil. This is like He said to Lavan: Guard yourself not to speak to Jacob either good or evil (Genesis 31:29); we cannot say anything to you, evil or good (Genesis 24:50); He shall not search whether it be good or bad (Leviticus 27:33). And from here (another textual variant: And from where [do]) we say that before he ate from the tree, he knew good and evil. Indeed, we find that he gave names to all of the creatures from his great wisdom that [God] gave to him, as it is stated: And Adam gave them names (Genesis 2:20). And we also found that the Holy One, blessed be He, created him in a goodly measure, in His image and in His likeness, so He did not create [him as] a lacking creature. And we also found that is written about him that he was full of wisdom and understanding, as it is stated, full of wisdom and flawless in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God (Ezekiel 28:12-13). And from where do you say that the tree was not called the tree of knowledge from the beginning? From the woman’s answer to the snake. See what she answered him: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat of it” (Genesis 3:3). And she did not say, “Of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” And also at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, asked Adam, “Why are you hiding,” He said to him, Did you eat of the tree from which I had commanded, etc. (Genesis 3:11); and He did not say, “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” And for another thing as well was its name called, the tree of knowledge of good and evil [bad] – because through it, man knew many bad things. As until man transgressed the command, toil, effort, cold, heat, and pain had not been decreed upon him, nor anything that would hurt him. But once he transgressed the Omnipresent’s decreed statute, all of these bad things affected him… And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, command him that he should eat from all of the trees of the garden, but prevented him from one of them? So that he should constantly see it, remember his Creator, and recognize that the yoke of his Maker is upon him and that he should not become haughty.

How do we know that children are “regaled” because of their fathers? At the time that Jacob fled from Laban and was being pursued by him, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before Laban on the road and said: Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad (Gen. 31:29). When Laban and Jacob met, they began to rebuke each other. Jacob said to Laban: Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been on my side, surely now hadst thou sent me away empty, etc. (ibid. 31:42). Hence, it was only Abraham’s merit that saved Jacob. So Isaac was “regaled” because of Abraham, and Abraham was “regaled” because of Jacob.

“God came to Laban the Aramean in a night dream, and He said to him: Beware, lest you speak to Jacob, good or bad” (Genesis 31:24).
“God came to Laban the Aramean in a night dream.” What is the difference between the prophets of the idolaters and the prophets of Israel? Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Yisakhar of Kefar Mandi, Rabbi Ḥama said: The Holy One blessed be He appears to the prophets of the nations of the world only with truncated speech, just as it says: “God happened [vayikar] upon Bilam” (Numbers 23:4).¹⁶The midrash views the word vayikar as a truncated version of the word vayikra – He called, which is typically employed regarding the prophets of Israel. Rabbi Yisakhar of Kefar Mandi said: This expression vayikar is nothing other than an expression of impurity, just as it says: “If there will be among you a man who will not be pure due to an incident [mikre] at night” (Deuteronomy 23:11). But to the prophets of Israel [God speaks] with complete speech, with expressions of endearment, with expressions of sanctity, with expressions with which the ministering angels laud Him, as it is stated: “And this one called to that one and said: Holy…” (Isaiah 6:3). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He appears to the prophets of the nations of the world only at a time that people typically take their leave from one another, as it is written: “In thoughts from visions of the night, when slumber falls on men” (Job 4:13), “a matter stealthily came to me…” (Job 4:12). Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Menaḥem said: “The Lord is far from the wicked” (Proverbs 15:29) – these are the prophets of the nations of the world; “and He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29) – these are the prophets of Israel. What distinguishes between the prophets of Israel and the prophets of the idol worshippers? Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: [This is analogous] to a king and his friend who are together in a great hall. Whenever he wishes, he speaks with his friend.Rabbi Simon says: It is analogous to a king who has a wife and a concubine. When he comes to his wife, he comes publicly, but when he comes to his concubine, he comes clandestinely. So, the Holy One blessed be He appears to the idolaters only at night. “God came to Bilam at night” (Numbers 22:20). “God came to Avimelekh in a dream at night” (Genesis 20:3). “God came to Laban the Aramean in a night dream.”
“He said to him: Beware” – even if you say it is for his benefit, he considers it for his detriment. “Beware of speaking with Jacob, good or bad.”