Pensamento Judaico sobre Gênesis 2:6

Pride must meet with humbling for two reasons: first, because the Holy One Blessed be He metes out measure for measure, so that one's desiring to aggrandize himself beyond his worth is aptly countered by his being humbled and lowered; second, because this is the nature of the creation. All things endure and are preserved in their natural setting and deteriorate when they are removed from that setting, as evidenced with air being forced beneath water or earth being forced above air. What is more, the nature of the creation requires that the elevated be oriented towards the acquisition of lowliness and the lowly towards the acquisition of exaltedness (This accounts for the statement [Avoth 1:13]: "He who magnifies his name loses his name"), this being the nature of existence. And this is the intent of the verse (Genesis 2:6): "And a mist rose from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground." For the sun acts upon all of the elements, until the center of the earth, and by means of its motion raises mists form the two terrestrial elements [earth and water], until they convert to themselves the celestial elements, fire and air. In respect to air it is clear that it assumes the form of water and becomes rain falling to earth. And it is also in the nature of fire to behave thus, but the Blessed One in His mercy removed this possibility from the order of nature, just as He decreed that the waters be gathered together in one spot and the dry land be seen — although nature dictates otherwise.

Our Sages have already explained that the herbs and trees, which God caused to spring forth from the ground, were caused by God to grow, after He had sent down rain upon them; and the passage beginning, “And there went up a mist from the earth” (ii. 6), refers to that which took place before the creative act, related in the words, “Let the earth bring forth grass,” etc. (i. ii.). Therefore Onkelos translates it: “And there had gone up a mist from the earth?’ It is also evident from the text itself, where it is distinctly said, “And every plant in the field before it was in the earth,” etc. (ii. 5). This question is now explained.