Levítico 27:33 Midrash: Otzar Midrashim, Sifra & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

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.

4) R. Shimon said: Was not ma'aser (a tithe) was in the category (of all consecrated animals in respect to substitution). Why, then, was it singled out for special mention? (viz. Vayikra 27:33) To teach: Just as ma'aser is an individual (as opposed to a communal) offering, so all (such animals) are included (in respect to substitution), and just as ma'aser is an altar offering, so all (such animals are included).

4) (Vayikra 27:33) ("He shall not discriminate between good and bad, and he shall not substitute for it; and if he did substitute for it, then it and its substitute shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.") Because it is written (Devarim 12:11) "and all the choicest of your vows," I might think that he should "spy out" (his flock) and pick out the choicest (for ma'aser); it is, therefore, written "he shall not discriminate between good and bad." "and he shall not substitute for it": If he did, he receives forty lashes. "if substitute he shall substitute": to include his wife. "and if substitute he shall substitute": to include his heir. "then it and its substitute shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed": About a bechor it is written (Bamidbar 18:17) "you shall not redeem," (but) it is sold, when whole, alive. And when blemished, (it is sold) alive or slaughtered; but (it is) not (sold) slaughtered when whole. And about ma'aser it is written (here) "It shall not be redeemed." And it is not to be sold neither alive nor slaughtered; nor whole nor blemished.