Kaisipang Hudyo sa Genesis 3:19: Akeidat Yitzchak, Derekh Hashem & Netivot Olam

We observe in nature that decomposition becomes more offensive in direct ratio to the esteem the decomposing object was held in while it was still functioning. When vegetables rot, the resulting compost is foul smelling and distasteful. When man or beast dies, the stench accompanying decomposition is overwhelming. Conversely, keeping one's distance from rotting objects is praiseworthy precisely in the degree of the rottenness involved. Keeping one's distance from wicked people or sinners makes one pure, good. Opposing bestiality however, makes one saintly, holy. We can apply this concept also to matters of the spirit, to moral matters. When a saintly person abandons his way of life, the disgust we feel with such a person far exceeds the disappointment one feels when an ordinary person sins. Again, a saintly person who has once abandoned his former saintly lifestyle, will be far more likely to adopt a diametrically opposite lifestyle than an ordinary person. Immoral acts committed by people who used to be pillars of morality, are far worse than destructive acts committed by wild animals, which will not act worse as they get older. When plants wilt, resulting in minor putrification as they turn back into earth, the Torah does not decree any law of impurity concerning them. Animals, which lose their body as well as their animalistic soul at death, decay and rot, and become quite putrid. The Torah decreed a relatively light degree of impurity concerning contact with cadavers. Man, who is possessed of the power of speech, proof of a higher soul and intellect, undergoes a far greater depreciation from his former lofty status when he dies. Therefore, the Torah decrees impurity not only upon contact, but even when merely in an enclosed space with the corpse. Seven days mourning is observed for one's family or highly placed individuals. One is tempted to view this as proof that the destruction of a human intellect results in negative emanations spiritually, similar to the foul smelling emanations from a decaying body. In the language of our sages, such emanations are called ruach tum-ah, the spirit of impurity. When one accepts the principle that only Jewish corpses convey such impurity even without contact, by merely sharing the same confined space, then this would demonstrate that the loss of a Jewish life is an even more serious occurrence than the loss of life per se. (Yevamot 61) We are told there that the line adam ki yamut ba-ohel, an Adam that dies in a tent, refers to a Jew. The meaning of the line then is: "only someone called Adam, i.e. a Jew can confer impurity by merely being in the same tent with the living." (compare Ezekiel chapter thirty four as to who qualifies for the title "Adam.") In Yadayim 4,6, the Rabbis stipulate that the degree of impurity that attaches to something is in direct relation to its belovedness in the eyes of G'd. This principle was acknowledged even by the Saducees, heretics in many other aspects of Torah interpretation. It is quite true that the basic concept of tum-ah, impurity, escapes us. We can only surmise by studying the applications of the regulations concerning tum-ah. The one thing that is certain is, that this impurity is not rooted in the purely physical part of man or beast, but is connected to the life force which does not exist in botany, in "plant life." Since, in the case of man, death causes the loss not only of the life force, but also that of the intellect, the degree of tum-ah that results, is more severe. Since a Jew is on a higher plane, his death causes still more tum-ah, seeing that even greater values have been lost through his death. In fact, tum-ah starts already during one's lifetime. Since the manner of one's lifestyle may hasten death, every unworthy act or thought may hasten the onset of such impurity. This is why our sages in Berachot 18, describe the wicked as "dead" already during their lifetime, since after death, tum-ah never departs from their souls, each one according to the amount he has accumulated. The righteous, on the other hand, the one whose conduct during his lifetime had been praiseworthy, retains an unsullied soul, and such soul does not become contaminated with tum-ah upon his death. The verse in Leviticus 11, 43, "do not become contaminated by them, else you will be contaminated by them," means "don't become tarnished by them during your lifetime, so that you will not find yourself tarnished by them when you die." On the other hand, the righteous are called "the living ones" even after their physical deaths. Since they have avoided the spirit of impurity, they have essentially remained alive. This is what is meant in the Midrash referred to earlier, that it is not death that causes impurity, nor is it the red heifer that imparts impurity.

The world of souls: And yet since death was decreed upon man - and as I have written - and it comes out that this combination needs to divide for some time and come back to join; behold it is fitting that there also be at this time of division an appropriate place for these two divided parts, for that which is desired for this [period of] division. And see that the body needs to return to its element and separate [from] its combination and lose its form. And since it was dirt, it must return to it - and this is what He, may His name be blessed, said to Adam, "As you are dirt and to the dirt you shall return" (Genesis 3:19). But the soul (that has merited reward through its deeds) surely only has to wait until that which needs to be done to the body is done - meaning the desolidifying and decomposition of the first [body] and its remaining in the dirt all the time it needs, and its formation anew afterwards, when [the soul] returns to enter it. However it needs a place between this and that. And, in truth, it is for this reason that the world of souls was established - that the meritorious souls enter it, after their leaving the body, and dwell there in a restful place all the time that the matters that are fitting to happen to the body happen to it. And see that all of that time, these souls will dwell in loftiness and delight, similar to that which will be given to them afterwards at the time of the true repayment that we mentioned above. For his loftiness in the world of souls will also certainly be measured according to the actions that he has done, according to which his repayment afterwards at that time will also be measured. But the true perfection destined for those who merit it will not be attained - not by the body and not by the soul - until their joining together a second time, after the resurrection.

And in the Gemara in the chapter [entitled] BeMeh Madlikin (Shabbat 30b): Rabban Gamliel sat and expounded, "In the future, the land of Israel will bring out loaves of bread and wool garments, as it is stated: Let abundant grain be in the land (Psalms 72:16)." A certain student scoffed at him and said, "There is nothing new under the sun" [alluding to Ecclesiastes 1:9]. He went outside and showed him truffles and mushrooms. He wanted to say [that] in the future, when there will no longer be the curse on the ground that was because of Adam, the ground will then receive totally complete bounty from God, may He be blessed, so that everything will come out complete to the point that it will not need any processing. Hence the ground will bring out loaves of bread and wool garments. But now the ground which was cursed by God, may He be blessed, because of the sin of Adam is not geared to receive the supernal blessing. But in the future, when the curse will cease from the world, the land will bring out everything without any lack at all. And since from the angle of God, may He be blessed, He provides bounty, God, may He be blessed, certainly brings out bread from the land. It is just that the curse of the land causes [that it not be ready] without requiring processing, as it is written: By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread (Genesis 3:19). And that which he exerts himself and produces is only something which was caused by his sin. And certainly, if He had not brought out something that satiates the heart, then bread would have been a different creation. But rather, God, may He be blessed, brought out bread from the land, since even something that comes out of the ground may satiate the heart. It is just that its curse caused that there needs to be toil and effort [expended] before it completely satiates the heart. And that is why one should recite the blessing, "who brings forth bread from the land." And that which we recite the blessing [with the expression], "who brings out," and not, "who created," is because this is not considered a creation. For every creation is something unto itself, whereas bread was created for man's food, which is his sustenance. Hence, one should not recite the blessing with the expression, "created." But other things that are not the main food of man are considered creations, given that they are not the main food of man. Also, because this blessing was ordained about God, may He be blessed, having given him his food, one is thus not reciting the blessing over the creation itself. And that is why [with other foods], one does not recite the blessing, "who brings out." So the content of the blessing, "who brings out bread from the land," has been explained.