Kaisipang Hudyo sa Mga Awit 119:96: Akeidat Yitzchak, Yesod Mora VeSod HaTorah & Duties

If repentance has to commence at the place where the sin was committed, only the fig tree could provide the leaves, seeing that it had been instrumental in man's fall (assuming that the fig tree was the tree of knowledge). Man hid, i.e. he considered himself beyond the sphere of Divine attention, just as the animal kingdom of which he now felt a part was outside the domain of G-d’s personal supervision. Only when addressed by G-d directly did man perceive that he had been wrong in his assumptions. This in turn led to complete repentance, recognition of his error. G-d’s rhetorical question "How could you feel naked unless you had eaten from the tree I told you not to eat from or you would become mortal," meant "You came out of earth's lap naked and you will return to earth naked." Adam replied, "True, I ate, but I was obliged to eat since the woman You gave me, gave me to eat." This stamps man as an ingrate, and woman who argued that her having succumbed was due to the serpent's enticement, claimed that her sin was natural, almost preordained. It is man's task to "hit the snake on the head," to neutralize its ability to mislead us and to distort the powers of our imagination. The snake's way is underhanded, it attacks the unprotected rear. It is our task to smash it head-on. Having abused our intelligence, we are condemned to attain our perfection via the route of gaining our sustenance through toil and sweat. The animal kingdom, having remained true to its instincts, does not need to fend for a living and finds its needs readily provided for (see Rabbi Eliezer at the end of tractate Kidushin). "On your belly you will move," i.e. even things suitable for you, you will find only with difficulty. This is the penalty for the serpent which had not been true to its instincts. The enmity between woman and the serpent is the disdain felt by people of sincere convictions (Torah) for those who adhere to all kinds of physical self-indulgence. The ability to crush the power of imaginary enjoyments will be greater than the power of those enjoyments to seduce, though that power will be great. The painfully slow process of pregnancy and giving birth, has its parallel in the equally gradual growth of perception of true values. Constant vigilance against falsehoods portrayed as true values in life renders such growth painful. Woman's mentor will henceforth be her husband, and he will be predominant in her thinking. "To Adam He had said," He called him Adam on account of the qualities he had originally been equipped with. When true to his purpose, the earth will be blessed by his conduct, and will yield its fruit willingly. When untrue, such as during this episode, man's ascendancy over earth as a superior is naught, hence the earth does not feel it needs to respond to man's efforts. The right to use nature for his own ends is based on man's doing so in the service of his Creator. Only then does earth also serve its Creator by serving man. "For you are dust," the intellectual faculties per se must not be viewed as ruach hakodesh, holy spirit. Through their being used constantly to fulfil tasks set for us by G-d, they gradually evolve, gain spiritual content, and ultimately—as in Jacob's dream with the ladder—may be transformed and become truly spiritual intellect. Adam was a pious man, who separated from Eve for 130 years once he had realized that he had brought mortality into the lives of the human species. During this period, he fasted and placed fig leaves on his flesh as a form of atonement. There are three kinds of repentance, corresponding to three types of sin. 1) Fasting is an antidote for errors committed through contamination of one's intellect through certain kinds of food or drink, which induce heretical views. 2) Sexual continence, in this case from his wife, who had seduced him into sinning. 3) The fig branches that tormented his body. When Adam called his wife chavah, he expressed the recognition that she had misled him, an act of repentance on his part. When G-d fashioned the leather coats for man, this was a sign that their repentance had been accepted. In the same way as leather garments are good for protecting the body, the light of Torah protects man's eyes. Both together are the way G-d in His kindness enables us to overcome the mortality which had resulted from eating of the tree of knowledge. Compare Onkelos on Leviticus 18,5 "When you observe the Torah, you will live forever." G-d’s Torah restores life to the condemned. (10) Rabbi Meir's version of the spelling of the word or with an aleph expresses the same thought that Onkelos stated on the verse in Leviticus.

And in the pursuit of truth, there is no end to the number of commandments, as the poet said, "I have seen an end to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad." (Psalms 119:96) And if we were to count the principles, the general rules, and the enduring commandments, the commandments would exceed six hundred and thirteen. The awesome Name knows the sincerity of my heart, that I have not composed this book to demonstrate my wisdom or to reveal hidden secrets, but rather to glorify God and respond to the ancients. For I know and acknowledge that there were wise and God-fearing individuals who preceded me, and even in this generation, there are immensely wise sages. I am but a companion to the generous scholar who learned from books that I have composed for him. Due to my great affection for him, I was compelled to devote my soul to writing this book on the commandments, for I have seen that he is a truthful man who fears God greatly.

Fifth, the commandments of the Torah are limited. They are a known number, 613 precepts. But the duties imposed by the understanding are almost countless, for a person daily increases his knowledge of them; and the more his faculty of perception develops and the more he comprehends G-d's beneficences, mighty power and sovereignty, the more will a man submit and humble himself before Him. Hence you find that David (peace be upon him), besought G-d to arouse him to the knowledge of these duties and remove the curtain of folly from his eyes; as it is said, "Open my eyes that I may gaze at the wonders of Your Torah" (Tehilim 119:18); "Teach me, O L-ord, the way of Your statutes..." (ibid. 119:33); "Incline my heart unto Your testimonies, and not to covetousness" (ibid. 119:36). Furthermore it is said "To all perfection have I seen an end; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad" (ibid. 119:96); that is to say, our obligation of service to You for Your continual benefits to us is without limit because there is no limit to the varieties of Your favors to us.