הִ֣יא הַחַיָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֛יתִי תַּ֥חַת אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּֽנְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר וָאֵדַ֕ע כִּ֥י כְרוּבִ֖ים הֵֽמָּה׃
Ito ang nilalang na buhay na nakita ko sa ilalim ng Diyos ng Israel sa tabi ng ilog Kebar; at nalaman ko na sila ay mga kerubin.
Bereshit Rabbah
“East” – Rav said: In every place, the eastern direction offers refuge. Adam the first man – “He banished the man; He stationed the cherubs east of the Garden of Eden.” Cain – “Cain departed from the presence of the Lord, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden” (Genesis 4:16). The killer – “Then, Moses designated three cities on the eastern side of the Jordan [that a killer may flee there who kills his neighbor unwittingly]” (Deuteronomy 4:41–42).
Another matter, “[He stationed the cherubs] east [mikedem] [of the Garden of Eden]” – the angels were created before [kodem] the Garden of Eden. That is what is written: “This was the Ḥaya angel that I had seen beneath the God of Israel at the Kevar River, and I knew that they were cherubs” (Ezekiel 10:20).26This verse proves that “cherubs” are angels. “And the flame” – based on: “His servants are flaming fires” (Psalms 104:4). “The ever-turning [hamithapekhet]” – as they [angels] have various forms [mithapekhim], sometimes men, sometimes women, sometimes winds, sometimes angels.
Another matter, “mikedem” – Gehenna27Alluded to here by the flaming sword, as the Midrash will explain. was created before [mikodem] the Garden of Eden; Gehenna on the second day and the Garden of Eden on the third. “And the flame [lahat] of the ever-turning sword” – based on: “The day that is coming will burn [velihat] them” (Malachi 3:19). “Ever-turning”– as it turns over upon the person and burns him from head to toe and from toe to head. Adam said: ‘Who will save my descendants from this fire?’ Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Abba: The sword of circumcision, as it is stated: “Make flint swords for yourself [and circumcise the children of Israel]” (Joshua 5:2). The Rabbis say: The sword of Torah, as it is stated: “And a double-edged sword in their hand” (Psalms 149:6). When Adam saw that his descendants were destined to descend to Gehenna, he restrained himself from procreation. But when he saw that after twenty-six generations Israel was destined to receive the Torah, He consorted in order to produce descendants, as it is stated: “The man was intimate with Eve, his wife” (Genesis 4:1).
Another matter, “[He stationed the cherubs] east [mikedem] [of the Garden of Eden]” – the angels were created before [kodem] the Garden of Eden. That is what is written: “This was the Ḥaya angel that I had seen beneath the God of Israel at the Kevar River, and I knew that they were cherubs” (Ezekiel 10:20).26This verse proves that “cherubs” are angels. “And the flame” – based on: “His servants are flaming fires” (Psalms 104:4). “The ever-turning [hamithapekhet]” – as they [angels] have various forms [mithapekhim], sometimes men, sometimes women, sometimes winds, sometimes angels.
Another matter, “mikedem” – Gehenna27Alluded to here by the flaming sword, as the Midrash will explain. was created before [mikodem] the Garden of Eden; Gehenna on the second day and the Garden of Eden on the third. “And the flame [lahat] of the ever-turning sword” – based on: “The day that is coming will burn [velihat] them” (Malachi 3:19). “Ever-turning”– as it turns over upon the person and burns him from head to toe and from toe to head. Adam said: ‘Who will save my descendants from this fire?’ Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Abba: The sword of circumcision, as it is stated: “Make flint swords for yourself [and circumcise the children of Israel]” (Joshua 5:2). The Rabbis say: The sword of Torah, as it is stated: “And a double-edged sword in their hand” (Psalms 149:6). When Adam saw that his descendants were destined to descend to Gehenna, he restrained himself from procreation. But when he saw that after twenty-six generations Israel was destined to receive the Torah, He consorted in order to produce descendants, as it is stated: “The man was intimate with Eve, his wife” (Genesis 4:1).