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Copy Right 2022
BLOODSHED-1/
What does it Mean to Know Evil and GOOD?
The Torah devotes an entire section to deal with BLOODSHED and its Laws.
It starts with the first murder- Cain and Abel – and ends with Noah’s Flood,
And the Rainbow Covenant which is based on the BLOODSHED Laws in details.
That section of the Torah begins actually with the transition of Adam and Eve
from Eden to Earth. Let’s focus for a while on issues related to that important
transition.
Presenting the Commandments in Genesis
First, looking over the general flow of the text in the Book of Genesis,
we realize how the book leads us from one Commandment of Noah
to the next, in a special order.
First, Chapter One deals with IDOLATRY (I) at length,
whereas Chapters 2-3 present Eden with ADULTERY (II) and MARRIAGE,
then followed by BLOODSHED (III), beginning with Cain and Abel.
Then the flow continues with Abraham and THEFT (IV)
followed with Jacob and JUSTICE (V)
then Joseph and BLASPAMY (VI).
Thus, we can conclude, that Moses wrote his Book of Genesis,
having the Six Commandments of Adam on his mind.
By placing the list of the Commandments in that fashion,
Moses determines their proper order – which one comes first
and which second. We should not argue anymore about the proper order
of Adam’s Commandments!
That order is psychologically true:
Since whoever stumble over one commandment, would soon be challenged
Also with the next one on the list. Let him or her beware!
Thus, whoever fails IDOLATRY would most likely stumble over ADULTERY,
then on BLOODSHED followed by THEFT and INJUSTICE. In fact,
our literature and movies are full of that predicted downfall.
Two subgroups
We can also distinguish two subgroups within the Six Commandments.
Though they were all given to Adam in Eden, yet only the first two,
IDOLATRY and ADULTERY, were relevant to their life in Eden.
Because only they could be violated even in Eden.
The other four – BLOODHED, THEFT, INJUSTICE and BLASPHEMY –
can be violated only on Earth, and therefore were irrelevant to Eden.
Hence, they were given to Adam as potential, in case he and his wife
would be driven out to live on Earth.
We can say that as long as Adam and his wife lived in Eden, the four
Commandments were “Theoretical,” with no real implications.
They were given to Adam on the level of “chochma and bina,”
theoretical wisdoms, rather than on the level of “daat,” a practical,
real level.
That explains the name of the Forbidden
“Tree of KNOWLEDGE – daat – good and Evil.” Whoever eats of it
would KNOW evil first hand, on the level of daat, real acquaintance.
Since the practical meaning of knowing evil is encountering the Angle of Death,
there is no wonder that moving to Earth would encounter them with BLOODSHED.
Knowing Vs Believing
To give you a hint about the importance of daat, “Knowledge,”
Let’s consider the difference between “knowing” and “believing.”
When I say “I believe that the table is in that room,” I imply that
The table might be there, or not. I am not sure.
But saying “I know that the table is here” I imply that I am practically sure
About it, perhaps I have touched it, or even placed it there.
Hence the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil” rendered the eater a direct,
unquestionable awareness of good and evil.
It rendered them an awareness of YHVH – so they covered their nakedness,
as well as awareness of what She hates. In Eden – nakedness, on Earth – MURDER!
From a believer to one who knows
A personal testimony. For years I was a believer in the Torah, studying it
and loving it. But then came the History Chanel report on the History of Earth
and turned me into one who knows that the Torah is a miracle in our hands.
For how could anyone explain the perfect match between Moses’ account of Genesis
and our scientific knowledge about Earth?
Two Primordial Drives
This implies, that the first two – IDOLATRY and ADULTERY,
Are given against the two most primordial drives within our souls,
namely the Sex Drive and the Drive to Rule Over, coming from our our Ego.
These two Drives are buried deep in our souls even today, on Earth,
dominating our lives, resistant to any attempt to be tamed or controlled.
Crimes between Man and Man
There is another distinction between the six Commandments.
Whereas IDOLATRY is relevant even to an individual person,
and is a sin between Man and G-d,
ADULTERY is a crime between Man and G-d besides Man and Man.
The rest four – BLOODSHED, THEFT and INJUSTICE, however,
are crimes between Man and Man. That is why they became applicable,
only at the transition between Eden to Earth.
Having said that, we realize that Judaism has elevated those crimes
Between Man and Man to ALSO between Man and G-d.
As Rabbi Sacs ZL has pointed out: that by itself was a great revolution
Against what was known to Mankind before the Torah
Acquiring the Passion to Sin
In Eden, in addition of acquiring the perception of YHVH,
they also acquired the passion to perform “evil in YHVH eyes.”
For their eyes opened and they noticed that-
“the tree is good for eating, and that it is a delight to the eyes,”
meaning that sin became a desirable act, pleasing their hearts and mind,
a sweet deed to enjoy.
That Drive to do the ‘evil in YHVH’s eyes’ is called Yezer Harah “evil drive.”
Henceforth, Adam and his wife would enter a new inner struggle
between the Drive to follow the sweet sin, Yezer rah,
and the Drive to follow YHVH values, Yezer tov .
The more Adam perceives of YHVH and her values,
the more his passion to do the opposite grows.
To our discussion, it means that henceforth BLOODSHED would be committed
with Passion, with joy to do or see it – in the Colosseum, or on our silver screens,
Eve’s Personal Knowledge of YHVH
The transition between Eden to Earth is beautifully presented by the Torah
with regard to our mother, Eve. The Torah s
“Adam knew his wife Eve And she conceived and bore Cain,
Saying: I have acquired a man with YHVH.” (4: 1)
What special about Eve’s words, is the fact that she mentions YHVH
The first time ever ALONE, without ELKM by Her side.
It means that after EXPERIENCING hard labor, (as she had been curded)
even facing the Angle of Death, she came out with the first child in her bosom.
So as her blood was flashed with hormone, and her heart was filled by
happiness, love, compassion, mercy and good hopes for the future,
Eve became aware of the Merciful YHVH in her full glory.
Thus her previous theoretical awareness of YHVH before the sin,
And her semi awareness of YHVH after the sin, still in Eden,
When she covered her nakedness and hid in the bush in shame of her sin,
Now on Earth she ACQUIRED a full sense of what YHVH is all about.
That is why she said : I have acquired a man with YHVH.”
But once she and her children acquired the awareness of YHVH,
They also acquired the PASSION to perform the opposite of what YHVH loves,
Foremost among them is MURDER!
So,
If YHVH is for life,
for happiness,
for joy,
for compassion, mercy and forgiveness,
towards all Mankind,
for a good and happy future
then an evil person is
One who inflicts death,
One who inflicts misery and sorrow
One who causes people to despair
One who shows cruelty, indifference to other people’s suffering
One who is arrogant, who sees himself superior by nature to others
One who is a racist
If you want TO KNOW what YHVH is, think of our mother Eve giving birth to Cain.
If you want to KNOW what Evil is, think about Hitler and his Nazi soldiers.