Good & Evil - Ezer Knegdo - Ish & Isha

5/10 led by Cantor Lauren Bandman
Genesis 2:16 -

Thank you Cantor Bandman for leading an excellent discussion!

We pondered the translation of “Knowledge of Good and Evil”. Verifying as we do, in the Hebrew all words are present, “Knowledge”, “Good”, “Evil”.

Is this about morality or mortality?

Some comments from the group:

• recall the quote: “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing”
• ‘we become like judges and can distinguish right from wrong’ thus the beginning of responsibility
• • While throughout Torah God says, “who is like Me?”, in the creation story man is created in the “image of God”. . . Is it possible that God is alone?


And looking at the punctuation in the translation there is a question if it is a tree, or is it a tree of good and evil. Cantor Bandman clarified this a bit explaining the trope interpretation where ‘not to eat’ is separate from the ‘tree’ and separate from ‘good and evil’.

There was much commentary about man’s awareness and acceptance of mortality.

Evan Lurie recommended a book: "The Beginning of Wisdom" by Leon Cass that discusses creation and this portion from a different point of view:
He points out that every act of creation is an act of differentiation. (interesting concept) And mortality differentiates us from God.

The division of the six days detailed in Genesis into two parallel triads looks like this.

1. Light 4. lights (heavenly)

2. heaven* 5. fish and fowl

3(a) earth (dry land) 6(a) land animals

(b) including plants (b) including man*

*Not said to be "good"

Cantor Bandman was eager to point to verse 18 where the role of the ‘woman’ is introduced in a ‘good’ way. Everything was good up until the realization by God that man was alone. Alone was "not good". So God made woman to make it better!!!

This started a brief side tangent on whether it is good to be alone or not... But then back on track to discuss the role of women!
An EZER KNEGDO – a fitting helper, one to complement him, but also clearly created to stand on her own.

There is much discussion about how God made a ‘wife’ for Adam and the many ways this act can be viewed.

The general topic of whether there is one creation story where the first is general and second gives details OR is it two stories? Cantor Bandman noted that more scholars accept the ONE story version. However, we did point out the mythical legend of Lilith being the first woman which is somewhat popular in some mystical cultures.

We also briefly discussed the names for man and woman in the Hebrew and the differences in the roots but similar sounds of the words for Man (ISH) an Woman (ISHA). (Fodder for great midrash)

There are many excellent links for commentary when you put 'Ezer Knegdo' into Google... If you have time just go and explore!