Page 39 - BERESHIT
P. 39
Hashem told Adam Harishon that he would be punished with death if he
ate from the Tree of Knowledge. This presents a difficulty. Who would
do the mitzvot or learn Torah if he would die? How could Adam do
teshuvah if he would be punished right away?
There is a physical death and there is a spiritual one. When one sins, he
is considered a rasha, and although he may be physically alive, he is
spiritually lacking his connection to Hashem.
Adam realized that he was ‘bereft’ of the mitzvah that was given to him
and made himself a waistband to wear. This represents the day that he did
teshuvah. The word can be split into three, - - . Adam sinned
on , the sixth day, which was , Rosh Hashanah, and it became a ,
festive day, as he was forgiven on that day for his sin.
Shabbat also became an opportune day for teshuvah, since its aura of light
inspired Adam Harishon to contemplate his level of Divine service and to
strive to come closer to Hashem.
“And the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will
not surely die’”
(Bereishit 3:4)
