Bereshit Rabbah 15

וַיִּטַּע ה' אֱלֹהִים גַּן בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם (בראשית ב, ח), דְּבֵי רַבִּי יַנַּאי אָמְרִין, לָמָּה הוּא מַזְכִּיר שֵׁם מָלֵא בִּנְטִיעַת הַגַּן, שֶׁמִּתְּחִלַּת בְּרִיָּתָהּ הִיא צְרִיכָה כִּוּוּן. קֹדֶם עַד שֶׁלֹא נוֹצְרָה מִמְּעֵי אִמָּהּ, אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְכַוֵּן אֶת רוּחוֹתֶיהָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קד, טז): יִשְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵי ה' אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָטָע, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא כְּקַרְנֵי חֲגָבִים הָיוּ, וַעֲקָרָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּשְׁתָלָן בְּתוֹךְ גַּן עֵדֶן. יִשְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵי ה' וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, יִשְׂבְּעוּ חַיֵּיהֶם, יִשְׂבְּעוּ מֵימֵיהֶם. יִשְׂבְּעוּ מַטַּעְתָּן. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּאֲרָזִים, שֶׁלֹא נִבְרְאוּ אֶלָּא לְצֹרֶךְ בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: יִשְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵי ה' אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן, וְאֵין לְבָנוֹן אֶלָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֵאיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים ג, כה): הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנוֹן. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן אָמַר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה מִינֵי אֲרָזִים הֵם, וְאֵין לְךָ מְשֻׁבָּחִים מִכֻּלָּם אֶלָּא שִׁבְעָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה מא, יט): אֶתֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶרֶז שִׁטָּה וגו'. רַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר ג' בְּרוֹשׁ, בְּרָתָא. תִּדְהָר, אַדְּרָא. תְּאַשּׁוּר, פַּקְסִינוֹן. וְלָמָּה קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ תְאַשּׁוּר, שֶׁהוּא מְאֻשָּׁר מִכֻּלָּן. הוֹסִיפוּ עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹד שְׁלשָׁה, אַלּוֹנִים, אַרְמוֹנִים, אַלְמֻגִּים. אַלּוֹנִים, בַּלּוּטִין. אַרְמוֹנִים, דִּלְבּוֹן. אַלְמֻגִּים, אַלְוָם.

“The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, to the east; He placed there the man whom He had formed” (Genesis 2:8). “The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, to the east” – the school of Rabbi Yanai says: Why does it mention a full name regarding the planting of the garden? It is because from the beginning of its planting it requires forethought. From the start, [even] before it emerges from its mother’s womb, a person must plan out which direction is appropriate for it. That is what is written: “The trees of the Lord are sated, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted” (Psalms 104:16). Rabbi Ḥanina said: They [the initial saplings] were as [tiny as] the antennae of grasshoppers when the Holy One blessed be He uprooted them and planted them in the Garden of Eden. “The trees of the Lord are sated…” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: They are sated with the lives that they live, they are sated with the water that they need, they are sated in their planting. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The world was not worthy of using cedars [for secular buildings], as they were created solely for the purpose of the Temple. That is what is written: “The trees of the Lord are sated, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted.” And “Lebanon” is nothing other than the Temple, as it says: “That goodly mountain and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: There are twenty-four species of cedar, but only seven are the highest quality of them all. That is what is written: “I will put cedar [erez], shita, [hadas and etz shemen in the wilderness; I will place in the desert berosh, tidhar and te’ashur together]” (Isaiah 41:19). Berosh – berata, tidhar – adera, te’ashur – paksinon. Why is it called te’ashur? It is because it is the most praiseworthy [me’ushar] of them all. They [subsequently] added three more to the list: Alonim, armonim, and almugim, Alonim – balutin, armonim – dalbon, almugim – alvam.

גַּן בְּעֵדֶן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, גַּן, גָּדוֹל מֵעֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לא, ט): וַיְקַנְאֻהוּ כָּל עֲצֵי עֵדֶן אֲשֶׁר בְּגַן הָאֱלֹהִים. וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, עֵדֶן, גְּדוֹלָה מִגַּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּטַּע ה' אֱלֹהִים גַּן בְּעֵדֶן. וְהָכְתִיב (בראשית ב, י): וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי מִתַּמְצִית בֵּית כּוֹר תַּרְקַב שׁוֹתָה. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה כְּפִיגִי שֶׁהִיא נְתוּנָה בְּגִנָּה, וּמַשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל הַגִּנָּה. וְהָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא מִקְרָא אֶחָד, אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין דְּצִפּוֹרִי הֵאִיר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵינוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וּמָצָא לוֹ מִקְרָא אַחֵר מַכְרִיעַ עַל גַּבָּיו, וְאֵיזֶה זֶה (ישעיה נא, ג): וַיָּשֶׂם מִדְבָּרָהּ כְּעֵדֶן וְעַרְבָתָהּ כְּגַן ה'.

“A garden in Eden” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Yehuda says: The garden is larger than Eden, as it is stated: “All the trees of Eden that were in God’s garden envied it” (Ezekiel 31:9), [and it is stated: “You were in Eden, of God’s garden” (Ezekiel 28:13)]. Rabbi Yosei says: Eden is larger than the garden, as it is stated: “The Lord God planted a garden in Eden.” It is written: “A river emerges from Eden to water the garden” (Genesis 2:10). According to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, [this means that] from the runoff of a beit kor, a tarkav could be watered. According to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, it is like a spring that is situated in [the middle of] the garden and waters the entire garden. But Rabbi Yehuda adduces two verses, whereas Rabbi Yosei adduces only one verse. Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori said: The Holy One blessed be He illuminated the eyes of Rabbi Yosei and he found another verse that was decisive in addition to the first. Which is that? “He will render its wilderness like Eden and its desert like the garden of the Lord” (Isaiah 51:3).

מִקֶּדֶם, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, אַתְּ סָבוּר קֹדֶם לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וְאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא קֹדֶם לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. אָדָם נִבְרָא בַּשִּׁשִּׁי, גַּן עֵדֶן בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים עד, יב): וֵאלֹהִים מַלְכִּי מִקֶּדֶם פֹּעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, רְאוּ פָּעֳלָא טָבָא שֶׁהִתְקִין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׂכָרִי עַד שֶׁלֹא עָמַדְתִּי לִפְעֹל.

“To the east [mikedem]” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: You may think that it means before the creation of the world, but in fact it means only before the creation of man. Man was created on the sixth day, the Garden of Eden on the third day. That is what is written: “For God is my King from times of old [mikedem], working salvation in the midst of the land” (Psalms 74:12) – look at His benevolent works, as the Holy One blessed be He prepared my reward even before I [mankind] began to do anything.

וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם (בראשית ב, ח), רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר עִלָּה אוֹתוֹ, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים יז, טו): שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר פִּתָּה אוֹתוֹ, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה סְעוּדָה וְהִזְמִין אוֹרֵחַ, כָּךְ הִזְמִין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם בִּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קלט, ב): אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּי וְקוּמִי בַּנְתָּה לְרֵעִי מֵרָחוֹק. שִׁבְתִּי, בְּתוֹךְ גַּן עֵדֶן. וְקוּמִי, טֵירוּפִי מִתּוֹכָהּ. בַּנְתָּה לְרֵעִי מֵרָחוֹק, בְּאֵיזֶה זְכוּת יָעַצְתָּ לְבָרְאֵנִי, בִּזְכוּת אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא בָּא מֵרָחוֹק, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה מו, יא): קֹרֵא מִמִּזְרָח עַיִט מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק אִישׁ עֲצָתִי.

“He placed there [vayasem sham] [the man]” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: He elevated him, just as it says: “You shall set [som tasim] a king over you” (Deuteronomy 17:15). Rabbi Neḥemya said: He enticed him. This is analogous to a king who prepared a feast and invited a guest. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He invited Adam, due to the merit of Abraham. That is what is written: “You know my sitting and my rising; You understand my thoughts from afar” (Psalms 139:2) – “my sitting” in the Garden of Eden,” “my rising” – my expulsion from it. “You understand my thoughts from afar” – by what merit did You come to the decision to create me? It is by the merit of the one who came from afar, as it is written: “I summon a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a distant land” (Isaiah 46:11).

וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברי הימים ב ה, ט): וַיְהִי שָׁם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וּבִלְבָד בִּיצִירָה זוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר מַרְיוֹן כְּתִיב (בראשית ב, ד): אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו', בּוֹרְאָן מְשַׁבְּחָן וּמִי מְגַנָּן, בּוֹרְאָן מְקַלְּסָן וּמִי יִתֵּן בָּהֶם דֹּפִי, אֶלָּא נָאִים וּמְשֻׁבָּחִין הֵם, אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם.

“He placed there [the man whom He had formed]” – just as it says: “And it is there to this day” (II Chronicles 5:9). Rabbi Levi said: Provided that he remain in his present form. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon said: It is written: “These are the outgrowths of the heavens [when they were created]” (Genesis 2:4) – their Creator praises them, who can disparage them? Their Creator lauds them, who can find fault with them? Rather, they are beautiful and praiseworthy, [as it is written:] “These are the outgrowths of the heavens.”

וַיַּצְמַח ה' אֱלֹהִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה (בראשית ב, ט), תָּנֵי עֵץ שֶׁהוּא פּוֹסֶה עַל פְּנֵי כָּל הַחַיִּים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר אִלְעָאי, עֵץ חַיִּים מַהֲלַךְ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וְכָל מֵי בְרֵאשִׁית מִתְפַּלְּגִין מִתַּחְתָּיו. רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר אִלְעָאי לֹא סוֹף דָּבָר נוֹפוֹ מַהֲלַךְ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ קוֹרָתוֹ מַהֲלַךְ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה.

“The Lord God grew from the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). “The Lord God grew from the ground […and the tree of life]” – it is taught: [The tree of life is] a tree that spreads out over all the living. Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said: [The extent of] the tree of life is a walking distance of five hundred years and all the waters of creation branch out from beneath it. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai: It is not merely that [the extent of] its branches are a walking distance of five hundred years, but even [the extent of] its trunk is a walking distance of five hundred years.

מָה הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הָאִילָן שֶׁאָכַל מִמֶּנּוּ אָדָם וְחַוָּה, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר חִטִּים הָיוּ, כַּד לָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ דֵּעָה אִינּוּן אָמְרִין לָא אֲכַל הַהוּא אִינְשָׁא פִּתָּא דְּחִטֵּי מִן יוֹמוֹי. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בָּעֵי קַמֵּי רַבִּי זְעֵירָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֶפְשָׁר חִטִּים הָיוּ, אָמַר לוֹ הֵן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְהָכְתִיב עֵץ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מְתַמְּרוֹת הָיוּ כְּאַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אַחָא אִתְפַּלְּגוּן רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁכְּבָר הוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עב, טז): יְהִי פִסַּת בַּר בָּאָרֶץ. לֶפֶת, תְּרֵין אָמוֹרָאִין פְּלִיגֵי, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַמֵּי, חַד אָמַר לֶפֶת לֹא פַּת הָיְתָה, וְחוֹרָנָה אָמַר לֶפֶת לֹא פַּת הִיא עֲתִידָה לִהְיוֹת. רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בָּרֵיךְ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי זֵירָא הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ וְקַלְסֵיהּ, כְּרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, אֶתְמְהָא. אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא לְעָרֵב אֶת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר אִלְעָאי אָמַר, עֲנָבִים הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב, לב לג): עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְבֵי רוֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָמוֹ, אוֹתָן הָאֶשְׁכּוֹלוֹת הֵבִיאוּ מְרוֹרוֹת לָעוֹלָם. רַבִּי אַבָּא דְּעַכּוֹ אָמַר אֶתְרוֹג הָיָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ג, ו): וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ וגו', אֲמַרְתְּ צֵא וּרְאֵה אֵיזֶהוּ אִילָן שֶׁעֵצוֹ נֶאֱכָל כְּפִרְיוֹ, וְאֵין אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא אֶתְרוֹג. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר תְּאֵנִים הָיוּ, דָּבָר לָמֵד מֵעִנְיָנוֹ, מָשָׁל לְבֶן שָׂרִים שֶׁקִּלְקֵל עִם אַחַת מִן הַשְּׁפָחוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע הַשַּׂר טְרָדוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ חוּץ לַפָּלָטִין, וְהָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל פִּתְחֵיהֶן שֶׁל שְׁפָחוֹת וְלֹא הָיוּ מְקַבְּלוֹת אוֹתוֹ, אֲבָל אוֹתָהּ שֶׁקִּלְקְלָה עִמּוֹ פָּתְחָה דְלָתֶיהָ וְקִבִּלַתּוֹ. כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָכַל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאִילָן, טְרָדוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהוֹצִיאוֹ חוּץ לְגַן עֵדֶן, וְהָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל כָּל אִילָנוֹת וְלֹא הָיוּ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ, וּמַה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה הָא גַּנָּב דְּגָנַב דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּבָרְיֵהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים לו, יב): אַל תְּבוֹאֵנִי רֶגֶל גַּאֲוָה, רֶגֶל שֶׁנִּתְגָּאֶה עַל בּוֹרְאוֹ, (תהלים לו, יב): וְיַד רְשָׁעִים אַל תְּנִדֵנִי, לָא תִיסַב מִמֶּנִּי עָלֶה. אֲבָל תְּאֵנָה שֶׁאָכַל מִפֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, פָּתְחָה דְּלָתֶיהָ וְקִבְּלַתּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ג, ז): וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה, מָה הָיְתָה אוֹתָהּ הַתְּאֵנָה, רַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר בְּרַת שֶׁבַע דְּאַמְטְיַת שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי אֶבְלָא לְעָלְמָא. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם ר"א אָמַר בְּרַת אֱלִיתָא, דְּאַמְטְיַת אֱלִיתָא לְעָלְמָא. רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא גִּלָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹתוֹ אִילָן לְאָדָם, וְלֹא עָתִיד לְגַלּוֹתוֹ. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב (ויקרא כ, טז): וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרַב אֶל כָּל בְּהֵמָה וגו', אִם אָדָם חָטָא בְּהֵמָה מַה חָטָאת, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא תְהֵא בְּהֵמָה עוֹבֶרֶת בַּשּׁוּק וְיֹאמְרוּ זוֹ הִיא הַבְּהֵמָה שֶׁנִּסְקַל פְּלוֹנִי עַל יָדָהּ, וְאִם עַל כְּבוֹד תּוֹלְדוֹתָיו חָס הַמָּקוֹם, עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, אֶתְמְהָא.

What was that tree [of knowledge] from which Adam and Eve ate? Rabbi Meir said: It was wheat. When a person does not have knowledge, people say: That person has never eaten wheat bread in all his days. Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak asked before Rabbi Ze’eira, saying to him: ‘Is it possible that it was wheat?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘But is it not written that it was a “tree”?’ He said to him: ‘It [the wheat in Eden] rose to a great height, like the cedars of Lebanon.’ Rabbi Yaakov bar Aḥa said: There is a dispute between Rabbi Neḥemya and the Rabbis. Rabbi Neḥemya said: [“Blessed be God…] who brings forth [hamotzi] bread from the earth, [meaning] that He brought forth bread from the earth in the past. The Rabbis say: [Blessed be God …] who brings forth [motzi] bread from the earth, [meaning] that He will bring forth bread from the earth in the future, as it is stated: “There will be bread [pisat] from grain upon the earth” (Psalms 72:16). Lefet – there is a dispute between two Amora’im, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak and Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami. One said: Lefet – was it not [once] bread [lo pat]? And the other said: Lefet – is it going to be bread [lo pat] in the future? Rabbi Yirmeya recited the blessing before Rabbi Zeira: Who brings forth [hamotzi] bread from the earth, and he praised him. [Did he act] in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya? This is bewildering. [No,] it was, rather, so as not to slur the [adjacent identical] letters. Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said: They [the forbidden fruits that Adam ate] were grapes, as it is stated: “Their grapes are grapes of poison, clusters of bitterness for them” (Deuteronomy 32:32) – those clusters brought bitterness to the world. Rabbi Abba of Akko said it was a citron. That is what is written: “The woman saw that the tree was good for eating…” (Genesis 3:6). Go out and see which is the tree whose wood has a taste like its fruit, and you will find only the citron. Rabbi Yosei says: They were figs. It is a matter that is derived from its context. This is analogous to the a prince’s son who sinned with one of the maidservants. When the prince heard, he expelled him and had him removed outside the palace. He circulated among the houses of all the maidservants, but none would receive him. But the one with whom he sinned opened her door and received him. So, too, when Adam the first man ate from that tree, the Holy One blessed be He expelled him and had him removed outside the Garden of Eden. He circulated among all the trees but none would receive him. What did they say to him? Rabbi Berekhya said: ‘Here is the thief who deceived his Creator.’ That is what is written: “Let no arrogant foot come to me” (Psalms 36:12) – the foot of one who was arrogant towards his Creator. “Let the hand of the wicked not move me” (Psalms 36:12) – you may not take a leaf from me. But the fig tree, whose fruit he had eaten, opened its door and received him. That is what is written: “They sewed fig leaves” (Genesis 3:7). What [type of] fig was it ? Rabbi Avin said: It was the berat sheva species, as it brought seven [sheva] days of mourning to the world. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: It was the berat elita species, as it brought weeping [elita] to the world. Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Far be it that God should have revealed [the identity of] that tree to any man, nor will He reveal it in the future. See what is written: “A woman who will approach any animal [to copulate with her, you shall kill the woman and the animal]” (Leviticus 20:16) – though the person sinned, what sin did the animal commit? [The animal did not sin,] but it is [killed] so that the animal should not pass through the marketplace, where people would say: This is the animal on whose account so-and-so was stoned. If He is concerned about the dignity of his [Adam’s] descendants [even though they had committed a grievous sin], is it not all the more so regarding his [Adam’s] own dignity [after his sin]? That is a rhetorical question.