Author: Michal Peretz | Published on August, 27 2025 | Blog Last Updated on August 27, 2025 | Time: 2:10 PM

וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כׇּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃

And from the ground G-d caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad.

Transliteration: Vayatzmaḥ Adonai Elohim min-ha’adamah kol-etz neḥmad l’mar’eh v’tov l’ma’akhal, v’etz ha-ḥayyim b’toḥ ha-gan, v’etz ha-da‘at tov va-ra.

Etz Chaim (Tree of Life): “…the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad.”

Etz HaDa’at Tov VaRa (Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad).

Today is a very important lesson from Rabbi Michael Macks, where he discusses how making decisions can become easier from a spiritual lens. In this lecture, he explains that on the 3rd day, G-d created all the vegetation, and in the center of the Garden of Eden (Gan Eden) stood the Tree of Life, and next to it the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. G-d tells Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, and Rabbi Macks offers a different perspective: that G-d was not some ethereal voice speaking to Adam from the heavens, but rather an internal voice where Adam had to make a decision. So Adam and Chaya chose to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, rather than from the Tree of Life.

This applies to us as well. When we are faced with making a decision, instead of weighing out the pros and cons between the good and the bad, we should consider choosing what gives us the most life.

Zohar (Kabbalah, 13th century)

The Zohar identifies the Tree of Life with Torah itself and with the sefirot of holiness.

Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194–1270, Spain)

Ramban adds that the Tree of Life was meant to provide vitality and prevent the body from deteriorating.

The Tree of Knowledge changed human nature, bringing conflicting desires and mortality.

Rashi (1040–1105, France)

On “Tree of Life”: Rashi explains it was a tree whose fruit granted eternal life. Eating from it would prevent death.

On “Tree of Knowledge”: He says this tree caused awareness of sexual morality and human desire — before eating from it, Adam and Chava had no evil inclination.

Sidenote: There are some misconceptions when it comes to Genesis (Bereshit). The primary focus often falls on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, simply because it was the one Adam and Eve (Chaya) ate from. The Tree of Life is mentioned, but not emphasized as much—or sometimes not at all.

References

Sefaria. (n.d.). Genesis 2:9. Sefaria. Retrieved August 27, 2025, from https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.2.9?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

LATEST BLOG POST