Adam and Eve were completing new living quarters. It had been several months since God had banished them from the Garden of Eden, their first, idyllic address.
Life was hard. Eve was pregnant, and Adam was acclimating himself to his extensive, detailed work as a farmer.
Yet, something else was bothering him. Why were they driven to their drastic mistake in the Garden? And now, in the outside world, would there still be an inner voice that might tempt them to violate God’s rules?
Adam and Eve sought God’s guidance. They hadn’t heard from God since their expulsion from Eden. That didn’t stop them from expressing their concerns.
Adam spoke up: “God, we are worried for ourselves and our children. We know that we disobeyed You in the Garden. We are trying to do better. We want to be good teachers. How can we prevent our children from repeating our mistakes?”
They heard a low hum that became increasingly louder. The sound became words.
It was God speaking. “Adam and Eve, I am gratified that you still want my help. I have an answer, but you may not like it.”
Eve said, “What do you have to tell us, Eternal One?
God replied, “You should give your children the benefit of your wisdom. It’s just that, well, they may still make their own mistakes and have to learn from them.”
Adam was mortified, “Our Creator, haven’t we already done enough damage?”
God comforted Adam and Eve. “You are both learning and improving. Some of your descendants, teachers called rabbis, will debate whether or not I should have created you. They will decide that I shouldn’t have done so. They will also say that, since people exist, they should be careful to do the right thing in all situations.”
“They will also see the two of you as the common ancestors of every person who will ever exist. Because of that, they will assert that, if someone takes one life, it will be as if he or she destroyed the whole world, and if someone saves one life, it will be as if he or she saved the entire world. They will declare no one can claim to be better than anyone else, because they all came from the two of you.”
Eve quietly spoke, “That means we have a big responsibility, Eternal One, doesn’t it? Adam, are we ready for this?”
Adam looked into her eyes and said, “Yes, Eve, we are ready, with God’s help.”
God sighed at what was to come. And, even still, filled with hope, God smiled.
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