"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Day after day God created the world,
culminating in the creation of Adam and Eve.
"And God formed the man of dust from the ground, and
He blew into his nostrils the soul of life and man became a living being.”
Man became a speaking, thinking, independent free-willed being.
Hashem placed them in the Garden of Eden and said,
"Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat but
of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, you may not eat."
They ate from the one tree in the garden which
God had forbidden them to eat from.
Adam then blamed Eve saying,
" The woman whom You gave me-she gave me of the Tree."
He couldn't admit his wrongdoing,
which left no possibility for improvement or growth or repentance.
Together they felt their nakedness.
They felt ashamed and scared.
They tried to hide from God,
fearful of exposing themselves and of feeling God's disappointment.
They created a disconnection from the divine.
"The man and his wife hid from God."
Perhaps we are also like Adam and Eve,
ashamed to fully expose ourselves and admit our imperfections.
In life we have many ways to distract and hide our inner selves.
It is scary to be vulnerable and exposed. We fear rejection.
We want to feel loved for who we are and
desire to love the real person whom we are in a relationship with.
Relationships are hard because they demand honesty,
and courage.
May this be the beginning of a time to strive to reach
those deeper levels of authentic connection.
A time to know that in some relationships we can be
honest, vulnerable and also truly loved!
These wholesome relationships are a blessing from Above!
Chag Sameach and Shabbat shalom
Elissa Felder
Comments