22 Questions
What did the woman say about the fruit of the trees in the garden?
Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat.
What did the serpent tell Eve about eating the forbidden fruit?
You will surely not die.
Why did Eve decide to eat the forbidden fruit?
The tree was good for food, a delight to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise.
What happened to Adam and Eve after eating the forbidden fruit?
Their eyes were opened, and they realized they were naked.
Why did Adam and Eve hide from God after eating the forbidden fruit?
They were afraid because they were naked.
According to Masekhet Kiddushin 43a, who is responsible if an agent is told to kill someone?
The agent
What could the snake have claimed in its defense according to the Gemara?
The snake could have claimed the contradiction between the teacher's (God's) command and the student's (snake's) enticement.
Why did God not advance any claims on behalf of the snake, as mentioned in Masechet Sanhedrin 29a?
Because the snake did not advance any claims for itself.
In Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat Hilkhot Shluchin 182, when is a person's agent considered like himself?
For everything except for an aveirah (sin).
What did God ask Adam when He called out to him in the garden?
Where are you?
According to Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman in Masechet Sanhedrin 29a, what lesson is derived from the incident of the primordial snake tempting Eve?
Judges do not advance a claim on behalf of an inciter.
What did the serpent tell the woman would happen if she ate the forbidden fruit?
Her eyes would be opened, and she would be like angels, knowing good and evil.
According to the Gemara, why did God not advance any claims on behalf of the snake?
The snake did not advance these claims itself.
In Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat Hilkhot Shluchin 182, what exception is made regarding a person's shaliach being like himself?
For an aveirah (a sin).
What important lesson is derived from the incident of the snake tempting Eve, according to Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman in Masechet Sanhedrin 29a?
Judges should not advance a claim on behalf of an inciter.
Why does Masekhet Kiddushin 43a state that the agent is responsible if told to kill someone?
The agent is responsible, and his sender is exempt.
According to Masekhet Kiddushin 42b, what exception is made when considering a man's agent?
When faced with obeying the words of the Master or the words of the student.
What was the response of Eve when God asked her, 'What is this that you have done?'
The serpent enticed me, and I ate.
Why did Rabbi Simlai state that the snake could have advanced many claims on its own behalf?
The snake could have claimed that when there is a contradiction between the statement of the teacher and the statement of the student, one should listen to the teacher.
What consequence did God pronounce upon the serpent for tempting Eve?
Cursed be you more than all the cattle and more than all the beasts of the field; you shall walk on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
Why did Rabbi Moshe Isserles state that there is no shaliach for an aveirah (sin)?
For everything, a person’s shaliach is like himself except for an aveirah.
According to Rashi, why did God not intercede in favor of the serpent?
The snake did not defend itself against the accusations.
Study Notes
The Story of the Serpent and the Forbidden Fruit
- The serpent, more cunning than all the other beasts, asked the woman if God had forbidden them to eat from any tree in the garden.
- The woman replied that they could eat from all trees except the one in the midst of the garden, which God had forbidden them to eat from or touch, lest they die.
The Serpent's Deception and the Consequences
- The serpent told the woman that she would not die if she ate from the forbidden tree, but rather her eyes would be opened and she would be like angels, knowing good and evil.
- The woman was tempted by the serpent's words and ate from the tree, then gave some to her husband, who also ate.
- As a result, their eyes were opened, and they knew they were naked.
The Consequences of Disobedience
- The Lord God called out to the man, asking where he was, and the man replied that he was hiding because he was naked.
- The Lord God asked the man who had told him he was naked, and the man blamed the woman, who blamed the serpent.
- The Lord God cursed the serpent, making it crawl on its belly and eat dust for the rest of its life, and placed hatred between the serpent and the woman, and between their offspring.
- The Lord God also punished the woman, increasing her sorrow and pain in childbirth, and making her desire her husband, who would rule over her.
- The Lord God punished the man, making the ground cursed because of him, and making him toil to eat from it, with thorns and thistles growing from the ground.
The Lesson of Responsibility
- The Talmud teaches that judges do not advance claims on behalf of one who incites people to sin, as seen in the story of the serpent who tempted Eve.
- The snake could have claimed that it was not to blame, as Adam and Eve should have obeyed God's words rather than the serpent's.
- However, the snake did not make this claim, and therefore was held responsible for its actions.
- The Talmud also teaches that a person's agent is like themselves, except in cases of sin, where the person who commits the sin is held responsible.
Test your knowledge on the biblical story of the fall of man, specifically focusing on the interaction between Eve, the serpent, and the forbidden fruit. See how well you remember the dialogue and events that led to the original sin.
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