Here's the deal....

Straight from Rabbi Mottie Berger:

G-d told Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. 


At first glance, it would seem that good and evil would be opposites.  But that isn't necessarily so.  


The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil connotes the World of Experience.  Good and evil really depends on the reality of the circumstance.   Let's take killing.  At first thought, we would think killing is evil.  But killing for the sake of self-defense might be good.  But even that gets sticky.  So you need wisdom.  You need a manual.  You need the Tree of Life to go with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.


In Hebrew, the Torah is called "Etz Chaim" or the "Tree of Life."  It's the manual that connects you to G-d in the world of experience that is good.  What disconnects you from G-d in the world of experience is evil.

Rabbi Berger also states that 'pain is the notification of a problem.'  We are fortunate to get the notification so that we can deal with our problem.  If we constantly get notifications, we can constantly work things out.  


Rabbi Berger reminded us that our essence is our soul and our body is our 'horse.'  Who shall be the driver?  We are animals who are then blessed with the ability to make choices on the highest levels.  For example, we eat like animals do, but we say blessings on our food because we are human beings. Which do we invest more in?  Our bodies or our souls?  This is the challenge that Rabbi Berger put before us.  What is our soul hungry for?  What is our body hungry for?  Lots of food for thought today.


Shabbat Shalom...