Monday, October 13, 2014
FTL #2 – Beginnings – October 2014
The story of Adam, and Eve, and the Serpent is a truly “universal” story, but does not necessarily carry a “universal” message. Depending on how you read and interpret the text you may see the story unfold into multiple meanings and lessons. Why did God put this beautiful tree of knowledge of which no one could eat in the middle of the garden? Do we know for sure if Eve was told the same information as Adam? As for the serpent, the shrewdest animal of all, why did it get the only speaking part in the beginning of the Torah (we have a talking donkey, but that is much later on)?
We have talked about our Etz Chaim for the past two sessions. Although the story of Adam and Eve is written in the Torah (5 Books of Moses), there are a variety of midrashim (plural of midrash/stories to explain the text) that delve into the nuances of our initial story. They add depth, insight, and intrigue into the initial story. Below you will find some activities that help us better understand the depth of midrash, possible reasons for why this particular story was included in the canon of Jewish literature, and a midrash about Eve and the serpent to read answer a few question on.
A) FILLING IN THE BLANKS
Form a circle and play the following game …
C) WILL THE REAL TROUBLEMAKER, PLEASE STAND UP
(Or if you are now a snake, guess that will be difficult)
- The first person says out loud: “I’m going on a journey and I am going to take along a ________ (an item, for example, a dog).”
- The second person says “I am going on a journey and I am going to take along a dog and a ______ (her new item).”
- The third person must repeat the previous two items and add a new one of his own, and so forth.
- No one should be criticized for not being able to remember the chain of items once it gets long – instead invite the group to offer friendly reminders.
- When you have gotten around the circle, invite anyone who want to make up a story explaining why you need the specific sundry items your group has mentioned for its journey. A few version of the story can be offered, if there are multiple volunteers.
- This game is like the Torah and midrash: Many Torah stories may have originally been conveyed orally from one generation to another, as like in the circle. Sometimes details get forgotten or changes in the retelling. Meanwhile, sometimes the story needs interpretation to understand it – why do you need these particular items? The text itself does not tell you, but it is fun to speculate. The story told about using the items on the journey is like a mid rash.
B) PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM!
Ben Bag Bag said, “Read the Torah over and over again. There is always something new that you can learn from it.” Pirkei Avot 5:25
- Why do we read and reread these stories over and over again? What is in them that is so important? On Sunday, we talked about the actual story of Adam, Eve, and the serpent. We challenged ourselves to try to figure out why they were punished so severely because they ate from the tree. We tried to see who was or was not at fault. We worked to try to find out the motives of the characters. That is one part of the story. But stories can also teach us how we SHOULD act both by understanding what people did wrong and what they did well.
- Reread the condensed version of the story of creation and Adam and Eve. As one person reads the story aloud, have others check off the values that they recognize in the story. Choose on of these values and see how you, as a family, can try to work on that value through the next week or month.
- Garden of Eden Story
- Value Sheet
C) WILL THE REAL TROUBLEMAKER, PLEASE STAND UP
(Or if you are now a snake, guess that will be difficult)
- Read the midrash about how the serpent was able to trick Eve into eating from the Tree of Knowledge then answer the following questions:
- Who was at fault in this midrash compared to the actual story we read in the Torah?
- What role did the serpent have in this story?
- Often, Judaism places extra restrictions on things so that we don’t even get close to “messing up.” When, in the Torah God says to not boil a kid in it’s mother’s milk, we get all these laws of keeping kosher (no mixing milk and meat, separate dishes, waiting times between eating meat and milk, etc.) Think of some restrictions we put on ourselves so that we don’t “mess up” what we don’t want messed up.
- You are on a diet. Rather than limiting your candy intake, you decide to banish all candy from your home. What are the consequences of this actions?
- The amount of dishes each day are attrition. A rule is instituted that if you use a dish, you clean the dish. If dishes are found not washed after use, you will not be allowed to use dishes. What are the consequences of this action?
- Your sibling keeps coming into your room when you have asked him not to. First you ask that if he comes into your room he is only allowed on your bed. Then you decide to just lock the door and not allow him in “ever again”. What happens when you want to play together in your room?
D) ADAM, EVE AND THE SERPENT in the 21st CENTURY
Here are a few modern interpretations of the Adam, Eve and Serpent story.
Viewer discretion advised (may inspire you to think differently and create your own midrash):
Viewer discretion advised (may inspire you to think differently and create your own midrash):
- A pastor retells the story through an historical lens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Z3UZ21Ru0
- A song inspired by the Adam/Eve story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf-x-cqNQ-k
- Watch Out For the Snake – Bad Rap for the Snake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVsKW3SD-J0