“The Lord God said: Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil, and now, he might extend his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22). “The Lord God said: Behold, the man [hen haadam] has become as one of us [mimenu]” – “I heard a holy one speaking, and the holy one said to Palmoni who was speaking…” (Daniel 8:13). “I heard [a holy] one” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
“Holy” – because everyone says ‘holy’ before Him. “Speaking [medaber]” – he issued harsh edicts1“Speaking” [dibbur], as opposed to “saying” [amira] is used for harsh speech (Makkot 11a). against His creations: “Thorns and thistles it will grow for you” (Genesis 3:18). “And the holy one said to Palmoni who was speaking” – to so-and-so.2Palmoni refers to an anonymous person, or in this case, an angel.
Akila the proselyte translated it [“to Palmoni”] as “to the innermost one [penimi]” – this is Adam the first man, whose station was more internal3Closer to God. than that of the ministering angels. “Until when will be the eternal vision?” (Daniel 8:13)4This is what Palmoni asked of God. – ‘Was the edict that was decreed upon Adam the first man to be eternal?’ he asked in astonishment. “And the desolating transgression” (Daniel 8:13) – will his transgression render him [permanently] desolate in the grave?
“Giving the holy one and his host for trampling” (Daniel 8:13) – will he and his descendants be [forever] given for trampling before the angel of death? “He said to me: Until evening-morning two thousand three hundred…” (Daniel 8:14) – Rabbi Azaria and Rabbi Yonatan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Whenever it is evening it is not morning and whenever it is morning it is not evening.5Yet here the verse refers to “evening-morning,” as if they were simultaneous.
However, when the morning of the idolaters becomes evening, and the evening of Israel becomes morning,6When the present good fortune of the idolaters turns to misfortune, and Israel’s present gloomy state turns to brightness. at that moment, “the holy one will be vindicated” (Daniel 8:14) – at that moment, I will absolve them [mankind] from that edict.7In the Messianic future, mankind will be released from Adam’s curses.
That is what is written: “The Lord God said: Behold, the man has become as one of us.”8He is destined in the future to become as one of us.