Why Adam Failed in One Hour but Israel Keeps the Laws

Job said (in Job 14:4): "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." After the Holy One, blessed be He, permitted the cow and forbade the camel, who is able to declare clean or to declare unclean? Who has done so? Not one — none but the Unique One of the world. Come and see: from the beginning of the creation of the world everything was permitted, as it is said (in Genesis 9:3), "As the green herb have I given you all things." But once Israel stood at Mount Sinai, He multiplied for them Torah and commandments in order to give them a good reward. And if so, why did He not command the first Adam? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I commanded him a light commandment, and he transgressed it. All these commandments, how could he have kept them? On the very day he was commanded it, on that very day he annulled it and transgressed against them. He was not able to stand firm in the commandment for a single day. How so? R. Judah ben Pedayah said: Twelve hours make up the day. In the first hour the first Adam arose in the thought of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be created. In the second, He took counsel with the ministering angels. In the third, He gathered his dust. In the fourth, He kneaded it. In the fifth, He formed him. In the sixth, He set him up as a golem. In the seventh, He breathed a soul into him, as it is said (in Genesis 7:22 [2:7]), "And He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." In the eighth, He brought him into the Garden of Eden. In the ninth, He commanded him: of this eat, and of this do not eat. In the tenth, he sinned. In the eleventh, he was judged. In the twelfth, he was driven out. Thus he did not stand firm in the commandment even one hour. R. Judah ben Pedayah said: Who shall remove the dust from your eyes, O first Adam, who could not stand firm in your trial even one hour — yet behold, your children keep all the commandments that were given to them and stand firm in them! One of them rises and plants, he hoes and weeds, he prunes, labors, and waters, and he sees the fruits of his saplings that they are early-ripening — and he folds his hands and does not taste of them, to fulfill what is said (in Leviticus 19:23), "Three years [shall they be] uncircumcised to you," and so forth. But to the first Adam it was said: of this eat, and of this do not eat — [as it is said (in Genesis 2:16–17), "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of knowledge" and so forth] — and he did not stand firm in the commandment one hour; [rather, "she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate" (Genesis 3:6)]. But your children were commanded, this you shall eat and this you shall not eat, [and they stand firm in them]: a creature is slaughtered and found to be terefah, and he holds back his hand and does not eat it. This is what is said, "The word of the LORD is refined" (Psalms 18:31 [2 Samuel 22:31]). [Therefore the first Adam was not commanded, for it was revealed before the Holy One, blessed be He, that he would not be able to stand firm in them. But Israel — how many commandments did the Holy One, blessed be He, give them, and they received them and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will hear" (Exodus 24:7). Therefore He admonished them: "This is the living thing which you shall eat," and so forth; "but this you shall not eat," and so forth (Leviticus 11:2–4).]