THE SERPENT IN PARADISE "ENVY, cupidity, and ambition remove man (Adam) from the world." The ministering angels spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Sovereign of all Worlds! "What is man, that thou shouldst take note of him?" (Ps. 144:3). "Man (Adam) is like unto vanity" (Ps. 144:4), upon earth there is not his like. (God) answered them: Just as all of you praise Me in the heights of heaven so he professes My Unity on earth, nay, moreover, are you able to stand up and call the names for all the creatures which I have created?
They stood up, but were unable (to give the names). Forthwith Adam stood up and called the names for all His creatures, as it is said, "And the man gave names to all cattle" (Gen. 2:20). When the ministering angels saw this they retreated, and the ministering angels said: If we do not take || counsel against this man so that he sin before his Creator, we cannot prevail against him.