We don't often get to hear Adam's side of the story directly. But Jewish tradition, in its beautiful, layered way, offers us glimpses. One fascinating account comes from the book, Tree of Souls, by Howard Schwartz, specifically in the section about the Exile from Eden (p. 439). It paints a poignant scene: Adam, on his deathbed, sharing his memories of the Fall with his son, Seth.
Imagine that moment. The weight of ages, the burden of choice, all condensed into a father's final confession.
"After your mother and I were created," Adam begins, "God placed us in Paradise." Simple enough, right? But think about the enormity of that statement. Placed in Paradise.
Adam continues, "We were permitted to eat from every tree in the garden, except for one — the Tree of Knowledge that grew in the center of the garden. We were forbidden to eat of its fruit." That one little rule. The one boundary. The one test.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, right?
And then, a curious detail emerges. "Now God gave a part of Paradise to me and a part to your mother," Adam recounts. "He gave me the trees in the eastern and northern parts of the garden, and your mother received the trees of the southern and western parts." A division of labor, perhaps? Or a hint at different perspectives, different ways of relating to the bounty around them? It makes you wonder.
And the story continues, “So too did God give us two angels to guard us.”
Two angels! Adam and Eve weren't alone. They had divine protection, guidance...and yet, the story unfolds as we know it did.
What does this deathbed confession of Adam tell us? It's more than just a retelling of a familiar story. It’s a reminder of the human condition. Of freedom, responsibility, and the enduring power of choice. And maybe, just maybe, a little bit of hope, passed down from father to son, even in the face of loss.