Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, certainly thinks so. It offers a beautiful and layered reading of Psalm 1:1, “Fortunate is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the company of scoffers." But instead of a general moral statement, it frames it as Adam’s own internal reflection.
Imagine Adam, newly created, looking back on his fateful choice. “Fortunate am I," he might say, "if I have not followed the ways of the serpent, and fortunate am I if I have not sat in the company of scoffers."
Whoa. Heavy stuff, right?
But who were these "scoffers"? Well, according to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, quoting Rabbi Levi, the serpent itself was the ultimate mocker. The serpent, that master of deception, slandered the Creator to Eve.
Think about it. The serpent's words were dripping with insinuation: "Why are you not eating from this tree?" When Eve explained God's command – not to eat, not even to touch – the serpent pounced. It pushed Eve against the tree. She didn’t die. And then came the real zinger, the ultimate mockery of God.
The serpent claimed that God Himself ate from the tree to create the world! And that if Eve ate from it, she too could become like a god, a creator. "You shall be as gods," the serpent hissed, quoting (or rather, misquoting) God from Genesis 3:5.
But here's the twist, the Midrash points out the serpent's lie: "Every artist hates his own work." In other words, the serpent, in its envy and malice, was a mocker of creation, a slanderer of the divine artist. It wasn't offering Eve true power, but a hollow imitation, a path to destruction.
This interpretation of Psalm 1:1 casts a whole new light on Adam’s story. It’s not just a tale of disobedience, but a profound reflection on temptation, deception, and the nature of good and evil. And, perhaps, a warning to us all: to be wary of those who mock the sacred and offer false promises of power.
So, the next time you read the opening lines of Psalms, remember Adam. Remember the serpent. And ask yourself: who are the scoffers in my own life, and how can I avoid their poisonous counsel?