Take this one little verse from Genesis, 2:25: "And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed." Simple enough, right?
But wait a minute. Why does it even need to tell us they weren't ashamed? Isn't that the default setting before the whole eating-from-the-Tree-of-Knowledge business? What's the Torah hinting at here?
This question has puzzled Jewish thinkers for centuries. And that’s where the Midrash comes in. Midrash, from the Hebrew word meaning "to seek" or "to investigate," is essentially Jewish biblical exegesis – a way of diving deeper into the text to uncover hidden meanings.
One fascinating approach to this verse comes from a text known as "The Midrash of Philo." Now, this isn't your typical, canonical Midrash like Midrash Rabbah. This particular collection of interpretations is attributed to Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher who lived in Egypt during the first century. Philo was deeply influenced by Greek philosophy, and that definitely colors his approach to the Hebrew Bible.
So, what does the Midrash of Philo have to say about Adam and Eve’s nudity?
It asks, point blank: "Why both of them, the man and the woman, are said to have been naked, and not to have been ashamed?" It's like the text is just throwing the question right back at us.
Philo's answer (or, rather, the answer attributed to him in this Midrash) is subtle but profound. Before the sin, Adam and Eve existed in a state of pure innocence. Their awareness was focused entirely on the divine. They weren't preoccupied with their physical selves or with each other in a sexualized way.
Think about it. Shame often arises from a sense of separation, of not measuring up, of being judged. But in their original state, Adam and Eve were completely unified, both with God and with each other. There was no separation, no judgment, no shame. Their nakedness was simply a state of being, devoid of any self-consciousness.
It’s a radical idea, isn't it? That true innocence isn't just about lacking knowledge of good and evil, but about a complete and utter unity of being.
This interpretation also suggests that the shame that arises after eating from the Tree of Knowledge isn't just about understanding right and wrong. It's about the dawning awareness of the self as separate, as vulnerable, as subject to judgment. It's about the loss of that original, unblemished unity.
So, the next time you read that simple verse in Genesis, remember the question posed by the Midrash of Philo. "Why were they naked and unashamed?" It's an invitation to consider the profound nature of innocence, unity, and the human condition itself. And maybe, just maybe, to catch a glimpse of the world as it could be, before the burden of shame entered the picture.