Re: Knowledge of Good and Bad

R' David Riceman asked:
> How do you answer the Rambam's kasha: how
> could Adam and Hava benefit from sinning?

I'm not familiar with that kasha. (Could someone rephrase it, or 
point me to where he asks it?) But here's an attempted answer anyway:
  
The nachash explained, "Eat this, and you'll be like G-d!!!" To 
someone who does not understand right and wrong, but does understand 
benefit and loss, I'd think this would sound like a great idea. The 
nachash certainly expected Chava to see the benefit of being like G-
d. And the next pasuk testifies to other positive aspects which she 
saw in the fruit.

It is only we, who do understand the idea that disobeying G-d is 
*wrong*, who feel that the nachash's idea was stupid. But that was 
beyond Adam and Chava's comprehension. I think it would have sounded 
pretty reasonable to them.

Yes, they were certainly aware that HaShem told them not to eat it, 
but they couldn't fathom the idea that His command makes the act 
inherently *wrong*. They *were* aware that eating the fruit would 
have detrimental effects, specifically that it would cause their 
deaths, but the nachash convinced Chava that this was not true; or at 
least, he made her suspect that it *might* not be true.

So Chava weighed that sole possible loss against a number of 
anticipated benefits: it was a taavah for the eyes and nechmad 
l'haskil, and was even alleged to have the power to make people G-
dly. Wow! What a deal! Without a conscience to put HaShem's command 
in the proper perspective, it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Seen in this light, I am almost surprised that Adam didn't jump at 
the opportunity as well. I suppose it testifies to the strong power 
of first-hand information (Adam from HaShem, Chava from the nachash) 
and the weak power of second-hand information (Adam from the nachash 
via Chava, Chava from Hashem via Adam).

Akiva Miller

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