We have all heard how wealth poses considerable spiritual challenges. In many instances, it makes it difficult to raise disciplined, hard-working children. It is difficult to withstand the urge to arrogantly and proudly show off one’s fortune. People become jealous of a wealthy person, and many try to be your friend for their own self-interests. It is difficult to focus on one’s religious growth because money opens the door to so many distractions and so many possibilities.
And yet, if any of us – myself included – would be offered several million dollars, we would accept it, without a second thought. We would probably tell ourselves that we are able to meet the challenges, that our values and convictions are strong enough to resist the lures and temptations to which our newfound fortune would expose us, that we have what it takes to faithfully follow our principles despite being fabulously wealthy.
With this in mind, let us look at what is likely the most difficult question regarding Parashat Bereshit, the question of how Adam and Havah could have made such a grave mistake – eating the fruit of the forbidden tree.
Adam and Havah were the only people in the history of humanity who were created directly by G-d. They were pure and pristine. How could they have violated Hashem’s command to refrain from the fruit of the tree? If any of us were told we could enjoy all the fruits in a garden except for some, we would certainly comply. If we would have, then why didn’t Adam and Havah?
The Saba of Nevarduk, in his Madregat Ha’adam, offers an explanation. He writes that Adam and Havah knew that eating the forbidden fruit would have the consequence of forcing them to struggle. This fruit introduced temptations and inclinations which they – and all people, forever – would have to resist. But they knew that this struggle had the potential to make them far greater than they could have been otherwise. If we succeed in resisting our temptations, if we win this struggle against our negative tendencies, then we rise to a level greater than the angels, who do not have this struggle, who are naturally drawn to do the right thing. Adam and Havah wanted this struggle so that they could attain greatness. They decided to bring upon themselves spiritual challenge so that they could overcome this challenge and thereby rise to great heights.
Adam and Havah were, on the one hand, wrong for making this decision. They should not have voluntarily chosen this battle. But in a different sense, they were absolutely correct. We do, in fact, have the strength to overcome spiritual challenges. We are stronger than we think. We can accomplish great things, even if tall hurdles stand in the way. We aren’t weak. Adam and Havah made the wrong choice, but they were right about one thing – we can meet the spiritual challenges that we confront.
We have just concluded the special holiday season, and are going back to our regular routine. We no longer have any excuses for not putting in the work to achieve our goals, to address our problems. Perhaps we could be excused for pushing things off back in the early spring, when Pesach approached, and then after Pesach, as the summer approached, and then during the summer, and then as the holidays came upon us. But now, we have no more excuses. Every single one of us is struggling with something, and now is the time to focus on meeting that challenge, whatever it may be.
And we must remember that we have the ability to meet the challenge. The holiday season gave us strength. Whether or not we realize it, we have grown over the last month. We have renewed and reinvigorated our faith and our conviction. We are more resolute in our commitment to Torah and mitzvot than we were before this holiday season.
So let’s now get to work. Let’s stop making excuses, and let’s instead recognize that we have the ability to confront our challenges. Let us all think about which parts of our lives need fixing, and commit ourselves to fix them. And let us remind ourselves – now and always – that we are strong enough to fix them, and to win whichever battle it is that we’re currently waging.