Interpretation of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Jewish Tradition

Abstract

This article touches upon one of the main and problematic topics, which is connected with the fall of man, his responsibility for the choice made, the knowledge of good and evil and his mortality. The author, using selected Jewish interpretations as an example, examines their interpretation of the plot of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the subsequent fall of people from the Orthodox point of view. Based on the studied Jewish literature, the author of the article concluded that a number of interpretations are consistent with the patristic understanding and the text of Holy Scripture. Other thoughts of the Jewish commentators can be considered interesting and sometimes not contradictory to the Orthodox interpretation, but not reflected in the Bible and the Holy Fathers, which, however, can be taken into account. There are also provisions that contradict the Orthodox exegetical tradition.