The tree of life and the tree of knowledge
By zevi770 · February 1, 2016
In the beginning there were two options – Adam had the option of living eternally with the tree of life (the commandment to not eat of the tree, was only app. for four hours)
Then there was the second option, the tree of knowledge.
What exactly are these two trees? – What was so cataclysmic about his devastating choice – why was God afraid “lest he now eat from the tree of life and live forever,” if a few hours ago, that was the plan?!
The tree of life and knowledge represent the diametrically opposing forces, as the Kabbalists teach us, the world of good and evil are mirror images (only, one is good, one is evil.)
Fundamentally speaking, as you may be aware, the tree of life represents the ten sefiros.
The three compartments of our brain; right, left, prefrontal: namely, intuition, comprehension and application,; and the heart, consisting primarily of two emotions: attraction (love) and retraction (fear, and their offshoots: the desire to attain what is attractive, the desire to stay away from what is fearful or repulsive.)
However these are very different, as they emanate from the source of life and the source of kelipos death.
For in the source of death, the starting point is me – there is nothing more exalted, nothing more lofty, nothing more valuable than me!!
So all I think about, is what would add to my pleasure and conversely how to stay away from potential pain – if the abuse of you is in my interest, so be it.
Conversely, in the opposite paradigm, in the tree of life, I realize, I am but an extension of the Divine soul – “and he blew into his nostrils the breath of life” signifying that man’s soul (unlike the animal that came from the ground) is part of Gods’.
In this modality, the fundamental reality is not me, but you.
What can I do to benefit you – how can I prevent harm from coming to you? I shall resolutely face any enemies that may harm you and sensitively try to improve you – we have a word for it Real-Love.