Rabbi Ari Shvat
Question
Hello, is there a difference made between the soil Adam is made out of and the flesh he is "closed" with after being divided into two? What happend to the soil part? Is it of different nature than the flesh? Are there theories why different words are used and he is not simply closed with more soil? Any answer would be wonderful! Best regards Noach
Answer
We don't really understand the details of how the world was created, and much of that which is written has deep symbolism, as found in the Kabbala. So when it says that the physical part of Adam was made out of the soil [e.g. something lowly- to teach humility; also to stress the possibility (which later became the reality) of: "With the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for you were taken therefrom, for dust you are, and to dust you will return [to be buried]." (Breishit 3, 19)], he then became as we know man today, with flesh and blood. Accordingly, the flesh used later was already similar to the flesh of man, so obviously different words are used for two different things.
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