The Two Trees

“And the Lord G-d made to grow out of the ground every tree pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” — Bereshit 2:9

Two trees. Two paths. Two destinies.

“Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall surely die.” — Bereshit 2:17

Adam saw that the tree was “good for food, pleasant to the sight, desirable”. He took. He wanted to “live” in this world, to possess, to enjoy. Result: “You shall surely die.”

“It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it.” — Mishlei 3:18

Who is “it”? The Torah. The Torah is the tree of life. Whoever holds fast to it lives, even in this world of death.

Option 1: do you want to live here? You attach yourself to this world, you want to take everything, to possess everything; you think “living” = having, consuming, enjoying here. You have chosen the tree of knowledge. Result: you will die there.

Option 2: do you know that you are dying here? You understand that this world is death, you do not attach yourself to mortal things, you fill your cart with life (Torah, mitzvot, giving). You have chosen the tree of life. Result: you will live there.

“You shall choose life, so that you may live.” — Devarim 30:19

G-d tells us: choose the tree of life (the Torah), not the tree of knowledge (this material world). For if you choose what seems to be life, you in fact choose death. The fruit seemed to bring life: it brought death.

The two trees are not a story of the past: it is your choice now. Every day, you stand before the two trees. Do you want to “live” in this world: death. Do you want to live in the next world: life. What do you choose?