Page 24 - Attractive Deception - The False Hope of the Hebrew Roots Movement

of Yahweh, the Midrash is filled with idle speculations and vain babbling of the most base and
ignoble kind. To illustrate, I have chosen certain portions from the Midrash of Genesis (Bereshith).
I will begin with the rabbis’ comments on Adam’s creation. (Note, the abbreviation “R.” stands for
“Rabbi,” while “b.” signifies “ben” meaning “son of.”)

R. Jeremiah and R. Leazar said: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, He created him
a hermaphrodite [bi-sexual], for it is said, “male and female created He them and called their name
Adam” (Genesis 5:2).

R. Samuel b. Nahman said: When the Lord created Adam, He created him double-faced, then He
split him and made him of two backs, one back on this side and one back on the other side. To this
it is objected: But it is written, “And He took one of his ribs, etc.” (Genesis 2:21). [Mi-zalothaw
means] one of his “sides,” replied he, as you read, “And for the second side (zela) of the tabernacle,
etc.” (Exodus 26:20).

R.Tanhuma, in the name of R. Banayah, and R. Berekiah in the name of R. Leazar said: He created
him a lifeless mass extending from one end of the world to the other... How do we know [that he
stretched] from east to west? Because it is said, “Thou hast formed me behind (ahor) and before
(kedem).” From north to south? Because it says, “Since the day that God created man upon the
earth, and from one end of heaven unto the other” (Deuteronomy 4:32).

The Midrash is filled with this type of nonsense. It seems no better than the idle banter of profane
men. In the same Midrash on Genesis there is a story inserted regarding Titus, the Roman General
who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of the Jews.

When the wicked Titus entered the Holy of Holies, he dragged down the veil, blasphemed and reviled
God. On his return a mosquito entered his nose and began piercing his skull. And when he died they
split open his brain and found that it (the mosquito) was like a bird weighing two pounds.

In the commentary from Genesis chapter 2 where the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden is
mentioned, and the prohibition from eating from it, the rabbis enter into speculation regarding what
type of tree it must have been.

R. Meier said, It was wheat, for when a person lacks knowledge people say, ‘That man has never
eaten bread of wheat.’ R. Samuel b. Isaac asked R. Ze’ira: ‘Is it possible that it was wheat?’ ‘Yes,’
replied he. ‘But surely TREE is written?’ he argued. ‘It grew lofty like the cedars of the Lebanon,’
replied he.

Reflecting on the creation of woman in Genesis chapter 2, the rabbis share these bits of rare insight.

R. Joshua was asked, ‘Why does a man come forth [at birth] with his face downward, while a
woman comes forth with her face upwards?’ ‘The man looks towards the place of his creation [the
earth], while the woman looks towards the place of her creation [the rib],’ he replied. ‘And why
must a woman use perfume while a man does not need perfume?’ ‘Man was created from earth,’ he
answered, ‘and the earth never putrefies, but Eve was created from a bone. For example, if you leave