View allAll Photos Tagged Existence
Two works by Bruno Walpoth
In the XIX century, Jacob Burckhardt was calling Bellini’s altarpieces
Existenzbilder, “pictures of existence”, and the first thing that stands
out when looking at the works of Bruno Walpoth is their pure and
sufficient “existence”. However, this strong presence is wrapped and
isolated by empty spaces, detached from any context and without
any attributes that qualify its identity.
They are figures of the absolute, carved in lime, apple or walnut
wood, in which elegance and solidity are features with which the
sculptor measures the harmony between naturalism and invention.
The agreement is between “no motion” gestures and the absence of
manifest feelings. The eyes of the molded figures stare at a distant
point and rarely meet those of the spectator. Since the eyes are
detectors of emotions, if the contact with the other is almost denied,
the statues become distant, absorbed in their existence, swallowed
up by their thoughts.
This monumental fixity has ancient origins, it takes us back to the
Roman statuary, also paying homage to the fifteenth-century
tradition, especially the manner of Piero della Francesca. Likewise,
the humanity that Bruno Walpoth examines and creates, diversified
in poses, colors and patterns, always represents the same “ideal
greatness” of those who, corroded by doubt, oscillate between the
search for the good and the attraction towards evil.
Rabbi Nachman of Bratislava said: “The world makes two mistakes:
the first one consists in thinking that a great man can do no wrong,
and the second one is believing that when a great man makes a
mistake he ceases to be great.”
Walpoth instills in his sculptures this complacent awareness of being
caged in the dilemma preceding the right action to take and therefore
they do not perform any action. Nevertheless, the ability of the
sculptor in calibrating the synthesis of bodies and his attention to
detail lead the viewer to capture and essentially transcend the
physical and material aspects, and any expressiveness or limb
movement is no longer needed to determine its meaning.
The thin irregular touches of white enrich the wood tissue preventing
immobility of light on volumes, while the shades of the hair or little
clothing enliven the figures with visual and tactile values, but without
affecting the solemn guise or that sense of magic and silence that
embody the art of Bruno Walpoth, being its wonderful constant
PLUS
A work by Amber Sena
It is as if the work of Amber Sena wanted to resist the temptation
of indifference that often characterizes the contemporary forms,
and where the issue of proximity, of urgency as regards to
instances precisely related to the environment and to the human,
emerges as an edge of the modern. The work of Sena deals with
one of the capital issues of our time, and not only in the name of
defense of animals. The artist focuses on the traces of a sense
that perhaps can snatch us from such indifference, stating the
responsibility of art, once again called to participate in a present
we should take charge of.
Nightwatch, the Chased into the Dark series, Nightingale represent
the enigma, and a question not asking for an answer. The size of the
work implies that narrative impose itself, beyond artistic classification,
as an unavoidable need to think about what one does not want to
see. We are both attracted and repelled, we curiously approach, and
the work stands before us in the form of a vision questioning the
human and the subjectivity. First and last issue.
The story is therefore tripartite. South Africa, at nightfall the moaning
of a wounded rhinoceros breaks the silence of plains. The cub, near the
body of a dying mother, sees his destiny fulfilled and added to a tragic
statistic. As a solitary mountain in the moonlight, the silhouette of the
animal is witness to danger and extinction. The slaughtered head of
the rhinoceros cannot be thrown back without carrying the task of art
itself. As in the chorus of the ancient tragedy, the dull and demanding
roar of the animal vibrates, voice of that witness. In such voice, the
story of Amber Sena goes beyond the inhuman silence of death.
The notion of surface is also central in the work of the artist. On it,
the issues of time are engraved. The acrylic paint, polished, glazed,
vivid, protects the reflection of an opaque and detailed reality. Mirror
of depth, it is a film that has no thickness, but that only opens the
space of thought. And the Ark is not empty: in it, Sena’s maze of
cracks and scales, map of existences that risk being deleted, in the
hands of human will, slave of its own time, that acts according to the
sad logic of sale and commodity.
As regards the existence, never before it has been exposed to death
and destruction. Yet Sena’s accuracy and gestural density condense a
reflection about the indomitable proximity of the human to this dying
world. The animal, in fact, is a symbol of impotence, of inability to
communicate and insufficiency of words.
If originally the sense of community was based on sharing the
experience of the animal, sacrificed in the name of the higher
instance of the soul, now, today, the world seems to have given up
on such responsibility, insensitive in front of a complex and
problematic reality. For this reason, Sena’s space is an invitation to
approach, trail and hope for a more aware existence. That is what
we should answer for, to ourselves, to the others. And from such
trail we should start again
When I looked up and saw this lone, tiny tree along the cliffs of Zion's Virgin Narrows I had to shake my head. It's incredible what living things will do to eek out an existence in the harshest of environments. The contrast of the bright yellow autumn foliage against the dark sandstone had me immediately reaching for my camera.
Handmade embroidery, original design -- based on having My Fair Lady's song lyrics "All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air, with one enormous chair" stuck in my head
E X T I N C T I O N
In the grand lie of existence, whispers of extinction echo through the corridors of time. It's not merely a notion reserved for civilizations, species or ecosystems; it extends to the fall of the ego, the dismantling of greed, and the unraveling of injustice within the human experience.
In the quiet collapse of ego, we find liberation. Shedding the layers of self-importance, we discover a profound interconnectedness, a recognition that our destinies are woven into the collective fate of all living things.
Greed, a voracious specter, crumbles under the weight of empathy. Injustice, a dark cloud, dissipates in the light of fairness. As we dismantle these pillars of societal discord, we unearth the essence of our shared humanity.
There is no predetermined destiny etched in the stars, but rather, the occasion becomes our destiny. In the dance of moments, we find purpose. Each decision, each action, shapes the narrative of our existence, a narrative not governed by fate, but sculpted by conscious choices.
In embracing the transient nature of life, we recognize the impermanence of destiny. We become architects of our own journeys, navigating the terrain of possibilities with intention and mindfulness. The occasion becomes the tapestry we weave, the story we tell, an ode to the power we hold in every breath, every heartbeat.
So, in the face of extinction's whisper, we stand not as passive subjects but as active participants. We choose unity over ego, compassion over greed, and justice over injustice. Our destiny is not written; it's a blank page awaiting the strokes of our courage, resilience, and humanity.
by me
Water-mixable oil and gouache paint on canvas 60x60cm.
Starts Nov 25th!
Includes multiple stores on each sim!
Existence: slurl.com/secondlife/Existence/159/67/22
AITUI: slurl.com/secondlife/AITUI/128/128/41
Hide and Seek: slurl.com/secondlife/Hide%20and%20Seek/135/124/27
The existence of a church at Saxton was recorded in Domesday in the eleventh century, when it was held by the Peytevin family. In the twelfth century the advowson was granted by Robert de Peytevin to St Leonard’s Hospital in York. The living was augmented through Queen Anne’s Bounty in 1737 and 1809.
The parish church, which is dedicated to All Saints, dates to the eleventh century with a fourteenth century south chapel and fifteenth century tower. It was restored in 1876 and 1907.
The parish historically included Barkston Ash, Cockbridge, Scarthingwell and Towton, the latter being the site of the Battle of Towton during the Wars of the Roses. Barkston Ash was transferred to Sherburn in Elmet parish in 1888 and in 1912 the township of Lead was transferred to Saxton from Ryther. Lead had its own church, dedicated to St Mary, although it was made redundant in May 1977.
Today the parish is part of the benefice of Sherburn in Elmet with Saxton, which also includes Barkston Ash.
Copyright © engineer112™ 2008 all rights reserved
Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited.
Malaga.Spain
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.
My photos are © all rights reserved.
Please e-mail me if you would like to use these photos.
“I dream of you to wake; would that I might Dream of you and not wake but slumber on...” Christina Rossetti
The Peas subsist on the goodness of sunshine and the comfort of squeezles. This Pea is no exception, dreamed into existence in the cool umbra of the hill by the slumbering reverie of an Eidolon...shhhhhh
Urquhart Castle, which lies close to Drumnadrochit, on the shores of Loch Ness.
Seized after Edward I's invasion of Scotland, it was reclaimed by Robert the Bruce in the 14th century. It was repeatedly attacked during the 15th and 16th centuries by the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, but nowadays enjoys a more peaceful existence under the curatorship of the National Trust for Scotland.
A monument dedicated to the comunism victims - detail - ROHIA monastery, MM
View the large size in order to see the efect
A bus version TRBTL11-type Tiger, but with a coach body. Sometime in her existence she's also gained a Bristol dome destination layout to replace the below-the-windscreen one.
As I recall, Vale's journeys to Denshaw on the 82 resulted from their takeover of the previous Central Coaches 407 service which followed the same route.
Manchester, Piccadilly, 02/12/1994.
Falling in love with film. Here is my first attempt at double exposure photography.
Shot through this roll twice on my Nikon FG.
Shooting film beats a digital shot processed through photoshop everyday of the week!
(This is kind of blindly shot... There was about a week in between exposures, I wasn't totally sure what I was shooting "over".) There is no "spontaneous" photoshop filter, Film wins again.
also... we are looking for photos for our flickr group SortOfNatural just good shtuff
Sakharibazar, Old Dhaka, 2011
Normal people with extraordinary lifestyles
Along with smile and the gloomy, here life has its own rhyme, has its own colour.
Time passed by, humanity changed along with its history...
But these people remained here tolerating the hardest truth of existences
..........its their story of extraordinary existences.
Sakharibazar, Old Dhaka. A very interesting place for all of us to visit. Culture and customs of old Dhaka are the tribute to the ancient history of Bangladesh. Peoples still living in 100 years old building from generations after generations. With the reflection of their religious beauty Old Dhaka attracts peoples from here and abroad.
Shakhari Bazaar is one of the oldest mohallas (a traditional neighbourhood) in Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka), located near the intersection of Islampur Road and Nawabpur Road;the two main arteries of the old city and only a block away from the Buriganga River. Shakhari Bazaar stretches along a narrow lane, lined with thin slices of richly decorated brick buildings, built during the late Mughal or Colonial period. Despite rampant modifications, accretion, extension over time, even redevelopment, many still bear the testimony of a rich tradition.
Shakhari Bazaar is the manifestation of the irrational policies, lack of adequate development control rules and distorted legal framework, all of which have left their indelible mark on this precious little mohalla that shares a long history of more than 400 years with Dhaka city itself.The history of Shakhari Bazaar goes back to the pre-Mughal days if not earlier. The first mention of Puran Dhaka can be found in the writings of Mirza Nathan, the general turned historian, who traveled with Subahdar Islam Khan. He mentioned Puran Dhaka, as the area between Dholai Khal and Buriganga river covering Shakhari Bazaar, Tanti Bazaar, Bangla Bazaar, Lakhsmi Bazaar, Bangla Bazaar, Kamar Nagar, Sutar Nagar, Goala Nagar, etc. Each mohalla belonged to separate communities depending on their craft and trade. The influences of the Mughal vocabulary in the planning of the spaces are literally evident in the use of Persian names to identify different spaces..
My heart sank a little once I heard the transmitted broadcast from Jericho; a disgraced, fallen agent--once a pilot. It turned out he was the one leaked the truths out, secrets untold. But this meant we would be attracting the banes of our existence, the Exiled Spectres—who have taken over this once rightful agency.
The more we encounter, the more destruction happens, as if the end looks closer than ever. We're right at the command center, the bastion of a climax.
From my brief imprisonment until my release just now, the revelations grew bigger. I witnessed the confrontation of men and women, their words like knives plunged towards each other. Actions speak louder than words.
North: “Let us in, and I will end your lives swiftly without ease, or just allow you to rot inside. Your choices, your fate. I promise, it will not be painful.”
Sabine: “The truth, the further it will bring your downfall. Choose wisely—either die or come out. Aunt Antonia, this was your choice, and you brought this upon yourself.”
Raze: “Do not leak a word! I...this is madness, North! You cannot...”
North: “Pity you were my half sister, Antonia. The only good things that come out is honesty, rather than your lies and deception. You could not even handle your niece...like her father, you were weak. Always. And when she was untamed, she came to me, and joined me.”
Raze: “You murdered our eldest brother because you sought power…killed those agents to grab a serum, you orchestrated from the lab explosions to Japan and nearly global event--”
North: “Triggering a chain reaction. Precisely. I was the better strategist. The plans were always in motion."
Raze: "I should have killed you when we were children. But I was were too late. Mother should have murdered you in childbirth."
North: "What else would I have done? I never liked any of you anyways--my siblings. I abhorred everyone, except for Sabine. You think you're not so different from me, Antonia? When you tried to build an army amongst your coven, lying to your own kind so you could harvest them one day…for the true purpose of rebelling me. That came very close to earning my respect, but it was just a little.”
Raze: "I'm doing what I'm doing."
North: "Maliciousness. Wonderful. That was the only greatest trait you ever had, and I liked it. But now...you're nothing."
I hear voice loud enough to seek through every wall. Weapons drew from both sides. Gamma, Avalon and the rest of the agency was there to stop the assault—so did the enemy.
But Mason Gardner was there. He was briefly re-energized, standing in his own suit. Last I remember he was knocked out, but how'd he get up so quick?
Mason: “…I will not let monsters decide who I am…I am one already…just like the rest. The rest of all recordings lie in my hands, and Paladin will go down as corrupt and immoral for the rest of history. I’m far from dead already…my body can no longer contain my powers. But I will make this worth your while.”
North: “The challenger arrives! How unexpected. Let us in, and I I will finish you.”
Mason: “We shall see through the net. Activate the doors, now.”
Upon his order, the doors quickly open, but not Gardner emits a green blast of energy through the glass panes. The direction hits towards the warlord’s direction, striking him behind a few blocks of walls. He was live bait, like a fish. Realizing their master was attacked, the Spectres reacted quickly, as they raised their guns at him, firing every shred of bullet. And so it continues.
Smoke wallowed away as North emerged unscathed, creating a black shield that engulfed him in the process. His armour was covered in grime and dust. He chuckled to himself before nodding to Sabine, who herself dashed towards Gardner, fiercely brimming with rage. Holding the lava axe, she attempted to create an opening, but her efforts stopped by Edens and Raze’s timely mind control, telekinetic powers kept her at bay. She was levitating in the air, struggling to break free. Meanwhile, the Arden brothers, Gary, Lyra, Kieran and Sam came dashing from the southeast corridor, and rushed to their aid. The moment they came, they quickly exchanged gunfire against the Spectres, killing a few.
Edens: “You were among the brightest, but you never succeeded. Intelligence and arrogance blinded you too far. You know your niece is just like another experiment. She means nothing to you.”
North: “As if. I pity you, Remus. If you were as sentimental like the rest, unlike Antonia, you were the closest to my equal…to control the superhuman race.”
Edens: “Control? No. This is not forsaken. I do it for humanity, and science. But that won't change anything this instance. We both know this damage cannot be undone, and I carry it for eternity—the namesake will fall beside me.”
North: “How the tides have turned since we first met. You place your guilt on yourself, thinking about atonement! That is incorrigible."
Edens: "Morality? We're both sinners, North. This makes no difference."
Having grown so impatient, North fires a blast of crackling black energy towards the professor. Edens…the scapegoat. Now the new target. Taking the fall. Is this heroic blame?
But North was a cunning fellow. He still many tricks in his sleeve—retaliating with white energy, projected from his mind, he blocked North's energy. For a brief minute, both Paladin and the Spectres paused their infighting during the ensuing struggle. Amusement and surprise from many faces. But it was battle of indeed. If that is so, then Edens and North must have been classmates in the past, like Raze as well. The scientist connection of developing superhumans confirms my theory now. The first batch of experiments before it became a global thing of the future.
Mason: “No! Don’t do this! You'll die too, Remus!”
Edens: “You can still be saved, Mason. Go and help the others. This is where it ends; the project and the plans. Everything must go down. I'm sorry, but this is why I cannot forgive myself!”
Mason: “You can’t atone for the crimes of the board alone! I know you've done a lot of things, but you have to turn Raze in as well!”
Edens: "You are already doing it. Achieving what is meant to be."
After his giant blast, Gardner realizes he's already used up so much power. He is in his absolute weakened state, struggling so much that he could die any minute. But he didn't care. He simply picked himself up among the chaos, his face battered, his nose bleeding. An absolute mess, like he was gonna melt too. I immediately do a quick scan in my eyes, and my readings show his life vitals are dropping too fast. Sam pounces over on my side, trying reach over to Gardner but I stop him. I give a quick nod to him, and briefly inform with Avalon and Gamma teams on the comms. Realizing there is no time and no choice left, the teams agree in unison as they continue fighting together alongside the Paladin agents.
Remus starts to lose control as North’s power starts overpowering the latter, his right arm starting to build up more black energy. The effort is strong enough for Remus to resist, as the clash looks like is about to end. Until Gardner limps in front of his mentor, channelling his own powers. He is struck as Gardner is taking hit after hit, which I realize...are killing his organs. Shit.
Edens: “Mason, what are you doing, get off!”
Mason: “Doing what needs to be done. I have barely enough minutes to save everyone…everything I want and need to hear… I’m sorry, Remus…”
And in the engulfing explosion, I black out, and everyone is spread across the giant command center.
***
I wake up in rubbles, as electricity and clutter are all mixed together. The destruction has exposed me to the air. I do another quick scan, the environments are basically nothing more than scrap.
Within the next instant, I can feel my shoulders and back being really painful, probably hitting a wall or something. The other heroes rise up slowly, but I can tell they are hurt. In my peripheral state, I can see Riley, Harry, Tyrone and Erin approaching their fallen comrades. Kieran’s arm is hurt bad, and so is Lyra, who is regenerating slowly, Sam is probably hurt too. Seems like the two teams are injured, but fine. That is a relief.
Despite my wounds, I keep scanning for to see anyone else still alive, with many Spectres laying dead on the floor, and maybe half of Paladin agents also gone—but North or Sabine are nowhere to be seen. My heart races faster, but I have to stay calm and focus. "Come on old man", I mutter to myself. And close to the window’s edge outside, there was a badly charred Mason Gardner, lying down on a bed of stones. He is bleeding badly, his suit damaged and his body is burnt from severe burns.
Mason: “Hhhh…where...is everyone...anyone? Anyone?!”
Kurt: “We’re here. We’re all here.”
Mason: “Edens?”
Kurt: “He’s right over there….yeah, behind me.”
Edens: “Mason. Mason, look at me.”
Mason: “I…I feel so in pain…but now it feels free…our secrets are all out. I can go rest peacefully now…here, a recording. Let everyone know my final will…”
Edens: “Wait—what if I could transfer your consciousness? It could save your life! Mason, please, don't..."
Both Gamma and Avalon members stood behind both of us, except Harry, who was nowhere to be seen. I swear he was there a moment ago, but he left so abruptly. But amidst the mess, everyone was staring at their friend, drowned in sorrow. Tyrone hugs Erin, Connor and Jesse help the injured Kieran on his shoulders, while Gary helps Riley stay still. Lyra begins to sob in Sam's shoulders.
Mason: “What’s worth if I could stay longer and assist her? Yvette…my sister…is a grown woman already…*cough*…she can figure herself out…I want her to continue my legacy anyway…she is the last true successor of…of the Gardner family.”
Edens: “But your life, it can be valuable…”
Mason: “You’re valuable. All…my friends here…are valuable….”
Edens: “I can still save you, please hang on to me!”
Mason: “Not it’s not, Remus. You can’t…I, I know everyone tried, every medicine I’ve taken…it worn save me. I knew this…from day one. They all endorsed, supported…me…but I’m not even fit to run for mayor. *Chokes* I'm so tired. But...I need you need to tell my sister….I love her…and I...I love you all…”
“Please take care of her for me.”
And he breathed one last time, with a tear rolling down his face, his visor broken.
On a Friday night, Mason Gardner died approximately around 2:30 A.M.
***
“We have reports that a explosion happened at a building today…sources confirmed that it was an agency’s building, known as Paladin. They have been hiding in secret…”
“Multiple leaks detailing the agency’s shady activities have been released, as the moon evacuation was a hoax, people are to be sent home while local authors take a deeper investigation as Antonia Raze, the chairperson of the agency, is being under arrest for breaching rules…”
“Mason Gardner dies at 38, in an attempt to release confidential info of his association and involvement with the agency, but did not leak names except files of the high ranking board. The CIA and various authorities are looking at it. Business partners have dropped out after alliances were revealed to be...”
News. Media. They’re everywhere. We’re in the open now, exposed, aware to the world. There is too much to undo, given how much we were independent in the first place. A supposedly neutral ground catering to the highest bastion, to oversee those with powers and undertaking missions that involved superhumans/superpowers. That was the mantra. A piece of the rulebook that everyone should have known.
But regardless of the aftermath, there was always consequences—North was right. He wanted to usurp power but it turned out to be the Paladin itself, an agency of chaos. The conflicts bred violence, as people would riot on the streets, on a larger scale. The world had turned itself into fear, succumbing to the worst in technology. In time, agents of Paladin left, disillusioned with secrets, while some stayed. The uprising against superhumans was true, exposed to a new light.
Was it going to be the end of Paladin?
I don't know.
"The Book of Genesis" redirects here. For the comics, see The Book of Genesis (comics).
The Creation of Man by Ephraim Moses Lilien, 1903.
Jacob flees Laban by Charles Foster, 1897.
Joshua 1:1 as recorded in the Aleppo Codex
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The Book of Genesis,[a] the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament,[1] is Judaism's account of the creation of the world and the origins of the Jewish people.[2]
It is divisible into two parts, the primeval history (chapters 1–11) and the ancestral history (chapters 12–50).[3] The primeval history sets out the author's (or authors') concepts of the nature of the deity and of humankind's relationship with its maker: God creates a world which is good and fit for mankind, but when man corrupts it with sin God decides to destroy his creation, saving only the righteous Noah to reestablish the relationship between man and God.[4] The ancestral history (chapters 12–50) tells of the prehistory of Israel, God's chosen people.[5] At God's command Noah's descendant Abraham journeys from his home into the God-given land of Canaan, where he dwells as a sojourner, as does his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Jacob's name is changed to Israel, and through the agency of his son Joseph, the children of Israel descend into Egypt, 70 people in all with their households, and God promises them a future of greatness. Genesis ends with Israel in Egypt, ready for the coming of Moses and the Exodus. The narrative is punctuated by a series of covenants with God, successively narrowing in scope from all mankind (the covenant with Noah) to a special relationship with one people alone (Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob).[6]
In Judaism, the theological importance of Genesis centers on the covenants linking God to his chosen people and the people to the Promised Land. Christianity has interpreted Genesis as the prefiguration of certain cardinal Christian beliefs, primarily the need for salvation (the hope or assurance of all Christians) and the redemptive act of Christ on the Cross as the fulfillment of covenant promises as the Son of God.
Tradition credits Moses as the author of Genesis, as well as the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and most of Deuteronomy, but modern scholars increasingly see them as a product of the 6th and 5th centuries BC.[7][8]
Contents
1Structure
2Summary
3Composition
3.1Title and textual witnesses
3.2Origins
3.3Genre
4Themes
4.1Promises to the ancestors
4.2God's chosen people
5Judaism's weekly Torah portions
6See also
7Notes
8References
9Bibliography
9.1Commentaries on Genesis
9.2General
10External links
Structure[edit]
Genesis appears to be structured around the recurring phrase elleh toledot, meaning "these are the generations," with the first use of the phrase referring to the "generations of heaven and earth" and the remainder marking individuals—Noah, the "sons of Noah", Shem, etc., down to Jacob.[9] It is not clear, however, what this meant to the original authors, and most modern commentators divide it into two parts based on subject matter, a "primeval history" (chapters 1–11) and a "patriarchal history" (chapters 12–50).[10][b] While the first is far shorter than the second, it sets out the basic themes and provides an interpretive key for understanding the entire book.[11] The "primeval history" has a symmetrical structure hinging on chapters 6–9, the flood story, with the events before the flood mirrored by the events after;[12] the "ancestral history" is structured around the three patriarchs Abraham, Jacob and Joseph.[13] (The stories of Isaac do not make up a coherent cycle of stories and function as a bridge between the cycles of Abraham and Jacob.)[14]
Summary[edit]
See also: Primeval history and Patriarchal age
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, 1512.
God creates the world in six days and consecrates the seventh as a day of rest. God creates the first humans Adam and Eve and all the animals in the Garden of Eden but instructs them not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. A talking serpent portrayed as a deceptive creature or trickster, entices Eve into eating it against God's wishes, and she entices Adam, whereupon God throws them out and curses them—Adam to getting what he needs only by sweat and work, and Eve to giving birth in pain. This is interpreted by Christians as the fall of humanity. Eve bears two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain kills Abel after God accepts Abel's offering but not Cain's. God then curses Cain. Eve bears another son, Seth, to take Abel's place.
After many generations of Adam have passed from the lines of Cain and Seth, the world becomes corrupted by human sin and Nephilim, and God determines to wipe out humanity. First, he instructs the righteous Noah and his family to build an ark and put examples of all the animals on it, seven pairs of every clean animal and one pair of every unclean. Then God sends a great flood to wipe out the rest of the world. When the waters recede, God promises he will never destroy the world with water again, using the rainbow as a symbol of his promise. God sees mankind cooperating to build a great tower city, the Tower of Babel, and divides humanity with many languages and sets them apart with confusion.
God instructs Abram to travel from his home in Mesopotamia to the land of Canaan. There, God makes a covenant with Abram, promising that his descendants shall be as numerous as the stars, but that people will suffer oppression in a foreign land for four hundred years, after which they will inherit the land "from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates". Abram's name is changed to Abraham and that of his wife Sarai to Sarah, and circumcision of all males is instituted as the sign of the covenant. Due to her old age, Sarah tells Abraham to take her Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar, as a second wife. Through Hagar, Abraham fathers Ishmael.
God resolves to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for the sins of their people. Abraham protests and gets God to agree not to destroy the cities for the sake of ten righteous men. Angels save Abraham's nephew Lot and his family, but his wife looks back on the destruction against their command and turns into a pillar of salt. Lot's daughters, concerned that they are fugitives who will never find husbands, get him drunk to become pregnant by him, and give birth to the ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites.
Abraham and Sarah go to the Philistine town of Gerar, pretending to be brother and sister (they are half-siblings). The King of Gerar takes Sarah for his wife, but God warns him to return her, and he obeys. God sends Sarah a son whom she will name Isaac; through him will be the establishment of the covenant. Sarah drives Ishmael and his mother Hagar out into the wilderness, but God saves them and promises to make Ishmael a great nation.
The Angel Hinders the Offering of Isaac (Rembrandt, 1635)
God tests Abraham by demanding that he sacrifice Isaac. As Abraham is about to lay the knife upon his son, God restrains him, promising him numberless descendants. On the death of Sarah, Abraham purchases Machpelah (believed to be modern Hebron) for a family tomb and sends his servant to Mesopotamia to find among his relations a wife for Isaac; after proving herself, Rebekah becomes Isaac's betrothed. Keturah, Abraham's other wife, births more children, among whose descendants are the Midianites. Abraham dies at a prosperous old age and his family lays him to rest in Hebron.
Isaac's wife Rebecca gives birth to the twins Esau, father of the Edomites, and Jacob. Through deception, Jacob becomes the heir instead of Esau and gains his father's blessing. He flees to his uncle where he prospers and earns his two wives, Rachel and Leah. Jacob's name is changed to Israel, and by his wives and their handmaidens he has twelve sons, the ancestors of the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel, and a daughter, Dinah.
Joseph, Jacob's favorite son, makes his brothers jealous and they sell him into slavery in Egypt. Joseph prospers, after hardship, with God's guidance of interpreting Pharaoh's dream of upcoming famine. He is then reunited with his father and brothers, who fail to recognize him, and plead for food. After much manipulation, he reveals himself and lets them and their households into Egypt, where Pharaoh assigns to them the land of Goshen. Jacob calls his sons to his bedside and reveals their future before he dies. Joseph lives to an old age and exhorts his brethren, if God should lead them out of the country, to take his bones with them.
Composition[edit]
Abram's Journey from Ur to Canaan (József Molnár, 1850)
Title and textual witnesses[edit]
Genesis takes its Hebrew title from the first word of the first sentence, Bereshit, meaning "In [the] beginning [of]"; in the Greek Septuagint it was called Genesis, from the phrase "the generations of heaven and earth".[15] There are four major textual witnesses to the book: the Masoretic Text, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Septuagint, and fragments of Genesis found at Qumran. The Qumran group provides the oldest manuscripts but covers only a small proportion of the book; in general, the Masoretic Text is well preserved and reliable, but there are many individual instances where the other versions preserve a superior reading.[16]
Origins[edit]
Main article: Composition of the Torah
For much of the 20th century most scholars agreed that the five books of the Pentateuch—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—came from four sources, the Yahwist, the Elohist, the Deuteronomist and the Priestly source, each telling the same basic story, and joined together by various editors.[17] Since the 1970s there has been a revolution leading scholars to view the Elohist source as no more than a variation on the Yahwist, and the Priestly source as a body of revisions and expansions to the Yahwist (or "non-Priestly") material. (The Deuteronomistic source does not appear in Genesis.)[18]
Scholars use examples of repeated and duplicate stories to identify the separate sources. In Genesis these include three different accounts of a Patriarch claiming that his wife was his sister, the two creation stories, and the two versions of Abraham sending Hagar and Ishmael into the desert.[19]
This leaves the question of when these works were created. Scholars in the first half of the 20th century came to the conclusion that the Yahwist is a product of the monarchic period, specifically at the court of Solomon, 10th century BC, and the Priestly work in the middle of the 5th century BC (with claims that the author is Ezra), but more recent thinking is that the Yahwist is from either just before or during the Babylonian exile of the 6th century BC, and the Priestly final edition was made late in the Exilic period or soon after.[8]
As for why the book was created, a theory which has gained considerable interest, although still controversial is "Persian imperial authorisation". This proposes that the Persians of the Achaemenid Empire, after their conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, agreed to grant Jerusalem a large measure of local autonomy within the empire, but required the local authorities to produce a single law code accepted by the entire community. The two powerful groups making up the community—the priestly families who controlled the Temple and who traced their origin to Moses and the wilderness wanderings, and the major landowning families who made up the "elders" and who traced their own origins to Abraham, who had "given" them the land—were in conflict over many issues, and each had its own "history of origins", but the Persian promise of greatly increased local autonomy for all provided a powerful incentive to cooperate in producing a single text.[20]
Genre[edit]
Genesis is perhaps best seen as an example of a creation myth, a type of literature telling of the first appearance of humans, the stories of ancestors and heroes, and the origins of culture, cities and so forth.[21] The most notable examples are found in the work of Greek historians of the 6th century BC: their intention was to connect notable families of their own day to a distant and heroic past, and in doing so they did not distinguish between myth, legend, and facts.[22] Professor Jean-Louis Ska of the Pontifical Biblical Institute calls the basic rule of the antiquarian historian the "law of conservation": everything old is valuable, nothing is eliminated.[23] Ska also points out the purpose behind such antiquarian histories: antiquity is needed to prove the worth of Israel's traditions to the nations (the neighbours of the Jews in early Persian Palestine), and to reconcile and unite the various factions within Israel itself.[23]
Themes[edit]
Joseph Recognized by His Brothers (Léon Pierre Urban Bourgeois, 1863)
Promises to the ancestors[edit]
In 1978 David Clines published his influential The Theme of the Pentateuch – influential because he was one of the first to take up the question of the theme of the entire five books. Clines' conclusion was that the overall theme is "the partial fulfillment – which implies also the partial nonfulfillment – of the promise to or blessing of the Patriarchs". (By calling the fulfillment "partial" Clines was drawing attention to the fact that at the end of Deuteronomy the people are still outside Canaan).[24]
The patriarchs, or ancestors, are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with their wives (Joseph is normally excluded).[25] Since the name YHWH had not been revealed to them, they worshipped El in his various manifestations.[26] (It is, however, worth noting that in the Jahwist source the patriarchs refer to deity by the name YHWH, for example in Genesis 15.) Through the patriarchs God announces the election of Israel, meaning that he has chosen Israel to be his special people and committed himself to their future.[27] God tells the patriarchs that he will be faithful to their descendants (i.e. to Israel), and Israel is expected to have faith in God and his promise. ("Faith" in the context of Genesis and the Hebrew Bible means agreement to the promissory relationship, not a body of belief).[28]
The promise itself has three parts: offspring, blessings, and land.[29] The fulfilment of the promise to each patriarch depends on having a male heir, and the story is constantly complicated by the fact that each prospective mother – Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel – is barren. The ancestors, however, retain their faith in God and God in each case gives a son – in Jacob's case, twelve sons, the foundation of the chosen Israelites. Each succeeding generation of the three promises attains a more rich fulfillment, until through Joseph "all the world" attains salvation from famine,[30] and by bringing the children of Israel down to Egypt he becomes the means through which the promise can be fulfilled.[25]
God's chosen people[edit]
Scholars generally agree that the theme of divine promise unites the patriarchal cycles, but many would dispute the efficacy of trying to examine Genesis' theology by pursuing a single overarching theme, instead citing as more productive the analysis of the Abraham cycle, the Jacob cycle, and the Joseph cycle, and the Yahwist and Priestly sources.[31] The problem lies in finding a way to unite the patriarchal theme of divine promise to the stories of Genesis 1–11 (the primeval history) with their theme of God's forgiveness in the face of man's evil nature.[32][33] One solution is to see the patriarchal stories as resulting from God's decision not to remain alienated from mankind:[33] God creates the world and mankind, mankind rebels, and God "elects" (chooses) Abraham.[6]
To this basic plot (which comes from the Yahwist) the Priestly source has added a series of covenants dividing history into stages, each with its own distinctive "sign". The first covenant is between God and all living creatures, and is marked by the sign of the rainbow; the second is with the descendants of Abraham (Ishmaelites and others as well as Israelites), and its sign is circumcision; and the last, which does not appear until the book of Exodus, is with Israel alone, and its sign is Sabbath. A great leader mediates each covenant (Noah, Abraham, Moses), and at each stage God progressively reveals himself by his name (Elohim with Noah, El Shaddai with Abraham, Yahweh with Moses).[6]
Judaism's weekly Torah portions[edit]
Main article: Weekly Torah portion
First Day of Creation (from the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle)
Bereshit, on Genesis 1–6: Creation, Eden, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Lamech, wickedness
Noach, on Genesis 6–11: Noah's Ark, the Flood, Noah's drunkenness, the Tower of Babel
Lech-Lecha, on Genesis 12–17: Abraham, Sarah, Lot, covenant, Hagar and Ishmael, circumcision
Vayeira, on Genesis 18–22: Abraham's visitors, Sodomites, Lot's visitors and flight, Hagar expelled, binding of Isaac
Chayei Sarah, on Genesis 23–25: Sarah buried, Rebekah for Isaac
Toledot, on Genesis 25–28: Esau and Jacob, Esau's birthright, Isaac's blessing
Vayetze, on Genesis 28–32: Jacob flees, Rachel, Leah, Laban, Jacob's children and departure
Vayishlach, on Genesis 32–36: Jacob's reunion with Esau, the rape of Dinah
Vayeshev, on Genesis 37–40: Joseph's dreams, coat, and slavery, Judah with Tamar, Joseph and Potiphar
Miketz, on Genesis 41–44: Pharaoh's dream, Joseph in government, Joseph's brothers visit Egypt
Vayigash, on Genesis 44–47: Joseph reveals himself, Jacob moves to Egypt
Vaychi, on Genesis 47–50: Jacob's blessings, death of Jacob and of Joseph
See also[edit]
Bible portal
Dating the Bible
Enûma Eliš
Genesis creation narrative
Genesis 1:1
Historicity of the Bible
Mosaic authorship
Paradise Lost
Protevangelium
Wife–sister narratives in the Book of Genesis
Notes[edit]
^ The name "Genesis" is from the Latin Vulgate, in turn borrowed or transliterated from Greek "γένεσις", meaning "Origin"; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית, "Bərēšīṯ", "In [the] beginning"
^ The Weekly Torah portions, Parashot, divide the book into 12 readings.
References[edit]
^ Hamilton 1990, p. 1.
^ Sweeney 2012, p. 657.
^ Bergant 2013, p. xii.
^ Bandstra 2008, p. 35.
^ Bandstra 2008, p. 78.
^ Jump up to: a b c Bandstra (2004), pp. 28–29
^ Van Seters (1998), p. 5
^ Jump up to: a b Davies (1998), p. 37
^ Hamilton (1990), p. 2
^ Whybray (1997), p. 41
^ McKeown (2008), p. 2
^ Walsh (2001), p. 112
^ Bergant 2013, p. 45.
^ Bergant 2013, p. 103.
^ Carr 2000, p. 491.
^ Hendel, R. S. (1992). "Genesis, Book of". In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 2, p. 933). New York: Doubleday
^ Gooder (2000), pp. 12–14
^ Van Seters (2004), pp. 30–86
^ Lawrence Boadt; Richard J. Clifford; Daniel J. Harrington (2012). Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. Paulist Press.
^ Ska (2006), pp. 169, 217–18
^ Van Seters (2004) pp. 113–14
^ Whybray (2001), p. 39
^ Jump up to: a b Ska (2006), p. 169
^ Clines (1997), p. 30
^ Jump up to: a b Hamilton (1990), p. 50
^ John J Collins (2007), A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, Fortress Press, p. 47
^ Brueggemann (2002), p. 61
^ Brueggemann (2002), p. 78
^ McKeown (2008), p. 4
^ Wenham (2003), p. 34
^ Hamilton (1990), pp. 38–39
^ Hendel, R. S. (1992). "Genesis, Book of". In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 2, p. 935). New York: Doubleday
^ Jump up to: a b Kugler, Hartin (2009), p.9
Bibliography[edit]
Commentaries on Genesis[edit]
Sweeney, Marvin (2012). "Genesis in the Context of Jewish Thought". In Evans, Craig A.; Lohr, Joel N. (eds.). The Book of Genesis: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004226531.
Bandstra, Barry L. (2008). Reading the Old Testament. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0495391050.
Bergant, Dianne (2013). Genesis: In the Beginning. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814682753.
Blenkinsopp, Joseph (2011). Creation, Un-creation, Re-creation: A Discursive Commentary on Genesis 1–11. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 9780567372871.
Brueggemann, Walter (1986). Genesis. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Atlanta: John Knox Press. ISBN 0-8042-3101-X.
Carr, David M. (2000). "Genesis, Book of". In Freedman, David Noel; Myers, Allen C. (eds.). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Amsterdam University Press. ISBN 9780567372871.
Cotter, David W (2003). Genesis. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814650400.
De La Torre, Miguel (2011). Genesis. Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible. Westminster John Knox Press.
Fretheim, Terence E. "The Book of Genesis." In The New Interpreter's Bible. Edited by Leander E. Keck, vol. 1, pp. 319–674. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. ISBN 0-687-27814-7.
Hamilton, Victor P (1990). The Book of Genesis: chapters 1–17. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802825216.
Hamilton, Victor P (1995). The Book of Genesis: chapters 18–50. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802823090.
Hirsch, Samson Raphael. The Pentateuch: Genesis. Translated by Isaac Levy. Judaica Press, 2nd edition 1999. ISBN 0-910818-12-6. Originally published as Der Pentateuch uebersetzt und erklaert Frankfurt, 1867–1878.
Kass, Leon R. The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis. New York: Free Press, 2003. ISBN 0-7432-4299-8.
Kessler, Martin; Deurloo, Karel Adriaan (2004). A Commentary on Genesis: The Book of Beginnings. Paulist Press. ISBN 9780809142057.
McKeown, James (2008). Genesis. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802827050.
Plaut, Gunther. The Torah: A Modern Commentary (1981), ISBN 0-8074-0055-6
Rogerson, John William (1991). Genesis 1–11. T&T Clark. ISBN 9780567083388.
Sacks, Robert D (1990). A Commentary on the Book of Genesis. Edwin Mellen.
Sarna, Nahum M. The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989. ISBN 0-8276-0326-6.
Speiser, E.A. Genesis: Introduction, Translation, and Notes. New York: Anchor Bible, 1964. ISBN 0-385-00854-6.
Towner, Wayne Sibley (2001). Genesis. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664252564.
Turner, Laurence (2009). Genesis, Second Edition. Sheffield Phoenix Press. ISBN 9781906055653.
Von Rad, Gerhard (1972). Genesis: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664227456.
Wenham, Gordon (2003). "Genesis". In James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson (ed.). Eerdmans Bible Commentary. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802837110.
Whybray, R.N (2001). "Genesis". In John Barton (ed.). Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198755005.
General[edit]
Bandstra, Barry L (2004). Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Wadsworth. ISBN 9780495391050.
Blenkinsopp, Joseph (2004). Treasures old and new: Essays in the Theology of the Pentateuch. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802826794.
Brueggemann, Walter (2002). Reverberations of faith: A Theological Handbook of Old Testament themes. Westminster John Knox. ISBN 9780664222314.
Campbell, Antony F; O'Brien, Mark A (1993). Sources of the Pentateuch: Texts, Introductions, Annotations. Fortress Press. ISBN 9781451413670.
Carr, David M (1996). Reading the Fractures of Genesis. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664220716.
Clines, David A (1997). The Theme of the Pentateuch. Sheffield Academic Press. ISBN 9780567431967.
Davies, G.I (1998). "Introduction to the Pentateuch". In John Barton (ed.). Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198755005.
Gooder, Paula (2000). The Pentateuch: A Story of Beginnings. T&T Clark. ISBN 9780567084187.
Hendel, Ronald (2012). The Book of "Genesis": A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books). Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691140124.
Kugler, Robert; Hartin, Patrick (2009). The Old Testament between Theology and History: A Critical Survey. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802846365.
Levin, Christoph L (2005). The Old Testament: A Brief Introduction. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691113944.
Longman, Tremper (2005). How to read Genesis. InterVarsity Press. ISBN 9780830875603.
McEntire, Mark (2008). Struggling with God: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. Mercer University Press. ISBN 9780881461015.
Newman, Murray L. (1999). Genesis (PDF). Forward Movement Publications, Cincinnati, OH.
Ska, Jean-Louis (2006). Introduction to Reading the Pentateuch. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575061221.
Van Seters, John (1992). Prologue to History: The Yahwist as Historian in Genesis. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664221799.
Van Seters, John (1998). "The Pentateuch". In Steven L. McKenzie, Matt Patrick Graham (ed.). The Hebrew Bible Today: An Introduction to Critical Issues. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664256524.
Van Seters, John (2004). The Pentateuch: A Social-science Commentary. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 9780567080882.
Walsh, Jerome T (2001). Style and Structure in Biblical Hebrew Narrative. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814658970.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Book of Genesis.
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Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Genesis
Book of Genesis Hebrew Transliteration
Book of Genesis illustrated
Genesis Reading Room (Tyndale Seminary): online commentaries and monographs on Genesis.
Bereshit with commentary in Hebrew
בראשית Bereishit – Genesis (Hebrew – English at Mechon-Mamre.org)
Genesis at Mechon-Mamre (Jewish Publication Society translation)
01 Genesis public domain audiobook at LibriVox Various versions
Genesis (The Living Torah) Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's translation and commentary at Ort.org
Genesis (Judaica Press) at Chabad.org
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
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Revised Standard Version (RSV)
Westminster-Leningrad codex
Aleppo Codex
Book of Genesis in Bible Book
Genesis in Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Greek, Latin, and English – The critical text of the Book of Genesis in Hebrew with ancient versions (Masoretic, Samaritan Pentateuch, Samaritan Targum, Targum Onkelos, Peshitta, Septuagint, Vetus Latina, Vulgate, Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion) and English translation for each version in parallel.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Genesis
"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder. The Tree of Knowledge is on the right.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Biblical Hebrew: עֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע [ʕesˤ hadaʕaθ tˤov waraʕ]) is one of two specific trees in the story of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2–3, along with the tree of life.
Contents
1In Genesis
1.1Narrative
1.2Meaning of good and evil
2Religious views
2.1Judaism
2.2Christianity
2.3Islam
2.4Other cultures
3See also
4References
4.1Bibliography
In Genesis[edit]
Narrative[edit]
Genesis 2 narrates that Yahweh places the first man and woman in a garden with trees of whose fruits they may eat, but forbids them to eat from "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." When, in Genesis 3, a serpent persuades the woman to eat from its forbidden fruit and she also lets the man taste it, God expels them from the garden and thereby from eternal life.
Meaning of good and evil[edit]
The phrase in Hebrew: טוֹב וָרָע, tov wa-raʿ, literally translates as good and evil. This may be an example of the type of figure of speech known as merism, a literary device that pairs opposite terms together in order to create a general meaning, so that the phrase "good and evil" would simply imply "everything." This is seen in the Egyptian expression evil-good, which is normally employed to mean "everything."[1] In Greek literature, Homer also uses the device when he lets Telemachus say, "I [wish to] know everything, the good and the evil." (Odyssey 20:309–310)
However, if tree of the knowledge of good and evil is to be understood to mean a tree whose fruit imparts knowledge of everything, this phrase does not necessarily denote a moral concept. This view is held by several scholars.[1][2][3]
Given the context of disobedience to God, other interpretations of the implications of this phrase also demand consideration. Robert Alter emphasizes the point that when God forbids the man to eat from that particular tree, he says that if he does so, he is "doomed to die." The Hebrew behind this is in a form regularly used in the Hebrew Bible for issuing death sentences.[4]
Religious views[edit]
Judaism[edit]
In Jewish tradition, the Tree of Knowledge and the eating of its fruit represents the beginning of the mixture of good and evil together. Before that time, the two were separate, and evil had only a nebulous existence in potential. While free choice did exist before eating the fruit, evil existed as an entity separate from the human psyche, and it was not in human nature to desire it. Eating and internalizing the forbidden fruit changed this and thus was born the yetzer hara, the evil inclination.[5][6] In Rashi's notes on Genesis 3:3, the first sin came about because Eve added an additional clause to the Divine command: Neither shall you touch it. By saying this, Eve added to YHWH's command and thereby came to detract from it, as it is written: Do not add to His Words (Proverbs 30:6). However, In Legends of the Jews, it was Adam who had devoutly forbidden Eve to touch the tree even though God had only mentioned the eating of the fruit.[7]
When Adam ate from the Tree of Knowledge, all the animals ate from it, too [8]
In Kabbalah, the sin of the Tree of Knowledge (called Cheit Eitz HaDa'at) brought about the great task of beirurim, sifting through the mixture of good and evil in the world to extract and liberate the sparks of holiness trapped therein.[9] Since evil has no independent existence, it depends on holiness to draw down the Divine life-force, on whose "leftovers" it then feeds and derives existence.[10] Once evil is separated from holiness through beirurim, its source of life is cut off, causing the evil to disappear. This is accomplished through observance of the 613 commandments in the Torah, which deal primarily with physical objects wherein good and evil are mixed together.[11][12][13] Thus, the task of beirurim rectifies the sin of the Tree and draws the Shechinah back down to earth, where the sin of the Tree had caused Her to depart.[14][15]
Christianity[edit]
A marble bas relief by Lorenzo Maitani on the Orvieto Cathedral, Italy depicts Eve and the tree
In Christian tradition, consuming the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was the sin committed by Adam and Eve that led to the fall of man in Genesis 3.
In Catholicism, Augustine of Hippo taught that the tree should be understood both symbolically and as a real tree - similarly to Jerusalem being both a real city and a figure of Heavenly Jerusalem.[16] Augustine underlined that the fruits of that tree were not evil by themselves, because everything that God created was good (Gen 1:12). It was disobedience of Adam and Eve, who had been told by God not to eat of the tree (Gen 2:17), that caused disorder in the creation,[17] thus humanity inherited sin and guilt from Adam and Eve's sin.[18]
In Western Christian art, the fruit of the tree is commonly depicted as the apple, which originated in central Asia. This depiction may have originated as a Latin pun: by eating the mālum (apple), Eve contracted malum (evil).[19]
Islam[edit]
See also: Tree of life (Quran)
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The Quran never refers to the tree as the "Tree of the knowledge of good and evil" but rather typically refers to it as "the tree" or (in the words of Iblis) as the "tree of immortality."[20] The tree in Quran is used as an example for a concept, idea, way of life or code of life. A good concept/idea is represented as a good tree and a bad idea/concept is represented as a bad tree[21] Muslims believe that when God created Adam and Eve, he told them that they could enjoy everything in the Garden except this tree (idea, concept, way of life), and so, Satan appeared to them and told them that the only reason God forbade them to eat from that tree is that they would become Angels or they start using the idea/concept of Ownership in conjunction with inheritance generations after generations which Iblis convinced Adam to accept[22]
When they ate from this tree their nakedness appeared to them and they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden. The Arabic word used is ورق which also means currency / notes.[23] Which means they started to use currency due to ownership. As Allah already mentioned that everything in Heaven is free(so eat from where you desire) [24] so using currency to uphold the idea of ownership became the reason for the slip. The Quran mentions the sin as being a 'slip', and after this 'slip' they were sent to the destination they were intended to be on: Earth. Consequently, they repented to God and asked for his forgiveness[25] and were forgiven.[26] It was decided that those who obey God and follow his path shall be rewarded with everlasting life in Jannah, and those who disobey God and stray away from his path shall be punished in Jahannam.
God in Quran (Al-A'raf 27) states:
"[O] Children of Adam! Let not Satan tempt you as he brought your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their garments to show them their shameful parts. Surely he [Satan] sees you, he and his tribe, from where you see them not. We have made the Satans the friends of those who do not believe."
Other cultures[edit]
A cylinder seal, known as the Adam and Eve cylinder seal, from post-Akkadian periods in Mesopotamia (c. 23rd-22nd century BCE), has been linked to the Adam and Eve story. Assyriologist George Smith (1840-1876) describes the seal as having two facing figures (male and female) seated on each side of a tree, holding out their hands to the fruit, while between their backs is a serpent, giving evidence that the fall of man account was known in early times of Babylonia.[27] The British Museum disputes this interpretation and holds that it is a common image from the period depicting a male deity being worshipped by a woman, with no reason to connect the scene with the Book of Genesis.[28]
See also[edit]
Adam and Eve (Latter Day Saint movement)
Dream of the Rood
Enlightenment (spiritual)
Original sin
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b Gordon, Cyrus H.; Rendsburg, Gary A. (1997). The Bible and the ancient Near East (4th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-393-31689-6.
^ Harry Orlinsky's notes to the NJPS Torah.
^ Wyatt, Nicolas (2001). Space and Time in the Religious Life of the Near East. A&C Black. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-567-04942-1.
^ Alter 2004, p. 21.
^ Rashi to Genesis 2:25
^ Ramban to Genesis 3:6
^ Ginzberg, Louis, The Legends of the Jews, Vol. I: The Fall of Man, (Translated by Henrietta Szold), Johns Hopkins University Press: 1998, ISBN 0-8018-5890-9
^ Bereishit Rabbah 19: 5
^ Epistle 26, Lessons in Tanya, Igeret HaKodesh
^ ch. 22, Tanya, Likutei Amarim
^ ch. 37, Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim
^ Torah Ohr 3c
^ Torat Chaim Bereishit 30a
^ Bereishit Rabbah 19:7
^ Ramban to Genesis 3:8
^ Augustine, On the Literal Meaning of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram), VIII, 4.8; Bibliothèque Augustinniene 49, 20
^ Augustine of Hippo, On the Literal Meaning of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram), VIII, 6.12 and 13.28, Bibliothèque Augustinniene 49,28 and 50-52; PL 34, 377; cf. idem, De Trinitate, XII, 12.17; CCL 50, 371-372 [v. 26-31;1-36]; De natura boni 34-35; CSEL 25, 872; PL 42, 551-572
^ "The City of God (Book XIII), Chapter 14". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ Adams, Cecil (2006-11-24). "The Straight Dope: Was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden an apple?". The Straight Dope. Creative Loafing Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
^ Qur'an 20:120
^ Qur'an 14:24
^ Qur'an 20:120
^ "ورق".
^ Qur'an 7:19
^ Qur'an 7:23
^ Qur'an 2:37
^ Mitchell, T.C. (2004). The Bible in the British Museum : interpreting the evidence (New ed.). New York: Paulist Press. p. 24. ISBN 9780809142927.
^ The British Museum. "'Adam and Eve' cylinder seal". Google Cultural Institute. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
Bibliography[edit]
Alter, Robert. A translation with commentary (2004). The five books of Moses. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-33393-0.
Knight, Douglas (1990). Watson E. Mills (ed.). Mercer dictionary of the Bible (2d corr. print. ed.). Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. ISBN 0-86554-402-6.
Media related to Tree of the knowledge of good and evil at Wikimedia Commons
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_the_knowledge_of_good_and_evil
Sakharibazar, Old Dhaka, 2012
Normal people with extraordinary lifestyles
Along with smile and the gloomy, here life has its own rhyme, has its own colour.
Time passed by, humanity changed along with its history...
But these people remained here tolerating the hardest truth of existences
..........its their story of extraordinary existences.
Sakharibazar, Old Dhaka. A very interesting place for all of us to visit. Culture and customs of old Dhaka are the tribute to the ancient history of Bangladesh. Peoples still living in 100 years old building from generations after generations. With the reflection of their religious beauty Old Dhaka attracts peoples from here and abroad.
Shakhari Bazaar is one of the oldest mohallas (a traditional neighbourhood) in Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka), located near the intersection of Islampur Road and Nawabpur Road;the two main arteries of the old city and only a block away from the Buriganga River. Shakhari Bazaar stretches along a narrow lane, lined with thin slices of richly decorated brick buildings, built during the late Mughal or Colonial period. Despite rampant modifications, accretion, extension over time, even redevelopment, many still bear the testimony of a rich tradition.
Shakhari Bazaar is the manifestation of the irrational policies, lack of adequate development control rules and distorted legal framework, all of which have left their indelible mark on this precious little mohalla that shares a long history of more than 400 years with Dhaka city itself.The history of Shakhari Bazaar goes back to the pre-Mughal days if not earlier. The first mention of Puran Dhaka can be found in the writings of Mirza Nathan, the general turned historian, who traveled with Subahdar Islam Khan. He mentioned Puran Dhaka, as the area between Dholai Khal and Buriganga river covering Shakhari Bazaar, Tanti Bazaar, Bangla Bazaar, Lakhsmi Bazaar, Bangla Bazaar, Kamar Nagar, Sutar Nagar, Goala Nagar, etc. Each mohalla belonged to separate communities depending on their craft and trade. The influences of the Mughal vocabulary in the planning of the spaces are literally evident in the use of Persian names to identify different spaces..
The Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) at Kepong about 20 km from Kuala Lumpur is not only a research institute but also oversees a wonderful forest reserve and park. A good place for a walk or even some jogging on the well-maintained paths and roads up and along the hills. Many kinds of trees and other plants, and a multitude of biting, stinging and also innocuous insects, often of vivid colors; the smells and aromas of the forest; bird song... so much for all the senses. And a multitude of wild flowers as well. This photo is of a flower of the King of Bitters or Creat, one of the most bitter plants in existence. As such it is used in much native medicine and before the advent of penicillin it's antibiotic effects were well-known. It's still today the subject of much research.
Like many plants, this one, too, went through a range of name changes. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth century it went by the name Justicia paniculata (named for the Scottish botanist James Justice [1683-1763]), but then it was given its more directly descriptive name of Andrographis paniculata; the 'andrographis' is Latinised Greek for 'anther or stamen like a paintbrush' ('propter antheras penicellatas', as Nathaniel Wallich's 1832 flora for 'rare' Asian plants has it); the 'paniculata' refers to the tufted inflorescences. It was originally described for India (e.g. the Malabar Coast) and for Sri Lanka, but it 's found all over the Tropics, and delights the eye! It measures about 1 cm across and a tad more up-and-down.
Now and then it's good to ponder the nature of space, time, and existence; the biggest mysteries of all. A variation of the previous photograph. The background is a photo of the Orion Nebula 1,500 light years away from the Hubble Space Telescope.
"We're made of star-stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
-Carl Sagan
“Other people may be there to help us, teach us, guide us along our path, but the lesson to be learned is always ours.”
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Although the existence of Machu Picchu had been known for many years before Professor Hiram Bingham walked into it with a local farmer, named Arteaga, in 1911, it was the American Professor of History and amateur archaeologist, who introduced the Sacred City of Machu Picchu to the world.
The ruthless Spanish conquistadors destroyed much of the former Inca Empires religious and cultural sites as they rampaged through Peru and Bolivia, all in the name of christianity and catholiscism.
Fortunately the Spanish did not find Machu Picchu and it lay hidden to all but a few local people for several centuries before Bingham's visit in 1911.
Grafitti and some evidence of looting indicate that others had certainly been there before Bingham. Nevertheless Machu Picchu was relatively pristine at the time of Bingham's visit.
Before the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru smallpox spread ahead of them with 50% of the Inca population killed by the disease by 1527.
The Inca government of the region had already begun to fail and part of the empire seceded with civil war soon erupting.
By the time Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador, arrived in Cusco in 1532 Machu Picchu was all but forgotten and remained lost to the world for several centuries.