Howdy. Yes, the Rabbi's carried the protective mentality to the n'th degree by creating more and more restrictions, each rationalized as a protector of the Torah way of life. For example, the law of Kosher wine does not come about in the Torah. It came about by Rabbinic decree.
Not sure Adam and Eve were humans as you and I are. Maybe but then again maybe they did not exist in this dimension. I also read somewhere that the skins that Hashem made for them was not the same skin you and I have. There is a tradition about the skin that I think we see a hint at when we do "havdalah" and say goodbye to Shabbas. We hold our "fingernails" up to the candle light and look at our nails. Why? Because the nail looks a lot like the skin that was made for Adam and Eve.....I think that is what I read.... My observance these days is hard to express. I went through a hugely shocking experience in the fall last year and I felt a distinct "fall" in my observance. I can't go into the details about that shock. I can say that it has taken about 6 months for me to now get back to doing my regular morning prayer routines. I am not the same person I was before I got the shock. The shock was information and that's all I will say. Garden of Eden, oh, that's always the slippery one. "touch" and "eat" are different. Touch is external, eat is internal. Eat meant to incorporate, to take into your body, to absorb, to be transformed. Honestly the Zohar does a much better job of it. All you have to do is try and figure out what the heck these guys are talking about. The thicket of regulations probably has done more harm than good. That too is a big discussion. I will say for now that the Judaism of today is probably no where near what Moses had in mind. Not even within a country mile or kilometer. Not even close. I conceive of Moshe having taught a lifestyle of elevation of consciousness, leading to unimaginable high levels of enlightenment. We haven't even touched on what the "n'vua" or prophetic level is all about. Maybe we will. Cheers, Fred [snip]
