Hope you’re having a great day!

We left Adam in the Garden of Eden.  Spiritual paradise.

What could be better?

… But the Torah says something amazing.

“It’s not good.  Because man is alone!”

And it goes on to describe the creation of Eve.  The first woman.

It’s not good?

In spiritual paradise?

Adam was able to reach a very high spiritual level.

He didn’t have the challenges that we have in an imperfect world.

He was free to meditate.  To pray.  And to connect to G-d.

The Garden was beautiful.  And all his needs were provided. 

So what was he missing?

A wife!

And it’s more than companionship.  Which is an important part of marriage.

It has to do with how we understand spirituality.

Sure, spirituality is about connecting to G-d.

But Adam’s connection was incomplete.

Why?

Because he was a taker.

And to really connect to G-d we need to be givers.

We need to do Chessed.  Acts of kindness.

And that’s what marriage is about.

It’s a shift in focus.

From our own needs to the needs of the other.

… So until Adam had the chance to be a giver, he wasn’t really in spiritual paradise!

And whether we’re married or not, this story is meant to challenge us.

To try to make all of our relationships more special.  More spiritual.

By becoming better givers.