Genesis 2:9

The concept Vayyatzmach Adonai Elohim (וַיַּצְמַ ח יְהוָּׁה אֱלֹהִ ים): "And the Lord God made to grow," thanks to the expression "vayyatzmach" (וַיַּצְמַ ח ), "made to grow" or "to sprout," denotes that divine capacity to give life and allow things to flourish, which tells us that even our ideas must sprout from Him, grow to become virtues, knowledge of the world that should become our recognition as His children.

He created the tree and planted within it those potentials, the same ones that from our spiritual nature call us to let His goodness sprout within us. Kol-etz nechmad lemareh vetov lema'achal (כָּׁל־עֵּץ נֶחְ מָּׁ ד לְ מַ רְ אֶה וְטוֹב לְ מַ אֲכָּׁל): "Every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food," is an expression that suggests that divine creation is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally useful, with these two contexts, beauty and utility, being aspects of our essence that we must balance.

Let us keep in mind that the trees that are pleasant to the sight symbolize the aesthetic but also spiritual aspect of life, while the trees that are good for food symbolize the practical and material aspect. Therefore, instead of continuing to eat from the tree of knowledge, we should nourish ourselves from the Ve'etz hachayim betoch hagan (וְעֵּץ הַ חַ יִּים בְ תוֹךְ הַ גָּׁן): "And the tree of life in the midst of the garden," which, like our Lord Jesus Christ: "Tree of Life" (etz hachayim), is the central symbol of our earthly process, as it indicates the direct connection with the divine and the source of all spiritual life.

The Tree of Life, which at the same time should serve as a map and guide through faith, describes the sefirot in its emanations. It is found "in the midst of the garden" as the center of all creation, being our axis around which everything else revolves. On the other hand, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Ve'etz hada'at tov vara (וְעֵּץ הַ דַ עַת טוֹב וָּׁרָּׁ ע ), represents, in addition to that duality, our capacity to discern between good and evil, a choice that generates the risk of falling into moral confusion, a fragmentation that causes our perception of the world to have only these categories, overlooking the divine unity in everything.

The concept of "etz" (עֵּץ), which can also be understood as "tree," with its gematria value of 160, tells us that in this sign we must glimpse the unity and totality that our Heavenly Father represents for the entire universe; therefore, all the trees in the garden, and by extension all creation, are connected in an intrinsic and sacred way.

The word "Chayim" (חַ יִּים ), which means "life," with its gematria value of 68, is associated with the concept of vitality and continuous existence, as life is not just biological existence, but the active and conscious connection with the divine source. Therefore, life, duality, beauty, and purpose are part of the creative act from which everything sprouts, with the fruit of the trees being more than just food or something aesthetically pleasing, but the possibility of nurturing our divine potential by feeding on it.

The task of seeking to root ourselves in spiritual life and divine knowledge as the foundation of our existence implies balancing that duality which is plagued by distractions from a material world, in which we must always seek that connection with the divine source, keeping our focus on the "Tree of Life," our Lord Jesus Christ, who guides us toward our inner "garden."

From the perspective of Kabbalah, everything that exists in creation has a function and purpose in the divine plan, even that which seems "negative" or "dangerous." Therefore, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil must be understood as an opportunity for the development of our free will (Bechirah Chofshit).

One of the key principles in the creation of human beings, according to Kabbalah, is that they must have free will. Without the existence of a real option to choose evil, there would be no merit in choosing good. Therefore, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Etz HaDaat Tov VaRa) represents the mixture, the confusion between right and wrong. By allowing its existence in Gan Eden, the Creator introduces the possibility of error, but also of authentic spiritual growth.

Tree of Knowledge (עֵּץ הַ דַ עַת טוֹב וָּׁרָּׁ ע ). The Hebrew phrase: עץ הדעת טוב ורע (“Etz HaDaat Tov VaRa”) has a total gematria of: עץ (Etz) = 160, הדעת (HaDaat) = 479, טוב (Tov) = 17, ורע (VeRa) = 276, Total: 160 + 479 + 17 + 276 = 932, number close to the gematria of "תשובה" (Teshuva) = 708, concept of return or repentance.

Some Kabbalists interpret the hidden purpose of the tree as allowing human beings, through error, to return even closer to the Creator, which is part of Tikkun (the spiritual repair of the world).

In the system of the sefirot, which describes the channels through which divinity manifests itself in the world, there is always a tension between Chesed (goodness) and Gevurah (rigor). Light and concealment. Unity and duality. The Tree of Knowledge represents the descent of consciousness from unity (Ein Sof) to the world of multiplicity where good and evil coexist.

The Zohar, the main work of Kabbalah, teaches that evil has no independent existence, but is a veil that hides the divine light. “There is no evil in the world that is not destined to be converted into good.” — Zohar, part 2, 43b. That is, evil (like the "sin of eating from the tree") exists only to be transcended or transformed, not as something with its own value.

Therefore, the sprouting of the Tree of Knowledge allows us free will and the personal decision of our spiritual elevation, since evil is only apparent and enables us to transform, Teshuva, or return. It is not for nothing that we nourish ourselves through our trees and vegetation, hence the importance of ensuring that our physical, mental, and spiritual nourishment is consistent with the lifestyle we desire.

Etz (עֵּץ) in Hebrew means "tree." It is a deeply symbolic word in the Torah. It first appears in: Bereshit / Genesis 2:9 – "And Hashem Elohim made to grow out of the ground every tree (etz) that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life (etz ha-chayim) in the midst of the garden..." Thus, from the beginning, Etz is linked to knowledge, life, and choice.

Etzem (עֶצֶם ) means “bone,” but also “essence,” “core,” or “essential identity.” In: Bereshit / Genesis 2:23 – “This is bone (etzem) of my bones...” Therefore, “etzem” represents that which supports internally, the foundation or essential structure of something.

Etz (עֵּץ) has this gematrically: ע =70 ,ץ =90 → Etz = 160 Etzem (עֶצֶם ): has this gematrically: ע =70 ,צ =90 ,ם =40 → Etzem = 200 The difference between Etz and Etzem is 40, the value of the letter Mem (מ). The Mem in Kabbalah represents water, fluid wisdom (as in "Mayim" = מים), but it also symbolizes transition and gestation, such as the 40 days of the flood, 40 weeks of pregnancy, 40 years in the desert, and Moses' 40 days at Sinai.

The wisdom (מ ) that connects the external tree (etz) with the internal core (etzem) is the process of spiritual maturation. Thus, Etz + Mem = Etzem, or Tree + Wisdom = Essence.

The Etz HaHayim (Tree of Life) is the schema of the sefirot, the divine emanations. It is a spiritual structure, but also organic, living, and nurturing. Every human being is like a cosmic tree, with roots in the spiritual world and branches in the physical world.

The Zohar comments that the Etz HaHayim represents the path of divine unity, while the Etz HaDaat Tov vaRa (Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) represents the duality and confusion of the ego. The Zohar associates the etzem (essence) with the hidden level of the soul, that which is beyond form, yet is most real.

The bone (etzem) is that which does not decompose, that which remains even after death. It is said that from the "luzbone" (a small, indestructible bone at the base of the skull), God will resurrect the human being. This reinforces that etzem = imperishable essence.

Concept: Etz (Tree) Etzem (Essence) External Level Internal Represents behaviors, choices, life, identity, soul, purpose Requires care, pruning, decisions, reflection, silence, connection Teaching: “Choose the right tree” “Connect with your eternal root”

Nourish our tree (Etz) with good actions, lessons, and relationships. Connect with our etzem, our essential purpose, beyond the ego. Use wisdom (mem) to integrate both levels: live with coherence between what we do and who we are. Recognize that at every moment we can choose between the tree of life and the tree of illusion.

“Man is like a tree of the field.” (Deuteronomy 20:19)

Just as a tree is nourished from its invisible roots, our strength depends on our connection to the essence (etzem), not just the appearance (etz).