Genesis 3:21

If our nakedness and shame are linked to the recognition that we lost divine innocence and purity, our being clothed with animal skin garments after our transgression initially reflects that act of divine compassion and mercy to cover us, as well as the arrival of death in the earthly realm to which we descended.

Despite our disobedience, He does not abandon us; instead, He covers us, which symbolizes the continuous protection and care that He offers us, even after the fall. Furthermore, in the face of death, He sacrificed the life of an innocent animal so that our purity and innocence would not be entirely lost.

The fact that the garments are made of "skin" (or in Hebrew) symbolizes the physical and material reality in which we now live. Thus, the concept or (skin) contrasts with "אור " (or), which also means "light," projecting us toward spirituality and enlightenment—a play on words that indicates that, although we have fallen into a more material state, we are still under divine guidance and protection.

Therefore, although we are in the reign of sin and physical death, where the forces of evil affect us, He seeks to preserve our purity, initially through an innocent animal and then through Himself, who, by becoming human, became our substitute so that the death that entered the world through us finds redemption in His grace toward eternity.

The concept of "עוֹר " (or, skin) with its numerical value of 276 (Ayin = 70, Vav = 6, Resh = 200), combined with that of "light" (אור), which has a numerical value of 207 (Alef = 1, Vav = 6, Resh = 200), calls us to a transformation that, as a human condition, needs Him and His Light so that this state of purity, upon losing light, is not lost.

That is why our earthly material world is full of impurities, making it necessary to purify ourselves with His blood, redemption, and spiritual elevation through His compassion and mercy. By accepting His forgiveness by faith, despite our errors and transgressions, we are saved from the power of death that dominates our bodies, but which, through Him, cannot dominate our souls.

He is the one who offers us the possibility of redemption and finding protection under His divine guidance through the Holy Spirit. That is why

His "tunic," cast lots for by Roman soldiers, also symbolizes the new conditions of life we must accept after having made mistakes and which, by His Grace, He offers us for our salvation.

We are not alone on our earthly journey; His light maintains that call to integrate the spiritual with the material, to find a balance between both aspects of our existence. Although we have fallen into a more material state, we have the opportunity to redeem ourselves and elevate our condition through reflection, correcting our mistakes, and constantly seeking a connection with the divine through faith in Him.

It is clear that before the sin, Adam and Eve were covered in light (or), a purity resulting from their direct connection with the divine. However, after the fall, that light transformed into a skin that required the sacrifice of an innocent being to atone for the sins of humanity, representing the first death in the material world. The concept of "garment" (levush) as something that covers or veils the internal, like the soul, speaks to us of a change in spiritual state, where they now require protection or a barrier between their inner essence and the external world.

Our clothes remind us therefore that it is death that reigns in our bodies and that He Himself is human and stripped Himself of His deity, body and even garments to redeem us, rescue us, save us.

Existe una idea que Dios mató un animal (un becerro) para vestir a Adán y Eva con “pieles” (כָּתְ נוֹת עוֹר – kotnot or) lo cual es una interpretación midráshica, simbólica, y no literal según la Cábala y la Gematría. La visión cabalística profundiza mucho más allá del acto físico y lo entiende como un acto de gran misericordia espiritual y ocultamiento de la Luz.

Según muchos sabios y cabalistas, esta “piel” no es necesariamente animal. De hecho, algunos dicen que Dios no mató nada. Más bien, se trata de una metáfora del cambio de estado espiritual del ser humano después del pecado. El Zóhar y los sabios dicen: Antes del pecado, Adán y Eva estaban vestidos con Luz (אוֹר – or, con Alef). Después del pecado, fueron vestidos con piel (עוֹר – or, con Ayin).

Ambas palabras se pronuncian igual (or), pero se escriben distinto: אוֹר , valor 207, Alef (א), luz espiritual . עוֹר , valor 276, Ayin (ע ), piel, materia.

Este cambio de Alef a Ayin representa el paso del alma pura y luminosa a un estado más denso, físico, encubierto.

Luz (אור ) vs. Piel (עור) אוֹר (Luz) = 207, es el mismo valor que: רז (raz) = "secreto" – 207 → la luz es el secreto divino revelado. עוֹר (Piel) = 276, es también el valor de: רַ עַשׁ (ra'ash) = "ruido" o "temblor" → La piel representa ocultamiento, separación, miedo. La caída del alma (pecado) no destruye su luz interior, pero la cubre, como con una piel gruesa. El Creador, al vestirlos, no los castiga, sino que les da una protección para soportar el mundo material.

Por otro lado algunos sabios sugieren que las túnicas eran hechas de piel de serpiente, lo cual tiene un significado simbólico muy profundo en la Cábala: Vestir al hombre con piel de serpiente = darle un cuerpo material con inclinaciones → una nueva oportunidad de elevarse espiritualmente desde la materia.

Zóhar: El Zóhar explica que Dios no necesitó matar un animal, sino que reconfiguró la forma del alma humana, cubriéndola con una capa más densa (kelipá – cáscara), que es lo que llamamos “cuerpo”.

En la Cábala, esto fue un acto de profunda compasión (Jésed), no de castigo: El Creador no expulsó al hombre sin protección, sino que lo revistió con herramientas para vivir en el nuevo plano físico. Esa “piel” es también símbolo del libre albedrío encarnado: ahora el alma tiene que elegir conscientemente volver a la Luz. El exilio no fue un castigo, sino una oportunidad de transformación.

Desde el punto de vista del Árbol de la Vida: El alma descendió de Tiferet y Biná a Maljut, el mundo de la acción (Asiyá), donde se viste con la piel del ego, del cuerpo, del olvido. Esa “piel” también representa el velo del mundo físico, que oculta lo divino pero permite el mérito a través de la elección.