Christian Claim:
In the Old Testament account of creation, God created mankind and established a place for him called Paradise He also game him a commandment regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17).
In that Adam and Eve did not physically die, the day they ate from the tree, the words “you shall die” indicate a spiritual death through separation from God. Ancestral sin is the disobedience of Adam to God’s command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam willingly disobeyed this commandment and diverted himself, or fell, from God’s path to perfection, thus separating himself from His Creator, the Source of life
Jewish Response:
And the Lord God commanded man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat. But of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it, for on the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
According to the Ramban, this passage refers to the idea that man would be condemned to die because man would no longer be able to live forever by God’s Will
“But in the opinion of men of faith who say that the world was created by the simple Will of G-d, its existence will also continue forever as long as it is His desire. This is clear truth. That being so, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die means that then you will be condemned to die since you will no longer exist forever by My Will.” (Ramban on Genesis 2) (Sefaria)
Christian Claim:
What are the consequences of the fall
1. This fall of Adam caused mankind to become subject to mortality
While this is often seen mainly as a punishment, or penalty, the emphasis concerning God’s judgments on Adam and Eve at the fall is best understood in terms of His mercy
So, for example, concerning man’s mortality (Genesis 3:19), St. Gregory the Theologian states, “Yet here too He provides a benefit – namely death, which cuts off sin, so that evil may not be everlasting. Thus His punishment is changed into a mercy.”
2. We who are Adam’s race are not guilty because of Adam’s sin, but because of our own sin
However, because all of mankind feel away from the grace of God through Adam’s disobedience, man now has a propensity, a disposition, an inclination towards sin, because just as death entered the world through sin, now sin enters through dear of death
Jewish Response:
And He drove the man out, and He stationed from the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim and the blade of the revolving sword, to guard the way to the Tree of Life. (Genesis 3:24)
Now, ask yourself, why was there a “Tree of Life” and why were Adam and Eve not forbidden from eating from it? Does this not indicate that death was always a part of creation? If death was not a part of creation then why the need for a “Tree of Life”?
According to Ibn Ezra: “There is also an allusion in all of this to man’s potential immortality (the tree of life). The intelligent will understand that this is the ultimate purpose of man’s life on earth. Meaning that man is to live his life guided by his intellect which will lead to his immortality.” (Ibn Ezra on Genesis 3) (Sefaria)
There is no such thing as “ancestral sin” because sin is an individual issue. Yes, the fall means that man is susceptible to sin but there is by no means an “ancestral sin” passed on from generation to generation. You could say there is a tendency toward sin but that is because parents do not teach children properly and society as a whole also breeds contempt for a holy path.
Sin does not separate man from God. It does put a stumbling block in the path between God and man but there is no separation. This is one of the multiple differences between how sin is taught according to Torah and how sin is taught according to the Christian text.
In Judaism, “chet” is the Hebrew term for “sin” and simply means “missing the mark”. It indicates that a sin is temporary and can be overcome with repentance and restitution. Once the person admits his sin and makes things right, the sin is washed away – to be forgotten. While one may be capable of sinning, one is not a sinner.
In Christianity, one is taught that man is inherently a sinner. This is psychologically abusive and completely against Torah. Christianity teaches that someone else (Jesus) had to come and die because of mankind’s sins. This is also anti-Torah. Christianity teaches that mankind is a fallen, sinful being that is eternally separated from God unless there is a belief in Jesus and a ”cleansing by the blood”. Again, this is all counter to Torah.
Christian Claim:
3. Mankind’s strong propensity to commit sin reveals that in the fall, the image of God in man (Genesis 1:26-27) is also fallen
However, the ancient Fathers emphasize that the divine image in man has not been totally corrupted or obliterated. Human nature remains inherently good after the fall; mankind is not totally depraved.
People are still capable of doing good, although bondage to death and the influence of the devil can dull their perception of what is good and lead them into all kinds of evil.
4. Adam’s fall not only brought mortality and sin into the world, but also sweat, toil, hunger, thirst, weariness, sorrow, pain, suffering, sickness, tribulations, tragedy and tears
5. Even after the fall, the intellectual, desiring and incentive (forceful or driving) aspects of the soul are natural and therefore neutral. They can be used in a good way, or in a bad, harmful way.
For instance, desire is very good when one directs it towards God. But when desire is out of control, one may use it in very inappropriate ways, such as becoming gluttonous or desiring another person’s spouse. The classic analogy is that these powers of the soul are like iron, which can be made into a plow to help grow food, or into a sword to be used to kill someone
Jewish Response:
I appreciate that some within Christianity believe that mankind is not guilty of Adam’s sin but are guilty of our own sins. That is not what is taught by any Protestant Christian that I’ve come across (although, it probably is believed by some). This is closer to what I’ve learned that Orthodox Christianity teaches.
In Judaism we have the concept of the yetzer ha-ra (or, evil inclination).
And the Lord saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)
The rabbis taught that God made man with two inclinations – one good and one evil.
“Rav Nahman bar Rav Ḥisda interpreted homiletically: What is the meaning of that which is written: ‘Then the Lord God formed [vayyitzer] man’ (Genesis 2:7), with a double yod? This double yod alludes to that fact that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created two inclinations; one a good inclination and one an evil inclination.” (Berakhot 61a)
Even though the yetzer ha-ra is called the “evil inclination”, it is not actually a reference to an internal evil or an external evil (such as the Christian concept of “the Devil”). Instead, it refers to the untamed nature of man and since it is not “evil” it is not to be completely suppressed. It can be a good inclination because it is what mankind uses to funnel his untamed nature into things like bearing children or engaging in a trade or business. [Jewish Virtual Library]
“Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel’s name: ‘Behold, it was good’ refers to the Good Desire; ‘And behold, it was very good’ refers to the Evil Desire. (It only says ‘very good’ after man was created with both the good and bad inclinations, in all other cases it only says ‘and God saw that it was good’) Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children; and thus said Solomon: ‘Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man’s rivalry with his neighbor.’ (Ecclesiastes 4:4).” (Genesis Rabbah 9)
[20] This is the complete opposite of what Christianity teaches. Christianity teaches that mankind should absolutely suppress any kind of untamed nature because it is inherently evil.
Christian Claim:
Christ, by his death and resurrection, conquered the devil and death, freeing mankind from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15) and making possible a more complete communion between God and man than was ever possible before.
This communion allows people to become “partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4), to transcend death and, ultimately, all the consequences of the fall
Jewish Response:
I can agree with some of the Christian arguments even though I don’t agree with the conclusion.
Christianity references Hebrews and the fear of death as part of its reasoning for Jesus’ death.
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15 – NKJV)
I’m just going to quickly address this passage in my response. The “Devil” in Christian thought is a god of this world. This is completely different than how HaSatan is portrayed in the Tanach and within Judaism. It is God who has power over death – not some fallen angel from Christianity.
Christianity also references II Peter and the communion between God and mankind.
…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (II Peter 1:4 – NKJV)
Again, this will just be a quick response for brevity’s sake. You claim that only through Jesus can one have a complete union with God. This is completely false according to the Tanakh. And just as a reminder, human sacrifice is absolutely forbidden by God. Thus, Jesus’ “sacrifice” is against the Tanach and God.
You shall not do so to the Lord, your God; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates, they did to their gods, for also their sons and their daughters they would burn in fire to their gods. (Deuteronomy 12:31)
The only true way for man to be completely cut off from God according to Torah is to completely reject God. However, this does not mean that God rejects us.
And if the wicked man repent of all his sins that he has committed and keeps all My laws and executes justice and righteousness, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he has committed shall not be remembered regarding him: through his righteousness that he has done he shall live. Do I desire the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Is it not rather in his repenting of his ways that he may live? (Ezekiel 18:21-23)
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh: By the counsel of the king and his nobles, saying: Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep shall taste anything; they shall not graze, neither shall they drink water. And they shall cover themselves with sackcloth, both man and beast, and they shall call mightily to God, and everyone shall repent of his evil way and of the dishonest gain which is in their hands. Whoever knows shall repent, and God will relent, and He will return from His burning wrath, and we will not perish. And God saw their deeds, that they had repented of their evil way, and the Lord relented concerning the evil that He had spoken to do to them, and He did not do it. (Jonah 3:7-10)
There is always an open invitation for mankind to regain a connection to God through following Torah and humbly asking for forgiveness. There is no need for sacrifice to connect with God and be forgiven of sin.
For You do not wish a sacrifice, or I should give it; You do not desire a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; O God, You will not despise a broken and crushed heart. (Psalm 51:18-19)