The Price of Autonomy
The choice made by Adam and Eve can be interpreted as a symbolic renunciation of original perfection and divine harmony in exchange for the possibility of determining what is good and evil on their own. Thus, renouncing perfection means rejecting the acceptance of the order and divine authority that had previously defined the meaning and boundaries of morality.That is, driven by their love for freedom and desire for self-assertion, they sought to establish their own values by abandoning divine protection and guidance. As noted in one of the sources, "this attempt of man to assert himself, to oppose his will to the cosmic, divine will, to create his own norms—including moral ones—and to ascribe to himself the right to govern both nature and morality lies at the heart of the universal Fall of mankind" (source: link txt). This idea emphasizes that Adam and Eve's choice was not so much about a thirst for knowledge as it was about a desire to proclaim their independence and establish personal standards, which, however, led to the loss of the original purity and perfection.Furthermore, the significance of their choice is illustrated by another quote: "The woman felt that there are values outside of God and apart from God. And she decided to disregard God's commandment, to try what it is like to exist apart from God" (source: link txt). This shows that the decision to assume responsibility for defining morality was also linked to the desire to experience something different, to step beyond the confines of divinely established norms, even though the original state implied a life in absolute perfection and unity with the Divine essence.Thus, symbolically, this choice reflects mankind's aspiration to gain autonomy and assert its own will, even at the cost of losing harmony, perfection, and closeness with the divine source—a decision that later became the root of numerous sufferings and conflicts in human existence.