Divine Boundaries: The Peril of Unrestrained Knowledge
God’s decision to plant in Paradise a tree bearing fruits of lethal danger carries profound symbolism. First and foremost, it is a demonstration of the trust bestowed upon man, who is akin to the son of God. The prohibition regarding this tree is not a whim but a caring warning: man must not partake of its fruits, for that knowledge may lead to devastating consequences, so perilous that even death is inevitable. Thus, the tree symbolizes not so much the knowledge itself as the danger inherent in its unbridled and indiscriminate pursuit – knowledge acquired without proper criteria and spiritual guidance can be disastrous.As explained in one source, “The commandments imply the sonlike trust of Adam in God… do not eat, or you shall die,” which emphasizes the idea that the capacity for free choice, trust, and responsibility forms the foundation of the relationship between God and man (source: link txt). A similar view is expressed in another text, stating that the prohibition against partaking of this tree’s fruits is a warning against a mode of knowledge acquisition that is deadly for man – that is, when knowledge is acquired without the guidance of a higher authority, it can lead to tragic consequences (source: link txt).Thus, the symbolic meaning behind God’s choice to plant such a tree is to establish a clear boundary between safe, guided knowledge and knowledge that lacks proper limits, potentially leading to the loss of innocence and, in a higher sense, to “death” – the loss of true life and spiritual union with God.Supporting citation(s):“Furthermore, the Lord caused in Paradise to grow the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’… just so: the commandments imply the sonlike trust of Adam in God.” (source: link txt)“The only prohibition in Paradise concerns exactly the fruits of this mysterious tree… it is a warning of a mode of knowledge acquisition that is deadly for man. In the original language, ‘knowledge of good and evil’ is rendered as ‘knowledge of everything in the world,’ that is, knowledge acquired indiscriminately, without criteria, without God.” (source: link txt)