Bereshit: Taking Responsibility

Parashat Bereshit shows a beautifully planned and diverse creation. Yet as soon as the serpent poses self-centered questions, Adam and Eve are quickly convinced that the fruit from the forbidden tree would not cause them to die after all. In fact, they believe it would actually open their eyes.

At first, their nakedness did not cause them to feel ashamed (Genesis 2:25). But suddenly, that same nakedness makes them fearful, and they hide as God walks through the garden: “because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Eating the fruit did open their eyes, but it also introduced shame and fear. Just a few verses earlier, God approached Adam with the animals and “brought them to the man to see what he would call them” (Genesis 2:18): a picture of an unforced, natural relationship between God and man.

Now, Adam suddenly hides as God approaches. Along with shame, fear, and discomfort, a subtle shift occurs: when God asks how they realized they were naked and whether they ate from the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve deflect responsibility. Adam blames, “The woman whom you gave to be with me (...) and I ate”, while Eve blames the serpent, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12-13). The story spirals as they adopt a victimhood mentality, blaming others for their own misstep.

Ouch! Just after marveling at a perfect creation, the human desire to want more and be “like God” (Genesis 3:4) pulls everything down. Labor becomes painful and hard, and an angel is set to guard the Tree of Life, blocking access to the eternal life God intended as a gift from the very beginning.

Cain’s Temper

Cain deflects responsibility, too. God accepts Abel and his offering, but not Cain’s (Genesis 4:4-5). Understandably, Cain “was very angry, and his face fell.” God explains the ripple effect of our choices, warning him how unchecked desires open the door to destruction:

In other words, when we let our desires rule us instead of taking charge of our actions, we open the door to sin. Instead of reflecting and taking God's warning to heart, Cain goes out to the field, rises up against his brother, and kills him. Anger and desire took over—just as God warned—and murder entered our world.

Just like Adam and Eve blamed others, Cain also deflects when God asks, “Where is Abel your brother?” (Genesis 4:9). Instead of owning up to his deed, Cain pushes away responsibility and distances himself: “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”

Taking Responsibility

While we all make mistakes, it is never too late to recognize the effects of our choices and make things right. Taking responsibility for our actions might feel scary at first, but it opens the door to restoration for ourselves and others. Coming clean is even met with mercy:

Reflection

Is there anything in my life I need to make right today? Whether a misstep was intentional or not, there is always an opportunity to start over.