Adam, Noah, and the Yosemitebear Mountain Double Rainbow

(Part of an occasional series on the weekly Torah portion.)

Probably what Noah sounded like, too.

Ask most people what Adam's curse was, and they'll tell you, to work for a living. But did you know that Adam's curse is over? Let's first take a look at the curse itself:

יז וּלְאָדָם אָמַר...אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה, בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ, בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכְלֶנָּה, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ.	17 And unto Adam He said... 'cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.
יח וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר, תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ; וְאָכַלְתָּ, אֶת-עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה.	18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the grass of the field.

Note that the land is cursed. Even after tilling, the land will not bring forth sustenance. This lasts ten generations, until baby Noah is named after the curse:

כט וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ, לֵאמֹר: זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂנוּ, וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ, מִן-הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר אֵרְרָהּ יְהוָה.

29 And he called his name Noah, saying: 'This same shall comfort us in our work and in the suffering of our hands, from the ground which the LORD hath cursed.'

Noah, of course, has bigger things to worry about. But as the flood waters recede, his father's prophecy comes true and God forgives Adam's curse:

כא ...וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-לִבּוֹ לֹא-אֹסִף לְקַלֵּל עוֹד אֶת-הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּר הָאָדָם, כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעֻרָיו*...

21 ...and the LORD said in His heart: 'I will not continue to curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth*...

There you have it. We no longer have to work (as hard) for a living.

*man's youth is probably a reference to Eden and original sin. Milton would have a field day.