Derasha 1 on Bereishis 3:3

TT #119 · Parashas Bereishis · Third Aliyah · Passuk 3

Complete Passuk

וּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Sanhedrin 29a (verified).

E-Daf image (Sanhedrin 29a)

Core Text

Core Textאָמַר חִזְקִיָּה: מִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָמַר אֱלֹהִים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ.
English of Core Text: Chizkiyah said: From where do we know that whoever adds, detracts? As it is said “God said, You shall not eat of it and you shall not touch it.”
On the daf / in context: Chavah’s addition of the prohibition of touching (which God had not said) is the classic illustration that an unwarranted addition leads to loss of the original command.
Type of Learning: Custom (adding to a command diminishes it)
What Is Learned: Whoever adds to a divine command thereby diminishes it; Chavah’s extra “do not touch” is the paradigm.