Why Are You Hiding? | Rabbi YY Jacobson

This is one of my most favorite insights in life. If I could only live it every day. What happens right after Adam and Chava violate the one commandment Hashem gave them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge? What's the next scene? Adam and his wife go into hiding in the garden from Hashem. Hashem starts searching for them and He says, Where are you? And Adam says: I heard You coming in the garden, and I went into hiding. And Hashem says: Ahhh, you ate from that tree, didn't you? And I want to ask you a question. What should have been the first question of Hashem to Adam? The first question. Why? Why did you eat from this tree? I told you not to. Why? It's not His first question. His first question is, אַיֶּכָּה? Where are you? Why are you hiding from me? This is the real tragedy of the Eitz HaDa’as, and this is the real tragedy of the mistakes and errors and sins and transgressions we make in life. It wasn't only the sin itself. It's the shame that came after that. After Adam and Chava ate from the tree, you know what they decided? We can't look at Hashem anymore. He can't look at us. They couldn't show up anymore. They went into hiding physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. That's what kills us. Hashem says: Why are you hiding? You're my child. You're my creation. I love you forever. I created everything for you to have a relationship with you. You made a mistake. You violated... Why are you hiding? וואו ביסטו, אַיֶּכָּה? I want to see you. Let's cry together and then we can dance together.