Sin death and beyond

SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN
Abraham, Adam sits at the gates, watching with tears the multitude of souls passing through
the wide gate to meet their punishment, and with joy the few entering the narrow gate to
receive their reward.
The Jewish view concerning Adam's sin is best expressed by Ammi (Shab. 55a, based upon
Ezek. xviii. 20): "No man dies without a sin of his own. Accordingly, all the pious, being
permitted to behold the Shekinah (glory of God) before their death, reproach Adam (as they
pass him by at the gate) for having brought death upon them; to which he replies: 'I died with
but one sin, but you have committed many: on account of these you have died; not on my
account'" (Tan., Ḥuḳḳat, 16).
To Adam are ascribed Ps. v., xix., xxiv., and xcii. (Midr. Teh. v. 3; Gen. R. xxii., end; Pesiḳ. R.
xlvi.; see Bacher, "Ag. Pal. Amor." ii. 337 et seq.). His body, made an object of worship by
some semi-pagan Melchisedician sect, according to the Christian Book of Adam, was shown in
Talmudic times at Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah (B. B. 58a, Gen. R. lviii.), while Christian
tradition placed it in Golgotha near Jerusalem (Origen, tract 35 in Matt.). It is a beautiful and
certainly an original idea of the rabbis that "Adam was created from the dust of the place where
the sanctuary was to rise for the atonement of all human sin," so that sin should never be a
permanent or inherent part of man's nature (Gen. R. xiv., Yer. Naz. vii. 56b). The
corresponding Christian legend of Golgotha was formed after the Jewish one.
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