In the Very Beginning

Chapter 1

In order to implement His plan, He shrank, remaining constant and trying to create in Himself a place where there would be the least presence of Himself. That happened to be very difficult, as everything was craving for its primary state. He was shrinking more and more to create in Himself a place without Himself, but all He achieved was a place where His presence was a bit less than elsewhere.

He kept shrinking till He created the world He named Atzilut, where little of His presence could be sensed. Without stopping He covered this world with thick membranes to protect it from Himself. There remained the most difficult part of the work. Immediately He made some more severe cut-downs within Atzilut itself, and He achieved what He had wished for–simple and primitive, that He could not get any lower: the rough material world!

Certainly, even in this world of natural substance, He named this world Assiah, His presence remained but the amount of it was negligible. In general, this world seemed to exist on its own …

The next part was the most difficult: as the world of Assiah was extremely compressed, it had the strongest tendency to regain its initial state, to dissolve back in Him. He had to install powerful Qliphoth that were to keep the material world in its newly created state. These membranes are screening Assiah, shielding it from Him, a colossal force is needed to compress them. He kept on checking and reinforcing them, to save the material world from destruction and dissolution: first in the spiritual world of Atzilut and then in the whole structure, in Himself. Finally, He felt that this strange structure was stable enough to perform His task and would live the necessary time. It must live.

The rest was the limit of simplicity: He created space, time, and substance, stated the laws of their interaction, came to the marked spot and said, Let there be Light!

The world of Assiah lit up with marvelous fire. However, He removed it at once from everywhere save this wisp of the material world. Henceforth the light, He told Himself, will always be in the beginning. The light of spirit, the light of understanding, the light of Aim. Yes, He was roused to this Creation by a major Aim, not a reason. And henceforth the existence and development will not be driven by any reason forcing His activities or even guiding them–just by the Aim that entails everything.

Let there always be light, He said again, and let it be in the beginning … And He was creating and making hastily, trying not to waste that wonderful moment of elevation and inspiration when solutions come ready, clear, and right at once, no need to squeeze them out in long reflections.

His thoughts, passionate and fiery, took visible shapes quickly and rushed over the newly created world. They flew high into the air, dashed through mountains and sank into abysses, while He watched them with interest, surprised that even His own thoughts were becoming visible (though not material) in this world where His will was so little.

They darted about, collided with each other, some grew strong and powerful, others diminished, small and shy. Soon He noticed with interest that they had individual differences and could even be divided into senior and junior … or even senior, middle, and junior ones. While juniors were common and dull, the seniors in their might can be named over- or archthoughts, overimages, as each of them was a bearer of some strong idea. Angels and archangels, He said with interest. So be it.

He created the world quickly, with broad dabs, without going into details, but stated at once what there should be, for everything to work interconnected, with none of His further attention needed.

The last act was creating what He named life, the most complicated and promising thing. He checked it and said that it was good. Everything worked and went the right way, so He could set to the most difficult and risky part …

His thoughts swirled, collided, dashed about like scared flies. Why had He set them free? Some morbid curiosity, some universal mess … Too many of them screamed that He did wrong about this world, that everything was wrong, not the way it should be …

Hush! He barked. And how it should …? Why are you …? Go and behold this world! And show Me unwise and stupid what it should be! What is right! Go to the Earth. You understand nothing of what I have planned and what I expect!

The fiery ideas, the angels, flew away like arrows, turned into a twinkle of hot distant lights and vanished at once, as there was no distance to them, no obstacles. He was surprised to see them so numerous but at the same moment He felt some relief. He felt great relief, to be honest: it was all easier and clearer at once, His confidence in His own rightness came back. Have a look at this wonderful world. And then start giving advice.

For a while, He pondered tensely over the Great Aim and the means of attaining it. Those were complicated even for Him. He had never set such a supertask before …

And He took no notice of the angels who began to return. They dashed around again, pestering Him with ideas, pieces of advice, plans, suppositions, variants of developing this strange and wonderful world.

He waved them aside, contemplating tensely over the final act of creation, while the world was changing swiftly and very plastically: it shifted from one shape to another, coming to what He wanted to see.

Angels darted about like fiery flies, pestering and buzzing. Some were growing up to the size of blazing mountains, their voices resounded even in the material plane.

You created a beautiful world, spoke the angel whom He would call the voice of mercy, so finish what You have planned! Create man, and he will be making mercy in it.

What? cried his constant rival, the angel of truth. Man shall spoil everything with his lies, crime, and ruin! An animal who has a soul is worse than a plain animal!

Nevertheless, create him, the angel of justice insisted, for his kind deeds will make the world You’ve created even more beautiful.

"His unkind deeds, the angel of peace and goodness objected. He shall fill this world with envy and enmity!"

He listened to everyone, shook His head. That was when He spotted that He had got almost a material body and a head. Contemplating over the Most Important, He had involuntarily assumed the appearance of one of His creatures in this material world. All of you are right, He replied and listened with interest to the sound of His voice in this world where ideas can be transmitted with sounds, smells, gestures, and in many other ways. But I am kind, as they will say in this world, patient and even long-patient. Man will be full of demerits, no way to avoid that. But, all the same, I will create him.

Why? one of the radiant angels asked. What if he rejects You?

I have hope, He answered.

Hope is too little for Almighty to live on, isn’t it?

In this case, He answered, it isn’t. So write it down: ‘Let us create man …’

The angel interrupted. "Forgive me, Lord, but You are the one who creates. You are the Lord of everything. Why do You allow an opportunity for a mistake? For a misinterpretation that man was created not by You alone but by several gods?"

He waved away carelessly. Write down as I say. One who wants to misinterpret will find a way to distort even the clearest form, to garble it, to find a different meaning. We will use the plural number because … yes, because it’s also a lesson. Big people will consider it unnecessary to consult those of lower ranks. Let them see that even the Lord Almighty who created all the worlds had consulted His angels before He created even such a trifle as man is.

The angel whom God in His mind had called Lucifer, for his furious glow and desire to be the brightest, listened to the Lord’s words and thoughts, which were open to him, with keen curiosity. The Lord liked it. "Will this be the apex of creation? Lucifer asked. Is it good enough?"

It is, God replied. I think it will be good.

But that’s not right, Lucifer objected.

Other angels were silent but God saw they were all on Lucifer’s side. A storm of their disapproval arose at the very idea of endowing the last creature He was going to create with free will.

You are the Creator, Lucifer insisted, everything is in Your will. You are always right. That’s why free will is not only dangerous–it is excessive and unreasonable! If You tell a man: ‘I want you do this’ and he has a right to choose whether to do it or not, it is not simply bad … It is a crime!

How can one hesitate and doubt whether to obey the order of the Lord Himself or not? another angel muttered.

He listened to them inattentively, though still He listened. Surely all of them were right. While He made the firmament and the earth, the sun and the stars, even the fish, elephants, and cows, no one uttered a word. But everyone made a violent protest once it was about the last final stroke: the creation of man.

He planned this creature to possess what no other animal had: free will. It was hard to fathom for angels, as they had no free will themselves. That’s why they were terrified by the very idea of the one who could disobey the Lord, think and act different from what He had planned.

His thoughts looked wild and bland if to compare with that elevation He felt in the act of creation of the Universe. He dismissed it: the final act was missing, for the sake of which everything was done, but … He feared it would be a failure. Too imponderable a verge to walk on …

What else is needed? He kept asking Himself, trying not to let out the precious idea that occurred to Him, teasing and ready to vanish. Yes … real flesh of this world … Momentarily, a dense ball was formed of numerous specks of dust in front of Him. It pressed the blades of grass down, and insects darted sideways.

Let there be … man!

The ball turned into a figure of an animal, one of the many whom He created in great numbers, then rose up and plodded into the thickets of the garden. He moved on his fours, like any other animal, but the Lord cast a strict glance after him and the man got up onto his hind legs, reeled, but proceeded on his two.

Let his name be … He mused. His triumphant thought kept dancing and rejoicing at the success, the highest point of His flight, how good it was, but a different thought cried anxiously that it was too early to triumph: the idea that rouse Him to do that was too daring and His incredible plan still could fail. No, let him name himself. Let the whole burden of the Great Task lie down on his shoulders, and let him make his way to the Great Aim alone …

Just one man? an angel asked in surprise. While You made other creatures in thousands and millions? Just say a word, O Lord, and we shall prepare a whole hill of clay! And we shall sculpt more men. Now we see how to do it.

He shook His head. One is enough.

It’s not difficult, the angel persuaded. We can easily make a hundred more of those!

He nodded. Yes. Once the work is done, everyone can see it was easy. As I say, it’s easy to do but hard to devise … No, let there be one. Let it be a hint that he who kills one man destroys a whole world. And he who saves one man saves a world. No man should become conceited, saying to other man: ‘My blood is more noble than yours!’ Every man should remember that the world was created for him and to his responsibility.

How far ahead You look! the angel said in respectful awe.

The most brilliant angel sank down near the Lord. That angel kept changing his shape, enchanted by the potentialities of this strange material world. He could not choose the best variant, so he kept becoming smaller and larger, transforming from a fire ball into trees, animals, and even insects.

Smiling, God glanced at the confused angels who were going over all the options: that was the best praise to His plan, though no one of them knew the full scope of it.

Inscrutable Your ways are, O Lord, the angel said with ardor which he took from the material world. Though he merged with God habitually while speaking to Him, now the voices of this world sounded at the same time. Thy will be done everywhere!

Are you adapting?

I am. This world is amazing!

Yes. This one is a success.

Were there other worlds? the angel asked briskly. He moved aside, assumed the aspect of a mighty bull of pure gold. For a moment, he had huge wings of a dragonfly, then changed them to bird’s wings, also golden, gleaming, glittering with unearthly brilliance, and folded them on his back, after he took time to admire their perfection.

God could point that if one gave wings to such a creature he should better follow the example of a bat or a dragon (one of those had just flown across the sky), but He said nothing. He was not much the one to correct His inaccurate thoughts. He preferred to create new ones instead, more accurate and perfect. There were, He answered reluctantly. It’s never easy to create a masterpiece. Every masterpiece is just a topmost stone of the pyramid buried in sand.

The angel fell silent. It was hard to imagine all those worlds the Lord had created and destroyed. Then he said, It is good! and added with caution, This world is magnificent, we all admire it. But I spotted that the creation of that … er … man took You almost as much time as the creation of all the other living things in this world taken together!

You spotted it right, the Lord approved.

It was not accidental, was it? Or You were tired?

I was, God admitted. But I had created him before my inspiration ran out.

But was it … a success?

This part, the Lord replied, was.

Was it, Lucifer insisted, what you wanted?

It was, God confirmed, just like that. Er … almost like that.

The fiery bull flowed slowly into the shape of a man, though golden, shiny, and winged all the same. The Lord smirked as He saw the angel complementing the couple of wings he liked so much with another one, gleaming with gold and reflecting light. For us to understand Your will better, he said respectfully, please tell us: what did You plan him to be and what do You expect of him?

I made him, God spoke slowly and thoughtfully, after My image and likeness.

The angel cast a doubtful glance at the Lord. After Your image and likeness?

Yes.

Forgive me, Lord. But are You … like that? Even we, Your ideas, do not know what You are!

I’m not like that, the Lord snapped impatiently, but he will be that. ‘After My image and likeness’ is an allegory if you know this word. But this … man, let us henceforth call him so, is the same what I am … there, deep in his soul!

The angel looked at the garden. The trees became transparent under his gaze, and he saw (as well as the Lord who can always see everything) the man strolling among trees and picking berries from them. He would bring ripe ones into his mouth and throw green ones away. After a while, he stopped picking unripe berries at all and began to choose the biggest and most juicy among ripe ones.

Is he, the angel asked again with doubt, what You are?

Not yet, God replied, but he shall be …

Chapter 2

He lay on the ground, motionless, the berries he’d gathered still in hands, feeling a storm of strange visions flowing and raging within him. There were myriads of myriads of them, and he could see everything at once, and understood everything, his soul trembling and screaming in terror of failure to get all of it inside. Then his eyesight cleared at once, he saw a staggering picture of tilled fields and vineyards with big grapes. Everything was tendered by lots of people: beautiful and wise, majestic and proud. A loud unknown Voice began to name the people who came into his sight, explaining that all of them were his descendants, each of them had a part to play …

His heart sank when he saw a happy laughing baby who, as the Voice told him, was fated to live three days only and then die. He strained his every nerve to ask silently what the baby’s name was. David, the Voice replied. He could become a king of a large and strong country …

He pleaded with his whole being, May I give a part of my life to him?

After a pause, he heard the colossal and majestic Voice that filled all the Universe and resounded far beyond its borders. For now … not.

Why? he asked miserably.

There is a reason, the mighty Voice answered, and he felt again it was the Universe speaking to him, in all the languages of rocks, winds, waters, trees, and every living thing. You are eternal. Immortal.

Please, O Lord, let me share my life with him!

The Voice came quieter that time. He heard bitterness in it. "I’m afraid you will have this opportunity."

When his head went giddy with so many faces, names, and fates, he pleaded again, But why has all of it been revealed to me? Now everything inside me is trembling!

That’s good, the mighty Voice said. Because their future depends on you. Whatever you do will be changing the life of all those countless generations! Remember it and act accordingly. Live decently.

What is … to live?

Now you will know it.

The angels saw God stoop and blow lightly into the nostrils of the clay doll that lay on the ground. The creature moved and, very slowly, lifted his swollen thick eyelids. His eyes were confused. The angels looked at each other as they grasped at once that this creature, whom the Lord named a man, had already forgotten what had been shown and revealed to him and for what purpose.

The man flinched, berries fell out of his palms as he gazed around with perplexity. He had the most startled look of the one who had been suddenly taken from the night into the bright daylight and from a desert into a beautiful garden.

What have You done? Lucifer asked in a whisper.

Animated him, God replied softly.

Oh, I see … Lucifer drawled with affected submission, though I understand nothing. We, plain thoughts, are unable to understand … the whole of You.

I do not understand the whole of Me either, God snapped. "I understand the whole of you, for you are My thoughts, My feelings. And I understand the whole of this world! It was made by Me, according to My plan, My feelings and thoughts. I understand every living thing … I mean I used to understand all of them."

Lucifer alerted. O Lord … Your words are strange and troubling to me. Does it mean that from this day on there is something You don’t understand completely?

There is.

Lucifer recoiled. Whom?

God pointed at the man who, with a face of a stupid animal, sat on the same clay he had been made of, picking his nose with such a thoughtful air as if he were creating the world too. His muzzle made a voluptuous twist as he pulled his finger out slowly and thriftily, watching the green drop with inexpressible delight.

A ripple ran down Lucifer’s glowing body as he changed into a squat animal that looked somewhat like a turtle, though still with wings. For a while he was that, dim and covered with untidy scales, but then restored his previous appearance of a strong and beautiful bull with two couples of wings. God Almighty, he said in confusion. You speak strange …

I breathed the soul into him, the Lord interrupted.

What?

Soul, He said again. This is how I named the act.

Lucifer looked around, glanced back, then his inquiring eyes were on the Lord again. What is soul?

A part of Myself, God explained. Yes, I’ve never done it before … but the great Aim needs uncommon solutions.

Have you planned something else?

I have already begun that, God replied. Henceforth the actions of man are unpredictable and unclear. For everyone, even for Me! I am going to help him in wending his way through his life, but he is free to follow his whims, and I am not free to see his inner world. I have power to destroy him, but no power to make him live the life I consider to be right.

Lucifer glanced at the Lord with utmost astonishment. Yes, You’ve said it before … But, O Lord, what do You need this for?

I’ve already told you, God answered, the great Aim needs uncommon solutions. If I succeed to walk the fine line without falling into the abyss … or rather to lead this creature along it, that will decide … decide very much.

We are Your creatures too, Lucifer reminded.

But I created you when I was younger. On the second day of Creation.

Lucifer lifted his eyebrows. Does God have age?

Well, not really younger, but … I had more strength than wisdom then. And now I have the same strength, but I also have doubts and hesitations, I have knowledge … and disappointments too. No, I’m not disappointed in you angels, not at all … but I’m trying some other ways too, odd though they may seem. Like forming a man of the dust of the ground …

Truly, Lucifer said, this is nothing if not odd.

The Lord gave a reserved smile. That’s good, He said. Only the solutions that seem very odd, ridiculous at the first sight … and at the second too … can achieve the Aim.

Why is that so?

Because I’ve tried all non-ridiculous ones before.

* * *

Lucifer rushed away to observe the world, and He was musing for a while. Some time, He recalled, it would be called "getting thoughts together." And now by His mental effort myriads and myriads of fiery angels came flying up to Him: big and small, quiet and loud-voiced, meek and importunate, obedient and the ones contradicting and pointing at His mistakes.

As they darted into the material world, all of them became visible. Most remained wordless and silent executors, but some, the most contradictory ones, along with this substantial (though non-material) appearance had acquired even more obstinacy and intractability.

In one glance He gazed them all, being surprised again with the strange world He had created. Then He spoke loudly, All of you have seen what I’ve created … No, no more praise. I know how wonderful I am. I gathered you to point at the final stroke in the Creation. Man is the best thing I have ever made! He will be the apex of creation, and he will have dominion over all the material world I’ve created. This world, as you know, spreads far beyond this dry land called Earth.

He felt how startling His last words were to the angels who had enough time to examine this fanciful material world, who had been to the depths of rocks, rivers and oceans, even inside living creatures, so amazing and complicated.

Many of them exchanged glances (a habit they had adopted from living creatures), some hurried to assume the shape of a man to please the Lord Who considered that creature to be the most beautiful, but everyone was silent with astonishment. Then Lucifer began, O Lord, let me say …

God waved off. Have I ever forbidden that? Is it the influence of the earthly world on you?

It is, Lucifer confessed. Here they have hierarchy in packs: a young wolf always waits for the leave of the elder one … A fascinating world! We are all stupefied by Your scope and skill, but …

What?

"This world is too beautiful!" Lucifer exclaimed loudly.

Many voices spoke up, supporting Lucifer. More and more angels took human shape, though many preferred giant sizes. Only some of them remained invisible, like before.

Thank you, God said. I’m glad you see it.

However, Lucifer went on, I would understand if You gave this world to us angels: pure, beautiful and sinless. But … man?

The angels made a clamor again. It sounded like breakers, as there were more angels than the waves in all the seas on earth. He shook His head, and everyone fell silent, and then He spoke in a clear and strict voice, This world was created not for a caprice, nor for admiring the scenery! The Garden of Eden is not a garden but a workshop! Here I shall try to forge a new and a very necessary thing. Outmost! And man is the seed I want to … However, that’s too complicated for you to comprehend. And too remote even for Me to see the very end of it … I only know what the outcome should be, and I will be striving for it. And now, what we need to go on with everything is … what? Oh yes, now you will acknowledge the man as the master of this world … who has dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth … And then we will think of what to do next.

* * *

The man whom the Lord was speaking of was far away, but the angels know no distance, nor material obstacle, so they watched the strange creature: some of them with curiosity, some in a friendly way, some with distrust, and some with concealed resentment. Even from a distance, one could sense the dampness and fragility of this world in him. Two-legged, he stood on his hind limbs less firmly than most animals, moved in such a way as if he were about to collapse, stared around in a stupid and confused way.

A big tall angel who, looking at the beautiful birds created by God, had assumed the shape of a man with many beautiful wings on his back came to Adam in a blink of an eye and, standing in front of him, bowed with dignity. Hail, the lord of earth! the angel said in a strong sonorous voice which he’d heard from the man, but he repeated it much louder and in many more tones. The king of every beast and every fowl! The king of earthly nature!

The second angel, as big and grand as the first one and with exactly the same number of wings, came to stand alongside. I greet you, he said solemnly, the Master of all the Material world!

Let the first one be named Michael, God said in his mind, and the second one Uriel. I should give names to all of them, for they are so different. And the man will have to name every living creature on earth. Such a demonstration of power is necessary … even for the man himself.

He felt joy at this thought. He gave names to all the myriads and myriads of angels before the third one stood in front of Adam to pronounce the form of obedience to him and acknowledge him as the king and lord of this world. By His mental order, all the angels at once, not to put it in the long drawer, bowed to the man to recognize him to be the only master of this world–all except Lucifer who stood pensive, folding his muscular arms, which were a beautiful sculpture of fire and light, and embracing himself with giant wings. What’s the matter? God asked cautiously.

Lucifer smiled slowly, as he enjoyed the moves of his own face muscles and lips. He even made a brilliant display of his beautifully arranged teeth of white fire. You know it … How can I bow to him?

What is stopping you?

That’s You.

Explain, the Lord demanded.

Lucifer smiled again. God sees everything but wants to hear it shaped in words, in order to react and weigh the pros and cons more accurately. And he replied calmly, but solidly, I understand Your affection to Your own work. But don’t escape from reality! I, as well as the rest of us, am made of fire, speaking in terms of this world. And he is made of plain clay. How can I bow to him, call him a lord? That would break the order of things You have set.

Dead silence fell, as grave as crime. The Lord spoke with irritation, No order can remain unchanged. Where there’s a scope for improvement, there must be improvement. Even if some laws of the universe have to be changed for that purpose.

Lucifer lifted his wings. He sounded calm and wise, as his voice was the voice of God Himself. Is that an improvement?

It is, God barked harshly. It’s not the power that rules … In this creature, I have empowered something … something I still can’t express in words. But I have lots of hopes about this creature.

Lucifer fixed his fiery gaze on the fragile being. The flamy angel’s voice was as cold as the cosmos. Yes, he will need many hopes. So far I behold nothing more in him. And I will not bow to him.

The Lord flared up. "This order I give to you!"

Lucifer straightened up. "You gave me my dignity too. Or have I obtained it myself in this world? Yes, certainly I have. You have established the negligible minimum of Your presence in this world, and now things can happen here without Your direct will! I feel I can argue with You, because I do not think You are right. You made me a better creature than this one …! But I don’t insist on him bowing to me. The strong one has no need to be flattered. If this … man, as You call him, is worthy, let him prove it. You shall never make me bow to a worm."

God nodded, taking pleasure in the fact He had created such a world where even His thoughts embodied were able to contradict Him that open. Though He’d had contradictory thoughts before, like anyone has, but in this world they were especially vivid and striking. You need proof, He said, don’t you?

We do, Lucifer answered firmly. The rest of the angels exchanged timid glances, but it was obvious that Lucifer was supported by almost all of them.

Well, God said, behold the living creatures I have made … Lots of them, isn’t that true?

Verily that is, Lord Creator!

Give them names, He ordered. We need to define which of them is which.

Angels made noise. He saw everyone trying, exerting, applying so much effort that it would have boiled an ocean, but no new words came up to any of them. Each angel had a straightforward and ingenuous mind, each one only knew his own properties, though not all of them …

Man, God called, come to us.

With displeasure and constrained contempt, the angels watched this creature made of dirt (he can’t even fly as those useless but beautiful birds can) come up slowly and enter their circle of dazzling joyous light.

Man, the Lord said, the earth is now inhabited by my creations: fish, birds, beasts, insects. You have to give names to each of them, as this world needs to be put in order, and names bring a piece of order with them.

All the attention of the angels was on the man. Many hovered in the air straight over his head, though they could observe him from another end of the earth as well, but this world made them quick to adopt its ways.

The Lord watched with interest the angels and their growing perplexity: the man of clay beheld the animals around and quickly gave them names according to their appearance, so the very name lion meant king of beasts, camel stood for humpbacked, and grasshopper … that one was clear.

When the man finished, God cast a sidelong glance at the hushed angels. "Excellent. And what will be your name?" He asked the man with content.

Will my name not be given by You? the man asked back with surprise.

Name yourself, the Almighty allowed kindly.

The angels became excited, in expectation that the creature of clay would invent the greatest and most sonorous name, for others to forget his lowest possible birth as soon as they could, but the man thought for a short while and said: "I shall be called Adam, which means the man from earth. As I am made of earth."

The angels fell silent. Such a beautiful name, God said, pleased. You yourself, and many of those present think it to be small and deteriorative, but in fact it has a great meaning that is concealed until the time comes. And what is My name?

Lord, Adam said without hesitation, as You are the Lord of all creatures. I shall use this name to address You if You allow that. And also God, Creator, Almighty …

Good.

At once Adam added, You told me to name every creature, though I still can’t fathom what that had been for. You have created so many of them that I’m stunned! But it must have been a piece of cake for you. But none of those creatures I beheld took me fancy …

What do you mean?

They don’t match me, Adam explained. I mean there were males and females. O Lord, all beasts came in pairs. I even know that they are fulfilling Your order to be fruitful and to multiply. And how can I be fruitful and multiply? Or is it too early for me to do that?

No, it isn’t, God answered, but I was planning another way for you …

Adam was surprised. But if I am a male, and I seem to be that, where is my female? O Lord, among all the creatures You’ve made I did not find my match. Or I, as a king of every living thing, can use any of them for copulation?

No, you can’t! the Almighty said hastily. This is not the right way. You will get your match. And now go and play round. No, ‘play’ is not quite the right word. Go and see round!

And what is right and wrong? Adam asked with interest.

It is, the Lord replied, what distinguishes you from all the beasts, fowls, fishes, and insects.

What is that exactly?

There is no difference between right and wrong for them, but there is for you.

Adam sighed. Does it mean that my life is harder?

Yes, God replied, already impatient. Being a king is a burden. But a king can do much …

And …

Go! the Almighty interrupted strictly. His voice thundered. Adam saw that the Lord became thoughtful. He even changed his form into a fiery cloud that concealed His face.

I’m going, Adam replied obediently.

From the fiery cloud he heard the Voice, I was going to lead the one of you … but now I see the call of earth is too strong. One can resist it, but he would need so much effort for it that … er … it’s easier to surrender to the temptation than to fight it every minute … Well, off you go! I shall think how to solve your problem. Probably I shall make a match for you, but not now. Well, walk all around the garden and examine it thoroughly. There’s a lot of interesting things for you.

The angels made more clamor as they began to estimate loudly what the man’s match would be. All animals have different matches: a male deer, for instance, has large horns while his female is hornless, a female spider is ten times larger than her male, a cock is more beautiful than hens …

Adam dropped his head, his excuses to stay being all worn out. Finally, he walked away. Lucifer pointed after him. He will plague You with his constant why’s.

For now only, the Lord muttered. Then I shall spare him of My presence. He should act and make decisions on his own.

The angels crowded around, noisy, trying to figure out the answer. There were lots of suggestions, many of which sounded mad. The Lord listened, smiling occasionally and frowning from time to time. At last, He hushed angrily, Quiet …! None of you comprehends. Though Adam has asked for his match himself, he will not welcome her. Do you get it?

The angels got silent, but Lucifer, the smartest one, spoke in amazement, Oh, I see … Adam would have been a hundred times more displeased if You had created her without his request?

God nodded. Yes, he would. And now he has only himself to blame.

Chapter 3

Stunned and confused, Adam made his way deep into the garden, looked around, and sat down on a fine comfortable boulder. His heart pounded, he felt much less confident than he was trying to look. The angels had been left far behind, but he could still sense their mighty presence, their power and force comparable to nothing. The rock beneath him at once took a convenient shape, so Adam stopped squirming and settling his bum. His heart was thumping, his breath was taken away. I can’t fathom, he muttered, can’t fathom … Why?

A soft voice spoke with compassion, as it seemed to him, Why what?

Why me? Adam replied. Why this world? What is the purpose of being? He raised his head. The light before him looked like a slit into some other world. It was an angel, majestic and beautiful, towering flush with the trees. Then he reduced himself to the size of a man, still glaring with white and orange flames.

The angel sounded sympathetic. "Are these questions for you to puzzle over, Adam? Do you want to exceed the Lord at once? Why won’t you think of the best way to follow His plan, the best way to serve Him, to fulfill His will, His wish, to realize His sublime ideas?"

Stunned, Adam repeated, His ideas?

Yes. He has created you for some purpose, hasn’t he?

I don’t know …

Adam … I don’t know whether others would tell you this, but this garden was not the only thing created for you.

Was there something else?

The angel seemed to sound irritated. The whole world!

What is it?

The angel replied with more irritation, The limits of it are unknown even to me.

That’s too much, Adam said in a crushed voice. Er … isn’t that too much burden for my shoulders?

Adam, the angel spoke sternly, do memorize one of the first rules, it will be helpful to you: God never puts on anyone more burden than he could bear.

Never? But I will collapse under this burden.

The angel reproached in the same stern tone, Adam, don’t murmur against God. Don’t be like Lucifer who began to contradict the Lord at every step.

Who is Lucifer? Adam asked with concern.

The one closest to the Lord, the angel replied sullenly. A shadow hid his face for a moment. He answers back, argues, never agrees. You should not behave like him. That is dangerous and … simply bad. As I’ve told you, the Almighty created all this world for you only. But you were made with a void in the shape of God in your soul. Nothing can fill that void but God Himself. But He cannot enter a soul of man without permission.

How? Adam cried in shock. The Almighty Lord … cannot?

He can do everything, the angel explained, to any creature except for … you. He made you of earth and His breath. You have a part of Him inside you, so He has no power to treat you like an animal, tree, or stone. You have your own will, as well as God Himself. So you can either allow Him into your soul or not allow.

Puzzled, Adam muttered, Well, I would be the biggest fool if I refused to allow Him in. He who lies down with dogs, gets up with fleas. If He wants to communicate to me, I want it even more … What is your name? Or I must give it to you?

The angel shook his head. God gave it to me. My name is Michael. It was not by accident that God created this world of two origins: Mercy and Justice. When you see more of this world, you will probably wish to try something else …

What? Adam asked in perplexity. Is there something else?

Michael smirked. "You’ll see all of it. It seems to me He has made some initial trap. He wants you to choose His tutorship and guidance in your life by your own free will. By your own, that’s it! I don’t understand why that is needed. He could lay some initial foundations into you … like into all those proud lions, beautiful peacocks or cunning foxes … But God works in mysterious ways!"

He does, Adam replied in a temper. I hate being forced to do anything.

Michael shook his head and disappeared. Adam wanted to stand up and go for