Cause & Effect

The very first lesson and warning the Creator gave Adam and Chava was about the law of "Cause & Effect."

​The Creator warned Adam and Chava not to eat the forbidden fruit, as if they did, nature would suffer.​

While the decree seemed to come directly from the Creator, the Creator had made Adam and Chava the reason for everything that happens in nature.​

This means they were responsible for any changes to the default setting of the natural order.

But how could eating a fruit cause the natural order to change and suffer?

It looks like they are not related at all, but they actually are.​

So, let's uncover the cosmic connection they failed to see...

Ever wonder why women are drawn to leaders?​

Because their nature is designed to follow.

Similarly, the physical world represents the female aspect of creation—the mother of all living beings—and her nature is designed to respond to human leadership.

By giving Adam and Chava a warning, the Creator conveyed that the physical world does not operate independently; instead, she is a follower that learns and mirrors human behavior.

​​That is to say, if humans act weakly, nature will learn and follow suit; if they act strongly, she will learn and follow suit as well.​

Because nature learns and follows, the Creator warned Adam and Chava not to eat the forbidden fruit. He knew if they failed or behaved weakly, nature would learn, follow, and ultimately be doomed.

In essence, the Creator handed over the manual of creation called—Nature is Our Nature—proving that what we witness in nature is a direct reflection of our own behavior.​

So, let's open this manual and uncover the details of humans' role in the animal kingdom.

As a major part of the physical world, animals as well learned, followed, and became a mirror of human nature.

In the beginning of creation, the Creator appointed Adam to rule over all the animals and name them.

But why did the Creator appoint Adam to rule and name the animals?

How could Adam possibly rule over them while lions were stronger, elephants bigger, and eagles out of reach—not to mention whales and sharks living in a different world?

And how could Adam possibly select the perfect name for each animal to represent its true nature when he had never met them before or spent time observing them?

The answer is found in our own homes: we humans rule over our own children and give them names, reflecting a deep, foundational bond.

What does ruling mean anyway?

The deeper meaning of ruling is being a role model.

Appointing Adam to rule over the animal kingdom means animals learn and follow human leadership.

Adam could not possibly set rules and break them; therefore, he had to obey his own rules.

In other words, he had to be a role model to rule over the animal kingdom.

The secret to both ruling and naming lay in self-mastery: although Adam could not physically control the animal kingdom, the Creator showed him that animals represent his behaviors, and that he could rule them by controlling his own nature.

By bringing all the animals forward, the Creator introduced Adam to his behaviors, and by naming them, Adam recognized those behaviors.

This was evident when the Creator brought the animals to Adam to be named; Adam called the dog “K'lev,” which in Hebrew translates to “Like Heart.” This name was profoundly accurate because the dog perfectly reflected the love, kindness, and curiosity of the human heart.

Adam could identify and name an animal because he recognized a specific part of his own nature reflected in its behavior.

In other words, the Creator appointed Adam to rule over all his own behaviors.

Therefore, when we change a certain behavior, affected animals learn and mirror that change.

If we take advantage of our power to kill animals for sustenance, stronger animals capable of exploiting their power over the weak will be affected, learning and mirroring that behavior and turning their own strength against the weak.

The Torah teaches that at creation, both humans and animals were herbivorous, sustaining themselves solely on vegetation. If animals had been created carnivorous, Adam and Chava could not have survived more than a few days surrounded by apex predators. They could not rule over hungry predators that looked at them as their dinner. Adam could not calmly name a hungry lion and survive either. Later, on Noah’s ark, every creature lived on stored plants. If lions had been carnivorous when they left the ark, they would have eaten the other animals almost immediately, making the survival and repopulation of species with only two of each impossible. After all, why would the Creator create wild predators to destroy what He built in the first place?

Once Noah became the first person to kill animals for meat, predatory instincts awakened in those animals capable of taking advantage of their power to kill for meat; they learned and followed his lead, disrupting the natural order of creation. Because Noah mistook divine permission for a concession—rather than a test of the power to choose—his weak decision-making disrupted the natural order, causing a decline in animal populations and reproductive health. Because Noah failed his moral test, Divine Justice stepped in, and he faced the karmic consequences of his actions through his son, experiencing a parallel punitive struggle in his own ability to multiply and flourish.

If we had the power of speech, it would affect our animals, too. The Torah tells us that Bilaam's donkey spoke his language. Yes, you read that right. You might think this is a made-up story, but according to the law of "Cause & Effect," it is possible. Because Bilaam possessed an extraordinary power of speech, his donkey learned and reflected that ability, allowing it to speak his language. The angel opened the donkey's mouth but did not give the donkey the power of speech that Bilaam possessed.

If we become invaders and stop respecting boundaries, capable animals will be affected, learn, and follow our example, crossing their own boundaries. We are witnessing animals like bears, mountain lions, and coyotes entering our cities, without realizing that humans have become the invaders.

If we betray our partners, it will affect the sexual behavior of animals. Studies show that animals frequently become unfaithful to their partners, even among species that mate for life.

If humans engage in same-sex sexual behavior, it will affect same-sex sexual behavior in animals. Studies show that same-sex sexual behavior occurs across many animal species.

If we intentionally set forests on fire, capable birds like brown falcons and kites will be affected and follow suit, carrying burning sticks to spread fire and hunt fleeing prey.

If we commit sins, our animals can be affected, bearing the consequences of our actions. This is one reason the Creator instructs us to sacrifice* our kosher animals.

Therefore, whenever we see animals doing something, we know exactly who is behind it.​​​

​​​​​The law of "Cause & Effect" teaches that because we humans are the reason for what happens in nature, abusing our power will undermine our physical and spiritual growth.​

​​​​Yes, we live in a world shaped by our behaviors.​

But life should not be the way we are experiencing it.​

When we witness wildlife that is not behaving peacefully, it is because humans are not behaving peacefully.​

Rest assured that just as animals started showing their wild behavior, they can once again show their peaceful nature.​

Note that almost everything the Creator shows us is about showing us our behavior, since that is the only way we can reach our potential.​

The law of "Cause & Effect" helps us to see a reflection of our behavior in nature like a mirror, and thereby correct our mistakes.​

That is why nature is our best teacher.​

The Creator did not change the default setting of the natural order after He created it; humans did. We are the cause and are responsible for restoring nature to the way it was created.

And yes, we do have the power to change nature; if we change our nature, nature will change for us.

​Nature is our nature.​

— Bahram Cohanfard

* Note that according to Jewish law, bringing offerings is historically permissible. After the Exodus, the Creator removed meat from the Israelites' diet. This lack of meat in the desert wasn't a new rule; it was the Creator actively re-establishing the original, true order of creation after Noah's failure. Yet, when the Israelites lost self-control and complained about meat, the Creator relented and provided it, which could mean that meat consumption is restricted to moments of intense craving.