גן means guarded place. A place enclosed for the needs of humans. עדן means pleasure, usually meaning fulfilling all one’s material needs.
The Garden of Eden is a real location of earth. (It’s exact location is described in verses 10-14.) It was a designated place, prepared to provide Man with all of his material needs met in response to his work.
Man was created outside The Garden of Eden and was placed into the garden. The garden is prepared for him, awaiting his arrival, ready to meet his every need. But there is no guarantee that he will remain in this garden. The condition for remaining in the garden is to live by God’s laws, making use of the garden as God sees fit.
Man’s is destined to live in the Garden of Eden – life on earth where all of his needs are met. The world around him will flourish and his efforts will succeed when he lives by God’s rules. This is the ultimate destiny for all of mankind. Man grows towards that end in the course of history.
Later in history, the Land of Israel was to be another Garden of Eden on a smaller scale, given to the Jewish people, on condition that they live by God’s laws. In response, the land and all their lives would flourish. This would serve as an example for all of mankind of what they should strive for.
Beraishis 2:8, Page 57
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