Tazria CN Source Sheet

(9) He [Rabban Yohanan] said unto them: go forth and observe which is the right way to which a man should cleave? Rabbi Eliezer said, a good eye; Rabbi Joshua said, a good companion; Rabbi Yose said, a good neighbor; Rabbi Shimon said, foresight. Rabbi Elazar said, a good heart. He [Rabban Yohanan] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach, for in his words your words are included.

Alexander said to the Elders: Who is truly worthy of being called wise? They said to him, citing a tradition (see Avot 2:9): Who is the wise person? The one who sees and anticipates the consequences of his behavior.

לעבדה ולשמרה, “to work it and to preserve it.” The plain meaning of this phrase is that seeing that G-d had already assigned to man what he was to eat, i.e. vegetables and fruit, He now placed him in the garden so that he would practice the art of gardening and plant all manner of crops therein. He was also encouraged to plant all kinds of fruit (trees). He had been placed in that garden in order to enjoy it and to experiment therein at will. His daily food consisted of the fruit provided by the trees in that garden. He would drink from the rivers traversing Eden, whereas he would use the ענני הכבוד, “divine clouds of glory,” as his clothing. His position in that garden was most distinguished. His primary preoccupation was with spiritual delights whereas he spent relatively little time engaged in pleasurable physical pursuits. He enjoyed a most serene state of mind as both his mind and his body cooperated fully in being servants of the Lord.