Adam’s Prayers

Question

I read this in a book, “Learned Jews have given us the several forms of prayer which Adam addressed to God for pardon.” What does this mean? Does the Talmud give “forms of prayer” to pray, first prayed by Adam?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    I am not sure what the sentence means exactly. In general, the Rabbis teach that Adam prayed to God to be forgiven for sinning by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. They teach that the prayer which Adam composed was later incorporated into the Book of Psalms. The Midrash relates that Adam met Cain after he had killed Abel, and he asked him what judgment he had received. Cain answered that he had been able to mitigate the punishment by repenting. Upon hearing this, Adam (who was still under the shadow of having eaten from the Tree of Knowledge) immediately stood up and recited Psalm 92. That is the first source in the Bible of a specific prayer.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team