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The Torah says that G-d created "them":

וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם ... זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם׃
And God created man ... male and female He created them.

Later He blesses them:

וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ ...׃
God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, f...”

After G-d (re-)creates Adam He commands him in single:

וַיְצַו ה"א עַל־הָאָדָם לֵאמֹר מִכֹּל עֵץ־הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל׃
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat;

What happened to "them"?

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  • When you go from a narrative in more or less present tense to a summary or viewpoint from a bit or much, much later, events get telescoped. Another example of this is the narrative of the siege of Jerusalem and the killing of Sennacherib by his sons--there were a good 20 years or so between the events, but they're narrated as if one directly followed the other.
    – Gary
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 11:55
  • The Torah of Moshe does not necessarily follow chronological sequence in the arrangement of the sentences. You are making a false assumption.
    – Yaacov Deane
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 17:00
  • @YaacovDeane Between us, I thought that the first part is in אב"י and the last is עשיה and that has to follow, not to precede. Isn't it?
    – Al Berko
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 17:44
  • @AlBerko If you are referring to the kabbalistic fantasy (that many here deny) about multiple universes and multiple dimensions, everything that exists in those 'upper dimensions' manifests here in the lower dimension. (Meaning what you are calling עשיה.) The 'Tanninim' are a distinct & unique life form, of which there were originally only 2. In some places (like Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer if memory serves) the 'Nachash HaKadmoni' is associated to this subject.
    – Yaacov Deane
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 18:17

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Them is not created yet.

The line you quoted Gen 2:16, Hashem is talking to Adam. It says it right there “Vayitzav H”E” Al HaAdam...”

Bereshis second chapter (hereafter Gen 2:) tells of creation details again starting with verse 4. Adam is created in Gen2:7.to Gan Eden in Gen 2:8. The commandment you quote is Gen 2:16-17. Woman is created after that in Gen 2:21-22.

Why the creation narrative is somewhat retold at that point is a whole ‘nother question.

Link to Bereshis 2 https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0102.htm

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  • It appears that according to many interpreters (Rashi) that hold that they were created back to back (see my other question) and then only separated, you're wrong. So you might claim "according to the approach that the Torah is not consequential, ...".
    – Al Berko
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 17:52
  • I believe that the Torah is consequential. Did you mean a different word?
    – Damila
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 18:26
  • Sorry I meant אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה.
    – Al Berko
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 18:29
  • It's a good question. What was the nature of Adam Harishon at the point he (they?) was created? The p'shat is that t Gen:2 has just him until she is created from him. Gen 1 has both, whether they were in one form or separate.
    – Damila
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 18:52

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