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Bereishis 3:22 writes: וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ, לָדַעַת, טוֹב וָרָע; וְעַתָּה פֶּן-יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ, וְלָקַח גַּם מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים, וְאָכַל, וָחַי לְעֹלָם

The bolded words make it seem like Hashem is referring to multiple people/beings for man is now "one of us". Who is this group Hashem refers to?

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  • Perhaps the angels?
    – Scimonster
    Jan 12, 2015 at 15:51
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    That may be, but I'm looking for sources. If you have a source for that, perhaps post an answer?
    – Bochur613
    Jan 12, 2015 at 15:53

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Rashi there says:

‏"היה כאחד ממנו" - הרי הוא יחיד בתחתונים כמו שאני יחיד בעליונים ומה היא יחידתו לדעת טוב ורע מה שאין כן בבהמה וחיה

Hashem is comparing Himself to Adam - just like He is unique among the heavenly beings (angels) in His superior knowledge/understanding, so too is man unique among the Earthlings (animals).

Radak compares it to 1:26, where it says בצלמינו כדמותינו. The commentators there all say that He is talking with the angels; this is what Radak says here as well.

ויאמר ה' אלהים וגו' כאחד ממנו, שיתף עצמו יתברך עם המלאכים כמו שאמר בצלמינו כדמותינו.

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    Saadia Gaon says also that the "mimenu" means "from them" not from the heavenly host but from the creations on earth in his knowledge of good and evil.
    – rosends
    Jan 12, 2015 at 16:40
  • I wanted to make the comparison to בצלמינו כדמותינו :P
    – MTL
    Jan 12, 2015 at 21:04

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