After Adam and Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge, H’Shem called to Adam, “Where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9, JPS, 1917 Tanach). He responded, “I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid… so I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10, JPS 1917 Tanach). Adam’s shame compelled him to hide himself. Yet, G-d is all-knowing, as well as omnipresent (everywhere present). He surely knew where Adam was. Then, why did he ask, “Where are you?” The answer often given, is that G-d was challenging Adam’s own awareness, in effect, asking, “Where are you” in your relationship with me?
We learn in the Book of Isaiah that sin separates us from G-d (Isaiah 59:2). Adam and Chava (Eve) lost the oneness that they had with H’Shem; as a result of their transgression, they were expelled from Gan Eden, for having partaken from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Up until that point, everything that they experienced in Gan Eden was in one accord with H’Shem, a nondual perspective. Yet, after eating from the tree that was forbidden to eat from, they became aware of good and evil. For this reason, even today, there is not only the external manifestation of good and evil in the world; there is also an admixture of good and bad in everything we do.
Like Adam and Chava, we cannot hide from H’Shem. He knows our thoughts, speech and behavior. Sin separates us from Him; the path to return is through actually admitting our transgressions, unlike the first couple, who circumvented G-d’s questions. At this time of year, during the Ten Days of Awe, and especially on Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath of Return), we are all asked, “Where are you?” G-d is prompting us to reveal our sins to Him. Yet, sometimes, our sins may be hidden from ourselves; in this case, we may ask Him to reveal our sins to us. Gemar chatimah tovah – a good final sealing.
The Tree of Life 