For many centuries, many people believe these words “Yahweh shaped an earthling from clay of this earth, blew into its nostrils the wind of life. Now look: man becomes a creature of flesh” (The Book of J, 61).This story explains the creation of the first humans and the disobedience of eating the forbidden fruit. Another fascinating book is the Odyssey, Odysseus traveled with his men on his way home. They had many adventures because they had to get food to eat. In this two books, food is very important because is a form of communication and knowledge.

The story begins in a beautiful garden; the first humans are tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. Adam and Hava eat the fruit and are removed from the Garden of Eden. Many people believe in these words which has created many religions and sects. But why do people make a big deal of this event? God had forbidden them to eat because if they did they would die and have knowledge of good and bad. Therefore, this questioned God’s authority and his power. The disobedience led them to suffering and God removed them from the Garden of Eden. In The Book of J, it also mentions the story of Cain and Abel. These two brothers made an offering to their God; Cain offered fruit and Abel from his flock (The Book of J, 66). Food is communication with God.

Food has been an essential necessary for everyone. If there is no food, we question our provider just like in the case of the Odyssey. When Odysseus traveled through the ocean with his men, at one point they had no food and they questioned him. They had to stop in unknown lands to get food. In relation to The Book of J, Moses led the Israelites to freedom into the promise land. But before they reached their destiny, the Israelites encountered many obstacles.

Yahweh provided them with sufficient food: manna. The Israelites complained about the manna saying “But now our spirit dries up from looking at nothing-nothing but manna” (The Book of J, 164). They were craving for the food they had eaten in Egypt but forgetting they had been slaves. Instead of being thankful, they began to weep and criticize Yahweh and Moses. Hearing the Israelites Yahweh spoke to Moses and he said to the people “who will feed us meat as good as we ate in Egypt [...] Yahweh will deliver your flesh, for you to eat” (The Book of J, 165).

Food can be a form of communication and knowledge. In The Book of J, God uses food to show his authority, power and knowledge. The forbidden fruit, manna and the offering is a form of communication between God and the people. In the Odyssey, food was necessary for survival. The story relates many adventures Odysseus and his men had when trying to get food.

Works Cited
Homer. Odyssey .Trans. Stanley Lombardo.Ed. Indiana:Hacket Publishing. 2000
The Book of J. Trans. David Rosenberg.Ed. Harold Bloom. New YorkGrove, 1990.