Yahweh breathed into Adam’s nostrils and he became a living soul.
According to the Song, it’s the fruity breath of the beloved that enlivens the lover (7:8). Keel notes that apples were considered an aphrodisiac in the ancient world.
Soul is desire in Scripture. Having received the breath of life from Yahweh, Adam became a living soul – that is to say, a hungry and thirsty soul. But when he saw Eve, he came alive in a new way, his soul was renewed. (Dante wasn’t so far off!)
And then, as I believe I’ve written before, you have the Hebrew pun on “fragrance” ( re-ach ) and “spirit” ( ruach ). The fragrance of the beloved’s breath is, as it were, life-giving spirit.
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