The landscape emerging from the Garden of Eden is marked by four great rivers, each distinguished by its unique path and natural treasures. The first of these rivers is highlighted for its extraordinary greatness. Flowing directly from Eden, its waters carry a special vitality, nourishing a remarkably rich and fertile land [ספורנו, אבן עזרא].
The exact identity of this first river has sparked considerable geographic debate. The primary approach among commentators is that it refers to the Nile [רש״י, רמב״ן, שטיינזלץ]. According to this view, its name reflects expansion and abundance, capturing how the river's waters rise and swell to irrigate the surrounding land, a region also known for cultivating flax [רש״י, קאסוטו]. However, others strongly disagree. Geographically, the Nile's southern origins seem to contradict the eastern flow of the other rivers mentioned in the same region, such as the Tigris and Euphrates [אבן עזרא]. Furthermore, if it were indeed the famous Nile, it would likely have been named directly without a formal introduction, just as the Euphrates is treated [שד״ל]. Because of these difficulties, alternative suggestions place the river in Armenia, India, or identify it as a tributary of the Euphrates [שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר]. Taking a completely different approach, some argue that attempting to map these rivers on a modern globe is pointless. The narrative describes a utopian world before the first human sin, featuring a global water system that functioned entirely differently than the one we know today. In this view, the names are not standard geographic markers but descriptive Hebrew titles [קאסוטו].
As the river flows, it passes deeply through a specific land, rather than merely encircling its borders [שד״ל]. This region is known as Havilah. Because there were two distinct ancient nations with this name, a defining characteristic is provided: it is the land of gold. This detail clarifies that the river runs through the Havilah located near Ophir, an area in Arabia or the Far East famous for its riches, rather than the Havilah situated near Egypt [בכור שור, חזקוני, ביאור יש״ר, רמב״ן]. The gold found in the sands along the riverbank is not ordinary. It is the purest, most refined gold, entirely free of impurities. This unparalleled quality is a direct result of the land's close proximity to the Garden of Eden [רד״ק, אדרת אליהו, רמב״ן].
Beyond the physical geography, the rushing waters and precious metals carry a deeper moral symbolism. The surging river mirrors the natural human drive to constantly run and chase after material wealth. The specific mention of where the gold is located serves as a profound lesson on the nature of riches: gold holds value exclusively because of its rarity and limited location. If it were found everywhere like common stones, it would be completely worthless [מלבי״ם]. Additionally, the continuous flow of the river represents the natural human trait of kindness, a virtue whose reward in this world is likened to the finest gold [העמק דבר].