Leaving the boundaries of the Garden of Eden to enter the material world marks a profound transformation in the human condition, shifting humanity's purpose and its relationship with nature. This departure is not merely a physical distancing from Divine closeness, but the dawn of a new reality defined by toil, repair, and struggle. The primary approach among commentators is to view this dismissal as an expression of absolute condemnation and complete expulsion [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, ביאור יש״ר]. Conversely, others suggest that the departure does not necessarily indicate a humiliating banishment. Instead, it can be seen as God granting permission for man to go on his way, or sending him to a new location [שד״ל]. Because humanity is now mortal and entirely dependent on God's mercy, man is not put to death immediately as originally warned. Rather, he is sent out carrying a delayed death sentence that will only be realized in the future [ברכת אשר על התורה].
The process of leaving the Garden was deliberately gradual and calculated. God chose not to drive man out suddenly and in anger, recognizing that such a harsh eviction might cause him to refuse to leave or even prefer death. Therefore, God first sent him away gently, framing the departure as a mission to work the soil outside the Garden. Only after man left willingly did God close the door and finalize the expulsion [תולדות יצחק, אלשיך, הטור הארוך]. This measured separation is compared to the process of divorce, where a spouse is first sent from the home before the relationship is completely severed [אלשיך]. Conceptually, this dismissal functions as a form of exile, similar to the penalty given to one who commits accidental manslaughter, because man brought mortality into the world before possessing complete understanding [חזקוני]. It also operates as a precise consequence: man is sent away so that he will not reach out his hand to take from the Tree of Life [קאסוטו].
The new reality outside the Garden centers on agricultural labor. On a basic level, this is a punishment. Because man failed to appreciate the effortless work of the Garden and did not guard it from evil, he is demoted to exhausting, difficult labor, forced to extract his sustenance through sweat and sadness [רד״ק, קאסוטו, אדרת אליהו]. This demanding toil serves a protective purpose as well, keeping him occupied and preventing the idleness that could lead to further sin [ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, his relationship with the environment changes. Inside the Garden, he was tasked only with preserving nature in its pristine state, but outside, he is granted permission to alter and cultivate the world [קונטרס חיבה יתירה]. Ultimately, some view this labor not just as a penalty, but as the realization of humanity's true purpose. Man was originally destined to live outside the Garden, and it is precisely in a world governed by cause and effect, reward and consequence, that he can fulfill his ultimate potential [העמק דבר, רש״ר הירש].
The destination of this journey brings the story of creation full circle, as man returns to the simple earth from which he was originally formed [בכור שור, שטיינזלץ, קאסוטו]. This earthly environment is actually better suited to his physical nature and material needs [ספורנו]. On a deeper spiritual level, this return to the soil is intimately connected to the process of repentance. According to this view, man is sent specifically to Mount Moriah, the exact location from which his dust was gathered and where the future altar will stand. The very earth that provided the coarse material leading to his failure must now assist in his atonement. In this light, working the ground is not merely an agricultural task; it represents the building of an altar and the offering of a sacrifice, allowing man to repair what he broke in the precise place of his origin [כלי יקר, מלבי״ם, אלשיך].