Reichu: Nerv is German for — guess what? — “nerve”. However, the pronunciations of the two words are completely different, despite what certain dubs might lead you to believe. But more on that later.
MDWigs: The End of Evangelion Theatrical Program has this to say about the left:
The figure is half of a fig leaf. It hardly needs be said that the fig leaf symbolizes the original sin entangling Adam and Eve, and brings to mind the humans who ate of the Fruit of Wisdom.
HeWhoPostsStuff: Here's my Bible's version:
Genesis 3:6-7 Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for to the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it. Then the eyes of both of them became opened and they began to realize that they were naked. Hence they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves."
Reichu: Interestingly, Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews contains an account of the “fruit-eating incident” from Chavvah's (Eve's) point of view wherein the fig tree is actually identified as the Tree of Knowledge:
… I knew at once that I was stripped of the righteousness in which I had been clothed. I began to weep, because of it and because of the oath the serpent had forced from me. The serpent disappeared from the tree, while I sought leaves wherewith to cover my nakedness, but all the trees within my reach had cast off their leaves at the moment when I ate of the forbidden fruit. There was only one that retained its leaves, the fig-tree, the very tree the fruit of which had been forbidden to me.
MDWigs: As for why it's only half, perhaps it's alluding to the nature of humanity and the Angels. Humanity, with the Fruit of Wisdom, represent half of the whole, complemented (no pun intended) by the Angels with the Fruit of Life.
felineki: The “God's In His Heaven” quote is from a poem by Robert Browning. Apparently the poem is called Pippa's Song, and the relevant passage goes a little something like this:
The year's at the spring, And days's at the morn Morning's at seven The hillside's dew-pearl'd The lark's on the wing The snail's on the thorn God's in His heaven — All's right with the world!
