Our sages say of David and Bathsheba, “She was intended for David…only that he took her before she was ripe” (Sanhedrin 107a).
The same applies to the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge as well.
Adam took it before it was given to him, before the proper time had come, like an unripe fig.
According to this interpretation, the tree and its fruit were actually intended for Adam.
It was only prohibited to eat from it because the proper time had not yet come: Either the man was not yet ready, or the fruit was not yet ripe.
The assumption is that there was an order to the world, a plan as to how things were supposed to unfold, and it went awry.
There are certain things that, when experienced at the right time, can be beneficial, but when experienced at the improper time can be damaging.
–Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
From Talks on the Parasha