The Murder of Abel: Cain's Motives

וְאֶל־קַ֥יִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָת֖וֹ לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֙יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃ הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשׇׁל־בּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קׇם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃

but paid no heed to Cain and his offering. Cain was much distressed and his face fell. And GOD said to Cain, “Why are you distressed, And why is your face fallen? Surely, if you do right, There is uplift. But if you do not do right Sin couches at the door; Its urge is toward you, Yet you can be its master.” Cain said to his brother Abel … and when they were in the field, Cain set upon his brother Abel and killed him.

וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם וגו' (בראשית ד, ח), עַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִים, אָמְרוּ בּוֹאוּ וְנַחֲלֹק אֶת הָעוֹלָם, אֶחָד נָטַל הַקַּרְקָעוֹת וְאֶחָד נָטַל אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין, דֵּין אָמַר אַרְעָא דְּאַתְּ קָאֵם עֲלָהּ דִּידִי, וְדֵין אָמַר מַה דְּאַתְּ לָבֵישׁ דִּידִי, דֵּין אָמַר חֲלֹץ, וְדֵין אָמַר פְּרַח, מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ (בראשית ד, ח): וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיַּהַרְגֵּהוּ, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר שְׁנֵיהֶם נָטְלוּ אֶת הַקַּרְקָעוֹת, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן נָטְלוּ אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטַלִין, וְעַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אֶלָּא זֶה אוֹמֵר בִּתְחוּמִי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִבְנֶה וְזֶה אוֹמֵר בִּתְחוּמִי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִבְנֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יְהוּדָה בַּר אָמֵי אָמַר עַל חַוָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְבוּ חַוָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה חָזְרָה לַעֲפָרָהּ וְעַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא תְּאוֹמָה יְתֵרָה נוֹלְדָה עִם הֶבֶל, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוֹטְלָהּ שֶׁאֲנִי בְּכוֹר, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוֹטְלָהּ שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה עִמִּי, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ וַיָּקָם קַיִן.

It was when they were in the field. Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). “Cain said to Abel his brother. It was when they were…” – about what were they quarreling? This one [Cain] said: ‘I will take her, as I am the firstborn.’ That one [Abel] said: ‘I will take her, as she was born with me.’ As a result: “Cain rose up.”

הֱווּ יוֹדְעִים כּוּ׳. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשָׂה קַיִן בְּהֶבֶל אָחִיו חַבּוּרוֹת חַבּוּרוֹת, פְּצִיעוֹת פְּצִיעוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֵיכָן נְשָׁמָה יוֹצְאָה, עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְצַוָּארוֹ. וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא: מִיּוֹם שֶׁפָּתְחָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת פִּיהָ וְקִיבְּלַתּוּ לְדָמוֹ שֶׁל הֶבֶל, שׁוּב לֹא פָּתְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִרֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק״ – מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא מִפִּי הָאָרֶץ. אֵיתִיבֵיהּ חִזְקִיָּה אָחִיו: ״וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת פִּיהָ״! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְרָעָה פָּתְחָה, לְטוֹבָה לֹא פָּתְחָה. וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא: גָּלוּת מְכַפֶּרֶת עָוֹן מֶחֱצָה. מֵעִיקָּרָא כְּתִיב: ״וְהָיִיתִי נָע וְנָד״, וּלְבַסּוֹף כְּתִיב: ״וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד״.

§ The mishna teaches that the court would say: You should know that cases of capital law are not like cases of monetary law, and would reference the murder of Abel by Cain. Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, says: By employing the plural term for blood, “The voice of your brother’s blood [demei] cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10), the verse teaches that Cain caused multiple wounds and multiple injuries to his brother Abel. As Cain did not know from where the soul departs, he struck him multiple times. This continued until he came to his neck and struck him there, whereupon Abel died. And Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, says: From the day the earth opened its mouth and received the blood of Abel, its mouth has not opened again, as it is stated: “From the corner of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous” (Isaiah 24:16): One can infer that the songs are heard “from the corner of the earth,” but not from the mouth of the earth, as the earth never again opened its mouth. Ḥizkiyya, Rav Yehuda’s brother, raised an objection to Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya: The verse states concerning Korah and his assembly: “And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods” (Numbers 16:32). Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, said to him: It opened again for a deleterious purpose; it did not open again for a constructive purpose. And Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, says: Exile atones for half of a sin. As initially it is written in the verse concerning Cain that he said: “And I shall be a fugitive [na] and a wanderer [vanad ] in the earth” (Genesis 4:14), and ultimately it is written: “And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod” (Genesis 4:16). Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, equates “Nod” with “nad,” and understands that Cain was given only the punishment of being a wanderer. Exile atoned for half his sin, thereby negating the punishment of being a fugitive.

וַאֲמַר קַיִן לְהֶבֶל אָחוּי אִיתָא וְנִפּוּק לְאַפֵּי בָרָא וַהֲוָה כַּד נְפָקוּ תַּרְוֵיהוֹן לְאַפֵּי בָרָא עָנֵי קַיִן וַאֲמַר לְהֶבֶל אָחוּי לֵית דִין וְלֵית דַיָין וְלֵית עֲלָם אוֹחֲרָן וְלָא לְמִתַּן אֲגָר טַב לְצַדִיקַיָא וְלָא לְאִתְפְּרַע מִן רַשִׁיעַיָא וְלָא בְּרַחֲמִין אִיתְבְּרִי עַלְמָא וְלָא בְּרַחֲמִין הוּא מַדְבֵּר מִן בִּגְלַל מַה אִיתְקַבֵּל קוּרְבָּנָךְ מִינָךְ בִּרְעוּ וּמִנִי לָא אִתְקַבֵּל בְּרַעֲוָא עָנֵי הֶבֶל וַאֲמַר לְקַיִן אִית דִין וְאִית דַיָין וְאִית עֲלָם אוֹחֲרָן וְאִית תַּמָן אֲגַר טַב לְצַדִיקַיָיא וּלְאִיתְפְּרַע מֵרַשִׁיעַיָא וּבְרַחֲמִין אִיתְבְּרִי עַלְמָא וּבְרַחֲמִין הוּא מַדְבֵּר בְּרַם בְּפֵירֵי עוֹבָדִין טָבִין הוּא מַדְבֵּר עַל דְהַוָון עוֹבָדַיי תַּקְנִין מִן דִידָךְ אִיתְקַבֵּל קָרְבָּנִי מִנִי בְּרַעֲוָא וּמִינָךְ לָא אִתְקַבֵּל בְּרַעֲוָא וַהֲווֹ תַרְוֵיהוֹן מְנַצִין בְּאַפֵּי בָרָא וְקָם קַיִן עַל הֶבֶל אָחוֹי וְקָטֵל יָתֵיהּ:

And as they two disputed on the face of the field, Kain arose against Habel his brother, and killed him.

וַיִּפְּלוּ פָּנָיו. כִּי כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לַקִּלְקוּל אֵיזוֹ תַּקָּנָה, אֵין רָאוּי לְהִצְטַעֵר עַל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר, אֲבָל רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְהַשִּׂיג תִּקּוּן לֶעָתִיד: גַּם כֵּן הַחַטָּאת מוּכָן לְפָנֶיךָ, כִּי תּוֹסִיף עַל חַטָּאתְךָ פֶּשַׁע, שֶׁכָּךְ דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע:

Why are you angry. Why are you jealous that I accepted your brother’s offering? I did not do so arbitrarily nor was it unjust.

נִכְנַס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי רִיב וּמַצָּה לְהִתְעוֹלֵל עָלָיו לְהָרְגוֹ.

ויאמר קין אל הבל AND CAIN SPAKE TO ABEL — He began an argument, striving and contending with him, to seek a pretext to kill him.

הֲלֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת עַל דַּעַת הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (אונקלוס רש"י ורד"ק) שְׂאֵת עֲוֹנְךָ. וְעַל דַּעַת רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על בראשית ד':ז') שְׂאֵת פָּנֶיךָ כְּנֶגֶד "לָמָּה נָפְלוּ פָנֶיךָ", כִּי הַמִּתְבַּיֵּשׁ כּוֹבֵשׁ פָּנִים לְמַטָּה, וְכֵן "וְאוֹר פָּנַי לֹא יַפִּילוּן" (איוב כט כד), וְהַמְּכַבְּדוֹ כְּאִלּוּ נוֹשֵׂא פָּנָיו לְמַעְלָה, וְזֶה טַעַם "אוּלַי יִשָּׂא פָנָי" (בראשית ל"ב:כ"א), "לֹא תִשָּׂא פְנֵי דָל" (ויקרא יט טו). וְעַל דַּעְתִּי אִם תֵּיטִיב יִהְיֶה לְךָ יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת עַל אָחִיךָ כִּי אַתָּה הַבְּכוֹר, וְזֶה טַעַם "לָמָּה חָרָה לָךְ", כִּי בְּבָשְׁתּוֹ מֵאָחִיו נָפְלוּ פָנָיו, וּבְקִנְאָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ הֲרָגוֹ. וְהִנֵּה אָמַר לוֹ לָמָּה חָרָה לָךְ עַל אָחִיךָ וְלָמָּה נָפְלוּ פָנֶיךָ מִמֶּנּוּ, הֲלֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב יִהְיֶה לְךָ יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת עַל אָחִיךָ, וְאִם לֹא תֵיטִיב לֹא עִמּוֹ בִּלְבַד תְּבוֹאֲךָ רָעָה כִּי לְפֶתַח בֵּיתְךָ חַטָּאתְךָ רוֹבֵץ לְהַכְשִׁילְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ: וְטַעַם וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו שֶׁנִּכְנַס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי רִיב וּמַצָּה לְהִתְגּוֹלֵל עָלָיו וּלְהָרְגוֹ, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית ד':ח'). וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על בראשית ד':ח') כִּי הַקָּרוֹב אֵלָיו שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ כָּל הַתּוֹכָחוֹת שֶׁהוֹכִיחוֹ הַשֵּׁם. וְעַל דַּעְתִּי שֶׁהוּא דָּבֵק עִם "וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה", כִּי אָמַר לוֹ נֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה, וְהָרַג אוֹתוֹ שָׁם בַּסֵּתֶר. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן בַּהֲרִיגָה שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה הָעוֹלָם מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי חָשַׁב שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לְאָבִיו זֶרַע אַחֵר. עוֹד גַּם פָּחַד שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה עִקַּר בִּנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מֵאָחִיו שֶׁנִּתְקַבְּלָה מִנְחָתוֹ:

IS IT NOT THUS, IF THOU MENDEST ‘SE’EITH’. In the opinion of the commentators, this means there is a “lifting” or forgiveness of your sin. And in the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra it means a “lifting” of your face in contrast to [the question G-d asked of Cain]: Why is thy face fallen? For he who is ashamed presses his face downward. Similarly, it is said, And the light of my countenance they cast not down, whereas one who honors him is as if he raises his face upward. This is the sense of the verses: Perhaps he will lift my face; Do not lift the face of the poor. In my opinion the verse means: “If you will mend your ways you will have your rightful superiority in se’eith (dignity) over your brother since you are the firstborn.” And this is the meaning of [G-d’s question to him]: Why art thou wroth? For by virtue of his feeling ashamed before his brother, his face fell, and because of his jealousy of him he killed him, and now the Eternal told him: Why art thou wroth regarding your brother, and why is thy face fallen on account of him? Is it not thus! If thou mendest, you will have superiority in dignity over your brother, and if thou dost not mend, evil will come upon you not only because of him [your brother], for at the door of your house your sin lurks causing you to stumble in all your endeavors. AND CAIN SPOKE TO ABEL HIS BROTHER. He began a conversation of argument and contention with him in order to seek a pretext against him and so kill him. This is the language of Rashi. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the interpretation that appears most likely to him is that Cain related to Abel all the chastisements with which G-d had reprimanded him [and Cain accused Abel of having brought them upon him]. But in my opinion it is connected with the following words of Scripture: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, meaning that Cain said to Abel, “Let us go forth into the field,” and there he secretly killed him. It is possible that his intention in killing Abel was that the world be built up from himself for he thought that his father would not have any more children. He also feared that the main building up of the world might be from his brother, [which seemed likely since it was he] whose offering had been favorably accepted.