וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכָל־מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֙בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
Lalu aku berbalik untuk melihat semua pekerjaan yang telah dibuat oleh tanganku dan jerih payah yang telah kucurahkan untuk mengerjakannya. Ternyata semuanya itu kesia-siaan dan hancurnya keinginan, dan tidak ada keuntungan di bawah matahari.
Rabbeinu Bahya
Looking at our verses from a rational-investigative point of view, we note that even in the names of קין והבל we already find allusions to the subject of existence and destruction (loss), respectively. They were brothers, closely related. The name קין hints at worldly possessions, whereas the name הבל suggests somebody who is extremely humble, almost despising worldly goods. This may have been why he offered sheep, the most humble and undemanding of animals, something that reflected his own philosophy. This is also why G’d took a liking to him. The Torah expresses this with the words וישע ה' אל הבל ואל מנחתו, ”G’d turned to Hevel and to his gift-offering.” The gift-offering of קין on the other hand was מפרי האדמה, “from the fruit (products) of the earth.” This reflected his own preferences, i.e. earthly possessions. He was totally absorbed in working with his body, concentrating on matters of only transient value, matters destined to disintegrate. He was addicted to earthly pleasures and this is the reason G’d did not turn to his offering. The Torah expresses this by writing ואל קין ואל מנחתו לא שעה, “and to Kayin and to his gift-offering He did not turn.”
The self-effacing Hevel was murdered because he did not concern himself worldly concerns, not considering life on this earth as a supreme value. The one who loved worldly possessions wound up being cursed when G’d said to him: “be a vagrant and a wanderer on earth.” He was told not to consider worldly possessions as something permanent. Kayin was to learn this lesson by his not being at home anywhere on earth. His lifestyle reflected what we read in Kohelet 5,9 אהב כסף לא ישבע כסף, “the one who loves silver will never feel satisfied even when he possesses it.” Solomon already alluded to this syndrome of the wanderer in Kohelet 2,23 where he wrote (concerning man’s role on earth) כי כל ימיו מכאובים, “for all his days are painful.” There are numerous other references in Kohelet to this unsatisfactory state of affairs for people who consider the be-all of their existence as being merely תחת השמש, in the regions under control by the sun. All of such statements [which I did not choose to quote in detail. Ed.] are addressed to people of the mentality of Kayin. Every time Solomon speaks about vanities and return to dust, this is the type of human being he has in mind. In Kohelet 2,11 Solomon spells out in detail how futile all the energy he spent on the acquisition of worldly goods had proven to be. Finally, when he concludes his preaching he teaches us that the only true values to be acquired in this life is reverence for G’d and His Torah. It was only Adam’s third son שת who represented what the Torah considers a balanced view of life on earth. This is why basically speaking, the species of mankind was really carried on by that son. It is worthwhile noting that only when Sheth was born does the Torah describe him as reflecting his parents in that he was conceived and born בדמותו וצלמו, “in his likeness and his image (Adam’s). It was quite appropriate that these philosophical considerations should have been alluded to already in the respective names of Kayin and Hevel.
The self-effacing Hevel was murdered because he did not concern himself worldly concerns, not considering life on this earth as a supreme value. The one who loved worldly possessions wound up being cursed when G’d said to him: “be a vagrant and a wanderer on earth.” He was told not to consider worldly possessions as something permanent. Kayin was to learn this lesson by his not being at home anywhere on earth. His lifestyle reflected what we read in Kohelet 5,9 אהב כסף לא ישבע כסף, “the one who loves silver will never feel satisfied even when he possesses it.” Solomon already alluded to this syndrome of the wanderer in Kohelet 2,23 where he wrote (concerning man’s role on earth) כי כל ימיו מכאובים, “for all his days are painful.” There are numerous other references in Kohelet to this unsatisfactory state of affairs for people who consider the be-all of their existence as being merely תחת השמש, in the regions under control by the sun. All of such statements [which I did not choose to quote in detail. Ed.] are addressed to people of the mentality of Kayin. Every time Solomon speaks about vanities and return to dust, this is the type of human being he has in mind. In Kohelet 2,11 Solomon spells out in detail how futile all the energy he spent on the acquisition of worldly goods had proven to be. Finally, when he concludes his preaching he teaches us that the only true values to be acquired in this life is reverence for G’d and His Torah. It was only Adam’s third son שת who represented what the Torah considers a balanced view of life on earth. This is why basically speaking, the species of mankind was really carried on by that son. It is worthwhile noting that only when Sheth was born does the Torah describe him as reflecting his parents in that he was conceived and born בדמותו וצלמו, “in his likeness and his image (Adam’s). It was quite appropriate that these philosophical considerations should have been alluded to already in the respective names of Kayin and Hevel.
Kli Yakar
And as a hint, [the text] mentions the sun, to say, look at the sun that I created to serve you as an act of kindness and charity, for the Holy One, blessed be He, renews in His goodness every day, continually, the work of creation. And all the commandments that God-fearing people who contemplate His name perform in this world are not sufficient to repay this great kindness that the Holy One, blessed be He, does by making the sun shine for them every day, as it is written, But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise (Malachi 3:20). For even for those who fear God, the sun shines as an act of charity. And therefore, Solomon aptly said, There is no profit under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:11), meaning that in all of man’s deeds there is not enough to repay the Holy One, blessed be He, for this great kindness. And therefore it says, Return it to him before the sun sets. For you should look at the sun of charity that I do with you, and then you will learn a lesson, and from Me you shall see and likewise do — just as I make the sun shine for you, so should you shine light for this poor person who walks in darkness with no brightness, as it is written, Is it not to share your bread with the hungry (Isaiah 58:7-8), and adjacent to it, Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and Your light shall shine in the darkness.