Musar su Genesi 4:33

The second: "Who bears iniquity" - and behold, this is greater than the previous. As behold, a man does not do an iniquity without creating a destructive spirit (mashchit); as it is learned (Avot 4:11), "One who transgresses a single iniquity acquires a single prosecutor." And behold, this prosecutor stands in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and says, "X made me." And no creature exists in the world except from the flow of the Holy One, blessed be He - and behold, this destructive spirit that stands in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, from what does he exist? It would be logical that the Holy One, blessed be He, would say, "I do not nourish destructive spirits - he should go to the one that made him and be sustained from him." And the destructive spirit would go down immediately and take his soul, excise him or have him punished according to his punishment - until this destructive spirit is nullified. But the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do this; but He rather bears and tolerates the iniquity - and [just] as He nourishes and sustains the whole world, [so too] does He nourish and sustain this destructive spirit until there be one of three things: Either the sinner repents and he finishes him and nullifies him with his mortifications; or that the righteous Judge nullifies him with afflictions and death; or [that the sinner] goes to Geihinom and he pays his debt there. And that is [the meaning of] that which Kain said (Genesis 4:13), "Is my iniquity too great to bear?" And the Sages, may their memory be blessed, explained it (Midrash Tanchuma, Bereshit 9), "You tolerate the whole world" - meaning nourish and sustain - "and my iniquity is [so] heavy that you cannot tolerate it" - meaning to sustain it until I repent and repair [it]. If so, behold this is a great trait of tolerance - that He nourishes and sustains an evil creature, that the sinner created, until he repents.

It is well known that the atmosphere of the world is filled with influences from the Side of Evil. It is especially rife with accusing angels created from the sins and transgressions of human beings hovering about the air of the world, as is mentioned repeatedly in the Zohar (1:190a; 3:196b). Therefore a person must be wary lest they cling to him as he makes his way to the synagogue. He must bear in mind the Zohar’s teaching (3:263b) that to the left of the doorway lurks the Side of Evil. Concerning this was it written, “Sin crouches at the opening” (Bereishis 4:7). The mezuzah, on the other hand, a reminder of the holy Shechinah, is affixed to right. The mnemonic for this is the verse, “The heart of the wise is to his right” (Koheles 10:2). For that is its place. The mezuzah also represents the Divine attribute known as “Rochel.” Were it not for the name Shaddai (inscribed upon the back of the mezuzah) facing him as he exits it would be impossible for a Jew to go out of his house, for the Side of Evil stands to the left of the door. This is alluded to in the acronym of the verse, “Sin crouches at the opening” — Lapesach CHatos Roveitz, which is the exact reverse of the name “Rochel.” Therefore the name Shaddai is needed to subdue it, as it is written, “And Shaddai (the Almighty) will be your fortress” (Iyov 22:25).

The thirteenth principle is that the light sins should be weighty in one's eyes from four angles: The first is that he should not look at the smallness of a sin, but rather at the greatness of the One who commanded it. The second is that the impulse is in control over the light sins, and that may be a cause to do them constantly. And then they will also be considered like weighty ones - when the punishment of all of the times [it is committed] are combined. And they compared it to a silk thread that is loose and weak; but when you combine it many, many times, it becomes a strong rope. And the third is that from his constantly doing the sin, it becomes like something permissible; and he will remove its yoke from upon him. So he will not protect himself against it and he will be considered from those that remove the yoke and are heretics for one thing. And the fourth is that if he defeats the impulse with something small, he will defeat it tomorrow with something big - as our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 105b), "Anyone who breaks vessels in anger should be in your eyes as if he worships idolatry. For this is the way of the evil impulse: Today it says to you thus, on the morrow, it tells you, 'Go worship an idol.'" And it is stated (Genesis 4:7), "Is it not that if you do right, there is uplift, etc." Its explanation [starting with the end of Genesis 4:6] is: "Why has your face fallen? Is it not that if you do right" actions and repent to Me, "there is uplift" - like the usage (in Job 11:15), "Then, free of blemish, you will uplift your head." And it can be understood as an expression of forgiveness. "But if you do not do right, sin couches at the door" (Genesis 4:7): But if you do not repent from that which you sinned, it is not only this iniquity that will lay with you; but rather the impulse crouches at the door to make you sin in all that you do. And it will always defeat you, since it defeated you and trapped you [now] and it also caught you, and you did not repent. "And its urge is toward you," to lead you astray and it ambushes you at every instant. "Yet you can be its master," if you want to overpower it. Therefore you will be punished for the sin, since I gave you the ability to conquer your impulse.

The thirteenth principle is that the light sins should be weighty in one's eyes from four angles: The first is that he should not look at the smallness of a sin, but rather at the greatness of the One who commanded it. The second is that the impulse is in control over the light sins, and that may be a cause to do them constantly. And then they will also be considered like weighty ones - when the punishment of all of the times [it is committed] are combined. And they compared it to a silk thread that is loose and weak; but when you combine it many, many times, it becomes a strong rope. And the third is that from his constantly doing the sin, it becomes like something permissible; and he will remove its yoke from upon him. So he will not protect himself against it and he will be considered from those that remove the yoke and are heretics for one thing. And the fourth is that if he defeats the impulse with something small, he will defeat it tomorrow with something big - as our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 105b), "Anyone who breaks vessels in anger should be in your eyes as if he worships idolatry. For this is the way of the evil impulse: Today it says to you thus, on the morrow, it tells you, 'Go worship an idol.'" And it is stated (Genesis 4:7), "Is it not that if you do right, there is uplift, etc." Its explanation [starting with the end of Genesis 4:6] is: "Why has your face fallen? Is it not that if you do right" actions and repent to Me, "there is uplift" - like the usage (in Job 11:15), "Then, free of blemish, you will uplift your head." And it can be understood as an expression of forgiveness. "But if you do not do right, sin couches at the door" (Genesis 4:7): But if you do not repent from that which you sinned, it is not only this iniquity that will lay with you; but rather the impulse crouches at the door to make you sin in all that you do. And it will always defeat you, since it defeated you and trapped you [now] and it also caught you, and you did not repent. "And its urge is toward you," to lead you astray and it ambushes you at every instant. "Yet you can be its master," if you want to overpower it. Therefore you will be punished for the sin, since I gave you the ability to conquer your impulse.

And know that when the listener concedes to the evil speech, his lot and measured portion (a scriptural expression [in Jeremiah 13:25], “This shall be your lot, your measured portion”) is with the one who speaks evil speech. For they will surely say, “See, the listeners accepted the thing, and that is a sign that the thing is really true. Even if the listener tilted [his] ear and made himself appear to be listening and believing these words in front of people, this also helps the evil, causes a disgrace to [the subject of the talk], and strengthens the hands of the one who brings his evil speech against people. And King Solomon, peace be upon him, said (Proverbs 25:23), “A north wind tehollel rain, and a raging face, a hidden tongue.” Its explanation is, just like a north wind scatters the clouds and prevents the rain, so does a raging face stop evil speech. For when the speaker sees the face of the listener enraged, he will stop the voice of his raining words. But if he sees that the listener is listening to him, he will not stop his mouth from his lies; and tomorrow will be like today. For he will repeat his stupidity, to always speak false speech; and his tongue will follow the rain of his falsehoods. Tehollel is from the expression challilah (forbid or prevent). And likewise (Numbers 30:3), “he shall not annul (yechal) his word”; and also (Genesis 4:26), “it was then huchal to call,” [which means] it was then prevented.

The differences in atonement
In the same way as the body has sicknesses and ailments, so too does the soul. And the ailments of the soul and its diseases are its evil traits and its sins. But when an evildoer repents from his evil path, God, may He be blessed, heals the soul of the sinner - as it is stated (Psalms 41:5), “O Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” And it is [also] stated (Isaiah 6:10), “and repent and save itself.” And in the way that it is sometimes found with the sicknesses of the body that the sickness lightens itself from upon one, as does the length of most of the ailments, but the body is not cleansed of it without drinking a bitter drink and suffering further by afflicting his soul from [eating] all desirable food; so too is it with the soul sick from great iniquity: And even though most of the sickness is healed, and most parts of the punishment are removed after the repentance - and God, may He be blessed, has gone away from His anger - the soul will not yet be cleansed from the sickness and its sin will not be atoned until the sinner is made to suffer with afflictions, purified with pain and with bad and difficult things that happen to him. [This is] like the matter that is stated (Genesis 4:13-14), “My punishment is too great to bear! Since You have banished me this day from the soil, and I must avoid Your presence; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whoever finds me will kill me.” However through repentance, most of his iniquity was forgiven, the main part of his punishment was removed and he was rescued from death - as it is stated (Genesis 4:15), “and the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest anyone who met him should kill him.” But the punishment of exile remained for him, as it is stated (Genesis 4:12), “and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.” Yet he had mentioned [his] migration with a double expression (fugitive and wanderer); whereas after the repentance, it is [only] stated (Genesis 4:16), “and he dwelt in the land of wandering.”

How great is the power of lashon hara, which is over and against three grave transgressions, as stated in Arachin 15b. And in Midrash Shocher Tov: "The school of R. Yishmael taught: 'All who speak lashon hara mount iniquity over and against three transgressions: idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood, it being written here (Psalms 12:4): 'the tongue that speaks "great" [i.e., slanderous] things'; but, in respect to idolatry (Shemoth 32:31): 'I pray you — this people has sinned a great sin'; in respect to illicit relations (Bereshith 39:9): 'And how shall I do this great evil?'; in respect to the spilling of blood (Ibid. 4:13): 'My sin is too great to bear'" — whence [("things" - plural)] it is derived that lashon hara is severer than these three sins." Another explanation: One who kills a man kills only one soul; but one who speaks lashon hara kills three: the speaker, the accepter, and the one spoken about. Whence do you derive this? From Doeg, who spoke lashon hara about Achimelech before Saul, and the three of them were killed: Saul, who accepted it; Achimelech, who was spoken about; and Doeg, who spoke it. Saul, who accepted it, viz. (I Samuel 31:6): "And Saul died, etc."; Achimelech, who was spoken about, viz. (Ibid. 22:16): "Die, shall you die, Achimelech"; and Doeg, who spoke it, who was driven out of the world [to come], viz. (Psalms 52:7): "G-d also will destroy you forever" from life in the world [to come]. And what caused this? Lashon hara.

Repentance is also good for the bad, that you [should] not say that repentance is only good for the holy part in man - but rather it also sweetens the evil part in him, similar to this [Higher] trait: Know that Kain was bad and was from the snake, but it was stated to him (Genesis 4:7), "Is it not that if you do good, it will be lifted" - do not think that because you are from the side of evil, that you have no reparation; that is a lie! Is it not that "if you do good" and root yourself in the secret of repentance, "it will be lifted," [such] that you will withdraw to there in the secret of the good rooted there - as all the Highest Bitterness has a sweet root and can enter through its root to better itself. And so these same actions improve a person, and his 'volitional sins are made for him [to be] like merits." As behold, those actions that he did were prosecuting from the 'left side.' [If] he repented with complete repentance, behold, he brings these actions in and roots them to the Above. And all of these prosecutors do not become nullified, but rather improve themselves and root themselves in holiness, similar to the [possible] betterment of Kain. And behold, if Kain had repented and been repaired; behold, the volitional sin of Adam (literally the first man) through which he fathered Kain - who is the nest (kina) of impurity - would have been considered a merit, through the secret of 'a child gives merit to the father' (Sanhedrin 104a). However, he did not want to repent. And hence, all the 'side of the left' is drawn from there. But all of its branches are destined to be sweetened, and they will repent and be sweetened. And this is exactly from the reason that we explained - that a person takes the secret of evil to his own roots and sweetens it and brings it into the good. Hence, a person purifies his evil impulse and brings it into the good, and it becomes rooted in holiness Above.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman in Bereshit Rabbah 12,6 says that there are only two instances in which the word Toldot is spelled plene: the example of Ruth we have quoted and Genesis 2,4: אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם. Why do all the other instances have one letter ו missing? Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Avin says that this is due to the six (letter 6=ו) items that G–d has withdrawn from Adam. These are: His זיו, his resplendence [all the editions have זיווג which is an obvious error. Ed.], his life (immortality), his physical height, the fruit of the earth, the fruit of the tree, and the luminaries. All of these are to be restored in the world of the future. Another statement made in that Midrash 23,5 concerns Genesis 4,25, where Eve is reported as naming her third son שת, because "G–d has presented me with another offshoot in place of Abel." Rabbi Tanchum comments that Eve looked at the offshoot (seed) and realized that he had originated from a different sphere, and that would eventually be the Messiah.

The lesson we have to derive from all this is that if we do perchance commit a transgression, we should repent immediately and try to repair the spiritual damage such a transgression has inflicted upon us. Failing to do so brings about the great danger that one transgression leads to another, as indicated by the verse we have just quoted. Had Cain heeded G–d's warning to mend his ways (Genesis 4,7) he would not have become the first murderer in history. Having failed once to heed G–d's advice he not only murdered but turned heretic when he responded to G–d's question: "Where is your brother Abel," with the words "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4,8-9), implying that there is neither judge nor justice in this world.

The lesson we have to derive from all this is that if we do perchance commit a transgression, we should repent immediately and try to repair the spiritual damage such a transgression has inflicted upon us. Failing to do so brings about the great danger that one transgression leads to another, as indicated by the verse we have just quoted. Had Cain heeded G–d's warning to mend his ways (Genesis 4,7) he would not have become the first murderer in history. Having failed once to heed G–d's advice he not only murdered but turned heretic when he responded to G–d's question: "Where is your brother Abel," with the words "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4,8-9), implying that there is neither judge nor justice in this world.

The above is similar to what I have written about elsewhere when I explained Genesis 4,7. There G–d explained to Cain that if he were to be good i.e. אם תיטיב, he could achieve a higher spiritual plateau, שאת. G–d told Cain that the alternative would be לפתח חטאת רובץ, that the חיות described in Ezekiel 1 which are carriers of G–d's throne perspire from their load, and that this perspiration is the river poured over the wicked people in purgatory, (cf. Chagigah 13). The word for perspiration is זיעה, the word G–d used when He told Adam that he would have to earn his livelihood the hard way (Genesis 3,19). [The poisonous nature of perspiration is also described in Bereshit Rabbah 78,1. Ed.] When Israel are free from sin, they act as the carriers of the throne of G–d; in fact they have been created to do just that. They are to occupy an exalted position as personified by the patriarchs who became carriers of G–d's מרכבה. When this idyllic state will have been achieved there will no longer be a purgatory since there will not be any perspiration by the חיות which were described in Ezekiel's vision as the carriers of the מרכבה. This is the vision or promise held out by G–d to Cain, that man has the potential of elevating himself to such a spiritual level. If man fails to achieve this level, the מרכבה will have to be carried by other creatures whose poisonous sweat creates גהנם.

Yitro's words "עתה ידעתי" "now I know," (Exodus 18,11) reflect this new-found knowledge of Yitro (Cain). Cain had murdered because he did not believe that G–d is a judge, that there is justice in the world, and that there is life after death. The Targum Yonathan says that the word "עתה" represents Yitro's new found insight, and that this is the reason that this portion about the installing of a broadly based system of judges was added at Exodus 18,21. (I have not been able to find this in the Targum Yonathan. Ed) The reason Yitro had entrusted (given) his flock to Moses (Exodus 3,1) was that it was symbolic of the sheep he had stolen from his brother Abel in his previous incarnation, the latter having been a shepherd (Genesis 4,2). Moses had not wanted to accept this flock, believing it to be rightfully Yitro's. The Rabbis do not like someone tending the property of an idol worshipper, since the chances are that such property may have been acquired as payment for services rendered to idols. The Torah therefore stresses צאן יתרו, that the flock was not derived from such sources.

And, in truth, this is a great error. For if so, why did the Torah command this [(abstention from lashon hara)] by a negative commandment? Is it not known that "the Holy One Blessed be He does not deal despotically with His creatures"? The Torah, then, should have included this only in the class of middoth [desirable character traits], like other holy middoth, that are addressed only to unique individuals, [and not as a mitzvah]. But certainly the Creator of man put it in the power of each and every Jew that if he only puts his eyes and his heart to his ways he can avoid this [(speaking lashon hara)]. As we find in Sifrei, Parshath Ha'azinu (Devarim 32:4): "He is a G-d of trust, without wrong." That is, He did not create men to be reshaim, but to be tzaddikim. (For if not so, there is wrong, G-d forbid, in the ordinance of the Blessed One in the punishment that He metes out to them afterwards.) And thus is it written (Koheleth 7:29): "G-d made man just and they sought out many [devious] accountings." And thus is it stated in Tanchuma, Parshath Bereshith 7: "G-d made man just" — The Holy One Blessed be He, who is called "tzaddik and yashar [just]," created man in His image only to be tzaddik and yashar, as He is. And if you ask: "Why, then, did He create an evil inclination, of which it is written (Bereshith 8:21): 'For the inclination of a man's heart is evil from his youth'? You say: 'It is evil. Who can make it good?' The Holy One Blessed be He answers: "You made it evil. You were a child and did not sin. You grew up and you sinned. [That is, a man draws it (the yetzer) upon himself by his acts and by his affairs. For the Holy One Blessed be He gave man the power to withstand it and to make it his servant in many areas for the ultimate end, as it is written (Bereshith 4:17): "And you shall overcome it." And it is written (Mishlei 29:21): "One who indulges his servant from youth, etc." The words lend themselves to much elaboration.] And how many things there are in this world tougher than the yetzer hara and more bitter than it, yet you 'sweeten' them. There is nothing more bitter than lupine, yet you exert yourself to soak it and to season it in water seven times until it is sweet, and so with mustard and caper. Now, if the bitter things which I have created, you season to your needs, the yetzer hara, which is given into your hands, how much more so!"

And, in truth, this is a great error. For if so, why did the Torah command this [(abstention from lashon hara)] by a negative commandment? Is it not known that "the Holy One Blessed be He does not deal despotically with His creatures"? The Torah, then, should have included this only in the class of middoth [desirable character traits], like other holy middoth, that are addressed only to unique individuals, [and not as a mitzvah]. But certainly the Creator of man put it in the power of each and every Jew that if he only puts his eyes and his heart to his ways he can avoid this [(speaking lashon hara)]. As we find in Sifrei, Parshath Ha'azinu (Devarim 32:4): "He is a G-d of trust, without wrong." That is, He did not create men to be reshaim, but to be tzaddikim. (For if not so, there is wrong, G-d forbid, in the ordinance of the Blessed One in the punishment that He metes out to them afterwards.) And thus is it written (Koheleth 7:29): "G-d made man just and they sought out many [devious] accountings." And thus is it stated in Tanchuma, Parshath Bereshith 7: "G-d made man just" — The Holy One Blessed be He, who is called "tzaddik and yashar [just]," created man in His image only to be tzaddik and yashar, as He is. And if you ask: "Why, then, did He create an evil inclination, of which it is written (Bereshith 8:21): 'For the inclination of a man's heart is evil from his youth'? You say: 'It is evil. Who can make it good?' The Holy One Blessed be He answers: "You made it evil. You were a child and did not sin. You grew up and you sinned. [That is, a man draws it (the yetzer) upon himself by his acts and by his affairs. For the Holy One Blessed be He gave man the power to withstand it and to make it his servant in many areas for the ultimate end, as it is written (Bereshith 4:17): "And you shall overcome it." And it is written (Mishlei 29:21): "One who indulges his servant from youth, etc." The words lend themselves to much elaboration.] And how many things there are in this world tougher than the yetzer hara and more bitter than it, yet you 'sweeten' them. There is nothing more bitter than lupine, yet you exert yourself to soak it and to season it in water seven times until it is sweet, and so with mustard and caper. Now, if the bitter things which I have created, you season to your needs, the yetzer hara, which is given into your hands, how much more so!"

Chazal have said (Reishith Chochmah, Sha'ar Ha'anavah 4): "In three instances the Holy One Blessed be He overlooked idol worship; but He did not overlook machloketh. First, in the generation of Enosh, when men began to serve idols, as it is written: 'Then they began to call [idols] in the name of the L-rd.' But, because there was peace among them, the Holy One Blessed be He allowed them a hiatus. In the generation of the flood, however, because there was machloketh among them, so that they stole and plundered from each other, the Holy One Blessed be He did not relent, as it is written (Ibid. 6:"13): 'Because the earth was filled with violence by them, etc.' Second, in the generation of the desert when the Jews came to make the golden calf, the Holy One Blessed be He forgave them; but when they lapsed into machloketh, the Holy One Blessed be He did not overlook it. For wherever you find 'and they protested' [vayalinu] of machloketh, you find a great smiting, the most extreme instance being the Korach rebellion. Third, the image of Micah. Because there was peace among them, they were given a grace period, as it is written (Judges 18:30): 'And the children of Dan set up the image; and Yehonathan, the son of Menasheh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.' But when the tribes contended with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and there was no peace among them, they became scourges to each other. When the one sinned, the Holy One Blessed be He would bring the other upon him and exact payment from him, as it is written (II Chronicles 13:17): 'And Aviyya and his people slew them with a great slaughter, so there fell slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.' And when the tribes of Judah and Benjamin sinned, the ten tribes came and exacted punishment of them, as it is written (Ibid. 28:6): 'For Pekach, the son of Remalyahu, slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day.'" We are hereby taught that men of machloketh become instruments of destruction, one to the other.

Opposition to the concept of a Jewish nation began soon after the creation of man, since only Israel is described as "אדם" (Yevamot 61). The jealousy commenced with Cain, who was the first rebel who wanted to effect a separation between man who cleaved to G–d, and who wanted to destroy the whole celestial structure (as per commentary of Rekanati, commentator of the Zohar). All of this because his offering to G–d had been rejected (Genesis 4,5). In this way he wanted to "pay back" G–d, so to speak. He believed that by killing off one of the seven human beings that comprised mankind at that time, i.e. Adam, Eve, himself, his twin sister, as well as Abel and his two twin sisters (compare Bereshit Rabbah), he would not only destroy the equilibrium on earth , but also the equilibrium in the Celestial Regions. Thus far the Rekanati.

This is the reason that Cain, who represents the קליפה, was born before his brother Abel, who represents the fruit. The former said to G–d (Genesis 4,9) after having murdered Abel: "Is it my function to serve as the קליפה, "husk," for my brother?" Our sages understand this comment as Cain referring to this function in his life, because they understand the meaning of the word שומר to be the same as שומר הפרי, "the protective shell around the fruit." The letter ה in front of the word השומר indicates Cain's ongoing amazement. He cannot get over the fact that the evil urge within him, i.e. the קליפה, so overpowered him. His reaction was similar to ours when we acknowledge having sinned, blaming the evil urge within us.

This also helps explain Yitro's question "ואיו, למה זה עזבתן את האיש" (Exodus 2,20) "where is he, why did you abandon the man?" The sequence should have been , למה זה עזבתן את האיש, ואיו, "why did you abandon the man, and where is he?" Then the letter ו would be justified as a letter denoting something additional. Yitro was not clear whether he should understand the words איש מצרי literally, i.e. an Egyptian, or whether he should read a more profound meaning into it as we have just described. Therefore, he said "call him so he can eat bread." These words would be appropriate both if the man was indeed an Egyptian in which case he deserved to be rewarded at least with a meal. If, on the other hand, איש מצרי meant what we have just described, then the words "call him and he shall eat bread" is a euphemism for offering Moses one of Yitro's daughters' hand in marriage, since clearly one of them was meant to become Moses' wife. This is why he said ואיו, the letter ו both at the beginning and at the end of the word אי "where?" That letter could then be applied to either possibility. It would then be a reminder of G–d's original question "אי" "where is your brother Abel?" (Genesis 4,9) Another possibility is the one mentioned by the Zohar, that the letter ו is symbolic of the sign, אות that G–d gave Cain, i.e. a letter from the holy Torah, so that no one who came across him would kill him as a murderer. (Rosenberg Montreal edition page 42)

This also explains the Midrash saying that Tzipporah was so named, since like a bird, צפור, she purified, the reference being to the offerings of צפורים to signify purification of people who had previously been afflicted with צרעת (Shemot Rabbah 32; Leviticus 14,4). Similarly it is used to purify the house afflicted with certain kinds of stains (Leviticus 14,49). Rabbi Yossi used to refer to his wife as "his house". As long as this twin sister of Abel had been under the control of Cain,- maybe she (Tzipporah) blamed G–d. Cain was jealous, blaming his fate on the original sin of his father Adam who had brought contamination into the world, had made him an outcast like the מצרע the person afflicted with that skin disease. This fits because we know that such an affliction is usually due to slanderous talk of a person (Eyruvin 15). Moses' staff, מטה, was rooted in the עץ החיים, tree of life, the סוד of Abel who had not been tainted with sin. Abel lived for 49 days as the Ari zal explains the meaning of the word שבעתים "sevenfold," to mean seven times seven (Genesis 4,15). The word יקם, "will be avenged," is composed of the respective letters in the threesome יתרו-קין-מצרי. Abel lived 49 days in this world which was created with the letter "ה" (Genesis 2,4, see Menachot 29). The number 49 is equivalent to the numerical value of the word מט"ה, Moses' staff. The letter ה in the word is a reference only to G–d having created the world with the help of that letter. It became the staff and symbol of Moses later on. When Moses refused the mission to go to Pharaoh and bring about the חידוש העולם, his staff was turned into a צרעת serpent, and his hand became afflicted with צרעת, to show that he had aborted his purpose in life.

We also find by Kayin and Hevel (Bereishis Raba 22:5): "Hevel brought from the first born of his sheep and of their fats". While, as they explained, Kayin brought from among the worst of the fruits of the land. What was the result? "and the L-rd turned to Hevel and his offering, but for Kayin and his offering He paid no heed" (Bereishis 4:5).

We find two opinions in Bereshit Rabbah 22,12, as to the kind of "sign" G–d gave to Cain. Rabbi Yehudah says that G–d made the sun shine for him. Rabbi Nechemyah says that G–d certainly would not have gone out of His way to make the sun shine for such a sinner, rather the "sign" was a form of צרעת, skin excema, very visible. This comment is not to be understood as disagreement with Rabbi Yehudah. G–d said to Moses: "If they will not believe you, and not listen to the impact of the first "sign" (miracle), they will be convinced by the impact of the second miracle." The first sign was that Moses' face would shine like the sun, and Cain would benefit from this. Rabbi Nechemyah elaborates that Cain certainly would not benefit from this, until, when re-incarnated and his soul had been cleansed since he had accepted G–ds judgment, he had become Yitro. Only then would his sign be radiation of the face of Moses, rather than the sign of צרעת. We find a reference to this in Exodus 22,1: "If the thief is discovered in a hideout." The thief referred to is Cain who had tried to cheat G–d (גנבת דעת, see Rashi's comment on Genesis 4,9). The Torah in Exodus 22,1, continues: "If he is struck down and dies as a result, there is no blood (guilt)." However, if the sun shone upon him, (the thief) there is blood (guilt). What is meant is the גלגל החמה, i.e. after he had reformed and had become rehabilitated (galgal should be read gilgul metamorphosis).

We find two opinions in Bereshit Rabbah 22,12, as to the kind of "sign" G–d gave to Cain. Rabbi Yehudah says that G–d made the sun shine for him. Rabbi Nechemyah says that G–d certainly would not have gone out of His way to make the sun shine for such a sinner, rather the "sign" was a form of צרעת, skin excema, very visible. This comment is not to be understood as disagreement with Rabbi Yehudah. G–d said to Moses: "If they will not believe you, and not listen to the impact of the first "sign" (miracle), they will be convinced by the impact of the second miracle." The first sign was that Moses' face would shine like the sun, and Cain would benefit from this. Rabbi Nechemyah elaborates that Cain certainly would not benefit from this, until, when re-incarnated and his soul had been cleansed since he had accepted G–ds judgment, he had become Yitro. Only then would his sign be radiation of the face of Moses, rather than the sign of צרעת. We find a reference to this in Exodus 22,1: "If the thief is discovered in a hideout." The thief referred to is Cain who had tried to cheat G–d (גנבת דעת, see Rashi's comment on Genesis 4,9). The Torah in Exodus 22,1, continues: "If he is struck down and dies as a result, there is no blood (guilt)." However, if the sun shone upon him, (the thief) there is blood (guilt). What is meant is the גלגל החמה, i.e. after he had reformed and had become rehabilitated (galgal should be read gilgul metamorphosis).

To illustrate, obviously, it is proper for every person to arrive early and run to perform a mitzva, striving to be among those occupied in it. However, sometimes this could lead to a dispute, whereby there will be more desecration of the Name of Heaven and shame to the mitzva than honor. In such cases, certainly the Chasid is obligated to abandon the mitzva and not pursue it.

The general principle: whatever is essential in the mitzva, should be done before all mockers. But whatever is not essential and causes laughter and ridicule, one should not do.

Before G–d had begun to create the universe, He had already created the instrument called תשובה, as we know from the verse טרם הרים יולדו, "Before the mountains had been born" (Psalms 90,2). The reason is simply because G–d had been aware of how things would develop. By creating the instrument of repentance G–d created an instrument that "overrode" all things created later. This is why G–d had been able to say already to Cain: "Surely, if you do right, there is a lifting up, i.e. rehabilitation" (Genesis 4,7).

Alternatively, the word הבל as used by the Yalkut, refers to Adam's son הבל, who on the surface at least seemed to have pleased G–d since the Torah reports G–d as favoring his offering, i.e. וישע ה' אל הבל ואל מנחתו (Genesis 4,4). This indicates that the true beauty of Adam was Abel; Cain was rooted in the סטרא אחרא, as we have pointed out previously. Abel had a soul of a higher calibre, and Kabbalists consider that Moses was the reincarnation of הבל. According to that view, הבל-שת-משה, shared the same soul. The reason הבל represented Adam's beauty is that whereas Adam's "heel" was responsible for "darkening the light of the sun," the face of Moses is considered as having restored that darkened light; our sages compare him to the sun itself (Baba Batra 75). The personalities of הבל and subsequently שת developed through these reincarnations until eventually in the person of Moses they reached their zenith on which the Torah reports: ומשה עלה אל האלוקים, "and Moses ascended to G–d" (Exodus 19,3) and separated from his wife. At that point Moses became the "husband" of מטרוניתא [a heavenly being that was his זווג ראשון, ideal mate. Ed.], as mentioned in the Zohar. This is what the Yalkut had in mind when it explained the meaning of אשה יראת ה' היא תתהלל.

Concerning my discussion of the nature of Adam's sin, the Torah hints that the whole phenomenon of כי יריבון אנשים (21,18), when men quarrel, is only an outgrowth of Adam's original sin; i.e. the strife between Cain and Abel. The words that אם יקום והתהלך בחוץ, describe the fact that though Cain killed Abel, this death was not final, but he was re-incarnated in someone else's body, i.e. that of Moses. The word משענת, is a reference to Moses' staff, מטה. The words ונקה המכה, are reminiscent of G–d telling Cain that he who would kill him would be avenged שבעתים (Genesis 4,15). The Ari zal, writes that the letters in the word יקם, are simultaneously the first letters of יתרו, קין, מצרי, the three people whose bodies housed part of Cain's soul at a later period in history.

The Torah writes: (4,33-5,20) הקול מתוך החשך וההר בוער באש." Seeing that fire and darkness are almost exact opposites, how do we explain that the Israelites heard the voice of G–d both from out of darkness and from out of fire? Clearly there is a mystical dimension to this. Another word for fire is שלהבת. This word divides into הבל and שת, the names of the two people reincarnated in Moses. The word חשך, darkness, on the other hand, refers to Cain who ended up in darkness. The Arizal explains the relationship between אדם, חוה, קין, והבל still better. אדם is perceived as having emerged from the second highest emanation חכמה which in turn is equivalent to כח מ"ה. This means the combination of the soul, נשמה plus the "junior" power symbolized by the number 45, the numerical value of אדם, the concept of Man. חוה emerged from the next lower emanation בינה. She was אם כל חי, "the mother" of all subsequent human beings. קין והבל originated in the domain of דעת, [an emanation in the center line of the diagram, below כתר but above תפארת. Ed.] הבל had received input from the emanation חסד, as suggested by his name (as we demonstrated before) whereas קין had received 5 units of input from the emanation גבורה, which is fed by the emanation בינה. This גבורה is sort of a קן, i.e. nest, receptacle for the חכמה. The combined units of input from the emanations בינה and חכמה are 10; they account for the letter י in the middle of his name. This is the deeper meaning of Psalms 84,4: ודרור קל לה, where the letter ק is written larger and which separates between דרוד and the letter ן. This is to alert us to the fact that דרור, freedom is equated with בינה, i.e. יובל =50. קין was predominantly part of חוה, who represented בינה; this is why she said קניתי איש את ה' when she bore him. By this she meant to say: "I have acquired a man with G–d, i.e. as distinct from "with Adam." Having said that קין was the "receptacle" of input from both חכמה and בינה, and in view of the letter ן at the end of his name alluding to the fifty gates of בינה, we can understand what G–d meant when He asked Cain אי הבל אחיך, "Where is your brother Abel?" G–d criticized Cain who should have remembered that he was the שומר, the receptacle for his brother. Cain represented the female, Abel the male. The female is the receptacle for the male. The word אי may be understood as an acronym of אינך יודע "Don't you know?" Furthermore, the letter א alludes to בינה, whereas the letter י alludes to חכמה. When G–d's name is spelled א-ה-י-ה, this symbolizes His manifestation in the emanation בינה, whereas when it is spelled י-ה-ו-ה it symbolizes His being manifest in the emanation חכמה. Seeing that the reference to אחיך most definitely refers to someone male, G–d made it clear that Cain represented the female in that pair, i.e. the sister, אחות. When G–d had told Cain previously -when the latter was upset that his offering had been rejected- (Genesis 4,5-7), הלא אם תיטיב שאת, "Surely if you do right there is uplift (forgiveness)!" the word שאת could be read as אשת, "wife of." In the future the אשת חיל, woman of valor, will be described as the crown of her husband, and at that time G–d will govern the world using the emanation גבורה i.e. דין, seeing that mankind will be on such a high level that G–d does not have to make allowances for man's weakness and employ the attribute of רחמים as He does in this present world.

The Torah writes: (4,33-5,20) הקול מתוך החשך וההר בוער באש." Seeing that fire and darkness are almost exact opposites, how do we explain that the Israelites heard the voice of G–d both from out of darkness and from out of fire? Clearly there is a mystical dimension to this. Another word for fire is שלהבת. This word divides into הבל and שת, the names of the two people reincarnated in Moses. The word חשך, darkness, on the other hand, refers to Cain who ended up in darkness. The Arizal explains the relationship between אדם, חוה, קין, והבל still better. אדם is perceived as having emerged from the second highest emanation חכמה which in turn is equivalent to כח מ"ה. This means the combination of the soul, נשמה plus the "junior" power symbolized by the number 45, the numerical value of אדם, the concept of Man. חוה emerged from the next lower emanation בינה. She was אם כל חי, "the mother" of all subsequent human beings. קין והבל originated in the domain of דעת, [an emanation in the center line of the diagram, below כתר but above תפארת. Ed.] הבל had received input from the emanation חסד, as suggested by his name (as we demonstrated before) whereas קין had received 5 units of input from the emanation גבורה, which is fed by the emanation בינה. This גבורה is sort of a קן, i.e. nest, receptacle for the חכמה. The combined units of input from the emanations בינה and חכמה are 10; they account for the letter י in the middle of his name. This is the deeper meaning of Psalms 84,4: ודרור קל לה, where the letter ק is written larger and which separates between דרוד and the letter ן. This is to alert us to the fact that דרור, freedom is equated with בינה, i.e. יובל =50. קין was predominantly part of חוה, who represented בינה; this is why she said קניתי איש את ה' when she bore him. By this she meant to say: "I have acquired a man with G–d, i.e. as distinct from "with Adam." Having said that קין was the "receptacle" of input from both חכמה and בינה, and in view of the letter ן at the end of his name alluding to the fifty gates of בינה, we can understand what G–d meant when He asked Cain אי הבל אחיך, "Where is your brother Abel?" G–d criticized Cain who should have remembered that he was the שומר, the receptacle for his brother. Cain represented the female, Abel the male. The female is the receptacle for the male. The word אי may be understood as an acronym of אינך יודע "Don't you know?" Furthermore, the letter א alludes to בינה, whereas the letter י alludes to חכמה. When G–d's name is spelled א-ה-י-ה, this symbolizes His manifestation in the emanation בינה, whereas when it is spelled י-ה-ו-ה it symbolizes His being manifest in the emanation חכמה. Seeing that the reference to אחיך most definitely refers to someone male, G–d made it clear that Cain represented the female in that pair, i.e. the sister, אחות. When G–d had told Cain previously -when the latter was upset that his offering had been rejected- (Genesis 4,5-7), הלא אם תיטיב שאת, "Surely if you do right there is uplift (forgiveness)!" the word שאת could be read as אשת, "wife of." In the future the אשת חיל, woman of valor, will be described as the crown of her husband, and at that time G–d will govern the world using the emanation גבורה i.e. דין, seeing that mankind will be on such a high level that G–d does not have to make allowances for man's weakness and employ the attribute of רחמים as He does in this present world.

The word מגדיל, on the other hand, commences with the vowel Patach suggestive of G–d's outstretched hand, His initiating relations with man. Accordingly, the vowel Chirik in that word occurs later and under the letter ד near the end of the word. A complete treatise dealing with the symbolism of the vowels is found in Pardes Rimonim in the שער הנקודות. Consider also that the spelling מגדול used in Samuel represents a higher degree of sanctity, since the Holy Spirit with which the Books of Prophets have been composed is of a higher order than that of the Hagiographa, which include the Book of Psalms. It makes sense therefore, that on such days as Sabbaths and New Moons, days on which we are suffused with more spirituality than during the week, we should say מגדול rather than מגדיל. Both the Sabbath and the New Moon are days on which we are aware of our ultimate destiny to be worthy of the אור של בראשית, and of a world which is filled with sanctity daily, not only on the Sabbath.

it is well known that Kabbalists have said that Korach was the re-incarnation (גלגול) of Cain. Cain had to undergo three גלגולים, one each for his נפש, his רוח, and his נשמה. They were the Egyptian whom Moses had slain; Yitro, Moses' father-in-law,as alluded to in Judges 4,17. In that verse Yael is described as the wife of Chever Hakeyni, the word "Hakeyni" being a reference to her being descended from Cain." He reappeared in the guise of Korach. Moses, on the other hand, was a re-incarnation of Abel whom Cain had killed. Moses took revenge on behalf of Abel on three separate occasions. 1) When he killed the Egytian who was the re-incarnation of Cain's נפש. This is hinted at in the wording ויך את המצרי. The numerical value of ויך, when you add one digit for the word itself, equals the numerical value of הבל, i.e. 37. The word המצרי, equals the numerical value of משה, i.e. 345. 2) Yitro deferred to Moses by giving him his daughter Tzipporah as a wife. She was the (גלגול) of the extra twin that had been born with Abel, on whose account Cain had slain Abel out of jealousy. When Korach now started a quarrel he simply reverted to the pattern in which his original ancestor Cain had acted. 3) Moses then killed him (i.e. caused his death), fulfilling the Torah's commandment that if someone has shed innocent blood, his own blood will be spilled by human hand (Genesis 9,6). We must understand that verse as telling us that the very person who had been slain, will in due course slay his murderer. This is why we find Moses, who was in reality the re-incarnation of Abel, slaying Korach who was the re-incarnation of Cain. The fact that Korach's death was due to the earth swallowing him was also an example of the punishment fitting the crime, since the same earth had been remiss when it opened to hide the evil deed that Cain had committed, and "covered" his blood (compare Genesis 4, 10/11). All this is explained by the Tziyoni.

The three groups of rebels we have mentioned represented the three negative virtues of קנאה, תאוה, and כבוד, jealousy, greed, and craving for honour. These are the traits that contribute to man losing his life (both here and in the Hereafter). They are the very opposites of the good characteristics described earlier. Korach was afflicted by jealousy, Datan and Aviram were affected by greed, and the two hundred and fifty men suffered from the desire to achieve higher status. We shall now elaborate on this: Korach's jealousy was a trait due to the original serpent. The serpent had denied creation ex nihilo by holding out the hope that Eve would become like G–d, and suggesting that G–d had created the universe only after having eaten from that tree. Anyone who denies creatio ex nihilo, is in effect denying the existence of G–d and the existence of a system of justice and fairness, and therefore accountability, supervised by the Creator. When Cain had started his quarrel with Abel he had said that there was no judge, no justice, and no Hereafter, as is evident from the Targum Yonathan on Bereshit 4,8. Korach also denied the prophetic powers of Moses, that the Torah originated in Heaven and that the earth had been created because of the merit of Moses, as we have been told בראשית, בשביל משה, שנאמר וירא ראשית לו (Deut 33,21). Moses represented the very opposite of jealousy as we know from when he said to Joshua: "Are you going to practice jealousy on my behalf?" (Numbers 11,29) He was anxious that the spirit of prophecy should proliferate throughout the Jewish nation.

We must appreciate that when G–d created different worlds, He named, i.e. formed and defined them by means of a combination of the letters of the alphabet. Our sages say that Betzalel understood the mystery of the combinations of all of these letters which make up the names [definitions] of all things found in this world (Berachot 55 based on the word שם in Exodus 35,30). Early man, who was still בצלם אלוקים, was still able to understand the significance of the names of G–d, and used these names to serve Him in holiness and love in order to cleave to Him. This condition came to an end with the generation of Enosh, as we have explained earlier based on Bereshit Rabbah. When we read in Genesis 4,26 that during the lifetime of Enosh אז הוחל לקרא בשם ה', "then one began to profane the name of the Lord," the meaning is that people no longer used His Name in holiness but desecrated it. The expression הוחל indicates something that is profane, חולין. This situation continued until the advent of the deluge. When the Torah speaks about המה הגבורים אשר היו מעולם אנשי השם, "they were the heroes of old, men of the "Name" (Genesis 6,4), this means that these people used the name of G–d to manipulate the universe, as described in the Zohar, Sullam edition page 209. The expression אנשי השם in Genesis, and the expression ויקוב את השם in Leviticus 24,11, where the Torah refers to the blasphemer, suggests a similar misuse of the Holy Name of G–d in both instances. It was the ability of these people to use G–d's name in order to manipulate it that made them disregard the warnings of an impending deluge. All this is described at greater length in the Zohar. We find that the people of Jerusalem are described by the prophet Ezekiel 12,19 as also having displayed misplaced optimism concerning the prophecies of doom by Jeremiah. The people's very knowledge of G–d's name was what misled them. This is the justification for the reference in Ezekiel to these people as "dwellers in ruins" when in fact they were still dwelling in Jerusalem.

פשתן, flax, and צמר, wool, are the mystical dimensions of Cain and Abel respectively. History has taught that the two, i.e. Cain and Abel, did not mix successfully.

ומותר האדם מן הבהמה – When the author of our prayer refers to the advantage man enjoys over the beasts as אין, the equivalent of Hiyuli in the Celestial Regions, he is telling us that in those Regions there is no-one who can help us (except G–d, as indicated by Isaiah 63,16). Hence all the salvations that we experience in this world are ultimately futile. This is what Solomon, in Kohelet 1,2, referred to when he exclaimed: הבל הבלים, הכל הבל, "vanity of vanities, all is vanity." A different approach to this line in the prayer understands it as a reference to Adam's two sons Cain and Abel. Cain has long ago ceased to exist and only Abel, or his גלגול, is still around, only because G–d accepted Abel's sacrifice. We have stated that Moses (after שת) was the re-incarnation of Abel. Since no one ever arose who could compare to Moses, the author of our prayer refers to this as the מותר האדם, the surviving remnant of original אדם.

This is why the Torah says: והאדם ידע את חוה אשתו, "man knew his wife Eve." We find a similar description of the union of Elkanan and his wife Chanah, a holy union which resulted in the birth of the prophet Samuel (Samuel I 1,19). Just as the emanation יסוד is the link between the "junior" emanations תפארת and מלכות, through the covenant of circumcision, so “כתר represents the link between the "senior" emanations חכמה and בינה. The inseparable bond between G–d, Torah and Israel is forged in this manner. I have written on these concepts elsewhere at greater length, and will come back to them later.

The flax and camels in the story in the Tanchuma that we quoted are metaphors. The example of the camels laden with flax refers to Cain, whose sacrifice (the one G–d rejected) consisted of flax (Tanchuma Bereshit 9). The example of the camel is a metaphor for Esau who had said to Jacob: הלעיטני נא מן האדום האדום הזה (Genesis 25,30). The expression הלעיטני is reminiscent of camels as we know from Shabbat 155, that whereas one must not stuff a lot of food down a camel's throat (on the Sabbath), one may feed it by a method called מלעיטין. The reason that Rabbi Levi in Bereshit Rabbah used the metaphor of קוצים, thorns, is because G–d told Adam after he had eaten from the tree of knowledge that the earth would respond to his efforts by bringing forth קוץ ודרדר, thorn and thistle (Genesis 3,17).