창세기 4:5 미드라쉬: Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit Rabbah, Shemot Rabbah & Sifrei Devarim

(Gen. 43:14, cont.:) THAT HE MAY RELEASE (ShLH) TO YOU. (Mal. 3:23 [4:5]:) BEHOLD, I AM SENDING (ShLH) YOU < THE PROPHET ELIJAH BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD >.

“The Lord turned to Abel and to his offering” – He was contented with him [personally].¹⁹Abel and his offering are listed separately, and of both it is stated that God “turned toward” them.
“But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn. Cain was very incensed, and his face became downcast” (Genesis 4:5).
“But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn” – He was not contented with him.
“Cain was very incensed (vayiḥar), and his face became downcast” – it became like fire.²⁰Vayiḥar can also mean “he was burning.”
“The Lord said to Cain: Why are you incensed, and why did your face become downcast?” (Genesis 4:6).
“Truly, if you do good, it will be lifted up, and if you do not do good, sin crouches at the entrance and its desire is for you, but you may rule over it” (Genesis 4:7).
“The Lord said to Cain: Why are you incensed, and why did your face become downcast? Truly, if you do good, it will be lifted up [se’et]” – blessing, as it says: “Aaron raised [vayisa] his hands toward the people, and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). “And if you do not do good,” there will [also] be se’et – a curse, as it is written: “They will cause them to bear [vehisiu] the iniquity of guilt” (Leviticus 22:16).
Another matter, “if you do good,” I will forgive you all your sins,²¹Se’et in the sense of noseh avon – bearing iniquity. but if not, the sin of that man will be overflowing.²²Se’et in the sense of se’a – a large dry measure.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ami: “A contemplation by David. Happy is he whose crime is forgiven [nesui], whose sin is pardoned” (Psalms 32:1). Happy is the man who stands above his transgression²³Nesui literally means raised. and his transgression does not stand above him,²⁴He subdues the temptation to sin, and not vice versa. as it is stated: “Sin [ḥatat] crouches [rovetz] at the entrance.” Ḥatat rovetzet is not written here, but rather, ḥatat rovetz.²⁵Ḥatat rovetzet – the subject and the verb are both feminine. Ḥatat rovetz – the verb is masculine. Initially, it²⁶The evil inclination. is weak like a female, but then it becomes strong like a male.
Rabbi Akiva said: Initially it is similar to a spider web, but ultimately, it is like a ship’s rope. That is what is written: “Woe to those who pull iniquity with cords of pointlessness, and sin like the rope of a wagon” (Isaiah 5:18).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Initially it has the status of a guest, but ultimately, it becomes the master of the house. That is what is written [in the prophet’s rebuke of David for succumbing to temptation]: “He was loath to take from his flock or his cattle to prepare for the guest who had come to him” (II Samuel 12:4) – this is the guest; “and he took the ewe of the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him” (II Samuel 12:4) – this is the master of the house.
Rabbi Tanḥum bar Meryon said: There are dogs in Rome who know how to work at sustaining themselves. They go and sit before the bakery and pretend to be dozing. Then, the owner of the bakery dozes off, and they knock the loaves onto the ground. While he is collecting them, they take a loaf and flee with it.
Rabbi Abba said: The evil inclination is similar to a hunched robber²⁷He feigned weakness, so that people would approach him unaware. who was sitting at a crossroads. To everyone who passed, he would say: ‘Give me what you have with you.’ A certain clever person passed, and he realized that he had no hope of robbing him of anything, and the man began beating him back. So, too, the evil inclination caused the demise of several generations: The generation of Enosh, the generation of the Dispersion, and the generation of the Flood. When Abraham our patriarch stood and [the evil inclination] saw that it had no hope against him, he began beating it back. That is what is written:²⁸Regarding Abraham. “I will beat his foes before him and smite those who hate him” (Psalms 89:24).
Rabbi Ami said: The evil inclination does not walk on the sides of the street but rather in the middle of the highway. When it sees a person beautifying his eyes, fixing his hair, and raising his heels,²⁹All these are conduct indicating that this is a haughty person. it says: ‘This one is mine.’ What is the source? “Have you seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:12).
Rabbi Avin said: Anyone who indulges his evil inclination in his youth, it will ultimately become his master in his old age. What is the source? “One who indulges his servant from youth, will have him ultimately become the master” (Proverbs 29:21).
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: If your evil inclination comes to make a fool of you, fend it off with matters of Torah, if you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created peace,³⁰From ‘if you do so’ to ‘created peace’ are extraneous words and should be deleted (Etz Yosef). as it is stated: “If the inclination is near, protect yourself (titzor) with peace, [with peace]” (Isaiah 26:3). If you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created peace. “With peace” is not written here, but rather, “with peace, with peace” (Isaiah 26:3).³¹Protect yourself with peace, and it is as though you created peace. And if you say it is not under your control, the verse states: “Because you can rely on yourself” (Isaiah 26:3). And I already wrote for you in the Torah: “Its desire is for you, but you may rule over it…” (Genesis 4:7).
Rabbi Simon said: Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: If your evil inclination comes to make a fool of you, cause it to rejoice with matters of Torah, as it is stated: “If the inclination is near, protect yourself (titzor) with peace.” If you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created (yatzarta) two worlds.³²Interpreting titzor as “create” rather than “protect yourself.” “Titzor peace” alone is not written here, but rather, “peace, peace. And if you say it is not under your control, I already wrote in the Torah: “Its desire is for you, [but you may rule over it].”

Another matter, “if you lend money to My people,” that is what is written: “A greedy man rushes after wealth” (Proverbs 28:22);⁴⁴The midrash will explain how this relates to the verse “if you lend money to My people,” but it first cites other interpretations of the verse. this is Cain, who hastened himself to take the world. How so? When he was with his brother, as it is stated: “It was when they were in the field” (Genesis 4:8), they said one to the other: ‘Come, let us divide the world.’ Cain said: ‘You take the movable property, and I [will take] the land.’ They divided it between them. Abel took the movable property and Cain [took] the land. [Cain] plotted to oust [Abel] from the world. Abel was walking on the earth and Cain was pursuing him. He said to him: ‘Leave what is mine.’ [Abel] went to the mountains, and [Cain] said: ‘Leave what is mine,’ until he stood over him and killed him. That is, “a greedy man rushes after wealth.” This is Cain, who was greedy toward his brother.
“And does not know that lack will come upon him” (Proverbs 28:22). What lack befell [Cain]? It is that the Holy One blessed be He said: “Restless and wandering you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:12). What is that? It is that every place that he went, the Holy One blessed be He would bring trouble along with him and they would strike him and pursue him until they would drive him away. Solomon proclaimed in his regard: “If a man would beget one hundred” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); this is Cain who begot one hundred children, “and would live many years” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); he lived as long as Adam lived, “and the days of his years would be numerous” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); he lived seven hundred and thirty-six years longer than his father, “but his soul will not be sated from the goodness” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); as his soul would not be sated with his money, as it is stated: “Restless and wandering you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:12). “And moreover, he has no burial” (Ecclesiastes 6:3), as he was in abeyance, gradually weakening until the flood came and swept him away. “I say: A stillborn is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); this is Abel, his brother, as [Cain] rose up and felled him, [leaving him] dead in the field.
Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” this is Ephron. When Sarah died and Abraham was seeking a place to bury her, he said to them [the Hittites]: “Heed me, and intercede for me with Ephron, son of Tzohar” (Genesis 23:8). Immediately, they went and appointed [Ephron] prefect over them that very day. They said to him: ‘Sell the cave to Abraham.’ He said to them: ‘I will not sell it to him.’ They said to him: ‘If you do not do so we will remove you from your prefecture.’ Immediately, Abraham arose and weighed the silver for him. Rabbi Ḥama said: Every shekel stated in the Torah is a sela,⁴⁵When the Torah mentions a shekel it refers to the coin known in the Mishna as a sela. in the Prophets is a litra,⁴⁶Twenty-five sela. and in the Writings is a centenarium.⁴⁷One hundred litra. Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi said: Except for the shekels of Ephron, which were centenaria. What did Ephron say to Abraham? If you give me four hundred shekel, from the merchandise of your house you will give it to me.⁴⁸This sum is insignificant to a man as wealthy as you (Matnot Kehuna). Because he was greedy regarding Abraham’s money, the verse subtracted a vav from him.⁴⁹In the verse that states that Abraham paid the money to Ephron, Ephron’s name is spelled without a vav (Genesis 23:16). This symbolizes the fact that Ephron would experience financial setbacks. That is, “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” The verse subtracted a vav from the person who was greedy. Moreover, the cave was not called by his name, but rather, by the name of the children of Ḥet, as it is stated: “That Abraham purchased from the children of Ḥet” (Genesis 25:10); it does not say from Ephron, but from the children of Ḥet.
Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” this is Esau. When Isaac died, Jacob and Esau came and divided everything. Jacob said: ‘Shall this wicked be destined to enter, he and his children, the Cave of Makhpela, and he will have a portion and residence with the righteous buried in it?’ Immediately, he took all the money in his possession and made it into a pile and said to Esau: ‘My brother, do you want the portion you have in this cave, or this silver and gold?’ At that moment, Esau said: ‘This kind of burial place is found everywhere. For one grave that I have in the cave, will I lose all this money?’ Immediately, he rose and took all the money and gave him his portion. That is what Jacob says to Joseph: “In my grave that I excavated [kariti] for me” (Genesis 50:5). “I purchased,” is not written, but rather kariti. He said to them: ‘I gave Esau a pile [keri] of dinars.’ That is, “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” What is the lack? It is that he did not enter the Cave of Makhpela.
Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” this is the borrower who was too miserly to rent two cows, and he borrows one and rents one. Because he rented only one, if it [the borrowed cow] dies or is injured, he pays. If he rented and it dies, the Torah says: “If he is a renter, it goes for his rent” (Exodus 22:14).⁵⁰The owner does not receive payment beyond the rent. That is, “a greedy man rushes after wealth,” as he was too miserly to rent [both cows], the result is “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” That is what is written: “[If a man borrows from his neighbor and it is injured or dies,] its owner is not with it, he shall pay” (Exodus 22:13).
Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” Rabbi Levi said: This is one who does not separate his tithes properly. There was an incident involving one who would separate his tithes properly, and he had one field that would produce one thousand measures, and he would separate from it one hundred measures as tithe. From the remainder, he and the members of his household supported themselves. At the time of his death, he called his son and said: ‘My son, pay attention to this field, such and such measures it produces, such and such measures for tithe, and from it I supported myself all my days.’ When he passed from the world, the first year, the son sowed it, and it produced one thousand measures and he separated from it one hundred as tithe. The second year, miserliness overcame him and he deducted ten,⁵¹He separated only ninety measures as tithe. and it deducted one hundred;⁵²The next year, the field produced only nine hundred measures. likewise the third, likewise, the fourth, likewise, the fifth, until it reached the total of its tithes.⁵³Each year, he deducted ten measures from the tithe and the field produced one hundred measures fewer, until ultimately, the field produced only one hundred measures. When his relatives saw that it was so, they rose, donned white garments and wrapped themselves in white outer garments and came to him. He said to them: ‘Have you come to rejoice over my [troubles]?’ They said: ‘Heaven forbid, we came only to rejoice with you.’ In the past, you were the landowner and the Holy One blessed be He was the priest. Now, you have become the priest and the Holy One blessed be He has become the landowner. That is, “and does not know that lack will come upon him.”
Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is one who would lend with interest, because he was too miserly to lend to Israelites without interest. “And does not know that lack will come upon him,” as it is written: “He who increases his wealth through usury and interest amasses it for one who cares for the poor” (Proverbs 28:8). Who is “one who cares for the poor”? This is Esau. Is Esau one who cares for the poor? Is he not one who exploits the poor? Rather, he was like generals, commanders, and governors who invade cities, rob, and plunder, and when they return they say: ‘Bring us the poor and we will support them.’ The folk proverb says: She prostitutes herself for apples and distributes them to the ill.
Another matter, what is: “Amasses it for one who cares for the poor”? Everything that the Babylonian kingdom gathers in this world, the Holy One blessed be He gives it to Israel in the future, as it is stated: “Its merchandise and its fee will be sacred to the Lord” (Isaiah 23:18).
Another matter, “if you lend money to My people,” the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you lend money and do not take interest from him, you are My people. Just as I will never stumble, so, too, you will never stumble,’ as it is stated: “He does not lend with usury” (Psalms 15:5) and it is written: “One who performs these will never stumble” (Psalms 15:5).