창세기 4:15의 Musar

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 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).

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.