Midrash sobre Gênesis 4:8
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃
Falou Caim com o seu irmão Abel. E, estando eles no campo, Caim se levantou contra o seu irmão Abel, e o matou.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“If only you were like a brother to me, who suckled the breasts of my mother. I would find you outside; I would kiss you, yet they would not despise me” (Song of Songs 8:1).
“If only you were like a brother to me” – like what brother? Like Cain to Abel? Cain killed Abel, as it is stated: “Cain arose against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). Rather, like Ishmael to Isaac? Ishmael hated Isaac. Rather, like Esau to Jacob? But it is stated: “Esau hated Jacob” (Genesis 27:41). Rather, like Joseph’s brothers to Joseph? They hated him, as it is stated: “His brothers were jealous of him” (Genesis 37:11). Like what brother? “One who suckled the breasts of my mother” – that is to say like Joseph to Benjamin, who loved him wholeheartedly, as it is stated: “Joseph saw Benjamin with them” (Genesis 43:16).1As the story unfolds, the verse states that Joseph wept when he saw Benjamin (Genesis 43:30).
“I would find you outside; I would kiss you”; “outside” – this is the wilderness, which is outside the settled area. “I would kiss you” – regarding two brothers who kissed each other, and these are Moses and Aaron, as it is stated: “He went, and he met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him” (Exodus 4:27).
“They would not despise me” – Rabbi Pinḥas said: There was an incident involving two siblings, one of whom was in Meron and one in Gush Ḥalav. The house of the one who lived in Meron caught fire. His sister from Gush Ḥalav came and began hugging, embracing, and kissing him, and saying: This does not demean me, as my brother was in dire straits and was delivered from them.
“If only you were like a brother to me” – like what brother? Like Cain to Abel? Cain killed Abel, as it is stated: “Cain arose against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). Rather, like Ishmael to Isaac? Ishmael hated Isaac. Rather, like Esau to Jacob? But it is stated: “Esau hated Jacob” (Genesis 27:41). Rather, like Joseph’s brothers to Joseph? They hated him, as it is stated: “His brothers were jealous of him” (Genesis 37:11). Like what brother? “One who suckled the breasts of my mother” – that is to say like Joseph to Benjamin, who loved him wholeheartedly, as it is stated: “Joseph saw Benjamin with them” (Genesis 43:16).1As the story unfolds, the verse states that Joseph wept when he saw Benjamin (Genesis 43:30).
“I would find you outside; I would kiss you”; “outside” – this is the wilderness, which is outside the settled area. “I would kiss you” – regarding two brothers who kissed each other, and these are Moses and Aaron, as it is stated: “He went, and he met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him” (Exodus 4:27).
“They would not despise me” – Rabbi Pinḥas said: There was an incident involving two siblings, one of whom was in Meron and one in Gush Ḥalav. The house of the one who lived in Meron caught fire. His sister from Gush Ḥalav came and began hugging, embracing, and kissing him, and saying: This does not demean me, as my brother was in dire straits and was delivered from them.
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Kohelet Rabbah
“If a man begets one hundred, and lives many years, and the days of his years are many, but his soul is not sated from the good, and he did not have a burial; I say, a stillborn is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3).
“If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23). What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum]. Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons. Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19). “The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.
“If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23). What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum]. Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons. Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19). “The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.
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Midrash Tanchuma Buber
[(Gen. 14:1:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL.] Thus did R. Tanhuma bar Abba begin: (Ps. 37:14-15:) THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN A SWORD … < TO BRING DOWN THE POOR AND NEEDY >…. THEIR SWORD SHALL ENTER THEIR HEART.26Tanh., Gen. 3:7. What is the meaning of THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN (rt.: PTH) A SWORD? This refers to Cain, for until then no murderer had existed in the world. But Cain came and began (PTH) murder, as stated (in Gen. 4:8): CAIN AROSE [AGAINST HIS BROTHER ABEL AND MURDERED HIM]. The Holy One said to him: O wicked one, you have started using (rt.: PTH) the sword in the world. (Ps. 37:14:) THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN (rt.: PTH) A SWORD. This refers to Cain. (Ibid., cont.:) TO BRING DOWN THE POOR AND NEEDY, < TO SLAY THOSE WHO WAY IS UPRIGHT >. This refers to Abel. The Holy One said to him (i.e., Cain): You have let loose (rt.: PTH) a sword in the world. The sword shall enter the heart of that same person. (Ps. 37:15:) THEIR SWORD SHALL ENTER THEIR OWN HEART.
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