Brotherly Love: B'reisheet 4:1-12

1. Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a man with Adonai."		א. וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת קַיִן וַתֹּאמֶר קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת יְהֹוָה:
2. And she continued to give birth to his brother Abel, and Abel was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain was a farmer of the soil.		ב. וַתֹּסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל וַיְהִי הֶבֶל רֹעֵה צֹאן וְקַיִן הָיָה עֹבֵד אֲדָמָה:
3. Now it came to pass after some days, that Cain brought from the fruit of the soil a gift to Adonai.		ג. וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים וַיָּבֵא קַיִן מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה מִנְחָה לַיהֹוָה:
4. And Abel he also brought of the first of his flocks and of their best, and Adonai favored Abel and his offering.		ד. וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם הוּא מִבְּכֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ וּמֵחֶלְבֵהֶן וַיִּשַׁע יְהֹוָה אֶל הֶבֶל וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ:
5. But to Cain and to his offering God did not show favor, and it upset Cain a great deal, and his face fell.		ה. וְאֶל קַיִן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה וַיִּחַר לְקַיִן מְאֹד וַיִּפְּלוּ פָּנָיו:
6. But Adonai said to Cain, "Why are you upset, and why has your face fallen?		ו. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל קָיִן לָמָּה חָרָה לָךְ וְלָמָּה נָפְלוּ פָנֶיךָ:
7. Isn't it true so that if you want to do better, you can raise yourself up? If you do not want to do better, however, sin crouches at the door, and you will crave it. But you can rule over it."		ז. הֲלוֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת וְאִם לֹא תֵיטִיב לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל בּוֹ:
8. Cain spoke to Abel his brother.... Then it came to pass when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.		ח. וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ:
9. Adonai said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" 10. And God said, "What have you done? Your brother's bloods cry out to Me from the earth. 11. And now, you are cursed even more than the ground, which opened its mouth to take your brother's blood from your hand. 12. When you till the soil, it will not continue to give its strength to you; you shall be a wanderer and an exile in the land."		ט. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל קַיִן אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי: י. וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָ קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן הָאֲדָמָה: יא. וְעַתָּה אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה אֶת פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ מִיָּדֶךָ: יב. כִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה לֹא תֹסֵף תֵּת כֹּחָהּ לָךְ נָע וָנָד תִּהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ:

Guide Questions:
1. According to Rashi, why did Abel become a shepherd?

2. According to Rashi, what was the difference between Cain and Abel's offerings? What in the Torah suggests this?

3. In verse 7, it says that "sin crouches at the door." At the door of what? Find at least two answers among different commentators. (For instance, contrast Rashi with Rabbi Nachman of Breslov p. 119.)

4. In verse 8, it says that Cain spoke to Abel his brother, but it does not say what he said. Find in different midrashim (such as in Etz Hayim, pp 23-24) what the Rabbis imagined Cain might have said. What do you think?

5. Imagine if the text had said, "Cain spoke to Abel his brother.... and they resolved their differences." In your own opinion, what do you think it would have taken for this to happen?

6. According to Rashi, why did God ask Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" if God obviously knew where Abel was?

7. According to the Women's Torah Commentary (p. 19), how many times is the word "brother" used in this story, and what is the message behind this symbolism?

8. According to Rabbi Sherre Z. Hirsch in Text Messages, who might be your "brother"?

9. According to the Plaut commentary (p. 44), what are the meanings of Cain and Abel's Hebrew names? How do these fit the story?

10. Why does the Hebrew say "your brother's bloods"? (This is found in many commentaries, including Etz Hayim, Plaut, and the Stone Chumash based upon Mishnah Sandhedrin 4:5.)