Guide to Bereishit 4:8
1. There is a big gaping hole in our story of the first murder. If we see the paucity of information as instructive, what might we learn from it?
2. What information do you wish you knew in order to better understand the story? How would it change the situation as presented?
(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם וגו' (בראשית ד, ח), עַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִים, אָמְרוּ בּוֹאוּ וְנַחֲלֹק אֶת הָעוֹלָם, אֶחָד נָטַל הַקַּרְקָעוֹת וְאֶחָד נָטַל אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין, דֵּין אָמַר אַרְעָא דְּאַתְּ קָאֵם עֲלָהּ דִּידִי, וְדֵין אָמַר מַה דְּאַתְּ לָבֵישׁ דִּידִי, דֵּין אָמַר חֲלֹץ, וְדֵין אָמַר פְּרַח, מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ (בראשית ד, ח): וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיַּהַרְגֵּהוּ,
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר שְׁנֵיהֶם נָטְלוּ אֶת הַקַּרְקָעוֹת, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן נָטְלוּ אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטַלִין, וְעַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אֶלָּא זֶה אוֹמֵר בִּתְחוּמִי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִבְנֶה
וְזֶה אוֹמֵר בִּתְחוּמִי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִבְנֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה, וְאֵין שָׂדֶה אֶלָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֵיךְ מַה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (מיכה ג, יב): צִיּוֹן שָׂדֶה תֵחָרֵשׁ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ (בראשית ד, ח): וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וגו'.
יְהוּדָה בַּר אָמֵי אָמַר עַל חַוָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין,
אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְבוּ חַוָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה חָזְרָה לַעֲפָרָהּ וְעַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא תְּאוֹמָה יְתֵרָה נוֹלְדָה עִם הֶבֶל, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוֹטְלָהּ שֶׁאֲנִי בְּכוֹר, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוֹטְלָהּ שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה עִמִּי, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ וַיָּקָם קַיִן.
“And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field…” (Genesis 4:8) What were they arguing about? They said: come let’s divide up the world, one will take the land and one will take the moveable property. This one said: the ground you are standing on is mine. The other one said: what you are wearing is mine. This one said: take it off! The other one said: fly! Because of this “…Cain rose against his brother Abel and killed him.” (ibid.)
R’ Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of R’ Levi: they both took the land and the moveable property. What were they arguing about? One said: the Holy Temple will be built in my boundary. The other said: the Holy Temple will be built in my boundary. As it says “…when they were in the field…” (ibid.) and the field only refers to the Holy Temple. This is what it says “…Zion shall be plowed as a field…” (Micah 3:12) Because of this “…Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.”
Yehudah bar Ami said: they were arguing about the first Eve.
R’ Ibo said: the first Eve returned to the dust. Then what were they arguing about? R’ Huna said: an extra twin sister was born with Abel. This one said: I will take her because I am the first born. The other one said: I will take her because she was born with me. Because of this “…Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.”
Guide to Bereishit Rabba 22:7
1. There are four teachings in this midrash. One way to understand the story of the first murder is that it is rooted in human suffering. What human need does each address?
2. Give a title to each of the four midrashim.
3. Which do you find most compelling? Why?