"אי הבל אחיך?" - שיעור באדישות

And the LORD said unto Cain: ‘Where is Abel thy brother?’ And he said: ‘I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?’

After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abraham, in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Abram!” (Gen. 15:1). May it please our master to teach us what (the) burnt offerings (prescribed in the Book of Leviticus) atone for? R. Ishmael taught us: Burnt offerings were introduced as an act of atonement for the violation of both positive and negative commandments. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: They were introduced also as atonement for evil thoughts, as it is said: And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said: “It may be that my sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts.” Thus did Job continually (Job 1:5). You find that Abraham once pondered over the matter of divine justice. What did he say to himself? R. Levi was of the opinion that he said to himself: It appears to me as though I have already received my full reward in this world, inasmuch as the Holy One, blessed be He, has assisted me against the kings and has saved me from the furnace. Surely, I have received my full reward; there can be no additional reward awaiting me in the world-to-come. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Since you dare to reflect upon My actions, you must bring a burnt offering to Me. Therefore, He said: Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of (Gen. 22:2). R. Isaac declared: Abraham excoriated himself unmercifully, saying: Perhaps among those whom I have killed, there were some righteous men. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Those whom you have destroyed were like thorns that you eradicated from before Me. You have committed no sin because of it; rather you shall be greatly rewarded because of it, both now and in the future.