{"id":34134,"date":"2018-07-16T15:02:23","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T12:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?post_type=wall&p=34134"},"modified":"2025-08-28T22:46:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T19:46:08","slug":"chapter-torah-genesis-4","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/chapter-torah-genesis-4\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Torah-Genesis-4"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"4","date":"20250903","books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"34705","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Genesis 4 - Judy Hammond ","post_title":"Genesis 4 - Judy Hammond","slug":"genesis-4-judy-hammond","old_id":"34705","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"The Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Genesis 4","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"read by Judy Hammond","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/genesis-chapter-4-read-by-judy-hammond","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"101715","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Curse And Blessing, Past And Future: A Tale Of Two Brothers ","post_title":"Curse And Blessing, Past And Future: A Tale Of Two Brothers","slug":"curse-and-blessing-past-and-future-a-tale-of-two-brothers","old_id":"101715","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Insights into the fraught relationship of Cain and Abel\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The story of Cain and Abel is one of the famous stories in Tanach. The actual text, though, presents some hard questions. Cain is the first farmer. Cain, as Eve\u2019s first child, was her first experience of the curse of God in chapter 3 \u201cIn pain shall you bear children\u2019\u201d(3:16). Cain spends his days tilling the soil, fulfilling the curse that God pronounced on Adam in chapter 3: \u201cCursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it\u2019\u201d(3:17).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

His younger brother, Abel, is a shepherd. Abel fulfills the blessing bestowed on man in chapter one \u201cGod blessed them and God said to them, \u201c\u2026 rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth\u201d(1:28). Cain presents a sacrifice from his crop and Abel presents a gift of his \u201cchoicest\u201d flock.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God pays attention to Abel\u2019s but not to Cain. Cain is upset and God replies with a very bizarre statement: \u201cif you do right, There is uplift. But if you do not do right Sin couches at the door; Its urge is toward you, Yet you can be its master\u201d(verse 7). The very next verse is also odd. \u201cCain said to his brother and when they were in the field, Cain set upon his brother Abel and killed him\u201d(verse 8).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What did Cain say to Abel? <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Why did he kill him? <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Why did God favor Abel\u2019s sacrifice? <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>What did God mean with his statement in verse 7?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cain was the constant reminder of the past. He was the first born and tills the land, fulfilling the curse of his parents. He is given a name much like Adam named Eve after they were cursed. Abel is different. He fulfills the promise of chapter 1 by being a shepherd. There is no stated reason behind his name. God turns toward Abel because he represents a break from the past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Cain is distraught, God knows what will happen. He sees in Cain the ability to cause harm as a result of his anger and shame. God warns Cain to overcome his evil inclination, something his parents were unable to do. Maybe Cain gets close to being able to do this. He approaches his brother in the field to talk, but cannot bring himself to say anything. Perhaps being in the field, the same field that God cursed and in which Cain toils, brings up too many bad associations. His evil inclination takes over and he kills his brother. He sins, much like his parents did. He also receives a similar punishment- that the fields will be even harder to toil. Cain\u2019s inability to overcome his evil inclination, despite God\u2019s warning, foreshadows many stories later in Tanach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This will not be the last time God warns people to no avail.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Lovis Corinth, Cain and Abel (Brudermord), 1919 \/ 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Dr. Jaffe is also the author of Genesis: A Torah for All Nations (Gefen Publishing House) which can be found at https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Genesis-Nations-Jeffrey-M-Jaffe\/dp\/9657023181.\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Jeff Jaffe is the CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is the author of Genesis: A Torah for All Nations. 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While the first eleven chapters of Genesis focus on universal messages that the Torah imparts to humankind, there is a progression among the chapters. At the beginning, the Torah focuses on people as individuals: a person has an evil inclination, free will, reward, and punishment. The Garden of Eden story focuses on a two-person relationship and elaborates on the following themes: man clings to his wife, people should dress modestly, and Adam and Eve interact in the story of the forbidden fruit.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 4, the world becomes populated, and the Torah begins teaching universal messages that speak to how people must relate to others \u2013 i.e., the individual and society.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Several of these are developed in the story of Cain and Abel. People should show <\/span>gratitude<\/span><\/em>,<\/span> and Abel was credited for having shown that attribute (verse 4). Chapter 4 also teaches the power of <\/span>confession and repentance<\/span><\/em> \u2013 necessary ingredients for moving forward in life. God asks for a confession in verse 9 and Cain famously evades. When Cain comes back and confesses in verse 13, God provides some protection to Cain in response (verse 15). This is in contrast to Adam, who in chapter 3 was also given an opportunity to confess. Instead, he blamed Eve, and there was no lessening of his punishment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Society then develops further, and the Torah needs to communicate its values in a broader context. Those values are not limited to \u201cprohibitions\u201d or \u201cgood deeds\u201d; they include \u201cprogress for mankind.\u201d The Torah focuses on Enoch (verse 17), Jabal (verse 20), Jubal (verse 21), and Tubal-Cain (verse 22). They are credited as great tradesmen and inventors: builders, merchants, musicians, and tool makers (respectively). 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","post_title":"Lovers","slug":"lovers-2","old_id":"101717","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. His poems have won twenty-two prizes in international poetry competitions, and he has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.","short_description":"Yakov Azriel is an English language poet who lives in Israel","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36670,"alt":"","title":"Yakov.Azriel.Photo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","width":1099,"height":1519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-217x300.jpg","medium-width":217,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":741,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","large-width":741,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","1536x1536-width":1099,"1536x1536-height":1519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","2048x2048-width":1099,"2048x2048-height":1519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-868x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":868,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-304x420.jpg","home_baner-width":304,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"About love, no one knew deeper \/ Than Adam and Eve \/ Who, after years of mourning \/ Gave birth to Seth\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cAnd Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and she named him \u2018Seth\u2019 \u2014 \u2018For God has set me another seed in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.\u201d<\/em> (Genesis 4:25)
\r\n
\r\n
\r\nAbout love, no one knew better
\r\nThan Adam and Eve;
\r\nHow, after their son
\r\nMurdered their son,<\/p>\r\n

They stood together above the open grave,
\r\nAnd as she wept
\r\nAnd wept, he embraced her,
\r\nWhispering her name.<\/p>\r\n

How, during the wheat harvest,
\r\nHe would suddenly lay down his scythe
\r\nAnd stand upright, unmoving,
\r\nStaring for minutes at the clouds.<\/p>\r\n

She would come to him,
\r\nRest her head on his shoulders
\r\nAnd in silence,
\r\nHold his hand.<\/p>\r\n

How, during the shearing of the sheep,
\r\nThey would leave the ewes and rams,
\r\nTo sit down and look at each other,
\r\nRemembering.
\r\n
\r\nAbout love, no one knew deeper
\r\nThan Adam and Eve;
\r\nWho, after years of mourning,
\r\nGave birth to Seth.
\r\n
\r\nAbout love, all we know
\r\nIs less than a crease
\r\nOn the bed-sheets
\r\nOf Adam and Eve.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101718,"alt":"","title":"-620225bc5e1dc--620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam eve abel.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg.jpg","width":4608,"height":3072,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Lovers","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"About love, no one knew deeper \/ Than Adam and Eve \/ Who, after years of mourning \/ Gave birth to Seth","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101718,"alt":"","title":"-620225bc5e1dc--620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam eve abel.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg.jpg","width":4608,"height":3072,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/620225bc5e1dc-620225bc5e1ddgen4-adam-eve-abel.jpg-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"}]},{"order":5,"id":"34100","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Ode to Cain ","post_title":"Ode to Cain","slug":"ode-to-cain","old_id":"34100","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33998,"post_title":"Richard McBee","slug":"richard-mcbee","old_id":"33998","first_name":"Richard","last_name":"McBee","description":"Richard McBee is a painter of Biblical subject matter and writer on Jewish Art. From 2000 until 2014 he wrote about the Jewish Arts for the Jewish Press and continues to exhibit paintings, lecture and curate Jewish art exhibitions. He is a founding member of the Jewish Art Salon. His website; http:\/\/richardmcbee.com, exhibits over 300 of his artworks and 250 of his Jewish Art reviews.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Richard McBee is a painter of Biblical subject matter and writer on Jewish Art.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33999,"alt":"","title":"Richard McBee","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","width":325,"height":406,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee-240x300.png","medium-width":240,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","medium_large-width":325,"medium_large-height":406,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","large-width":325,"large-height":406,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","1536x1536-width":325,"1536x1536-height":406,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","2048x2048-width":325,"2048x2048-height":406,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","post_full_size-width":325,"post_full_size-height":406,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Richard-McBee.png","home_baner-width":325,"home_baner-height":406}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"... the original Fall Guy","post_main_content_content":"

Reviled for eternity, conceived from Satan\u2019s lust; at the end of the day, Cain never had a chance.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He was set up to fail.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Who would not be wounded by God\u2019s arbitrary rejection and then (as the midrash suggests) sorely tempted by the beauty of a brother\u2019s wife?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, the lure of sexuality does sit persistently at the door of humankind\u2019s consciousness, without which we would have no future. \u00a0Was that his fault?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Did God provide an alternative route for him to curry Divine favor other than try harder\u2026? \u00a0Tough love seemed his only option.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cain\u2019s murderous rage erupted in a vacuum. \u00a0Only the third person to exist, no one had taught him the rigors of self-control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Could it be that Cain was crafted by Divine plan to teach mankind a harsh lesson before the grace of Mitzvot could guide any of us? <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, perhaps Cain was the foil to make God\u2019s commandments so very necessary.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For our education, he was the fall guy, the genesis of tragedy itself.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For as much as Abel\u2019s blood cries from his innocent grave, even more does Cain\u2019s bitter life weep as the first human reviled by man and God alike.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Illustration: By the author<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":34101,"alt":"","title":"R mcbee","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","width":480,"height":595,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee-242x300.png","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","medium_large-width":480,"medium_large-height":595,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","large-width":480,"large-height":595,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","1536x1536-width":480,"1536x1536-height":595,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","2048x2048-width":480,"2048x2048-height":595,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","post_full_size-width":480,"post_full_size-height":595,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee-339x420.png","home_baner-width":339,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Ode to Cain ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"... the original Fall Guy","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":34101,"alt":"","title":"R mcbee","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","width":480,"height":595,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee-242x300.png","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","medium_large-width":480,"medium_large-height":595,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","large-width":480,"large-height":595,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","1536x1536-width":480,"1536x1536-height":595,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","2048x2048-width":480,"2048x2048-height":595,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee.png","post_full_size-width":480,"post_full_size-height":595,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/R-mcbee-339x420.png","home_baner-width":339,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"369","name":"Visual Arts","old_id":"769"}]},{"order":6,"id":"34086","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Does Technological Advancement Foster Moral Progress? ","post_title":"Does Technological Advancement Foster Moral Progress?","slug":"does-technological-advancement-foster-moral-progress","old_id":"34086","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. His first book \"I Kings - Torn in Two\" was published in 2013. See his website www.alexisrael.org, and his podcasts at https:\/\/elmad.pardes.org\/ and https:\/\/tanachstudy.com\/ \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33693,"alt":"","title":"alex israel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","width":1657,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":679,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","large-width":679,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1018,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-795x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":795,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Worse than Cain: the normalization of killing and the birth of violent society","post_main_content_content":"

Although Cain had been condemned to a life of eternal wandering (v.12), he settles and builds a city (v.17). Here we see Cain creating an urban center, a new form of settlement; as someone who brings progress to the world. Our chapter describes that way that humanity develops, generation by generation \u2013 Cain, Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methusael, Lemech. But it is Lemech\u2019s children who bring civilization to a new level of sophistication:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cYaval, was the founder of those who dwell in tents and amidst herds.
\r\n\u2026his brother Yubal was the founder of all who play the lyre and the pipe.
\r\n\u2026Tuval-cain \u2026 forged all implements of copper and iron.\u201d (4:21-23)<\/p>\r\n

The advancement and perfection of the livestock industry, the emergence of music, and the manufacture of metal implements would all seem to be huge steps forward in human technology. This is quite a family!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, it is at this point that we read Lemech\u2019s song. The father of these gifted entrepreneurs has something to sing about:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cAdah and Zillah, hear my voice; O wives of Lamech, give ear to my speech.
\r\nI have slain a man for wounding me, and a lad for bruising me.
\r\nIf Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.\u201d(4:23-24)<\/p>\r\n

What is this strange poem? Lemech is boasting. Usually society would follow a retaliatory model akin to \u201can eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth\u201d, but Lemech says, \u201cA man wounded me, and I killed him\u201d and he is probably saying, \u201dDon\u2019t even think of bruising me! - I will slay you\u201d In his mind, Cain\u2019s divine reprieve after the murder of Abel is seen as a grotesque license to kill. In short, Lemech uses violence as a tool to intimidate and threaten; to get his way. Murder for him becomes a way of life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It isn\u2019t too difficult to imagine him using his son\u2019s new metal implements to carry out his heinous acts of violence. Commentator Umberto Cassuto writes: \u201c<\/span>After setting forth the innovations that Cain and his descendants introduced into human culture, [the Torah] records Lemech's song, which shows that <\/span>material progress had brought no noticeable moral development<\/b>...<\/span>None of the achievements of material culture have any value if there are no positive moral traits.<\/b> (<\/span>Me-Adam ad Noach<\/span><\/i>, p. 130).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 4 of Genesis narrates Cain\u2019s first act of murder, a grim and ignominious landmark in human history. But, in fact, Lemech\u2019s crime is more shameful; it is the normalization of killing; the birth of violent society. One question we need to ask is, does civilization have to follow this course?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

With the Holocaust, the world witnessed one of the most advanced cultures on earth turning to mass-murder without moral compunction. Today, with all our technological progress, we hold the tools to destroy our planet.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Let this chapter be a warning to all societies.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101770,"alt":"","title":"-6202d3cb594b8--6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology human.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg.jpg","width":1920,"height":640,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg-300x100.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":100,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg-768x256.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":256,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg-1024x341.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":341,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":512,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":640,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg-1200x400.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":400,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/6202d3cb594b8-6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology-human.jpg-1260x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1260,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Does Technological Advancement Foster Moral Progress?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Worse than Cain: the normalization of killing and the birth of violent society","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101770,"alt":"","title":"-6202d3cb594b8--6202d3cb594b9gen4-technology 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do not know. Am I my brother\u2019s keeper? ","post_title":"I Do Not Know. Am I My Brother\u2019s Keeper?","slug":"i-do-not-know-am-i-my-brothers-keeper","old_id":"34090","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33696,"post_title":"Amichai Lau-Lavie","slug":"rabbi-amichai-lau-lavie","old_id":"33696","first_name":"Amichai","last_name":"Lau-Lavie","description":"Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie is an Israeli born Jewish educator, performance artist and social activist. He is the creator of Storahtelling and the Founding Spiritual Leader of Lab\/Shul NYC. \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33699,"alt":"Amichai Lau-LAvie","title":"Amichai Lau-LAvie","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie.jpg","width":1200,"height":801,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie-1024x684.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":684,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":801,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":801,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Amichai-Lau-LAvie-629x420.jpg","home_baner-width":629,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Can any of us claim to be the keepers of human dignity and life with so much suffering and bloodshed in the world?\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

My first protest, seven years old, Tel Aviv\u2019s main square, mid 1970\u2019s, holding up a poster demanding the release of Soviet Jews, with a spin on the oldest human question: <\/span>I Am My Brother\u2019s Keeper.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

Solidarity, I learnt that day, is sacred. But also selective. Which brother do I fight for? Which one do I ignore and leave behind?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cain\u2019s question, labeled by Heschel as \u201camong the great fundamental evil maxims of the world\u201d still echoes today, too many campaigns and protests later, still demanding our moral response. \u00a0But the only honest answer, tragically, is no: No, Cain, you were not, and I am not my brother\u2019s keeper.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I wish we were.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Can any of us claim to be the keepers of human dignity and life with so much suffering and bloodshed in the world? Cain\u2019s killing legacy of his own kin lives on, kills on, and we who do not do enough to stop the blood are implicated, careless keepers. With global privilege comes more responsibility but can we truly care for all our human siblings to the same degree?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps this \"no\" is the honest response but it is one that leaves us with no hope and absolves us of responsibility. We can and must do better.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And so I say to you, my older brother Cain, so bewildered by your own wounded rage, by your longing for love, that yes, you are, we are, each other\u2019s keepers. Not just our kin and tribe, not just the bloodline. We are here to try harder, to keep growing, trying to expand our care beyond the ones we know and love. Your question echoes, and demands that each of us aspires to more, past our pains and tribes to truly love the other, brother, sister, other, all.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"We are not our brother\u2019s keeper,\u201d<\/b> wrote Maya Angelou<\/span>, <\/span>\u201cwe are our brother and we are our sister. We must look past complexion and see community.\" \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\r\n

Yes, you do know, Cain, and so do we. The only way to carry on, our foreheads marked with your reminder, is to walk this talk with you, and keep on walking, hand in hand.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":67280,"alt":"","title":"is41-help","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help.jpg","width":1920,"height":1177,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-300x184.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":184,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-768x471.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":471,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-1024x628.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":628,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":942,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1177,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-1200x736.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":736,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-685x420.jpg","home_baner-width":685,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"I Do Not Know. Am I My Brother\u2019s Keeper?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Can any of us claim to be the keepers of human dignity and life with so much suffering and bloodshed in the world?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":67280,"alt":"","title":"is41-help","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help.jpg","width":1920,"height":1177,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-300x184.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":184,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-768x471.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":471,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-1024x628.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":628,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":942,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1177,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-1200x736.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":736,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is41-help-685x420.jpg","home_baner-width":685,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"376","name":"Choice","old_id":"776"},{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"},{"term_id":"385","name":"Siblings","old_id":"785"}]},{"order":8,"id":"34092","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Our Children, Ourselves ","post_title":"Our Children, Ourselves","slug":"our-children-ourselves","old_id":"34092","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33992,"post_title":"Bradley Shavit Artson","slug":"rabbi-dr-bradley-shavit-artson","old_id":"33992","first_name":"Bradley Shavit ","last_name":"Artson","description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and is professor of philosophy there. Artson is married to Elana Shavit Artson, and they are the parents of twins, Shira and Jacob.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson is the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33993,"alt":"","title":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","width":204,"height":199,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-256x300.png","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","medium_large-width":204,"medium_large-height":199,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","large-width":204,"large-height":199,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","1536x1536-width":204,"1536x1536-height":199,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","2048x2048-width":204,"2048x2048-height":199,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","post_full_size-width":204,"post_full_size-height":199,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","home_baner-width":204,"home_baner-height":199}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The seeds of violence and murder are to be found in reducing our loved ones to property","post_main_content_content":"

We all know the disastrous outcome of the sibling rivalry between the world\u2019s first twins, Cain and Abel. Most siblings have some level of tension, but rarely does it bubble up into bloodshed and murder as it did with them. The Torah offers us an alluring hint as to the earliest roots of the brokenness that erupted in killing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Eve delivers the first of the two boys, she says, \u201cI have acquired a man with the Lord (4: 1),\u201d which Rashi explains as her affirmation that she and Adam are now God\u2019s partners in creating the next generation. Whereas she and Adam were created solely (soul-ly?) by God, from now on, human parents would be partners with the divine in bringing new life to emerge. That is a keen insight and a lofty sentiment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But the specific words she uses could also be read as acquisition: she now has \"acquired a man.\u201d How often do parents, consciously or not, assume that their children will grow up precisely as they choose for them, in their own image. We often think that their initial dependence is a lifelong subservience, that we will work our happiness through them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But we do not own our children, nor should we. Life advances, of necessity, as each generation struggles to create its own independence, its own innovations, while at the same time retaining and cherishing what remains vibrant and good in their inheritance from the past. Perhaps if Eve had raised her children not as possessions, but as independent centers of creativity and novelty, if she had raised them to embrace their being different and distinct, then they could have extended that same openness to each other.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Alas, that was not to be: Cain and Abel, raised as their parents\u2019 property, assume that each other should be useful to each other like something owned. The seeds of violence and murder are to be found in reducing our loved ones to property.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Our Children, Ourselves","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The seeds of violence and murder are to be found in reducing our loved ones to property","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"},{"term_id":"385","name":"Siblings","old_id":"785"},{"term_id":"386","name":"Psychology","old_id":"786"}]},{"order":9,"id":"34094","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Brotherly Hatred: A Decree of Fate? ","post_title":"Sibling Hatred: A Decree of Fate?","slug":"brotherly-hatred-a-decree-of-fate","old_id":"34094","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33945,"post_title":"Chaim Hayun","slug":"dr-chaim-hayun","old_id":"33945","first_name":"Chaim","last_name":"Hayun","description":"Dr. Chaim Hayun is a lecturer in the Department of Bible and Israeli Culture at the Kibbutz Seminar College in Tel Aviv.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33946,"alt":"","title":"\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df.jpg","width":720,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-169x300.jpg","medium-width":169,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-576x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":576,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-576x1024.jpg","large-width":576,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df.jpg","1536x1536-width":720,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df.jpg","2048x2048-width":720,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-675x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":675,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-236x420.jpg","home_baner-width":236,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"From tainted relationships, finally, to a ray of hope","post_main_content_content":"

It was at an auspicious moment that the first child came into the world, in the natural way--not from the dust of the earth and not from a rib, but from a mother and father and a Divine partner. And in less than ten verses after his birth, the child that would become a man rises up kills his brother. Indeed, just as \"sin crouches at the door\u201d (4:7) in the words of God to Cain, the Bible places the unbearable sin at the door of the Book of Genesis. And alongside Cain's sin there is another killing in our chapter. The Bible is silent about the details of the act, and only Lamech's boastful song attests to what happened and leaves us in the dark: \u201cAdah and Zillah, hear my voice: O wives of Lamech, give ear to my speech. I have slain a man for wounding me, and a lad for bruising me\u201d (4:23).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The story of Cain and his brother Abel will pave \u00a0the way for the siblings who follow him in the book - Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Rachel and Leah, Joseph and his brothers. All of these are brothers and sisters whose relationships are tainted between them. \u00a0A light of hope will emerge at the end of the book when the sons of Jacob will extricate themselves on behalf of Benjamin, and a great light will shine at the beginning of the Book of Exodus: Moses the child in the ark, and his sister Miriam standing from afar; and Moses the man goes at the command of God to Pharaoh and with Moses is his brother Aaron. Brotherly hatred, we learn, is not a decree of fate.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":85040,"alt":"","title":"ps69-other brother","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother.jpg","width":1920,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-1024x1024.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-1200x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Sibling Hatred: A Decree of Fate?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"From tainted relationships, finally, to a ray of hope","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":85040,"alt":"","title":"ps69-other brother","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother.jpg","width":1920,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-1024x1024.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-1200x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps69-other-brother-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"376","name":"Choice","old_id":"776"},{"term_id":"385","name":"Siblings","old_id":"785"}]},{"order":10,"id":"34096","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Of Whom are We Jealous? ","post_title":"Of Whom Are We Jealous?","slug":"of-whom-are-we-jealous","old_id":"34096","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33979,"post_title":"Chaim Shapiro","slug":"dr-chaim-shapiro","old_id":"33979","first_name":"Chaim","last_name":"Shapiro","description":"Dr. Chaim Shapiro is an author, mathematician, philosopher, and pianist. Among his books are \u201cKohelet: The Biblical Philosopher\u201d and \u201cThoughts at Night.\u201d\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Chaim Shapiro is an author, mathematician, philosopher, and pianist.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33980,"alt":"","title":"\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","width":343,"height":345,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg-298x300.png","medium-width":298,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","medium_large-width":343,"medium_large-height":345,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","large-width":343,"large-height":345,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","1536x1536-width":343,"1536x1536-height":345,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","2048x2048-width":343,"2048x2048-height":345,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","post_full_size-width":343,"post_full_size-height":345,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd_\u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0_jxnytg.png","home_baner-width":343,"home_baner-height":345}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"We must not live in expectation of a just reward...we will be angry at the world, and may murder our brothers.","post_main_content_content":"

Jealousy is a type of insanity. People can be really jealous of everything: the status of other people, the abilities of other people, the wealth of other people, the health of other people. Cain became filled with jealousy of God\u2019s interest in his brother Abel\u2019s offering.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Anyone who wants to can take Freud to the extreme and imagine that God is the father who likes one son over the other (a phenomenon that is common in the Bible and in life).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And so Spinoza said:\u00a0<\/span>\"No one envies anyone else unless he is equal to him.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And if you ask how this relates to the brothers Cain and Abel, here is the explanation:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Spinoza noticed the interesting fact that we only envy people who are comparable to us. No professor of philosophy would \u00a0be envious of Spinoza or Plato, unless he has lost his mind and has not yet regained his sanity. It is much more likely that the professor will be jealous of a colleague who is slightly more successful than he or slightly smarter than he.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The more someone feels more similar to the object of his jealousy, the more jealous he will be. Therefore, according to Spinoza's argument, sibling jealousy is the most logical and powerful jealousy, and it is not accidental that the first murder in history is the murder of a brother.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Polish philosopher Leszek Kolakowski summed up the matter: \"We must not live in expectation of a just reward, for this expectation brings bitterness to our lives; we will be angry at the world and may murder our brothers.\"<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Of Whom Are We Jealous?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"We must not live in expectation of a just reward...we will be angry at the world, and may murder our brothers.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"385","name":"Siblings","old_id":"785"},{"term_id":"386","name":"Psychology","old_id":"786"}]},{"order":11,"id":"34098","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"A Prophet, an Initiator, a Murderer ","post_title":"A Prophet, an Initiator, a Murderer","slug":"a-prophet-an-initiator-a-murderer","old_id":"34098","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33960,"post_title":"David Stav","slug":"rabbi-david-stav","old_id":"33960","first_name":"David","last_name":"Stav","description":"Rabbi David Stav the Chief Rabbi of the city of Shoham and the Chairman of Tzohar, an Israeli organization of over 800 religious Zionist Orthodox rabbis who work to bridge the gaps between religious and secular Jews in Israel.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi David Stav the Chief Rabbi of Shoham and the Chairman of Tzohar, which works to bridge the gaps between religious and secular Jews in Israel.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33961,"alt":"","title":"\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3 \u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5.jpg","width":570,"height":768,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5-223x300.jpg","medium-width":223,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5.jpg","medium_large-width":570,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5.jpg","large-width":570,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5.jpg","1536x1536-width":570,"1536x1536-height":768,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5.jpg","2048x2048-width":570,"2048x2048-height":768,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5.jpg","post_full_size-width":570,"post_full_size-height":768,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3-\u05e1\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5-312x420.jpg","home_baner-width":312,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The first in human history to initiate the worship of God with sacrifices is also the first one to destroy the image of God.","post_main_content_content":"

The story of Cain and Abel is one of the most outrageous stories in the Bible for the average reader.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cain is the first to bring a sacrifice in the history of the human race. God speaks to him, which means that he is on the spiritual level of a prophet. His sacrifice was rejected. Abel imitates his older brother and afterwards brings a sacrifice. It is specifically Abel\u2019s sacrifice that is found to be acceptable in the eyes of God. \u00a0This is annoying and irritating, and Cain\u2019s emotional state is understandable. Without knowing why his sacrifice is undesirable in the eyes of God, the end attests to the fact that God hurt him in the depths of his soul.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One who is capable of killing another person cannot approach God even if he is a prophet or some creative talent or or enterprising individual. Those who, because of their anger and jealousy, harm the image of God inherent in another human being are not worthy of worshipping in the house of God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Later, the Torah will say about a priest who has killed another person: \"you shall take him from My very altar to be put to death\u201d (Exodus 21:4) \u00a0- even if he is in the middle of the holy service. Jewish law teaches that a priest who has killed another human being may not give the priestly blessing, Birkat Cohanim<\/em>, during the service. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cain will give up his status as the first in human history to initiate the worship of God with sacrifices, instead becoming the one who missed this opportunity by harming the image of God.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101762,"alt":"","title":"-62029f2bc4076--62029f2bc4077gen4-murder blood 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Prophet, an Initiator, a Murderer","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The first in human history to initiate the worship of God with sacrifices is also the first one to destroy the image of God.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101762,"alt":"","title":"-62029f2bc4076--62029f2bc4077gen4-murder blood 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the Ultimate Sacrifice ","post_title":"Making the Ultimate Sacrifice","slug":"making-the-ultimate-sacrifice","old_id":"35734","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Abel killed to please God. Cain only drew conclusions...","post_main_content_content":"

Who is the Tanakh's first killer? If you said Cain, you're off by a few verses. It was Abel, who slaughtered lambs for his sacrifice.<\/p>\r\n

Despite the \"dominion\" that God granted human beings over nature, He explicitly said, in Genesis 1:29, that \"every seed-bearing plant... and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit, shall be yours for food.\" Whatever mastery over the world might mean, it clearly did not extend to killing its other inhabitants, even for sustenance. Much-maligned Cain, then, was doing the good work in tilling the ground by the sweat of his brow, fulfilling God's prophecy, or curse, or simple description of the Real World in Genesis 3:17-19. It was Abel, shepherd and sympathetic victim, who introduced the taking of life. And though the first slaughter was apparently for sublime ends\u00a0 -\u00a0 worship, not appetite\u00a0 -\u00a0 the first human murder was not long in coming.<\/p>\r\n

It has been suggested that Cain ended up killing precisely because he was a vegetarian. A radical animal liberationist, in fact. Cain, the theory goes, saw no moral distinctions between humans and animals. Initially he killed neither. But once he saw that Abel's sacrifice of lambs was not only acceptable, but preferred to his own, he concluded that all was permitted, even slaughtering his own baby brother.<\/p>\r\n

Or maybe it wasn't as it seems, a cold-blooded murder? Maybe this first taking of life wasn't born of hatred and resentment, but of a tragic love, and a desperate, anguished desire to appease the Divine Parent. Abel sacrificed a few of those cute little lambs, that he must have been quite fond of. Maybe Cain drew the conclusion, logical as it was horrifying, that he too should sacrifice something dear to him. Offer it up.<\/p>\r\n

God responds a little differently to this sacrifice \u2013 but it's too late, and the world goes downhill from there. Cain's descendent Lemech makes violence a credo, and the world becomes filled with lawlessness, until given the divine boot, and reboot, with Noah and the Flood. Only then (Gen 9:6) is the commandment clearly stated, poetically but crystal clear, and the underlying reason reiterated: \"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; For in His image did God make man.\"<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":69817,"alt":"","title":"jer11-lamb","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb.jpg","width":1485,"height":763,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-300x154.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":154,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-768x395.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-1024x526.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":526,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb.jpg","1536x1536-width":1485,"1536x1536-height":763,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb.jpg","2048x2048-width":1485,"2048x2048-height":763,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-1200x617.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":617,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-817x420.jpg","home_baner-width":817,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Making the Ultimate Sacrifice","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Abel killed to please God. Cain only drew conclusions...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":69817,"alt":"","title":"jer11-lamb","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb.jpg","width":1485,"height":763,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-300x154.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":154,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-768x395.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-1024x526.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":526,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb.jpg","1536x1536-width":1485,"1536x1536-height":763,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb.jpg","2048x2048-width":1485,"2048x2048-height":763,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-1200x617.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":617,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-lamb-817x420.jpg","home_baner-width":817,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"370","name":"Divine\/human","old_id":"770"},{"term_id":"387","name":"Sacrifice","old_id":"787"}]},{"order":13,"id":"34105","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"MiliMiliM - The Hebrew Corner ","post_title":"MiliMiliM The Hebrew Corner Gen 4","slug":"milimilim-the-hebrew-corner-4","old_id":"34105","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5-\u05d4 - YHVH - The Name of God<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What's in a name? Here's a better Jewish question: what's in THE Name? I'm referring of course to the name of God, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5-\u05d4, YHVH, which appears alone for the first time here in chapter 4, interestingly, in the first baby-naming. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This name is one of the most well-known and mysterious Hebrew words, if only for the reason that it is forbidden to even say it. Indeed, no one is sure even <\/span>how<\/span><\/em> to pronounce it, and so it is never said. Ever.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why couldn't it be pronounced? According to the sources, the special Name was uttered only once a year \u2013 by the holiest person (the high priest), in the holiest place (where else? The Holy of Holies), on the holiest day, Yom Kippur, the day of purification and atonement. So apparently it <\/span>was<\/span><\/em> pronounceable. (Indeed, given that language is oral before it is written, it is hard to imagine \u2013 even in a very bibliocentric culture like Judaism \u2013 a word coming into being that exists only in its written form, with no associated pronunciation). The assumption, though, is that the correct pronunciation of the name became proprietary knowledge of the priesthood, and became a secret untold, lost in destruction and upheaval.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Beyond its pronunciation, its derivation is also mysterious. While it is not actually a word, the four letters are taken from instances of the verb \"to be.\" The words for \"he was\" \"he is\" and \"he will be\" are \u05d4\u05d9\u05d4, \u05d4\u05d5\u05d4, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4, <\/span>haya, hoveh, yihyeh<\/span><\/em>,<\/em> thus making the Name a sort of permutation of these forms together, implying eternity, and the oft-used translation, the Eternal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This leads to one last observation on the letters of the Name. The three letters (the \u05d4 <\/span>hey<\/em> <\/span>is used twice) are actually special letters in Hebrew. In fact, the first-century Jewish historian and philosopher Josephus said that this Name consists of \"four vowels\" (The Jewish War V, 5:235). Wait \u2013 vowels? In English the letter \"y\" can be both a consonant and a vowel. In Hebrew, the same is true of \u05d9, <\/span>yod<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> but also of the \u05d4, <\/span>heh<\/span><\/em>, and the \u05d5, <\/span>vav<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/i> If you know basic Hebrew reading, you know that the \u05d5, <\/span>vav<\/span><\/em>, represents an \"o\" or \"oo\" sound, \u05d9, <\/span>yod<\/span><\/em> is \"ee,\" and the \u05d4, <\/span>hey<\/span><\/em>, can appear as a \"silent\" letter at the end of words, strengthening the preceding vowel. Rabbi Arthur Waskow and others point out that using these vocalic consonants to indicate divinity, is essentially equating God's name with breath, and with the very act of breathing, the basis of life, which brings us back to the mystery of existence.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101722,"alt":"","title":"-620244a42cc18--620244a42cc19gen4-milim yhvh.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"MiliMiliM - The Hebrew Corner","tile_main_caption":"\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5-\u05d4 - YHVH - The Name of God","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"... a word from the daily chapter...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101722,"alt":"","title":"-620244a42cc18--620244a42cc19gen4-milim yhvh.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/620244a42cc18-620244a42cc19gen4-milim-yhvh.jpg-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"}]},{"order":14,"id":"34107","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"With Freedom Comes Responsibility ","post_title":"With Freedom Comes Responsibility","slug":"with-freedom-comes-responsibility","old_id":"34107","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33923,"post_title":"Jonathan Sacks","slug":"rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks","old_id":"33923","first_name":"Jonathan ","last_name":"Sacks","description":"An international religious leader, philosopher, and award-winning author of over 35 books, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks served as the International President of 929.\r\nRabbi Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth years between 1991 and 2013, and was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 2005 and made a Life Peer. Rabbi Sacks passed away on 7th November 2020, aged 72. He was one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, who bridged the religious and secular world through his ground-breaking canon of work.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z\"k (1948-2020) was the former Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, and the International 929 president.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36222,"alt":"","title":"JSacks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","width":437,"height":548,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-768x448.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":448,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-1024x597.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":597,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","1536x1536-width":437,"1536x1536-height":548,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","2048x2048-width":437,"2048x2048-height":548,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","post_full_size-width":437,"post_full_size-height":548,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-335x420.jpg","home_baner-width":335,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A call that echoes in every generation","post_main_content_content":"

When Adam and Eve sinned, God called out \u201cWhere are you?\u201d In response, Adam hid. In this chapter <\/span>Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. The Lord then said to Cain, \u201cWhere is your brother Abel?\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he replied. \u201cAm I my brother\u2019s keeper?\u201d By avoiding facing God and telling Him the truth of their sins, both Adam and Cain failed to take responsibility for their actions.<\/span> Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, pointed out that these calls to Cain and Adam were not directed solely to them but echo in every generation. He is constantly calling to us and pleading that we confront our actions, that we take responsibility for them. God gave us freedom, but with freedom comes responsibility--responsibility to strive to do what is right and also holding yourself accountable when you make a mistake.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

excerpted from:\u00a0\u00a0http:\/\/rabbisacks.org\/bereishit-5774-taking-responsibility<\/span><\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"With Freedom Comes Responsibility","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A call that echoes in every generation","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"4","date":"20250903","wall_id":"4"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"354","name":"Rabbi Sacks","old_id":"754"},{"term_id":"376","name":"Choice","old_id":"776"}]},{"order":15,"id":"34103","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Chapter 4 Summary: My brother! Why did you commit murder? ","post_title":"Chapter 4 Summary: My brother! Why did you commit murder?","slug":"chapter-4-summary-my-brother-why-did-you-commit-murder","old_id":"34103","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":false,"related_cahpter":"4","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

The first parents in the world (Adam and Eve). The first pregnancy in the world. The first child in the world (Cain). Then the second (Abel). \u00a0The first professions in the world (shepherd and tiller of the land).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Then - competition (two offerings to God, only one accepted - Abel\u2019s), wrath \u00a0(Cain\u2019s, the rejected one), God's attempt to explain the principle of free choice.... and the first murder in the world.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The chapter continues in a somewhat surprising way. The first murderer in the world is granted protection: The mark of Cain.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He is punished by wandering, but soon settles (in the land of Nod, based on the root for \u201cwander\u201d) and even builds a city.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Humanity continues to develop - from the creative sons of Cain the murderer, and also from Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve, who was born after the murder.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Points to Ponder:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. \u00a0<\/span> Pregnancy and childbirth feel to Eve as a partnership with God in the act of creation, and this experience is the inspiration for the name of Cain \"I have gained\/created a male child with the help of the Lord.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. \u00a0<\/span> The first murder also has shaped our lexicon: the blood crying out from the ground, and the anger at the evasion: \"Where is Abel your brother\" (4:9).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. \u00a0<\/span> In the verses that tell about the murder, the word \"brother\" appears six times and literally shouts from the scriptures, just as \"your brother\u2019s blood cries out \u00a0to Me from the ground\u201d (4:10).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. \u00a0<\/span> The first professions were herding (Abel) and farming (Cain). It is interesting that it was only later, in the next generations, that the professions of the art of \u00a0instrumental music (Yuval) and iron work (Tuval Kayin) were established.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. \u00a0<\/span> The chapter ends with the birth of Enosh and with the renewal that occurred in his time, \u201cit was then that men began to invoke the Lord by name\u201d (4:26). \u00a0This was, perhaps, the first religious reform.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    \u00a0<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to 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