Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Noach – 3 MarCheshvan 5786
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Noach – 3 MarCheshvan 5786
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
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The Berdichev Rebbe zt”l asked: Why did Kayin receive the punishment of galus for killing Hevel. Why did Hashem cast Kayin out into the wilderness and decree that he wander the earth. In general, galus is the sentence given to one who kills unintentionally or B’Shogeg. One who kills with premeditation or B’Mayzid would be subject to the death penalty by the courts if he was warned and there were witnesses, but even if these conditions were not met he would be subject to death from Heaven or Mitah Bidei Shamayaim.
He points out that when Kayin and Hevel brought their Korbanos, the Torah says that Kayin offered them “to Hashem,” whereas by Hevel this phrase is omitted. The Berdichever suggests that Kayin believed that Hevel was offering his Korban to Avodah Zara, which carries a punishment of death. He furthermore felt that it was his responsibility to take matters into his own hands and therefore struck down Hevel as a consequence of his sin of idolatry. Sinc Kayin’s intent was not out of wickedness, but due to a mistaken judgment; his act was B'Shogeg and worthy of Galus rather than death.
Based on this approach, one could also suggest that when Hashem asked Kayin, Ayeh Hevel Achicha, “Where is your brother Kayin” (Beraishis 4:9), he replied, HaShomer Achi Anochi, which can also be understood as “Did my brother observe the concept of ‘Anochi’. Kayin’s enigmatic answer was his way of pleading a defense for his actions. In other words, Kayin was referring to the first two statements of the Aseres HaDibros, which command us to accept Hashem as our Master and not to serve Avodah Zara.
Kayin’s offering was from the produce of the earth, while Hevel brought from his flock. Rashi cites the oral tradition that Kayin gave an inferior offering of flax, rather than from his best produce. In contrast, Hevel gave from the best of his animals, which is why Hashem accepted the offering of Hevel, but not the offering of Kayin. It is noteworthy that both flax and sheep are used in Avodah in the Beis HaMikdash. Flax is used to make linen which is used to make the Bigdei Kehunah and animals are of course used for Korbanos. However, flax in its unprocessed form shows a lack of effort on the part of Kayin. Had he first processed the flax into linen perhaps his offering would have been accepted. Once again, it is not the physical item that Hashem cares about, but what is in man’s heart. We know that Hashem accepts an offering of course flour from a poor person and Chazal explain that this may even be more dear to Hashem than an animal offering (see Rashi to Vayikra 2:1)
Alternatively, one may explain that Kayin’s act was considered B’Shogeg because he did not even know that it was possible to kill a person. Chazal relate that Kayin did not know how death could be caused and experimented in various ways until Hevel died. Thus, his intent was only to injure, not to kill, and his punishment was galus, the fitting penalty for unintentional killing.
To connect this to Parashas Noach, the commentaries explain that Noach sought to rectify the sins of Adam HaRishon and Kayin by bringing humanity to Teshuvah, thereby restoring the world to its pristine state at Ma’aseh Bereishis. For this reason, Noach was chosen to survive the Mabul and renew the human race. Remarkably, Noach descended from the line of Sheis, while his wife descended from Kayin (Beraishis 4:22 and Rashi there), ensuring that both lines of humanity would endure.
When HaKadosh Baruch Hu created Adam, He did not create Adam with words alone by saying Yehi Adam, as he did with other creations like the light, the firmament or the celestial bodies, but rather Hashem formed him directly from the dust of the earth. This intimate bond with the earth and all of nature explains why the earth is seemingly punished after the sin of Adam and why Kayin was afraid of the animals after he had killed Hevel. When man becomes corrupt, the world too becomes chaotic.
Just as Noach endeavored to rectify the world through Teshuvah, so too may we merit to return to Hashem with a full heart, to perfect ourselves and the world around us, and to behold the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days.