Parshat Bereshit: Cain & Abel

(1) Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gained a male child with the help of the LORD.” (2) She then bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of sheep, and Cain became a tiller of the soil. (3) In the course of time, Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil; (4) and Abel, for his part, brought the choicest of the firstlings of his flock. The LORD paid heed to Abel and his offering, (5) but to Cain and his offering He paid no heed. Cain was much distressed and his face fell. (6) And the LORD said to Cain,
“Why are you distressed,
And why is your face fallen? (7) Surely, if 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.”

(1) Lift up. According to many commentators, "raise up" means "carry your sin", but I believe the correct interpretation is "lift up your countenance" because it says in the earlier verse that his [Cain's] face fell. And the reason is that if he acts well, his face will be raised (a metaphor for finding favor/no longer being shamed).

(2) Sin crouches. [...] And there are those that say that sin crouches at the threshold of the house and goes with you. And some say at the threshold of the mouth to beware opening one's mouth. And the correct one, to my mind, is that sin is close by and it is the inclination of man to crouch with it.

(3) And it's urge is towards you. Because the inclination will return to it if you so well, but you also have the strength to rule over it.

(1) Surely if you improve — Its meaning is as the Targum gives it: “if thou wilt improve thy doings, thou shalt be forgiven”.

(2) Sin crouches at the threshold — Right up to the door of your grave (until your death) your sin will be preserved.

(3) And it's urge is towards you — The longing of sin; it refers to the evil inclination. This is continually longing and desiring to make you sin.

(8) Cain said to his brother Abel … and when they were in the field, Cain set upon his brother Abel and killed him.

(1) And Cain said to Abel - how upset he was, and how he had become downcast on account of his brother.

(3) And Cain rose up - Kayin arose without any previous quarrel, similar to Deuteronomy 19,11 וארב לו וקם עליו, “he ambushed him and attacked him.”

(7) “And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field…” (Genesis 4:8) What were they arguing about? They said: come let’s divide up the world, one will take the land and one will take the moveable property. This one said: the ground you are standing on is mine. The other one said: what you are wearing is mine. This one said: take it off! The other one said: fly! Because of this “…Cain rose against his brother Abel and killed him.” (ibid.) R’ Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of R’ Levi: they both took the land and the moveable property. What were they arguing about? One said: the Holy Temple will be built in my boundary. The other said: the Holy Temple will be built in my boundary. As it says “…when they were in the field…” (ibid.) and the field only refers to the Holy Temple. This is what it says “…Zion shall be plowed as a field…” (Micah 3:12) Because of this “…Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.” Yehudah bar Ami said: they were arguing about the first Eve. R’ Ibo said: the first Eve returned to the dust. Then what were they arguing about? R’ Huna said: an extra twin sister was born with Abel. This one said: I will take her because I am the first born. The other one said: I will take her because she was born with me. Because of this “…Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.”

(9) The LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (10) Then He said, “What have you done? Hark, your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! (11) Therefore, you shall be more cursed than the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. (12) If you till the soil, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. You shall become a ceaseless wanderer on earth.”

(13) Cain said to the LORD, “My sin is too great to bear! (14) Since You have banished me this day from the soil, and I must avoid Your presence and become a restless wanderer on earth—anyone who meets me may kill me!”

(15) The LORD said to him, “I promise, if anyone kills Cain, sevenfold vengeance shall be taken on him.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone who met him should kill him. (16) Cain left the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.