Cain versus Abel

Judaism, Wntr-Spring, 2004 by Schneir Levin

(3) Both Cain and Abel gave sacrificial gifts to God and Abel's was accepted above that of Cain. But this was not because of miserliness by Cain. It was because, as is usual, a kindly and sympathetic father (in this case God) makes special allowances for a handicapped child or adolescent and favors him (4:4).

(4) And lo, when they were in the field, Cain's field, with grain to be protected, Abel came with his sheep or goats to graze on the fields of Cain. And the result? "[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] ... And Cain said unto Abel his brother ..." (4:8). What did he say? It is not stated in the Hebrew text but there can be little doubt: "Get off my field!" Abel refused (4:8 implied). And the result? The aggressive and strong Abel attacked the smaller Cain. "[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] ... And Cain rose up...." How come? Because he had been knocked down (Midrash Genesis Rabba 22:7, 8).

(5) So Cain retaliated in some manner, for Cain rose up "[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]. Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him, slew him." Note: not [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], and murdered him, as in the sixth declaration (commandment: "[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], Don't murder!" Cain slew Abel, unintentional killing, manslaughter, in self defense.

(6) And God asked, "Where is your brother Abel?" And Cain replied, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (4:9). Has it been my duty all these years to care for a bully, a disturbed youngster?

(7) With Abel dead a replacement was needed, hence the birth of Seth, and this word means replacement. For what, the dead Abel (4:25)? No, the defective Abel, for it specifically states that Set was from [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] (4:25), a different seed, genetic material, normal genetic constitution (karyotype, genotype) unlike that of Abel.

(8) And what punishment was meted out to Cain? After all, he had killed and others (from where?) might want to take revenge on him (4:14). God's punishment was no more than a slap on the wrist, no more than he inherited from Adam (3:17-19, 4:12). Cain was then banished to the land of Nod (4:16) where he built a town (4:17), perhaps a place of asylum, like the [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], the biblical towns of refuge (Numbers 35:6f) for those who inadvertently had killed someone. Moreover God guarded Cain and put a protective mark on him (4:15) and he continued his line in the birth of Enoch (4:17).

The fruit of the tree of the carnal experience of good and bad refers to the physically, intellectually, socially and genetically normal, good while bad here refers to the disabled. The fruit tree command is not to be translated and interpreted in moral or legal terms but in genetic and medical terms as the fruit of the tree of the sexual experience of good and bad.

Some toxic material may be transmitted from merely touching a potentially contagious and harmful substance (the forbidden fruit) and this includes the entry into the pregnant woman of various chemicals (the fetal alcohol--grape-derived syndrome), micro-organisms (notably the German measles virus), and the transmission of other viruses (chiefly the HIV AIDS virus) which may injure both fetus and mother and may indeed give some truth to the consequence that it may result in death (2:17). Also forbidden is the sexual transmission of known genetic or hereditary disorders such as hemophilia. Touching or eating a forbidden substance is a prophylactic warning focussed largely on the sexual transmission of multiple disorders that could indeed end in death, certainly of the fetus.