It wasn't always peaceful. The story of Cain and Abel, the first brothers, is a chilling tale of jealousy, resentment, and ultimately, fratricide. But according to tradition, the seeds of this tragedy were sown long before that fateful day in the field.
According to Legends of the Jews, by Louis Ginzberg, the slaying of Abel wasn’t entirely unexpected. Eve, their mother, had a disturbing dream. She saw Abel's blood flowing directly into Cain's mouth, and he drank it greedily. Abel pleaded with him to stop, but Cain wouldn't. Imagine the horror when she shared this vision with Adam. He immediately feared the worst: that Cain would kill Abel.
In an attempt to prevent the tragedy, Adam separated his sons, assigning them different tasks and living spaces. Cain became a tiller of the ground, a farmer, while Abel became a shepherd. Each had his own domain, his own responsibilities. But as we know, you can't always outrun destiny.
The tension between the brothers escalated during an offering on the fourteenth day of Nisan (a month in the Hebrew calendar, usually falling in March-April). Adam instructed his sons to bring sacrifices to the Creator on this day, mirroring the future offerings of the Israelites, hoping God would find pleasure in their devotion. As Ginzberg tells us, this location was none other than the future site of the Temple in Jerusalem!
Abel chose the best of his flock, the finest animals for his sacrifice. But Cain? Cain ate his fill first, then offered what was left over: a few grains of flax seed. Imagine that – offering the leftovers to the Divine! And remember, according to tradition, the ground itself was cursed because of Adam's sin. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, this was a serious offense.
Unsurprisingly, God favored Abel's offering, accepting it with a heavenly fire, while Cain's was rejected. Cain’s face even turned black as smoke, a visible sign of his disfavor. Yet, according to the story, even after this, Cain's attitude didn't change!
God, in his infinite mercy, tried to guide Cain, saying, "If thou wilt amend thy ways, thy guilt will be forgiven thee; if not, thou wilt be delivered into the power of the evil inclination (yetzer hara). It coucheth at the door of thy heart, yet it depends upon thee whether thou shalt be master over it, or it shall be master over thee." A powerful message about free will and the constant battle between good and evil within us.
But Cain, consumed by resentment, felt wronged. He argued with Abel. "I believed," he said, "that the world was created through goodness, but I see that good deeds bear no fruit. God rules the world with arbitrary power, else why had He respect unto thy offering, and not unto mine also?" Abel countered that God rewards good deeds and that Cain's offering was rejected because his actions were wicked.
However, the story goes deeper. It wasn't just about the offerings. Love, or rather, lust, played a part. According to tradition, a girl, destined to be his wife, was born alongside each son of Adam to ensure the continuation of humanity. Abel's twin sister was exceptionally beautiful, and Cain desired her. This desire fueled his hatred, leading him to constantly plot how to get rid of his brother.
The final spark ignited when Abel's sheep wandered onto Cain's field. In a rage, Cain demanded, "What right hast thou to live upon my land and let thy sheep pasture yonder?" Abel retorted, "What right hast thou to use the products of my sheep, to make garments for thyself from their wool? If thou wilt take off the wool of my sheep wherein thou art arrayed, and wilt pay me for the flesh of the flocks which thou hast eaten, then I will quit thy land as thou desirest, and fly into the air, if I can do it."
Then, Cain uttered the chilling words, "And if I were to kill thee, who is there to demand thy blood of me?" Abel replied: "God, who brought us into the world, will avenge me. He will require my blood at thine hand, if thou shouldst slay me. God is the Judge, who will visit their wicked deeds upon the wicked, and their evil deeds upon the evil. Shouldst thou slay me, God will know thy secret, and He will deal out punishment unto thee."
These words only intensified Cain's anger. He attacked Abel, who initially overpowered him. But Abel, being of a gentle nature, showed mercy and released his hold. A fatal mistake. As soon as Cain was free, he turned on Abel once more and killed him.
Thus, the first murder was committed. A tragic tale of jealousy, resentment, and the devastating consequences of unchecked anger. As the story poignantly concludes: "Do the evil no good, lest evil fall upon thee." A sobering reminder of the complexities of human nature, and the enduring power of choice.