Cain and Hevel

Found 18 Search results

  1. Religious Sin, Ethical Sin and the Punishment of Exile

    Prof. Jonathan Grossman

    This article compares the sins of Adam and Cain; and suggests that Adam’s sin is a prototype for religious sin; while Cain’s sin is a prototype for moral sin.

  2. Murdering with Guile

    Rabbi Yaakov Medan

    To which murderer is the Torah referring when it states “you shall take him from My altar to die”? Chazal’s interpretation included only one who murders intentionally with premeditation, as opposed to one who murders accidentally. The verses, however, include a third type of murderer who is a composite of the first two types. He murders intentionally, but pretends to have done so unknowingly. It is concerning this murderer that the Torah commands that he be removed from the place of his refuge, from the 'altar,' and put to death. Examples exist throughout the biblical text, from Cain who murders Hevel, through Yoav ben Tzeruya’s murder of Avner, Amasa and Uriya, to Yishmael ben Netanya who murders Gedaliya ben Achikam.

  3. Why Did God Not Accept Kayin's Offering?

    Rabbi Elchanan Samet

    Why didn't God accept Cain's offering? Why was He willing to accept Hevel's offering? Rav Hirsch and Hillel Zeitlin believe Cain was rejected for his choice of profession as one who works the land.

  4. Raising Cain and Hevel

    Rabbi Ezra Bick

    What do we learn from the story of Cain and Hevel? Is it the story of the first murder in history, or of conflict and competition between men? What does Hevel's name signify? Why wasn't Cain's offering accepted? Was Cain evil? Why was Cain exiled?

  5. Religious Sin, Ethical Sin, and the Punishment of Exile (Audio)

    Prof. Jonathan Grossman | 14 minutes

    Why are there numerous linguistic and thematic parallels between Adam and Kayin? The Torah vies moral-ethical sins at least as seriously as religious-ritual sins. Adam and Kayin's stories are an example of this standpoint. The consequence of exile is introduced. Will future generations learn the right messages from these "exile from Eden" paradigms?

  6. The Keys to Revealing Kohelet's Hidden Meaning

    Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky

    תאריך פרסום: תש"ע | |

    What is the book of Kohelet about? What does it teach us? This shiur explores these questions in order to understand Kohelet on a deeper level. By examining various stories in Tanach, such as Adam and Chava, Cain and Hevel, and Para Aduma we can gain a clear understanding of the essence of Kohelet - the ability to choose between good and evil, which is critical to understanding life in general. 

  7. Kayin: Ambition and Supremacy

    Rabbi Ezra Bick

    תאריך פרסום: תש"ע | |

    The pshat of the story of Cain and Hevel is deliberately ambiguous, and the midrashim make numerous attempts at filling in the details of the story to give us a clearer picture. This shiur explores the story more deeply by examining the characters and names of Cain and Hevel, and tells the story in quite a different way - it is a lesson in societal living, human nature, responsibility, and what it means to be part of Jewish destiny.

  8. Raising Cain and Hevel [audio]

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 16 minutes

    What do we learn from the story of Cain and Hevel? Is it the story of the first murder in history, or of conflict and competition between men? What does Hevel's name signify? Why wasn't Cain's offering accepted? Was Cain evil? Why was Cain exiled?

  9. Why Didn't God Accept Kain's Sacrifice?

    Dr. Adina Sternberg

    תאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | | Hour and 2 minutes

    Cain is known for committing the first murder, but before his crime, the Torah makes it look like he also brought the first sacrifice. What was wrong with his korban? Why did God accept the offering of his brother Hevel, but not that of Cain?  Why doesn't Cain get credit at least for ingenuity?  We will attempt to answer these questions through a close reading of the Hebrew text and an analysis of the theological meanings of the different gifts one might give to God.

    This shiur delves into ideas about what korbanot are, the good and bad aspects of being a shepherd or working the land, and the meaning of ma’aser (tithing) as representing a partnership. In light of the above, the text is re-examined, assumptions are rejected, and penetrating insights emerge about Cain, Hevel, and the mindset behind Cain and Hevel in their acts of offering to God.

     

  10. Kayin and Hevel: Structure, Parallel and Drama

    Rabbi Chanoch Waxman |

    Through analyzing the story of Kayin and Hevel, we sketch the outlines of three different sub-schools of the literary method of studying Tanakh: structuralist, parallelist, and dramatic-narrative approaches. These methodological approaches help us to delve into the story of Kayin and Hevel, raise questions and offer solutions that allow us to appreciate different facets of the story.

  11. The Purpose of Kayin's Geneologies

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  12. Cain Confronted: Feeling Justified in a Jealous Act

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  13. Why Cain's Words to Hevel Didn't Matter

  14. Cain and Hevel: Perspective on Korbanot

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  15. The Double Helix- From Lemech to Noach

    Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein | Hour and 6 minutes

    What can we learn from the character and story of Lemech? Through an examination of the episode of Lemech as well as the generations preceding and following him, we learn about purpose of man in the world. We also reveal a discussion about our relationship with the past and with the future, and about the delicate balance between living within nature and the development of technology. 

  16. Parshat Bereshit Part 4: Cain & Hevel

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 minutes

    The story of Cain and Hevel contains many vague details- why did God accept Hevel’s offering but not Cain’s? What exactly occurred in the field? What was Cain’s punishment? A close examination of the text allows us to suggest answers to these questions. 

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

  17. Shoftim: The Line Between Murder And Apathy

    Rabbi David Fohrman |

    In this week's parsha, we are introduced to cities of refuge, a safe haven for one who kills accidentally. Interestingly, we've heard many of the same circumstances before in the narrative section of the Torah, but why? In this video, Rabbi Fohrman gives us a context to understand what lies beyond accidental murder, and how to become more sensitive individuals.

     

     
    If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.

  18. Art and Parshanut: Murder in the Making

    Neima Novetsky | Hour and 4 minutes

    Artistic renderings of Biblical scenes provide a unique lens through which to view the ancient text. The artists' choices highlight textual and conceptual difficulties and simultaneously convey possible interpretations of Biblical ambiguities, acting like Midrash to fill in gaps in the text. This class explores a selection of artwork and more traditional exegesis on the stories of Kayin and Hevel and Lemekh and his wives, delving into the first murders in history. One is a well known story, the other often forgotten, but together they touch on universal themes such as the human desire for acceptance and the pain of rejection, the deterioration of society and cycles of violence, and the possibility and power of repentance.