B'reisheet בְּרֵאשִׁית - In the Beginning
Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8
Day #4: Genesis 3:22–4:18
3:22 Hashem Elohim said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—” 23 Therefore Hashem Elohim sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man, and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
4 The man knew Eve, his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Hashem’s help.” 2 Again she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 As time passed, Cain brought an offering to Hashem from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Hashem respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.
6 Hashem said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? 7 If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
9 Hashem said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”
He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 Hashem said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13 Cain said to Hashem, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 Hashem said to him, “Therefore, whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Hashem appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.
16 Cain left Hashem’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 Cain knew his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and named it after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
Today’s Meditation:
What exactly is the sign on Cain? I always thought it was some type of mark on his forehead so everyone could see it. However, rabbinical literature views the sign as a mark of forgiveness. After Hashem confronts Cain about his evil deed of murdering his brother, Cain remarks, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” It sounds like he is repenting. And when we repent, Hashem forgives us.
Perhaps this is the first instance of forgiveness mentioned in the Bible. After all, we are only in chapters 3 and 4. This forgiveness is so massive that G-d puts a mark on Cain so that no one will hurt him. What a powerful sign that must have been. That is G-d’s grace for sure. Forgiveness and protection. It also reminds us that sin comes with consequences. Truly, the sadness of this all is that Cain will now be hidden from Elohim’s face.
Today’s Challenge:
Are you wearing a sign of forgiveness on your face? Or is that not possible because there is actually someone in your life you are having a hard time forgiving? I challenge you to take that person that Hashem has just put into your mind, go to them, and seek forgiveness from them. When you do this, you will see that Hashem has also forgiven you.
