Daf 118b (דַּף קי״ח ע״ב)

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), Rabbis, all these structures depend on thought (רַבָּנָן, כָּל אִלֵּין בִּנְיָנִין תַּלְיָין בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), as we find by Kayin and Hevel (כְּמָה דְאַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּקַיִן וְהֶבֶל). Kayin was a worker of the ground, and he brought as an offering flax, from that side of nakedness (קַיִן הָיָה עוֹבֵד אֲדָמָה וּמַיְיתֵי בְּקָרְבָּנָא פִּשְׁתִּים, מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְעִרְוָה). His thought was to bring before the Kudsha Berikh Hu nakedness (הֲוָה מַחֲשָׁבָה לְקָרְבָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עִרְוָה). And from where do we know that flax is from the side of nakedness? For it is said: “And you shall make for them linen breeches to cover the flesh of nakedness” (וּמִנַּיִן דְּפִשְׁתִּים אִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְעִרְוָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַעֲשֵׂה לָהֶם מִכְנְסֵי בָד לְכַסּוֹת בְּשַׂר עִרְוָה) (Exodus 28). Hevel was a shepherd of sheep (הֶבֶל הֲוָה רוֹעֶה צֹאן). He offered as a sacrifice from the firstborn of his flock (קָרִיב קָרְבָּנָא מִבְּכוֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ). This is what is written: “And Hevel also brought of the firstborn of his flock” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם הוּא מִבְּכוֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ) (Bereshit 4). His thought was in that place of which it is said: “The Ancient of Days sat, His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool” (מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּיהּ הֲוָה בְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִיב לְבוּשֵׁהּ כִּתְלָג חִוָּור וּשְׂעַר רֵאשֵׁהּ כַּעֲמַר נְקֵא) (Daniel 7). And the Kudsha Berikh Hu considered his good thought as deed, and because of this He accepted it (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּיהּ טָבָא צָרְפָה לְמַעֲשֶׂה, וּבְגִין דָּא קַבִּיל לֵיהּ). But an evil thought He does not join to deed, and this was the offering of Kayin (וּמַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה לָא מְצָרְפָה לְמַעֲשֶׂה, וְדָא הוּא קָרְבָּנָא דְקַיִן). And because of this he was angered, and immediately Hashem said to Kayin: “Why are you angry?” (וּבְגִין דָּא חָרָה לוֹ, מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהו״ה לְקַיִן לָמָּה חָרָה לָךְ) (Bereshit 4). “Is it not if you do well, you shall be lifted up” (הֲלֹא אִם תֵּטִיב שְׂאֵת). If you improve your deeds, you shall be lifted, I shall lengthen for you and I shall take your burden upon Me (אִם תֵּטִיב עוֹבָדָךְ שְׂאֵת, אֲנָא מַאֲרִיךְ לָךְ וְאֶטּוֹל מַטּוּלָךְ עָלַי). And from where do we know that “lifting” means the burden of sins? For it is written: “I am weary of bearing” (וּמְנָלָן דִּשְׂאֵת מַטּוּלָא דְחוֹבִין הוּא, דִּכְתִיב נִלְאֵתִי נְשׂוֹא) (Isaiah 1). But if you do not improve your deeds, “at the opening sin crouches” (וְאִם לֹא תֵטִיב עוֹבָדָךְ לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ) (Bereshit 4). And this is the opening of Gehinom, where your sins rule over you (וְדָא פֶתַח דְּגֵיהִנָּם, דְּתַמָּן חוֹבִין דִּילָךְ שָׁלְטִין עֲלָךְ). But if you improve your deeds, you shall rule over it (וְאִם תֵּטִיב עוֹבָדָךְ אַתָּה תִּמְשׁוֹל בּוֹ).

The wicked are not ruled by discipline, but they guard their hatred, like Esav: “And Esav hated Ya'akov” (רַשִּׁיעַיָּא לָא שַׁלִּיט בְּהוֹן מוּסָר אֶלָּא נָטְרִין דְּבָבוּ, כְּגַוְונָא דְעֵשָׂו וַיִּשְׂטֹם עֵשָׂו אֶת יַעֲקֹב) (Bereshit 27). Ya'akov is like Hevel, and Esav is like Kayin (יַעֲקֹב כְּגַוְונָא דְהֶבֶל וְעֵשָׂו כְּגַוְונָא דְקַיִן). “And He said: What have you done?” (וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָ) (Bereshit 4). This sin, that you killed your brother, you did not do it except against the Name that is called Mem-Heh (חוֹבָא דָּא דִקְטַלְתְּ לַאֲחוּךְ לָא עֲבַדְתְּ לֵיהּ אֶלָּא לִשְׁמָא דְאִתְקְרֵי מ״ה). Mem-Heh, I testify against you and bring witness upon you, and it demands of you (מָ״ה אֲעִידֵךְ וְאַסְהִיד עֲלָךְ, וְאִיהִי תָּבְעָה לָךְ). And not only this, but Mem-Heh, which is Adam that He made for you, caused this, that He brought forth the Angel of Death into the world through you (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא מ״ה דְאִיהוּ אָדָם דְּעָבִיד לָךְ, גָּרַם דָּא דְּאַפִּיק מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת בָּךְ לְעָלְמָא). And this is “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children” (וְדָא אִיהוּ פּוֹקֵד עֲוֹן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים) (Exodus 20). And behold it has been explained: if they hold the deeds of their fathers in their hands (וְהָא אִתְּמַר אִם אוֹחֲזִין מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם). But thus was the deed of his father in his hand, because of the matter of a woman (אֶלָּא כַּךְ הֲוָה עוֹבְדֵי אֲבוּהָ הֲוָה בִידֵיהּ, עַל סִבָּה דְאִשָּׁה הֲוָה). As it is said: “And it was when they were in the field” (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמַר וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה) (Bereshit 4). And there is no “field” except a woman (וְאֵין שָׂדֶה אֶלָּא אִתְּתָא). The woman caused death to Adam, and caused death to Hevel (אִתְּתָא גָרְמַת מִיתָה לְאָדָם, וְגָרְמַת מִיתָה לְהֶבֶל). As it is said in Ya'akov, with the angel appointed over Esav: “And a man wrestled with him” (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמַר בְּיַעֲקֹב עִם מְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ) (Bereshit 32). In the same manner were Kayin and Hevel (כְּגַוְונָא דָא הֲוָה קַיִן וְהֶבֶל). And Hevel prevailed over Kayin (וְנָצַח הֶבֶל לְקַיִן). And he was from the side of mercy, which had pity on him and did not desire to kill him (וְאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְרַחֲמֵי דְחַיִּיס עֲלוֹי וְלָא בָעָא לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ). But he rose up and killed him (וְקָם הוּא וְקָטְלֵיהּ). And the woman caused this (וְאִתְּתָא גָרְמָא דָא).

Concerning her it is said: “Her feet go down to death” (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת) (Proverbs 5). And through his jealousy he killed him (וּבְקִנְאָה דִילֵיהּ קָטִיל לֵיהּ). And He said: “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground” (וַיֹּאמֶר קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צוֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן הָאֲדָמָה) (Bereshit 4). You are the son of the serpent who caused death to Adam (אַנְתְּ הוּא בְרֵיהּ דְּחִוְיָא דְגָרַם מִיתָה לְאָדָם), of whom it is said: “Cursed are you above all the cattle” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה) (Bereshit 3). Thus you have to inherit from him, that his deed is in your hand (כַּךְ אִית לָךְ לְיַרְתָא מִנֵּיהּ, דְּעוֹבָדָא דִילֵיהּ בִּידָךְ). Because of this: “Cursed are you from the ground which opened her mouth” (בְּגִין דָּא אָרוּר אַתָּה מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה אֶת פִּיהָ). This was the land which the Kudsha Berikh Hu cursed with nine curses; He cursed Kayin with one to complete ten (דָא הֲוָה אַרְעָא דְּלַיִּיט לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תֵּשַׁע לְוָוטִין, לַיִּיט לְקַיִן חַד לְאַשְׁלָמָא לַעֲשָׂרָה). And because of this He said: “Cursed are you from the ground… when you work the ground…”-that its strength shall become weak toward you, and kings and rulers shall not come forth from you (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר אָרוּר אַתָּה מִן הָאֲדָמָה וְכוּ׳ כִּי תַעֲבוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה וְכוּ׳ דִּתְּהֵא תָּשַׁשׁ חֵילָהָא לְגַבָּךְ, וְלָא יִפְּקוּן מִינָךְ מַלְכִין וְשַׁלִּיטִין).

“A wanderer and a vagabond you shall be in the earth” (נָע וָנָד תִּהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ). For I said to Adam: “And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the beast” (דַּאֲנָא אֲמָרִית לְאָדָם וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה) (Bereshit 1). These are the children of men who depend upon the constellations, who resemble living creatures and cattle and birds; all of them will go toward you to kill you, and you shall go a wanderer and a vagabond before them (דְּאִנּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְתַלְיָין בְּמַזָּלוֹת, דְּדַמְיָין לְחֵיוָון וּבְעִירָן וְעוֹפוֹת, כֻּלְּהוּ אָזְלוּ לְגַבָּךְ לְקַטְלָא לָךְ, וְאַנְתְּ תֵּזִיל נָע וָנָד מִקַּדְמָאֵי). “Wanderer and vagabond”-sin judged (נָ״ע וָנָ״ד עָוֹ״ן דָּ״ן).

And further, “wanderer and vagabond,” because you are the sin of niddah, and in the niddah you were made-that which is the pollution that the serpent cast into Chavah; because of this “wanderer and vagabond you shall be” (וְעוֹד נָע וָנָד בְּגִין דְּאַנְתְּ עָוֹ״ן דְּנִדָּ״ה, וּבַנִּדָּה אִתְעֲבִידַת דְּאִיהִי זוּהֲמָא דְהִטִּיל נָחָשׁ לְחַוָּה, בְּגִין דָּא נָע וָנָד תִּהְיֶה). And further: wanderer-because you are from the side of Samael; vagabond-because you are from the side of the serpent; wanderer in this world, vagabond in the world to come, which are the upper Shekhinta and the lower Shekhinta, who both take vengeance from you (וְעוֹד נָע בְּגִין דְּאַנְתְּ מִסִּטְרָא דְסַמָא״ל, נָד בְּגִין דְּאַנְתְּ מִסִּטְרָא דְנָחָשׁ, נָע בְּעָלְמָא דֵין, נָד בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דְּאִינוּן שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה, דְּנָטְלִין תַּרְוַיְיהוּ נוּקְמָא מִינָךְ). And because of this, when he heard that in this upper place Hevel was dependent, immediately “Kayin said to Hashem: ‘Great is my iniquity to bear’” (וּבְגִין דָּא כַּד שָׁמַע דְּבַאֲתַר עִלָּאָה דָא הֲוָה תַלְיָא הֶבֶל, מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל יְהו״ה גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשׂוֹא) (Bereshit 4). Here he returned in repentance and regretted (הָכָא תָב בִּתְיוּבְתָּא וְאִתְחַרַט).

Because of this: “And Hashem set a sign for Kayin” (בְּגִין דָּא וַיָּשֶׂם יְהו״ה לְקַיִן אוֹת) (Bereshit 4). Here He hinted to the sign of the covenant of circumcision which Yitro received, of whom it is said: “And the children of Keni, the father-in-law of Moshe” who was separated from Kayin-should read (Judges 4:11) “And Hever the Keni separated from Kayin” (הָכָא רָמַז אוֹת בְּרִית מִילָה דְקַבִּיל יִתְרוֹ, דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וּבְנֵי קֵנִי חוֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה שֶׁנִּפְרַד מִקַּיִן, צ״ל (שָׁם ד יא) וְחֶבֶר הַקֵּינִי נִפְרָד מִקַּיִן). And through Yitro, Kayin was rectified from his sins (וּבְיִתְרוֹ אִתְתַּקַּן קַיִן מֵחוֹבֵיהּ). And further, at that time He accepted him, because He showed him the children of Keni, the father-in-law of Moshe, who would in the future be in the Chamber of Hewn Stone (וְעוֹד בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא קַבִּיל לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאַחֲזֵי לֵיהּ בְּנוֹי דְקֵנִי חוֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה דַהֲווֹ עֲתִידִין לְמֶהֱוִי בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית). He said: And if the Kudsha Berikh Hu accepts one liable in repentance, how much more so the Righteous (אָמַר וְכִי לְחַיָּיבָא קַבִּיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּתְשׁוּבָה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה לַצַּדִּיקַיָּיא). Immediately: “And Kayin went out from before Hashem” (מִיָּד וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן מִלִּפְנֵי יְהו״ה) (Bereshit 4).

By this he went out from judgment and accepted upon himself all that had been decreed upon him, as it is written: “And he dwelt in the land of Nod”-that which He said to him, “Nod,” He set upon him a Vav and it became “Nod” (בְּהַאי נָפַק מִן דִּינָא, וְקַבִּיל עֲלֵיהּ כָּל מַה דְּאִתְגַּזַּר בֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, מַה דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ נָד, שַׁוִּי עֲלֵיהּ ו׳ וְאִתְעֲבִיד נוֹד). And this is what is said concerning him: “And Hashem set a sign for Kayin, lest anyone finding him should smite him”-for if it had been “Nad,” it would have been said of him: “Whoever finds me shall kill me.” But because he returned in repentance and accepted upon himself the sign of the covenant, He set upon him the sign, the Vav, to save him (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַיָּשֶׂם יְהו״ה לְקַיִן אוֹת לְבִלְתִּי הַכּוֹת אוֹתוֹ, דְּאִם הֲוָה נָד אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְהָיָה כָל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי, וּבְגִין דְּתָב בִּתְיוּבְתָּא וְקַבִּיל עֲלֵיהּ אוֹת בְּרִית, שַׁוִּי עֲלֵיהּ אוֹת ו׳ לְשֵׁזָבָא לֵיהּ). And not only this, but He set for him “the front of Eden,” through which he merited the Garden of Eden (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְשַׁוִּי לֵיהּ קִדְמַת עִדֶן, דִּבְגִינֵיהּ זָכָה לְגַן עִדֶן).