Shabbat B'reishit

27 Tishrei 5756

Saturday, October 21, 1995

Guest Rabbi:

Rabbi Aaron S. Tirschwell

National Council of Young Israel

From the presentation of the creation of the world in Parshat B'reishit, one would expect to learn significant insights into human nature from the very first humans whom G-d created. Clearly, we get a picture into man's ability to make choices, as Adam and Chava taught us about the concept of choosing sin and its consequences through the incident with the Tree of Knowledge. We also learn that man was not destined to be alone in this world; therefore, G-d created woman. Yet, given the traumatic situation of their son's untimely death, the Torah does not record how our first ancestors expressed their feelings towards their children.

When the Torah, in its fourth Perek, describes Chava's giving birth to two sons, we are presented with the famous Cain and Hevel story, complete with Cain's slaying of Hevel. At that point,  Cain is punished by HaShem after which he "leaves the presence of HaShem" (4:16). Immmediatly following this incident, the Torah goes on to list the various generations that lead us into Parshat Noach - without further mention of Hevel's death and his parent's subsequent mourning over the loss of his life.

We know that that the Torah usually goes out of its way to show us the actions, opinions, reactions and emotions of major Biblical figures, especially when it comes  to their dealings with their children: Avraham during the Akeidat Yitzchak,  the reaction Yitzchak had to Yaakov's performance as Esav (Hakol kol Yaakov - V'Yadaim Y'dei Esav), Yaakov's lamenting over Yosef's pseudo death at the hands of his brothers, etc. Why then weren't Adam and Chava's reactions to their son's death recorded in the Torah? As the first parents in the history of the world, one would think that such a monumental event in their lives would be recorded. Certainly, it is hard to believe that they didn't know about Hevel's death or that they were disinterested in his demise.

I believe that two ideas will give us further insights into our first ancestors and a basic answer to our question. Firstly, Adam and Chava understood Hevel's death to be another  part of their punishment for eating from the Etz HaDa'at - just as the "Pri" of HaShem was taken away from Him, so did HaShem take the "Pri" of Adam and Chava (this incident could be the first historical case of Middah K'Negged Middah, that one action affects another in a similar fashion). Therefore, Adam and Chava were not  at all suprised when Hevel was killed and they accepted it as part of their punishement.  Thus, the Torah did not find it necessary to record their responses to their loss.

Secondly, as the first parents on the face of the earth, Adam and Chava had the opportunity to be the first role model parents - to teach all generations how to raise children, appreciate their accomplishments, and reinforce Torah values. Once they had committed the sin of the Etz HaDaat and their subsequent banishing from Gan Eden, they could no longer to be considered for these role models. The Torah makes this point when it says "Va'yehee Miketez Yamim"  (4:3) - which, translated literally means "it was the end of days". Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan translated this phrase as "an era ended"; the era of Gan Eden, of immortality and of being Torah role models had been lost. Only later on, through Avraham's complete sacrifice to HaShem do we see a Biblical figure being worthy of being a Torah role model as an adult and a parent (This point is reinforced by the Medrash which states that Adam was created before Avraham  so that, if Adam sinned, Avraham's status of being our first forefather  would be protected). With this loss of role model status, the Torah felt it inappropriate to record the reactions of Adam And Chava to Hevel's death from which all subsequent generations could benefit.

Given these two ideas, we can gain a deeper understanding of the ramifications of one's actions. The Torah made no mention of Adam and Chava's mourning over Hevel's death  due to the fact that they commited a sin against G-d. This not only removed from them the priviledge of living in Gan Eden; it also stripped them of their potentially larger role as model Torah parents.

As we have just finished the Yamim Noraim season, free of sin and ready to start the new year off with a clean slate, it behooves all of us to recognize our newly regained status as G-d's chosen children and to protect our priviledge to serve as Ovdei HaShem.

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