A sharp and painful question. Yes – it is even more tragic. Precisely because God speaks to Cain, warns him, opens the door for correction and choice – and moments later he chooses otherwise.
The verses themselves highlight this contrast:
“Surely, if you do well, you will be accepted; but if you do not do well, sin crouches at the door, and its desire is toward you, but you may rule over it.”
(Genesis 4:7)
And immediately afterward:
“And Cain said to Abel his brother… and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.”
(Genesis 4:8)
How can we understand this sorrow?
- Free will – the greatness of responsibility: Divine speech is not a button that shuts down the impulse. It is a path, a key. When a person receives clear guidance and still chooses evil – it is indeed more sorrowful, because it reveals how much choice is truly in human hands. “And you shall rule over it” is not a promise that evil will vanish, but a challenge: you can. If you don’t – you bear responsibility.
- The test of the moment after: Many commentators emphasize that “sin crouches at the door” describes a constant state: sin does not attack, it waits. The moment after rebuke is the moment of danger – one can accept the inner call and improve, or rebel against it. Cain, painfully, chose the latter.
- Even after the fall – the door remains open: The continuation of the story shows that God keeps speaking with Cain even after the murder. There is punishment, but there is also dialogue, a sign, and continued life. This doesn’t erase the sadness – but it shows that God does not abandon man even in failure.
- What it teaches us: The pain between “you can” and “you didn’t” is a lesson: warning is not a substitute for decision. One can hear words of inspiration, study, feel moved – and still, the real test is in the small, hidden moment of choice. Therefore, the Torah does not conceal Cain’s failure – so that we may look at it honestly and choose differently in our own moments.
So yes – it is more tragic. But precisely because of that, these verses also carry comfort: if failure were only “a decree of instinct,” there would be no hope. When God says “you may rule over it,” He teaches that next time – and the time after that – we truly have the power to choose differently.
