Parashat Bereshit - Fourth Aliyah

A few lines on the commentary

The fourth aliyah closes the gates of the garden and opens the doors of human history. Scripture declares: “hen ha’adam hayah ke’achad mimenu lada’at tov vara” (Behold, man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, Genesis 3:22), and to guard against the eternity that would come from eating of the tree of life, “vaygaresh et ha’adam” (He drove out the man) and stationed “et hakkeruvim ve’et lahat hacherev hamit’hapechet” (the cherubim and the flame of the turning sword) to guard the way (Genesis 3:24). Outside the garden new life is born: “kaniti ish et Adonai” (I have acquired a man with Adonai, Genesis 4:1), and the two brothers take shape as two callings: “vayehi Hevel ro’eh tzon veKayin hayah oved adamah” (And Abel was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain was a worker of the ground, Genesis 4:2). Both bring offerings: “vayave Kayin mipri ha’adamah minchah l’Adonai” (Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Adonai), “veHevel hevi gam hu mibechorot tzono umechelvehen” (and Abel, he too brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat, Genesis 4:3-4). Cain is shaken, and the divine call resounds: “halo im teitiv se’et… ve’atah timshol bo” (Surely, if you do well, there is lifting up… and you shall rule over it, Genesis 4:7). But in the field: “vayakom Kayin el Hevel achiv vayahargehu” (Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him, Genesis 4:8). “ei Hevel achicha” (Where is Abel your brother?, Genesis 4:9) is answered with evasion, and the judgment is given: “kol dmei achicha tzo’akim elai min ha’adamah” (the voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground, Genesis 4:10), “na vanad tihyeh va’aretz” (a restless wanderer you shall be on the earth, Genesis 4:12). And even so, protection: “lachen kol horeg Kayin shiv’atayim yukam… vayasem Adonai leKayin ot” (Therefore, whoever kills Cain, sevenfold shall be avenged… and Adonai set a sign for Cain, Genesis 4:15). Cain goes out, builds a city, “vayikra shem ha’ir keshem beno Chanoch” (and he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch, Genesis 4:17). This is how civilization grows, not out of wholeness, but out of a repaired brokenness.

Eye-opening insights

• Two verbs for leaving the garden: “vayeshalchehu” (He sent him out) and then “vaygaresh” (He drove out, Genesis 3:23-24). There is here a combination of mission and repair with expulsion and a barrier. The world outside the garden is not only a punishment, it is an arena of work.

• The guardians of the threshold: “hakkeruvim” (the cherubim) and “lahat hacherev hamit’hapechet” (the flame of the turning sword, Genesis 3:24) set a boundary of holiness. The way to the tree of life is not cancelled, only guarded, a hint that eternal life will require a journey, not a shortcut.

• Two gifts and two approaches: Cain brings “mipri ha’adamah” (of the fruit of the ground), Abel “mibechorot… umechelvehen” (of the firstborn… and of their fat, Genesis 4:3-4). The text stresses quality and awareness. It is not the material alone that decides, but the heart and the choice to bring from the best.

• The psychology of a doorway: “lapetach chatat rovetz… ve’atah timshol bo” (sin crouches at the door… and you shall rule over it, Genesis 4:7). This is a tremendous lesson in personal responsibility: the inclination is near, but mastery is possible. The sages tie this verse to the capacity of choice and to the teaching of repentance (Kiddushin 30b; Targum Onkelos on 4:7), and in Rashi’s words there: “If you want, you will overcome it.”

• The voice of the blood: “kol dmei achicha” (the voice of your brother’s blood) is in the plural in Hebrew (Genesis 4:10). A well-known midrashic idea, brought by Rashi on the verse, sees a plurality here, “his blood and the blood of his descendants” (Rashi on 4:10, following Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5), to teach the gravity of bloodshed.

• Punishment with protection: alongside “na vanad” (a restless wanderer, Genesis 4:12) there is a protecting “ot” (sign, Genesis 4:15). The world after the sin is not abandoned, there is judgment and there is kindness that makes life and repair possible.

• A city founder out of brokenness: “vayehi boneh ir… keshem beno Chanoch” (and he was building a city… after the name of his son, Enoch, Genesis 4:17). The first city breaks out of fear and wandering, but it also seeks a name and a memory. Culture begins from pain, and aims to turn wandering into settlement.

This aliyah places man in the real location of our story: outside the garden, between the fire of the turning sword and the voice of the blood from the ground. Precisely there offering, choice, family and city are born, and the hope that man will rule over sin and not the reverse.