Torah Porti
Kill the murderers first
Weapons are necessary for self-defence, says rabbi
RABBI SHLOMO RiSKIN TORAH COLUMNIST
Bereishit Genesis 1:1-6:8
Efrat
What caused the very first murder in the history of humanity - and what can we learn from it about preventing murder in our own generation?
Tlie Bible tells of the original nuclear family: a father and mother, Adam and Eve, their two sons, Cain and Abel, and twin sisters born with each of the boys. Cain and Abel each bring gifts to G-d, who accepts Abel's heartfelt sacrifice of the firstborn of his sheep but rejects Cain's half-hearted offering of whatever fruits seemed to be available at the time. Then comes the first murder: "And Cain spoke to Abel, his brother, and then, when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and murdered him." (Genesis 4:8) What did they speak about? What was the disagreement that led to fratricide? The Midrash supplies the missing details, giving a number of alternate possibilities.
The first suggestion is that they discussed their respective offerings, Cain having been overcome with jealousy when his sacrifice was rejected. The second possibility is that, although each brother was expected to marry his own twin sister (after all, there were not other possible mates in the world except for the two sisters, according to the Bible), Cain fell in love with Abel's twin sister. The third conjecture understands the conflict as revolving around territory: Cain wanted land rather than "countless" material possessions.
But perhaps the most significant and relevant explanation is offered by Rabbi Yose of Sikhin in the name of Rcsh Lak-ish and this is the only suggestion buttressed by a proof-text: "This brother said that the Holy Temple must be built on his area of land and that brother said that the Holy Temple must be built on his area of land, as it is written, 'And then, when they were in the field' - and the word field refers to the Holy Temple, as in the text'Zion shall become a plowed-up field.'" (Bereishit Rabbah 22) '
Although our present Israeli-Arab conflict contains elements of jealousy and territorial desire, the most diflicult issue to resolve is clearly the religious one: all rational negotiation broke down around tlie question of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The
heinous suicide bombers wreak their terror-killings against innocent men, women and children because of a misguided religious fanaticism which promises eternal bliss and Divine blessing.
How must Israel - and the entire free world - react to such horrific actions? The Bible concludes the tragedy of Cain's fratricide with an almost inexplicable account of an incident, which occurs seven generations later. Lemcch, a sixth generation descendant of Cain, takes two wives, Adah and Tzilah; Adah provides him with two sons -Yaval the pastoral shepherd and Yuval the musician - while Tzilah bears Tuval-Cain, forger of implements of metal and iron.
Lemech then makes a declaration to his wife, expressing words which have no apparent textual antecedent: "Listen to my voice, wives of Lemech, and hear my words: T killed a man because he wounded me and a child because he dealt me a blow. If Cain was punished in the seventh generation, then Lemech will not be punished until the 77th.'" (Genesis 4:24)
This verse seems to appear apropos of no previous incident. Often tlie Bible interprets life experiences; there are times, however, when life experiences can unlock diflicult biblical phrases. I would suggest that Lemech taught his sons their respective trades. Lemech's wives were upset when Tuval-Cain forges implements of metal and iron; although such objects can be used for constructive agriculture, they can also become ammunition for destructive warfare.
Lemech explains that sometimes even weapons have their place - for self-defence. In the face of destructive fanatical aggression, the mindless pacifist becomes a partner to aggression and an accomplice to terror. If one kills because otherwise he or another innocent individual would be victimized, then the "killer" is only making the world safe for those who revere life and freedom.
Jewish morality teaches that we dare not turn tlie otlier cheek before a cruel aggressor, that "if one comes to murder, he must be killed first" Lemech teaches that weapons of war are tragically necessary in moments of self-defence; would tliat we all learn this very difficult but necessary lesson.
Shabbat shalom. □
Rabbi Slilomo Riskin is chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel, atid dean of Ohr Torah institutions in Israel.
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