AND THE MAN KNEW EVE HIS WIFE. R. Abba discoursed in connection with this verse on the text: Who knoweth the spirit of man which goeth upwards, and the spirit of the beast which goeth downward to the earth? (Eccl. 3, 21). He said: ‘This verse can bear many constructions, and so it is with all the words of the Torah: they can all bear several meanings, and all good,
We will, however, expound thus. When a man walks in the path of truth, he goes towards the right and attracts to himself a holy spirit from above, which in turn ascends with holy intent to attach itself to the upper world and to cleave to the supernal holiness.
When, however, a man walks in the path of evil, he draws to himself an unclean spirit belonging to the left side, which renders him impure; so it is written, “ye shall not make yourselves unclean with them that ye should be defiled thereby” (Lev. 11, 43), i.e. he that first defiles himself is led further into defilement.
Further, when a man walks in the right path and attracts to himself a spirit of holiness from above and cleaves to it, he also draws a spirit of holiness on to the son whom he bears into the world, so that he is like to be endowed with the sanctity of his Master (as it is written, “if ye sanctify yourselves, ye shall be holy” (Lev. 11, 44)).
Contrariwise, when the man goes to the side of the left and draws to himself the impure spirit and clings to it, he also draws a spirit of uncleanliness on the son that issues from him, so that he is like to be defiled by the impurity of the left side.
This is what is meant by the words, “Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, namely that one which ascends on high, etc.” When a man cleaves to the right, the spirit mounts aloft, but when he cleaves to the left, the side of the left, which is the spirit of uncleanliness, descends from above and fixes its abode in a man’s body, and the son whom he begets in that state of impurity is his son from that unclean spirit.
Now Adam clave to that unclean spirit, and his wife clung to it at first and received defilement from it. Hence when Adam begat a son, that son was the son of the impure spirit. Thus there were two sons-one from the unclean spirit, and one after Adam had repented. Thus one was from the pure side and one from the impure.’
R. Eleazar said: ‘When the serpent injected his impurity into Eve, she absorbed it, and so when Adam had intercourse with her she bore two sons- one from the impure side and one from the side of Adam; and Abel bore a resemblance to the higher form and Cain to the lower. Hence it was that their ways in life were different.
It was natural, too, that Cain, coming from the side of the angel of death, should kill his brother. He also adhered to his own side, and from him originate all the evil habitations and demons and goblins and evil spirits in the world.’
R. Jose said: ‘Cain was the nest (Qina) of the evil habitations which came into the world from the impure side. Afterwards both Cain and Abel brought sacrifices, each from his appropriate side; hence it is written, AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF DAYS THAT CAIN BROUGHT OF THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND, ETC. R. Simeon said: This “end of days” is the same as “the end of all flesh” (Gen. 6, 13), who is also the angel of death.
CAIN BROUGHT OF THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND: this is parallel to “of the fruit of the tree” in God’s words to Adam.’ R. Eleazar said: ‘We can apply to Cain the verse, “Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be done to him” (Is. 3, 11). “The reward of his hands” refers to the angel of death, who is drawn towards them and clings to them so as to slay or defile them. Thus Cain offered from the side appropriate to him.
AND ABEL ALSO BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTLINGS: to amplify the higher side which comes from the side of holiness. Hence THE LORD HAD RESPECT UNTO ABEL AND TO HIS OFFERING, BUT TO CAIN AND TO HIS OFFERING HE HAD NOT RESPECT, i.e. God did not accept it, and therefore CAIN WAS VERY WROTH AND HIS COUNTENANCE (presence) FELL, because his presence was not received, being from the side of the left. On the other hand, God received Abel,
and therefore it is written, AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN THEY WERE IN THE FIELD, ETC. ‘Field is here a designation for woman; Cain was jealous of the twin sister that was born with Abel (according to the interpretation placed by us on the words “and she bore in addition”, Gen. 4, 2).’
וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וְגו'. רַבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח (ואמר) (קהלת ג׳:כ״א) מִי יוֹדֵעַ רוּחַ בְּנִי הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָה הִיא לְמַעְלָה וְרוּחַ הַבְּהֵמָה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת הִיא לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ. הַאי קְרָא כַּמָּה גְוָונִין אִית בֵּיהּ. וְהָכִי הוּא כָּל מִלּוֹי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא כַּמָּה גְוָונִין בְּכָל חַד וְחַד וְכֻלְהוּ יָאוּת וְהָכִי אִנּוּן.
AND THE MAN KNEW EVE HIS WIFE. R. Abba discoursed in connection with this verse on the text: Who knoweth the spirit of man which goeth upwards, and the spirit of the beast which goeth downward to the earth? (Eccl. 3, 21). He said: ‘This verse can bear many constructions, and so it is with all the words of the Torah: they can all bear several meanings, and all good,
וְכָל אוֹרַיְיתָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא בְּשִׁבְעִין אַנְפִּין. לָקֳבֵיל שִׁבְעִין סִטְרִין וְשִׁבְעִין עַנְפִּין. וְהָכִי הוּא בְּכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְכָל מַאי דְּנָפִיק מִכָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה כַּמָּה גְוָונִין אִתְפַּרְשָׁן מִנֵּיהּ לְכָל סִטְרִין.
and the whole Torah can be expounded in seventy ways, corresponding to seventy sides and seventy wings.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, הוּא אָזִיל לִימִינָא, וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה מֵעֵילָא. וְהַאי רוּחַ סָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא לְאִתְאַחֲדָא לְעֵילָא וּלְאִתְדַבְּקָא בִּקְדוּשָׁה עִלָּאָה דְּלָא אִתְעַדֵּי מִנֵּיהּ.
We will, however, expound thus. When a man walks in the path of truth, he goes towards the right and attracts to himself a holy spirit from above, which in turn ascends with holy intent to attach itself to the upper world and to cleave to the supernal holiness.
וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאוֹרַח בִּישׁ וְסָטֵי אָרְחוֹי, הוּא אַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאֳבָא דְּלִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, וְסָאִיב לֵיהּ וְאִסְתָּאַב בֵּיהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ויקרא י״א:מ״ג) וְלֹא תִטַּמְאוּ בָּהֶם וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם. אֲתָא לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא מְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ.
When, however, a man walks in the path of evil, he draws to himself an unclean spirit belonging to the left side, which renders him impure; so it is written, “ye shall not make yourselves unclean with them that ye should be defiled thereby” (Lev. 11, 43), i.e. he that first defiles himself is led further into defilement.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה וְאִתְדַבִּיק בֵּיהּ, בְּרָא דְיוֹלִיד וְיִפּוּק מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמָא, הוּא מָשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ קְדוּשָׁה עִלָּאָה, וִיהֵא קַדִּישׁ בִּקְדוּשָׁה דְמָארֵיהּ. כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (ויקרא כ׳:ז׳) וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים וְגו'.
Further, when a man walks in the right path and attracts to himself a spirit of holiness from above and cleaves to it, he also draws a spirit of holiness on to the son whom he bears into the world, so that he is like to be endowed with the sanctity of his Master (as it is written, “if ye sanctify yourselves, ye shall be holy” (Lev. 11, 44)).
וְכַד אִיהוּ אָזִיל בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא וְאִתְדְּבַק בֵּיהּ, בְּרָא דְּיִפּוּק מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמָא הוּא אַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבוּ וְיִסְתָּאַב בִּמְסָאֲבוּ דְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא.
Contrariwise, when the man goes to the side of the left and draws to himself the impure spirit and clings to it, he also draws a spirit of uncleanliness on the son that issues from him, so that he is like to be defiled by the impurity of the left side.
וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב מִי יוֹדֵעַ רוּחַ בְּנִי הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָה הִיא לְמַעְלָה. כַּד אִיהוּ בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּת יָמִינָא סָלְקָא הִיא לְעֵילָא. וְכַד אִיהוּ בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּת שְׂמָאלָא הַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא דְּאִיהוּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבוּ נָחִית מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא וְשַׁוֵּי דִיּוּרֵיהּ בְּבַר נָשׁ וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ. וּבְרָא (ומה) דְאוֹלִיד בְּהַהוּא (רוח) מְסָאֲבוּ אִיהוּ הֲוֵי בְּרֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא רוּחַ מְסָאַב אִיהוּ הַהוּא בְּרָא.
This is what is meant by the words, “Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, namely that one which ascends on high, etc.” When a man cleaves to the right, the spirit mounts aloft, but when he cleaves to the left, the side of the left, which is the spirit of uncleanliness, descends from above and fixes its abode in a man’s body, and the son whom he begets in that state of impurity is his son from that unclean spirit.
אָדָם אִתְדָּבַּק בְּהַהוּא רוּחַ מְסָאַב וְאִתְּתֵיהּ אִתְדַּבְּקָא בֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְנַטְלַת וְקַבִּילַת הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא מִנֵּיהּ אוֹלִיד בַּר. הַאי בְּרָא בְּרָא דְרוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא אִיהוּ. וְעַל דָּא תְּרֵין בְּנִין הֲווּ. חַד מֵהַהוּא רוּחַ מְסָאָב וְחַד כַּד תָּב אָדָם בִּתְיוּבְתָּא. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ הַאי מִסִּטְרָא מְסָאֳבָא. (ודא ד"א והאי) מִסִּטְרָא דַכְיָיא.
Now Adam clave to that unclean spirit, and his wife clung to it at first and received defilement from it. Hence when Adam begat a son, that son was the son of the impure spirit. Thus there were two sons-one from the unclean spirit, and one after Adam had repented. Thus one was from the pure side and one from the impure.’
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַטִּיל נָחָשׁ הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא בָּהּ בְּחַוָּה קַבִּילַת לֵיהּ. וְכַד אִשְׁתַּמַּשׁ עִמָּהּ אָדָם אוֹלִידַת תְּרֵין בְּנִין. חַד מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא מְסָאֳבָא וְחַד מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָדָם. וְהֲוֵי דָּמֵי הֶבֶל בְּדִיוּקְנָא דִלְעֵילָא וְקַיִּן בְּדִיוּקְנָא דִלְתַתָּא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְפְּרָשׁוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ דָּא מִן דָּא.
R. Eleazar said: ‘When the serpent injected his impurity into Eve, she absorbed it, and so when Adam had intercourse with her she bore two sons- one from the impure side and one from the side of Adam; and Abel bore a resemblance to the higher form and Cain to the lower. Hence it was that their ways in life were different.
וַדַּאי קַיִן בְּרָא דְרוּחַ מְסָאֳבָא הֲוָה דְּאִיהוּ חִוְיָא בִישָׁא. (והבל ברא דאדם) הֲוָה. וּבְגִין דְּקַיִן אֲתָא מִסִּטְרָא דְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת קָטִיל לֵיהּ לְאֲחוּי. וְהוּא בְּסִטְרָא דִילֵיהּ. וּמִנֵּיהּ כָּל מְדוֹרִין בִּישִׁין וּמַזִיקִין וְשֵׁדִין וְרוּחִין אַתְיָין לְעָלְמָא.
It was natural, too, that Cain, coming from the side of the angel of death, should kill his brother. He also adhered to his own side, and from him originate all the evil habitations and demons and goblins and evil spirits in the world.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, קַיִן, קִינָא דִּמְדוֹרִין בִּישִׁין דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֳבָא לְעָלְמָא. וּלְבָתַר אַיְיתִיאוּ קָרְבָּנָא. דָּא אַקְרִיב מִסִּטְרָא דִילֵיהּ וְדָא אַקְרִיב מִסִּטְרָא דִילֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים וַיָּבֵא קַיִן מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה וְגו'. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים, מַאי מִקֵּץ יָמִים, דָּא הוּא קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר. וּמָאן אִיהוּ דָּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת.
R. Jose said: ‘Cain was the nest (Qina) of the evil habitations which came into the world from the impure side. Afterwards both Cain and Abel brought sacrifices, each from his appropriate side; hence it is written, AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF DAYS THAT CAIN BROUGHT OF THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND, ETC. R. Simeon said: This “end of days” is the same as “the end of all flesh” (Gen. 6, 13), who is also the angel of death.
וְקַיִן מֵהַהוּא קֵץ יָמִים אַיְיתֵי קָרְבָּנָא. דַּיְיקָא דְּקָאָמַר מִקֵּץ יָמִים וְלָא אָמַר מִקֵּץ יָמִין. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּתוּב בְּדָנִיֵּאל (דניאל י״ב:י״ג) וְאַתָּה לֵךְ לַקֵּץ וְתָנוּחַ וְתַעֲמוֹד לְגוֹרָלְךָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִים אוֹ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין. וְקַיִן מִקֵּץ הַיָּמִים אַיְיתֵי,
Cain brought his offering from this “end of days”; this is indicated by the expression in the text “from the end” (mi-ketz).
וַיָּבֵא קַיִן מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וּמִפְּרִי הָעֵץ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו ג׳:י״א) אוֹי לָרָשָׁע רָע כִּי גְמוּל יָדָיו וְגו'. (כי פרי מעלליהם יאכלו. פרי מעלליהם יאכלו דא מלאך המות יאכלו) (נ"א גמול ידיו דא מלאך המות. יעשה לו דאתמשך) עֲלַיְיהוּ וְיִתְדַּבַּק בְּהוּ לְקָטְלָא לוֹן וּלְסָאֳבָא לוֹן. וְעַל דָּא קַיִן אַקְרִיב מִסִּטְרָא דִילֵיהּ.
CAIN BROUGHT OF THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND: this is parallel to “of the fruit of the tree” in God’s words to Adam.’ R. Eleazar said: ‘We can apply to Cain the verse, “Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be done to him” (Is. 3, 11). “The reward of his hands” refers to the angel of death, who is drawn towards them and clings to them so as to slay or defile them. Thus Cain offered from the side appropriate to him.
וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַּם הוּא מִבְּכוֹרוֹת לְאַסְגָּאָה סִטְרָא עִלָּאָה דְּאַתְיָא מִסְּטַר קְדוּשָׁתָא (ד"א מסטרא קדישא). וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ וַיִּשַּׁע יְיָ אֶל הֶבֶל וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ וְאֶל קַיִן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לא שָׁעָה. לָא קַבִּיל (לון) (ד"א ליה) קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְעַל דָּא וַיִּחַר לְקַיִן מְאֹד. וַיִּפְּלוּ פָנָיו דְּהָא לָא אִתְקַבִּילוּ אַנְפּוֹי, אִנּוּן אַנְפִּין דְּסִטְרוֹי וְקַבִּיל לֵיהּ לְהֶבֶל.
AND ABEL ALSO BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTLINGS: to amplify the higher side which comes from the side of holiness. Hence THE LORD HAD RESPECT UNTO ABEL AND TO HIS OFFERING, BUT TO CAIN AND TO HIS OFFERING HE HAD NOT RESPECT, i.e. God did not accept it, and therefore CAIN WAS VERY WROTH AND HIS COUNTENANCE (presence) FELL, because his presence was not received, being from the side of the left. On the other hand, God received Abel,
וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ כָּתוּב וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה. בַּשָּׂדֶה דָּא אִתְּתָא. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (דברים כ״ב:כ״ז) כִּי בַּשָּׂדֶה מְצָאָהּ, וְקַיִן קָנֵי עַל נוּקְבָא יְתֵירָה דְּאִתְיְלִידַת עִם הֶבֶל דִּכְתִיב וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת וְהָא אִתְּמָר:
and therefore it is written, AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN THEY WERE IN THE FIELD, ETC. ‘Field is here a designation for woman; Cain was jealous of the twin sister that was born with Abel (according to the interpretation placed by us on the words “and she bore in addition”, Gen. 4, 2).’