Cain is Marked - but how?

WHAT IS CAIN’s MARK?

References:

The Mark of Cain
by Ruth Mellinkoff


This book was the focus of much of the lesson...

What IS the Mark of Cain? There are so many interpretations that we reviewed.

This could be one of the big causes of discrimination against Jews in how this was interpreted in history.

Cain’s response to his punishment:

Was it a statement or a question? There are grammatical clues that it could be a question – as Rashi reads it as a question.


Statement: Cain is confessing to his error
Question: Cain is pleading for mercy

Rashi can make it a question because of the sentence following this where he is asking for protection. And God’s response that he will receive protection.

Other scholars read it differently.

Sevenfold Vengence: (In addition to being a musical rock group )

"Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." (this will come up again too)

• - Some say it refers to a massive retaliation.
• - God is speaking to the whole world, not just to Cain.
• - Seven could be the number of generations that will be affected.

Rashi reads the part as an abridged expression / a rhetorical reading.

The punishment indicates that ‘him’ is Cain and that vengence will be seen at the end of 7 generations.

Mark of Cain – the meaning has changed over time. IT is interpreted differently based on if you see Cain as repentant or an evil doer who will never repent.

Early Christian interpretations in the 4th Century by St Amos – it is a mark of protection. By St. Jerome - it is a mark of punishment and he will suffer for 7 generations. By St Basil – the mark is a shameful punishment 7 different types – earth not to grow anything – groan and tremble – separation from god – a sign of shame – this becomes the popular view – and it was also equated with all Jews and responsible for much prejudicial treatment.

Early Jewish Scholars interpretation
7 different thoughts:

1. God caused the sun to shine on his account
2. The mark is a type of leprosy.
3. The mark is a ‘dog’ = protection and loyalty
4. It was a horn that grew on him.
5. He was an example to murderers
6. He was an example to penitence
7. suspended punishment until the flood in the story of Noah.

Later interpretations
1. a mark on the body – a branding to humiliate. Similar to many occasions in history when Jews were forced to wear special badges to identify themselves. Or later they thought it was like a brand on his forehead similar to the slaves. (or for protection) And also circumcision was viewed as a ‘mark’.


2. The mark was movement of the body or a tremor – trembling or shaking as being in an agitated state.

3. A type of blemish associated with the body – such as Leprosy or covered with hair like a beast. The Mormon church interpreted this as black skin and up until the 20th century associated black skin as related to Cain. (also associated with Ham in the Noah story)

The debate still goes on whether this refers to the protection or the punishment.

Cain and the Wandering Jew

The Wandering Jew is a figure from medieval Christian folklore that began to spread in Europe in the thirteenth century and became a fixture of Christian mythology. It concerns a Jew who, according to legend, taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Jesus’ return..
Paintings by The Wandering Jew by Gustave Doré

There are interpretations where Cain is equated with the Jews and Able with the Christians.

St Augustine- interpretation that the Jews need a constant reminder of their crime and should be always scattered.

This change of attitude from one of protection to one of punishment is emphasized in European history where the Jews have been singled out and forced to wear a mark of distinction.


Book reference: Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews: A History
by James Carroll
There is also a movie

Explains the Augustine legacy not to murder Jews but to keep them scattered and degraded.

While the Pope did stop mobs from killing the Jews the Church still is not free from destructive ambivalence.