New Generations and the City

Genesis 4:15-24 - Torah Study notes from 11/1 - Rabbi Janet Marder

New generations from Cain

First a brief review of the ‘mark of Cain’ and it’s connection to the expulsion of Jews in Europe in the 13th century. The Mark of some distinguishing clothing or image became a negative ‘stigma’ associated with the Jews going forward in history. This effected laws into the 18th century.



The Mark of Cain change in it’s interpretation from ‘protection’ to ‘punishment’.

In Torah Cain’s wanderings and punishment can be connected to the cities of refuge (to the East).

The challenge to break the cycle of violence.

Arts and civilization are attributed to Cain. He builds a city for his son. His story reflects the evolution of man’s freedom.

Books that are connected to the story of Cain:

The Changes of Cain by Ricardo J. Quinones


Billy Bud by Herman Melville (book/novella and movie)
More Info


Amadeus by Peter Shaffer


Demian by Hermann Hesse


East of Eden: by John Steinbeck

The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad
More

High Noon - 1952 Movie - Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly

Paradise Lost - by John Milton

Cain a play by Lord Byron 1788-1824


OR you can listen to the ebook:


Each of these books reflects on the story of Cain in different ways.

AND MORE can be found toward the bottom of this link:


V.16 – ‘Cain leaves the presence of God’…

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explores the concept of who actually ‘withdraws’ from whom. He emphasizes that it is the beginning of man’s need to find their own resources.

‘And he settles in the Land of Nod’
Nod means to wander – but there is a contradiction in saying that he ‘settles’ in the land of ‘Nod’.

There was a bit of discussion on the significance of “East” here and in other places in Torah. And there is a connection to the cities of refuge being in the East. (Deuteronomy Ch 4)

Rashi writes of the restlessness and that he could not leave the presence of the Lord.

This theme of wandering continues throughout the Bible. The concept of a lost home and being thrust into a world to wander.

Next – Sex… and children and 7 generations listed.

The whole concept that he had a wife is ‘news’.

While some asked where the wife came from – there are several theories. One is the ‘twin sister’ idea, and in Chapter 5:4 we learn that Adam had other children. And there is other possibilities that there were other children on Adam and Eve prior to Cain and Abel.

The son: Henoch or Enoch

Hebrew Name means to teach or to dedicate.

City is built with his name that marks the beginning of the story of humankind.
The beginning of urban culture.

Notion: “ The greater a person the greater is yetzer hara” (inclination to do evil)
Passion has both a creative and a destructive side.

Cities in Torah become a place of ‘evil’ and have much potential for evil as well as a center of culture and advancement. - - - later we learn more as in Sodom & Gomorrah


Leon Kass

The Hebrew word for “city,” ‘iyr, comes from a root meaning “to watch” or “to wake.” The city, to begin with, is a place guarded by a wakeful watch, a place from which men look out beyond for threats to their security; it is not the market nor the shrine but the watchtower or outpost that first makes a city a city.

Civilization and cities are tainted. Evil’s origins are in the cities. Thus the Torah is given in the wilderness.

Genealogy of Cain is delineated.
There are symbolic meanings of the names

• Adam - Man
• Seth - Appointed
• Enosh - Mortal
• Kenan - Sorrow
• Mahalalel - The Blessed God
• Jared - Shall come down
• Enoch - Teaching
• Methuselah - His death shall bring
• Lamech - The despairing
• Noah - Rest, or comfort

Names and Meanings

Enosh

Seth's son was called Enosh, which means "mortal," "frail," or "miserable." It is from the root anash: to be incurable; used of a wound, grief, woe, sickness, or wickedness. (It was in the days of Enosh that men began to defile the name of the Living God.1 )

Kenan

Enosh's son was named Kenan, from which can mean "sorrow," dirge," or "elegy." (The precise denotation is somewhat elusive; some study aids unfortunately presume an Aramaic root synonymous with "Cainan.") Balaam, looking down from the heights of Moab, employed a pun upon the name of the Kenites when he prophesied their destruction.2

Mahalalel

Kenan's son was Mahalalel, from mahalal, which means "blessed" or "praise"; and El, the name for God. Thus, Mahalalel means "the Blessed God." Often Hebrew names included El, the name of God, as Dani-el, "God is my Judge," Nathani-el, "Gift of God," etc.

Jared

Mahalalel's son was named Jared, from the verb yaradh, meaning "shall come down." Some authorities suggest that this might have been an allusion to the "Sons of God" who "came down" to corrupt the daughters of men, resulting in the Nephilim ("Fallen Ones") of Genesis 6.3

Enoch

Jared's son was named Enoch, which means "teaching," or "commencement." He was the first of four generations of preachers. In fact, the earliest recorded prophecy was by Enoch, which amazingly enough deals with the Second Coming of Christ.4

Methuselah

The Flood of Noah did not come as a surprise. It had been preached on for four generations. But something strange happened when Enoch was 65, from which time "he walked with God." Enoch was given a prophecy that as long as his son was alive, the judgment of the flood would be withheld; but as soon as he died, the flood would be sent forth.

Enoch named his son to reflect this prophecy. The name Methuselah comes from two roots: muth, a root that means "death"5 ; and from shalach, which means "to bring," or "to send forth." Thus, the name Methuselah signifies, "his death shall bring."6

And, indeed, in the year that Methuselah died, the flood came. Methuselah was 187 when he had Lamech, and lived 782 years more. Lamech had Noah when he was 182.7 The Flood came in Noah's 600th year.8 187 + 182 + 600 = 969, Methuselah's age when he died.9

It is interesting that Methuselah's life was, in effect, a symbol of God's mercy in forestalling the coming judgment of the flood. It is therefore fitting that his lifetime is the oldest in the Bible, symbolizing the extreme extensiveness of God's mercy.

Lamech

Methuselah's son was named Lamech, a root still evident today in our own English word, "lament" or "lamentation." Lamech suggests "despairing." (This name is also linked to the Lamech in Cain's line who inadvertently killed his son Tubal-Cain in a hunting incident. 10 )

Noah

Lamech, of course, is the father of Noah, which is derived from nacham , "to bring relief" or "comfort," as Lamech himself explains. 11

SEVEN

This represents SEVEN Generations from Cain and 10 from Adam to Noah. There is a parallel to the creation in 7 days. Implies that humans are here to complete creation.

The number 7 has many symbolic interpretations here.


Two Wives – is polygamy endorsed here?

Rashi explains that it was the custom of the times to have one wife for bearing children and one for sex. But that this was not necessarily the right thing for later generations.

NEXT TIME – Arts and civilization begin…