A Sichah from Maran HaGaon Rav Gershon Edelstein shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez - Bereishis 5773
*In this week's parasha, we are told of the
story of Kayin killing Hevel. An explanation is
needed as to why Hevel was deserving of such a
fate. Hevel, as we know from the verse, was a
tzaddik (4:4) ‫“ 
‐ 
וישע השם אל הבל ואל מנחתו‬And
Hashem turned towards Hevel and his offering”.
One cannot be killed unless it has been decreed so
in Heaven. The Gemara in Shabbos (55a) tells us
that death and suffering can only occur as a result of
sin. Any death must be due to some sin that caused
it (unless one dies sanctifying G-d’s name). If so,
we must understand what was Hevel’s sin that,
consequently he would be chayav misah for
(deserving of death). 
 (scorched) his korban. How lofty must he have
We can find an answer in the Kli Yakar (4:3)
who brings an idea from the Tzror Hamor that the
complaint against Hevel was that he did not realize
his obligation to bring an offering of thanks to
Hashem. Only after he saw Kayin bring a korban -
offering - did he realize what he must do. This was
also out of jealousy. The pasuk says: ‫והבל הביא גם‬
‫“ – הוא‬And Hevel too, brought [an offering]”. The
word “too” (as well) indicates that it was secondary
to seeing his brother’s actions and out of jealousy.
Kayin knew of his own volition his obligation to
bring a korban and felt a need to find favor in
Hashem’s eyes and to come close through an
offering. Hevel did not think of this of his own
accord and only realized this as a result of Kayin’s
offering.
Granted, this was not done intently or
maliciously, yet nevertheless, he was punished in
accordance with his lofty levels of righteousness.
Chazal tell us in Yevamos (121b) that Hashem
exacts justice with the righteous to the extent of a
hair’s breadth. Since he did not understand his

 1

#29
responsibilities from his own intellect, he deserved
punishment. This offering was not obliged, as it
was an offering of thanksgiving; even still,
Shomayim was scrupulous in his verdict, as a man
capable of thought should have realized this
principle of giving thanks to Hashem.
Let’s remember that once he did realize what
he must do, he brought an offering from his finest
cattle and their fats. (This is an obligation learnt in
Yoma (70b)). The verse tells us that Hashem turned
towards his offering, which Rashi explains that a
fire came down from Heaven and “licked”
been to attain such a miracle?! Even during the
construction of the Mishkan, Bnei Yisroel needed
many preparations and prayers for such a miracle.
Moshe and Aaron needed to prostrate themselves
and only then were they worthy of the fire coming
down from Shomayim; here, Hevel merits this lofty
level. We see from here the extent that Hevel was
loved by Hashem, despite his wrongdoing of not
realizing his requirement to bring an offering and
his jealousy of Kayin, as brought earlier by the Kli
Yakar from the Tzror Hamor. This is the “hair’s
breadth” with which Hashem exacts retribution
from the righteous. Hashem immediately removes
even the slightest blemish from the tzaddik in order
to bring him to Olam Habah completely pure. The
Baalei Hatosfos tell us regarding the pasuk above
(4:4) that Hashem accepted his korban and
rewarded him with Olam Habah. This is to say that
he left this world unblemished.
In contrast to Hevel, we find that Kayin did
come to the realization to bring an offering. He was
a very great person as well; how else did he know
to bring a korban and that such a concept exists?!
 He knew this, as he was knowledgeable in hidden
esoteric matters. The Ramban tells us that the
people of that time understood the hidden meanings
of sacrifices and offerings. Kayin knew that this
will find favor in Hashem’s eyes and yet did not
merit the same response Hevel did. Again, we must
ask ourselves, if indeed it was his initiative, why
didn’t Hashem desire his korban?
I saw in some commentaries (see Kli Yakar)
that Kayin loved this world and was pulled by its
pleasures. Of course he believed in Hashem and in
Olam Habah but the main pull of his life was
towards Olam Hazeh. The Chovos Halevavos
(Cheshbon Hanefesh 3:25) writes that the love of
this world and the next are diametrically opposed.
This world is one of the physical body whereas the
next is one of the soul. The Yetzer Harah pulls
towards physical pleasures as one receives the
rewards instantaneously. The rewards for the
neshoma, on the other hand, one does not know of,
as one never experienced them.
Based on this, it seems that Kayin’s offering
was brought with the intention to be rewarded with
Olam Hazeh. This is the level known as ‫ שלא לשמה‬-
not for the sake of Heaven but rather done with
ulterior motives. The pasuk in Vayikra (18:4) says:
‫“ – אשר יעשה אותם האדם וחי בהם‬One shall perform
them (mitzvos) in order to live through them”. The
Ramban comments that if one performs mitzvos in
order to be rewarded here in Olam Hazeh, he will
indeed receive his rewards here and not in Olam
Habah as that is the lot he chose. This is precisely
the reason Kayin did not merit having the Heavenly
fire descend upon his korban.
In pasuk (4:5) the Torah tells us about Kayin’s
anger following the offerings: ‫ויחר לקין מאד ויפלו פניו‬
– “And Kayin was very angered and his face fell”.
The Ohr HaChaim explains this in two ways. The
first is that Kayin was upset with Hevel due to the
higher level of Hevel’s korban, which pointed out
the lower levels of his own offering. Through this
Hashem looked him down upon. The second
explanation is that he was actually angry with
Hashem for not performing the same miracle for
him as for his brother. In this regard he was like
those who know their Creator and deliberately rebel
against Him. These are the two parts of the pasuk;
‫ ויחר לקין מאד‬- And he was angered, ‫ ויפלו פניו‬- and

 2

his face fell, i.e., he was ashamed that his brother
was respected more than he. Both of these traits,
anger and shame are offshoots of haughtiness. One
who is not haughty cannot come to anger, as anger
is a result of feeling slighted. One thinks that a
certain degree of honor should be giving to him and
when it isn’t given, he becomes angry. One who
doesn’t think that he is of such importance, is not
slighted nor angry when he isn’t honored. He thinks
he doesn’t deserve any honor.
This is why we never find Moshe Rabbeinu
getting angry from personal affronts. Any time the
Torah tells us that he was angered it was in defense
for Hashem’s honor. We found this in three
instances in Chumash. In Parashas Shelach when
two people left some of the mon until the following
day, in Parashas Shemini when the korban Chatas
was burned and in Parashas Matos when the
women of Midian were spared during the war. In
all these cases the anger was due to the people not
heeding Hashem’s commandments. Regarding his
own honor, Moshe Rabbeinu never was slighted.
Even when he said to Hashem: ‫– עוד מעט וסקלוני‬
“Soon they might stone me” - he was not angry.
Anger is a corollary of arrogance and haughtiness,
and Moshe was ‫“ – עניו מכל אדם‬The most humble of
all men”.
There is also a certain embarrassment that
result of haughtiness. When Aaron told Moshe
Rabbeinu that he erred regarding the halacha of
burning the korban (in Parashas Shelach), he
immediately admitted his mistake and was not
ashamed. ‫“ – וישמע משה ויטב בעיניו‬And Moshe heard
and it was good in his eyes”; the Gemara in
Zevachim (101a) tells us that he was not
embarrassed but rather admitted that indeed he
knew the right halacha before yet he forgot it. As
the most humble of all men he didn’t regard
himself as the reason for any of his success. His
memory was not his own but was given at every
moment as a chesed from Shomayim. Just as when
he did remember something, it was due to chesed
from Hashem and there was no room for arrogance,
so too when he forgot there was no reason to feel
ashamed.
As we said, one who is haughty will
become upset and angry when he is slighted and is
not awarded the amount of honor he feels he is
 entitled too, and is ashamed when he forgets
something. Kayin had a level of ‫ – גאוה‬arrogance -
that allowed him to become angry; this is not
possible when one is humble. A humble person
would not expect that such a miracle would be
performed for him. It is only as a result of his
haughtiness that he expected such a lofty miracle
and was consequently angry and ashamed when he
didn’t merit it.
Hashem inquires of Kayin: ‫למה חרה לך ולמה‬
‫“ – נפלו פניך‬Why have you become angry and why
has your face fallen?” There was a complaint about
his bad middah of haughtiness that brought about
these two reactions. As a fitting punishment and
teshuva process, Hashem decreed that he should be
a nomad going from place to place with no home.
As we know, Galus and suffering atone as they
remind a person that he has no powers from himself
and is of no importance. He must remember that he
must rely on chesed from Hashem at every moment
in his life. Through this test, one’s emunah is
strengthened and one realizes that Olam Hazeh is
of no worth and that the main goal is Olam Habah.
This process will refine one’s middos.
Hashem goes on to tell Kayin: ‫אם תיטיב שאת‬
‫ ואם לא תיטיב לפתח חטאת רובץ‬- If you will repent
from your ways, it will be good; and if you will not,
your sin will await you at the entrance (when you
die). This is to mean that if he will change his ways
and do teshuva from focusing on Olam Hazeh and
his bad middos then ‫( שאת‬literally - will raise) I will
raise you and will grant you atonement from your
sin. If you do not change your ways and will keep
pursuing this world, your sin will be kept until your
day of death when it will have to be atoned for
through the suffering of Gehinom (see Rashi and
Onkelos here).
We find that the main part of Kayin’s
teshuva process was to start focusing on Olam
Habah more than Olam Hazeh. This is man’s
lifelong mission, to prefer the next world to this
one. Through this, one will merit a life of eternity
in Olam Habah. This is not a task to be performed
with one’s hands but rather with one’s mind; to
think and to introspect about Olam Habah being his
main goal; to use this world as a means to get there.
Granted, this is against nature and our senses but
through Torah study one becomes enlightened to
the truth; we are told that Torah is ‫ מאירת עיניים‬-
illuminating. How praiseworthy are we, that we are
involved in Torah study!
*(This Sicha was said Parashas Bereishis ‫)שת’ע‬

Piercing Words Regarding the Dangers of the Internet


Thank G-d we are living at a time with a tremendous love for Torah learning. Many people are coming closer
to Yiddishkeit and many within the fold are becoming stronger. But as Koheles tells us (7:14) ‫ זה לעומת זה עשה האלוקים‬-
“One in contrast to the other, G-d has made”. There are many big challenges that we have never faced before. There is
a very potent danger in our times. Small devices that fit inside a pocket that contain within them temptations towards
the Yetzer Harah and the Angel of Death. This Yetzer Harah is the greatest disaster that can exist.
I do not want to mention these devices by name, and thank G-d, they don’t affect most Bnei Torah, but to our
sorrow there are those who still do not understand. They must understand (and one who isn’t affected should help
those who are) that these devices are truly Gehinom that burns the Neshoma, remove a person from holiness, and
through them one becomes an animal. One who becomes attached to such things is in grave danger.
It is known that one who owns such machines in his home destroys his Shalom Bayis. Chazal tell us (Sota 17a)
‫ איש ואשה זכו שכינה שורה ביניהם לא זכו אש אוכלתן‬- “If a man and woman are worthy then the Shechina dwells amidst
them, if not, a fire consumes them”. Rashi explains that Hashem split His name (‫ק‬-‫ )י‬a Yud in man (‫ )איש‬and a Hey in
woman (‫)אשה‬. If they are worthy than His Name rests within them. If not, He removes His Name and all that is left is


 3

‫ אש‬and ‫( אש‬fire and fire). A home in which these machines are found does not house the Shechina and all that is left is
the fire of Gehinom here in this world, Rachmana Litzlan.
This applies even more so, for young men and women who are still not married. If they hold on to such things,
it is fire! If these devices ruin a home and its Shalom Bayis, they for sure do not allow for the initial creation of a
home. One who holds on to such things cannot create a family, but rather a Gehinom with all seven levels of Gehinom.
Regarding the exodus from Egypt it says (Shemos 13:18) ‫ וחמושים עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצרים‬- “And Bnei Yisroel
came up from Egypt chamushim (literally, with instruments of war). Rashi explains the word chamushim as a
derivative of the word chamesh - five. Meaning, only one fifth of the Yidden came out of Egypt. The are opinions in
the Midrash (Tanchuma Shelach) that the actual numbers were one out of fifty or even one out of five hundred. The
reason all of the people were not redeemed is due to the fact that the slavery ended a while back with the first plague.
Since then, some received positions of authority and respect in Egypt and did not want to relinquish their newfound
prestige. This was the reason they did not merit redemption.
The Sefarim tell us (Sanhedrin 111a) that this phenomenon will occur again during the final redemption. A
large number of Jews will not be redeemed, as they will not be worthy of redemption. This is dependent on each
person if they value Olam Habah more than this world and its physical pleasures. Praised is the man who
understands the truth and what really is considered pleasure and therefore desists from these devices. We are hoping
that we will merit a generation that is completely worthy, and may we all be redeemed, speedily in our days, Amen.


 4