Chapter IV

[With regard to good and evil, the verse states:1] "G-d made one opposite the other." The forces of the yetzer tov (the good inclination), and the yetzer hora (the evil inclination), are engaged in a constant struggle, as it is written:2 "Evil envelopes the righteous" so that the good is required to overpower the evil.

The nature of any battle is that at times one side gains the upper hand and at times the other. Therefore, should the yetzer hora gain ascendancy, a person should not be disheartened, but rather know that he can always repent. Indeed, one of the tactics of the yetzer hora is to so demoralize a person that he will not even try to repent. It is necessary to overcome the obstacles and confusion which the yetzer hora places in the path of repentance, and to rectify every misdeed through teshuvah. (The proper teshuvah for each misdeed is described in various books of sacred literature.) Every individual, in accordance with his essential character, is endowed from Above with the necessary inner strength to repent as well as to serve G-d. This is true of all people, even those who are on the level of Kayin. [They too are granted the ability to transform evil character traits into good ones.]

That there are individuals who have the inherent disposition of Kayin can be readily observed. There are people who from birth have extremely evil dispositions, possessing vile character traits and cunning minds. But they too have the ability to change completely.

This is why a reason is given for Kayin's name. Although Kayin had a natural inclination toward evil, it was G-d's will that these traits be changed to good. This is alluded to in the reason for his name: "I have acquired [the quality and traits of] a man, with [the help of the Merciful] G-d." This is also the reason why the Divine name Havayah, which denotes mercy, is employed.

With regard to the name Sheis, which is symbolic of teshuvah, the Torah uses the Divine name Elokim, which is indicative of strength. This is because the person must strengthen himself so that he can ignore his evil inclination, which tries to keep him from repentance. However, when a person fails to repent on his own, he is reminded from Heaven that he must do teshuvah.

This, then, is the prophecy concerning the last days before Moshiach. At that time, due to a variety of reasons, we will become "dry bones;" without Torah and mitzvos, and immersed in the material world.

At that time: "Thus says the L-rd, G-d: 'I shall uproot your materialistic graves and uplift you from your graves of corporeality. Then you will repent and merit the complete Redemption through My messenger Moshiach, the Righteous Redeemer, and I shall bring you to Eretz Yisroel.'"

In summary: Hevel and Kayin, denoting good and evil (the tzaddik and the rasha), are constantly at war, each desiring to completely dominate a person. When a person sins, he should not become filled with doubt [about his ability to return] but rather do teshuvah. G-d gave man the ability to vanquish the most heinous character traits and transform them into good qualities. Through teshuvah we will merit the complete Redemption.