Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 3

22God said, “Now that the man has become like the Unique One among us, knowing good and evil, what if he should stretch forth his hand and also take fruit from the Tree of Life and eat it, and live forever?”   כבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה | פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם:
הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ - has become like the Unique One among us. He is unique among earthly beings, as I am unique among heavenly beings. And what is his uniqueness? “Knowing to distinguish between good and evil,” which animals and beasts do not have.   הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ.  הֲרֵי הוּא יָחִיד בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי יָחִיד בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים, וּמַה הִיא יְחִידוּתוֹ? לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּבְהֵמָה וְחַיָּה
וְעַתָּה פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ - now, what if he should stretch forth his hand. … – and if he lives forever he is likely to lead people astray by saying that he is also a God. There are also aggadic explanations, but they do not fit in with the straightforward meaning of the verse.   וְעַתָּה פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ.  וּמִשֶּׁיִּחְיֶה לְעוֹלָם הֲרֵי הוּא קָרוֹב לְהַטְעוֹת הַבְּרִיּוֹת אַחֲרָיו, וְלוֹמַר אַף הוּא אֱלוֹהַּ. וְיֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה, אֲבָל אֵין מְיֻשָּׁבִין עַל פְּשׁוּטוֹ:
23God thereupon banished him and his family from the Garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was taken.   כגוַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֻקַּ֖ח מִשָּֽׁם:
24He drove the man out. He stationed to the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim, equipped with the revolving sword blade, to guard the path to the Tree of Life against entry.   כדוַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֨רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים:
מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן - means: to the east of the Garden of Eden outside the Garden, and not in the eastern part of the Garden.   מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן.  בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל גַּן עֵדֶן חוּץ לַגַּן:
אֶת־הכרובים - the cherubim. i.e., angels of destruction.   אֶת־הכרובים.  מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה:
הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת - the revolving sword. which has a flashing blade to frighten him from entering the Garden again. Onkelos translates לַהַט as שְׁנַן, as in: שְׁלַף שְׁנָנָא “he withdrew the blade,” 1 and in Old French it is “lame” (“blade”). There are also aggadic explanations, but I come only to explain the straightforward meaning of Scripture.   הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת.  וְלָהּ לַהַט לְאַיֵּם עָלָיו מִלִּכָּנֵס עוֹד לַגַּן תַּרְגּוּם לַהַט שְׁנַן, כְּמוֹ שָׁלַף שְׁנָנָא וּבִלְשׁוֹן לַעַז לא"מא וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ, וַאֲנִי אֵינִי בָא אֶלָּא לִפְשׁוּטוֹ:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 4

1The man had known his wife Eve carnally, and when he did so, she conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she named Cain [Kayin], saying, “I have acquired [kaniti] a man together with God.”   אוְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֨הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה:
וְהָאָדָם יָדַע - man had known - already before the events previously mentioned, before he sinned and was sent away from the Garden of Eden; and similarly the conception and birth of Cain and Abel also took place before these events. But had it written וַיֵּדַע אָדָם, this would have implied that only after he was sent away did he have children.   וְהָאָדָם יָדַע.  כְּבָר קֹדֶם הָעִנְיָן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא וְנִטְרַד מִגַּן עֵדֶן, וְכֵן הַהֵרָיוֹן וְהַלֵּדָה, שֶׁאִם כָּתַב וַיֵּדַע אָדָם, נִשְׁמָע שֶׁלְּאַחַר שֶׁנִּטְרַד הָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים:
קַיִן - Cain. This is based on the word קָנִיתִי “I have acquired a man.”   קַיִן.  עַל שֵׁם קָנִיתִי:
אֶת־ה' - means the same as עִם ה׳ “with God.” Eve said, “When He created my husband and me, He created us by Himself, but with this child we are partners with Him.”   אֶת־ה'.  כְּמוֹ עִם ה', כְּשֶׁבָּרָא אוֹתִי וְאֶת אִישִׁי, הוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּרָאָנוּ אֲבָל בָּזֶה שֻׁתָּפִים אָנוּ עִמּוֹ (נדה ל"א):
אֶת־קַיִן אֶת־אחיו אֶת־הבל - To Cain…to his brother, Abel. Each of the three times אֶת is written implies extra details not specifically written in the text. This teaches us that a twin sister was born with Cain, and two sisters were born with Abel. It therefore says concerning Abel: וַתֹּסֶף, meaning literally: “she bore more than the previous time.”   אֶת־קַיִן אֶת־אחיו אֶת־הבל.  ג' אֶתִים רִבּוּיִים הֵם, מְלַמֵּד, שֶׁתְּאוֹמָה נוֹלְדָה עִם קַיִן, וְעִם הֶבֶל נוֹלְדוּ שְׁתַּיִם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַתֹּסֶף (בראשית רבה):
2She conceived and gave birth again—to his brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a worker of the soil.   בוַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֨בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה:
רֹעֵה צֹאן - A shepherd. Since the ground had been cursed, he refrained from working it.   רֹעֵה צֹאן.  לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַלְּלָה הָאֲדָמָה פֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָתָהּ:
3In the course of time, Cain brought some of the inferior produce of the ground as an offering to God.   גוַיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
מִפְּרִי הָֽאֲדָמָה - of the produce of the ground - i.e., from the worst produce. There is an aggadic explanation that it was linseed. Another explanation: “Of the produce” – from whatever came to hand, not the best or the choicest.   מִפְּרִי הָֽאֲדָמָה.  מִן הַגָּרוּעַ, וְיֵשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת זֶרַע פִּשְׁתָּן הָיָה. (דבר אחר: מפרי, מאיזה שבא לידו, לא טוב ולא מבחר):
4Abel also offered up some of the firstborn of his flock, from the fattest ones. God paid heed to Abel and his offering,   דוְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֽוֹ:
וַיִּשַׁע - means “He paid heed” (lit., “He turned towards”). Similarly: לֹא שָׁעָה אֶל מִנְחָתוֹ 2 means: “to his offering He paid no heed”; and similarly: וְאַל יִשְׁעוּ 3 means: “they will pay no heed”; and similarly: שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו 4 means: “turn away from him.”   וַיִּשַׁע.  וַיִּפֶן, וְכֵן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה – לֹא פָנָה, וְכֵן וְלֹא יִשְׁעֶה (ישעיהו י"ז) – לֹא יִפְנֶה, וְכֵן שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו (איוב י"ד) פְּנֵה מֵעָלָיו:
וַיִּשַׁע - “ He paid heed.” Fire descended from heaven and consumed his offering.   וַיִּשַׁע.  יָרְדָה אֵשׁ וְלִחֲכָה מִנְחָתוֹ:
5but to Cain and his offering He paid no heed. Cain was sorely grieved and downcast.   הוְאֶל־קַ֥יִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָת֖וֹ לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֨יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו:
6God said to Cain, consoling him, “Why are you grieved? Why are you downcast?   ווַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָֽפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ:
7After all, if you improve your actions, you will be forgiven, but if you do not improve yourself, your sin is crouching at the door of your grave. Your evil inclination continuously lusts after you, seeking to make you sin, but you can dominate it.”   זהֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ:
הלא אִם־תֵּיטִיב - if you improve. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: הֲלָא אִם תּוֹטִיב עוֹבָדָךְ יִשְׁתְּבֵיק לָךְ – “If you improve your deeds, you will be forgiven.”   הלא אִם־תֵּיטִיב.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ:
לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רובץ - sin is crouching at the door - means: your sin is preserved until the opening of your grave.   לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רובץ.  לְפֶתַח קִבְרְךָ חֶטְאֲךָ שָׁמוּר:
וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ - it lusts after you - i.e., the longing of sin. This is the evil imagination, constantly longs and desires to make you stumble into sin.   וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ.  שֶׁל חַטָּאת הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, תָּמִיד שׁוֹקֵק וּמִתְאַוֶּה לְהַכְשִׁילְךָ:
וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ - but you can dominate it - i.e., if you want, you can overcome it.   וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ.  אִם תִּרְצֶה תִּתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו:
8Cain then had words with his brother Abel, and when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.   חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּֽהַרְגֵֽהוּ:
וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל - (lit.) Cain said to Abel. I.e., he entered into an argument and quarreled with him so as to find a pretext to kill him. There are also aggadic explanations of this phrase, but this is the plain understanding of the verse.   וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל.  נִכְנַס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי רִיב וּמַצָּה לְהִתְעוֹלֵל עָלָיו לְהָרְגוֹ. וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה, אַךְ זֶה יִשּׁוּבוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא:
9In order to open the conversation,God asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He replied, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?!”   טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־קַ֔יִן אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר אָחִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי:
אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ - where is your brother Abel?. God said this in order to engage him in a conciliatory conversation so that he might repent and say, “I killed him and have sinned against You.”   אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ.  לְכָּנֵס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי נַחַת, אוּלַי יָשׁוּב וְיֹאמַר: אֲנִי הֲרַגְתִּיו וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ:
לֹא יָדַעְתִּי - I do not know. He behaved as if he could deceive the Supreme God.   לֹא יָדַעְתִּי.  נַעֲשָׂה כְּגוֹנֵב דַּעַת הָעֶלְיוֹנָה:
השומר אָחִי - Am [I] my brother’s keeper?. This is an expression of a question, and similarly every ה prefix vocalized with a chataf-patach (הֲ) introduces a question.   השומר אָחִי.  לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ הוּא, וְכֵן כָּל הֵ"א הַנְּקוּדָה בַּחֲטַף פַּתָּח:
10God said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s bloods are crying out to Me from the ground!   יוַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ ק֚וֹל דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹֽעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ - Your brother’s bloods. דְּמֵי is a plural form, indicating his blood and the blood of his potential descendants. Another explanation of the plural: He inflicted him with many wounds, for he did not know from where his soul would depart (i.e., which blow would be fatal).   דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ.  דָּמוֹ וְדַם זַרְעִיּוֹתָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁעָשָׂה בוֹ פְּצָעִים הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֵיכָן נַפְשׁוֹ יוֹצְאָה (סנהדרין ל"ז):
11So now you will be cursed by having to work the ground even harder, for it will be cursed more than the ground has already been cursed, because it opened its mouth to receive your brother’s bloods from your hand.   יאוְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּֽצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ:
אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה - you will be cursed more than the ground - i.e., more than the ground was already cursed 5 on account of its sin; and here, too, it sinned again in that –   אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה.  יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּתְקַלְּלָה הִיא כְּבָר בַּעֲוֹנָהּ, וְגַם בָּזוֹ הוֹסִיפָה לַחֲטֹא,
אֲשֶׁר פָּֽצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ וגו' - because [it] opened its mouth to receive your brother’s bloods… I therefore impose on it an additional curse for you: “It will no longer give you its strength.” 6   אֲשֶׁר פָּֽצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ וגו'.  וְהִנְּנִי מוֹסִיף לָהּ קְלָלָה אֶצְלְךָ, לֹא תֹסֵף תֵּת כֹּחָהּ:
12When you work the ground, it will no longer give you its full fertile strength. Furthermore, you will be a perpetual wanderer in the world.”   יבכִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹסֵ֥ף תֵּֽת־כֹּחָ֖הּ לָ֑ךְ נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ:
נָע וָנָד - A perpetual wanderer. You have no right to live in one place.   נָע וָנָד.  אֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לָדוּר בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד:
13Cain said to God, “Is my sin too great for You to bear?   יגוַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה גָּד֥וֹל עֲוֹנִ֖י מִנְּשֽׂוֹא:
עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֽׂוֹא - (lit.) My sin is too great to bear. This is a question: “You, God, bear the upper and lower worlds, yet it is impossible for You to bear my sin?!”   עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֽׂוֹא.  בִּתְמִיהָ, אַתָּה טוֹעֵן עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים, וַעֲוֹנִי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִטְעֹן? (בראשית רבה)
14Behold, today You have banished me from the face of the earth—but can I be hidden from Your presence?! I am to be a perpetual wanderer in the world, and whoever finds me will kill me.”   ידהֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיּ֗וֹם מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־מֹֽצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי:
15God said to him, “Therefore, let it be known that whoever kills Cain will be punished! Vengeance for his sin will be exacted only after seven generations.” To publicize this oath, God placed a mark on Cain’s forehead, so that whoever found him would not kill him.   טווַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ יְהֹוָ֗ה לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֤ה לְקַ֨יִן֙ א֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכּֽוֹת־אֹת֖וֹ כָּל־מֹֽצְאֽוֹ:
לָכֵן כָּל־הורג קַיִן - therefore, whoever kills Cain. This is one of the verses which are abbreviated, and the full meaning is only hinted at but not explicit. “In that case, whoever kills Cain” is an expression of threat suggesting the consequence: “so will be done to him; this and this will be his punishment” – without stating explicitly what the punishment would be.   לָכֵן כָּל־הורג קַיִן.  זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת שֶׁקִּצְּרוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם וְרָמְזוּ וְלֹא פֵרְשׁוּ, לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן לְשׁוֹן גְּעָרָה, כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ, כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָנְשׁוֹ וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ עָנְשׁוֹ:
שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם - vengeance will be exacted after seven generations. 

God said: “I do not wish to take vengeance on Cain now, but only at the end of seven generations will I take My vengeance on him, when Lemech, one of his descendants, will arise and kill him.” The latter part of the verse, which says: “vengeance will be exacted after seven generations” – referring to the vengeance for Abel taken on Cain – teaches us that the beginning of the verse is an expression of threat, so that no creature will harm him.

A similar elliptical statement is: “David said, ‘Whoever smites the Jebusite and reaches the fortress!’,” 7 where Scripture does not say explicitly what will be done to him; rather, Scripture speaks only elliptically: “David said, ‘Whoever smites the Jebusite and reaches the fortress – and approaches the gate and conquers it – and the crippled and the blind… – meaning, and smites them, too (because people said, as long as the blind and the cripple are here, David may not enter the house 8) – whoever smites all these,’ David said, ‘I will make him a leader and a general.’” Here, in the Book of Samuel, Scripture abridges the narrative, omitting the consequence of David’s condition, but in 1 Chronicles, 9 it states the consequence explicitly: “he will become a leader and a general.”

   שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם.  אֵינִי רוֹצֶה לְהִנָּקֵם מִקַּיִן עַכְשָׁו, לְסוֹף שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת אֲנִי נוֹקֵם נִקְמָתִי מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד לֶמֶךְ מִבְּנֵי בָּנָיו וְיַהַרְגֵהוּ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא שֶׁאָמַר שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם, וְהִיא נִקְמַת הֶבֶל מִקַּיִן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁתְּחִלַּת מִקְרָא לְשׁוֹן גְּעָרָה הִיא, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא בְרִיָּה מַזִּיקַתּוּ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר (שמואל ב ה'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ, אֲבָל דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בְּרֶמֶז כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר וְיִקְרַב אֶל הַשַּׁעַר וְיִכְבְּשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶת הָעִוְרִים וגו', וְגַם אוֹתָם יַכֶּה עַל אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ הָעִוֵּר וְהַפִּסֵּחַ לֹא יָבֹא דָוִד אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת – הַמַּכֶּה אֶת אֵלּוּ אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ רֹאשׁ וְשַׂר, כָּאן קִצֵּר דְּבָרָיו, וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים פֵּרֵשׁ יִהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וּלְשָׂר:
וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת - God placed a sign for Cain. He inscribed a letter of His Divine Name on his forehead. Another explanation:   וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת.  חָקַק לוֹ אוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹ בְּמִצְחוֹ. ס"א דָּבָר אַחֵר:
כָּל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי - “whoever finds me will kill me” 10. refers to animals and beasts, but no humans yet existed of whom he might be afraid; only his father and mother, and he had no fear that they would kill him. He said, however, “Until now, the fear of me was upon all animals, as it is written: ‘There will be a fear and dread of you upon all beasts of the earth.’ 11 But now, because of this sin, the animals will no longer fear me and will kill me.” Immediately: “God placed a sign for Cain” – i.e., He restored the fear of him upon them all.   כָּל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי. הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת, אֲבָל בְּנֵי אָדָם עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ שֶׁיִּירָא מֵהֶם, רַק אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, וּמֵהֶם לֹא הָיָה יָרֵא שֶׁיַּהַרְגוּהוּ, אֶלָּא אָמַר עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיָה פַּחְדָּתִי עַל כָּל הַחַיּוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְגוֹ', וְעַכְשָׁו בִּשְׁבִיל עָוֹן זֶה לֹא יִירְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי הַחַיּוֹת וְיַהַרְגוּנִי, מִיָּד וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת – הֶחֱזִיר אֶת מוֹרָאוֹ עַל הַחַיּוֹת:
16Cain left God’s presence with feigned humility. Wherever he went, the people of the earth trembled. Cain settled in Nod, to the east of Eden.   טזוַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נ֖וֹד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן:
וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן - Cain left. He went away in ostensible humility, as if he could deceive the Supreme God.   וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן.  יָצָא בְהַכְנָעָה כְּגוֹנֵב דַּעַת הָעֶלְיוֹנָה:
בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נוֹד - In Nod - i.e., in the land to where all exiles wander.   בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נוֹד.  בָּאֶרֶץ שֶׁכָּל הַגּוֹלִים נָדִים שָׁם:
קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן - To the east of Eden. His father went into exile there when he was banished from the Garden of Eden, as it says: “He stationed to the east of the Garden of Eden” 12 the guard of the path of entry into the Garden; from which we can deduce that Adam was there to the east of the Garden. And we also find that the easterly direction always serves as a refuge for murderers, as it says: “Then Moshe decided to designate three cities…toward the sunrise (the east), so that a murderer might flee there.” 13 Another explanation of בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, taking נוֹד to mean “movement”: Wherever he went the earth shook beneath him, and people said, “Keep away from him! This is the one who killed his brother.”   קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן.  שָׁם גָּלָה אָבִיו כְּשֶׁגֹּרַשׁ מִגַּן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן עֵדֶן אֶת שְׁמִירַת דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַגָּן, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִלְמֹד שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם שָׁם, וּמָצִינוּ רוּחַ מִזְרָחִית קוֹלֶטֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶת הָרוֹצְחִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז יַבְדִּיל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹמֵר, מִזְרְחָה שָׁמֶשׁ (דברים ד'), דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ הָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מִזְדַּעְזְעָה תַּחְתָּיו, וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרִים סוּרוּ מֵעָלָיו, זֶהוּ שֶׁהָרַג אֶת אָחִיו:
17Cain knew his wife carnally, and she conceived and gave birth to Chanoch. Cain was a builder of a city. He gave the city he built the same name as his son, Chanoch.   יזוַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֨יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־חֲנ֑וֹךְ וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ:
וַֽיְהִי קַיִן בונה עִיר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר - He was - i.e., Cain, not Chanoch, was “a builder of a city,” and “he gave the city the same name as his son Chanoch” in order to be a memorial for him.   וַֽיְהִי קַיִן בונה עִיר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר.  לְזֵכֶר בְּנוֹ חֲנוֹךְ:
18Irad was born to Chanoch; Irad was the father of Mechuya’el, Mechuya’el was the father of Metusha’el, and Metusha’el was the father of Lemech.   יחוַיִּוָּלֵ֤ד לַֽחֲנוֹךְ֙ אֶת־עִירָ֔ד וְעִירָ֕ד יָלַ֖ד אֶת־מְחֽוּיָאֵ֑ל וּמְחִיָּיאֵ֗ל יָלַד֙ אֶת־מְת֣וּשָׁאֵ֔ל וּמְתֽוּשָׁאֵ֖ל יָלַ֥ד אֶת־לָֽמֶךְ:
וְעִירָד יָלַד - Irad was the father. There are places where it says concerning the male הוֹלִיד, and other places where it says יָלַד, since the verb ילד can be used in two senses: that of a woman giving birth – “neistre” in Old French (“to give birth”); or the act of begetting by a man – “engendrer” in Old French (“to beget”). When it says הוֹלִיד, in the hif’il (causative) form, it refers to the man in respect to the woman giving birth, i.e., this or that man caused his wife to give birth to a son or a daughter; and when it says יָלַד it refers to the man’s act of begetting.   וְעִירָד יָלַד.  יֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בְּזָכָר הוֹלִיד וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר יָלַד, שֶׁהַלֵּדָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת שְׁתֵּי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, לֵדַת הָאִשָּׁה ניש"טרא בְּלַעַז וּזְרִיעַת תּוֹלְדוֹת הָאִישׁ אינזי"ראר בְּלַעַז. כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר הוֹלִיד בִּלְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל, מְדַבֵּר בְּלֵדַת הָאִשָּׁה – פְּלוֹנִי הוֹלִיד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ בֵּן אוֹ בַת, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר יָלַד, מְדַבֵּר בִּזְרִיעַת הָאִישׁ: