Why Did Cain Kill Abel? - Parshah Focus
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Art by Sefira Lightstone Murder is one of the most heinous—and oldest—crimes in the world. In the very first Torah portion, when the world is only a few days old, we read that Abel is murdered by his very own brother, Cain. Part of what makes this so shocking is that it seems to come out of nowhere.
The Biblical Narrative
"Now, it came to pass at the end of days that Cain brought of the fruit of the soil an offering to the L‑rd. And Abel, he too brought of the firstborn of his flocks and of their fattest, and the L‑rd turned to Abel and to his offering. But to Cain and to his offering, He did not turn, and it annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell. And the L‑rd said to Cain, "Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Is it not so that if you improve, it will be forgiven you? If you do not improve, however, at the entrance, sin is lying, and to you is its longing, but you can rule over it." And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him."1
In short, Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer. Cain brought an offering to G‑d from the fruit of his harvest, and Abel brought from his firstborn sheep. G‑d accepted the offering of Abel, but not that of Cain. Cain was upset, and G‑d spoke to him, letting him know that sin awaited him (in the future) unless he repented. And then, all of a sudden, Cain met Abel in the field and killed him, ostensibly out of jealousy.
But there seems to be more to the story. Right before Cain killed Abel in the field, the verse says, “Cain spoke to Abel his brother”2—yet the Torah does not tell us what this final exchange of words was all about. Could they have argued over something that led to the murder of Abel? The Midrash offers us a number of explanations, each of which represents a different philosophical reason for the sibling rivalry.
Over Inheritance and Property
According to one Midrash, it all boils down to what has caused much strife in families throughout the ages, namely, the division of property and inheritance.
Seeing that they were the only two humans around, Cain and Abel decided to divide “ownership” of the world. One would take all the lands and things that grow from it, while the other would take movable objects such as animals and the like. Thus, one became a farmer and the other a shepherd. It came to pass, however, that Cain said to Abel, “The land you stand on is mine,” while Abel retorted, “What you are wearing is mine." One said: “Strip”; the other retorted: “Fly off the ground.” It was out of this quarrel that Cain rose up and murdered Abel.3
Others say that they both split the lands and the movable objects, but they were quarreling about on whose portion the future Temple should be built.4
Over a Woman
Another explanation is that they were fighting over—what else?—a woman. According to the Midrash, both Cain and Abel were born with twin sisters, whom they married. However, Abel was actually born with two sisters, and they fought over who would marry the extra wife. Cain said he was the oldest and thus it was his right, while Abel claimed that since she was born with him, it was his right.
Over Theology
Cain, upon seeing that his offering was not accepted but his brother’s was, said to Abel, “It appears that G‑d isn’t just and shows favoritism.” Replied Abel, “Heaven forbid that it be as you say; rather, the reason why my offering was accepted was because it was better.” Cain, in turn, replied, “It appears that there is no reward and punishment for good or bad.” Said Abel, “Surely the righteous are rewarded and the wicked punished.” It was from this quarrel that Cain ended up killing Abel.5
In Conclusion
Although the Midrash explains that Cain ultimately killed Abel over either money, a woman or theology, perhaps one reason why the Torah records the incident in a cryptic manner is to teach us an important lesson. Cain may have been jealous that G‑d accepted Abel’s offering, not his, but G‑d explained to him that it was his own fault that his offering wasn’t accepted. His brother's offering did not make his offering better or worse by comparison; the onus was on Cain to better himself. Likewise, we should not be jealous of others; rather, it is up to us to better ourselves.
Cain Murders Abel Parshah Bereishit Footnotes 1.Genesis 4:3-8.
2.Genesis 4:8
3.Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 22:7; see also Midrash Tanchumah 1:9.
4.Midrash Rabbah, ibid.; see also Zohar, vol. 1, 50b.
5.Targum Yonatan on Genesis 4:8.
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88 Comments Newest OldestThe only context is Hashem telling Cain to do better, so we assume it has to do with his sacrifice. I can't see how any other explanation makes sense. And that pasuk is one of the most difficult to understand in the Torah. It's all ifs, buts, and conditions./ Then we switch to Cain speaking to Abel, saying some thing which may not even make sense. Then he kills him. Look at the sequence this way. Cain is insane, at least depressed. That pasuk is how he hears it, through a psychotic rage. He walks away from Hashem like an angry teen, fully intent on killing his brother. Then his fog clears, and the next pasuk is crystal clear. "What have you done? The blood of your brother cries from the earth." Even Hashem could not speak to him.at first. Reply
For Hashem made humankind in His image: kind and cruel, creator and destroyer, miraculous and uncaring, rational and irrational. All of this is on display in the story of Cain and Abel. Reply
I considered that both Cain + Abel saw the sheepskin that covered their parents and knew what they were to offer. G_d doesn't expect something from us without making it clear what He expects. Could it be, Cain didn't want to ask his brother for a lamb , or trade his produce for one. Did his pride get in the way? We see a similar reaction from Joseph's brothers because Jacob gave Joseph the land with the well on it, and I'm sure their pride caused the same kind of anger when they had to water their sheep, cattle and goats and had to be subject to their brother. Reply
I'm lost?Where in the Torah does it say Cain was first born? Where does it say he had a twin, or Able had a twin?It seems obvious since it doesn't say Cain was firstborn that he was not. There must have been many girls first. Cain was the oldest boy, as evidenced by his name, Qainin, I've gotten him (I hear desperation in his mother's voice, I've finally gotten him and we can go back to the garden!) . Reply
Cain was supposed to marry Abel's twin and Abel was to marry Cain's twin.I have never heard about a second twin of Abel however, she belongs to Cain.For Abel to deny Cain was wrong and a hard play. He over-reached... Reply
what did the sisters have to say about this, or were they non person pawns? Reply
Nossy Usa October 20, 2022 in response to harri:I was wondering about that. Could be they were pawns, I mean it's not like they had anybody to complain too. Reply
Jesse London January 14, 2023 in response to harri:"Likewise, we should not be jealous of others; rather, it is up to us to better ourselves". The true benefit is that we can learn brother / sister. Would you not agree? Reply
Whenever I see man’s irrationality and horror, I am reminded that man is created in Hashem’s image. Reply
Ale October 20, 2025 in response to Marci:What many seems to miss is that Adam was created in Hashem image: masculine and feminine in the same body. Then Hashem split the masculine from the feminine creating Adam and Eve.The first men was complete: masculine and feminine part, together.The first being was not a man. Just the first being. After the split the men and woman were created. Society lead by women are not characterised by wars and crimes and violence as the ones created by men. Reply
I don't believe that Cain wanted to kill Abel. I believe it was an accident. Yes, Cain was infuriated and his reactions (motor skills) went into 'overdrive'.... and he pulled the string ( a very beningn thing to do)...and the 'tree branch' fell and killed Abel. G*d makes it an issue in order to prove to Cain that his actions are secondary; and his guilt/mental thinking *abstract* is a violation of the law because 'the word' is first, and actions are second. If Cain would have made an effort to control his 'thinking' .... his secondary actions (kill Abel) would NOT have happened! Just Me! Reply
Jesse London January 14, 2023 in response to Andy G:So the "decision" was not to control his "thinking". Thus he "wanted" to kill Abel.For me this (Bereishit 4:4) is an opportunity to learn our true nature - which is that we are primal, envious creatures, not so dissimilar to the Nachash of Eden. But worse even, as we have free will. We have the ability to be satiated and walk away and instead we choose greed and envy to the detriment of others. We have the power to choose altruism but instead we choose "Me".In response to this reasoning I think of Muhamed Ali as recalled by his friend:Ali went to visit a school to encourage them to be good people and one of the children asked him to make for them a poem (he was famous for his words as well as his boxing). He thought for a moment . . And he replied with a poem but it just consisted of two words:"Me . . We". This is what the story of Cain and Abel can teach us. That ultimately "Me" must give way to "We".I wish you good strength and wisdom Mishpacha Yehudim. Reply
One more...sheep are known to eat grass down to dirt, are exactly what a growers want to keep out of their fields. The American west had battles over this problem. Another...sibling rivalry: “He likes you more than me.”And..Cain made an offering from his produce. Able offered the “best of_____.” Reply
Could it be that Cain brought 'an' offering of fruit (but not his best), but Abel brought 'the best' - the first born & so Abel's offering was looked on with favour? Could it be that the lesson is that G-d is worthy of our best and if we compromise and reserve our best for ourselves, then that opens up the door for the sin of 'selfishness' to master us - hence G-d warning Cain to rise up and defeat sin (sadly he yielded instead to jealously). Reply
Mario Lerario Chadds Ford, PA February 27, 2022 in response to Emma:Yes, Emma. I must agree with you, and, too, with the Conclusion above, that Cain held back his best for himself. G-d who knows all and sees all, knew Cain's motivation. And further, if Cain would prefer himself over G-d, then it follows he expected G-d to prefer him (and his offering) over Abel and his offering. And he would expect his little brother to prefer him over G-d. So, what did the brothers talk about? Cain probably told Abel to hold back his best next time, that he was making Cain look bad. He might have said, "Your flock is eating in my fields. You owe me." Abel would have pointed out that Cain cannot till all the grasses, that some grasses G-d provides. "My flock does not need to eat from your fields." Cain could not argue with Abel's complete devotion to the Creator, that they only owe to Him. In Jealousy, Cain struck his brother. Cain may have thought, if his little brother is not alive to produce the best sacrifice, then Cain's sacrifice must be the best. Reply
Measure for measure, Midah KeNeged Midah, believed to transcend current gilgulim when Reward and Punishment are allocated in a future lifetime, i.e.Karma. Ethics of the Fathers, 2:6"He (Hillel) saw a skull floating upon the water. He said to it: Because you drowned (killed) others, you were drowned; and those who drowned you, will themselves be drowned (killed)." The question often asked, inspired by this verse, "Who did Abel kill?" (Maybe, as if asking, "What came first the chicken or the egg?")This concept may also explain, why Hashem allowed for the Holocaust and all other seemingly injustices we see throughout history and in our daily lives. Reply
Justice will prevail This comment is self-explanatory... Justice will prevail. Always has and will prevail. For me, my choice of timing, sequence, and penalty doesn't always co-inside with how God chooses to enact his will in righting wrongs.Am only knowing for sure that every hair on every head is counted. Reply
Dear Ed, There is an old saying, "G-d says, 'Take what you want and pay for it." G-d gives us each free will, and we pay for the way we use it. The only way G-d could have stopped the Holocaust would have been to take that free will from the perpetrators. If he did that, to be just he would have to do the same to us. For Adolph Hitler and his followers to express their free will it was necessary for the horrors of that time to take place. But notice the second part of that saying, "... and pay for it." I find it difficult to think of a penalty worthy of the things they did, but I live believing that G-d has an appropriate answer for that.In Deuteronomy 32, 35 G-d says, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay". I live in the belief that G-d will also repay (compensate) those who were treated so abominably. We do not live in this corrupt and unfair world only, but in the next as well, where all wrongs will be righted. That is a comfort to the just and a warning to the unjust. Reply
Clementina Orlando July 8, 2018 in response to David Rankin:Amen! Reply
[USN Ret.] Joseph C. Moore Lake Ariel, PA February 28, 2022 in response to David Rankin:David, I believe your conclusions are correct. Thank you. Shalom. Reply
Dear Ed, There is an old saying, "G-d says, 'Take what you want and pay for it." G-d gives us each free will, and we pay for the way we use it. The only way G-d could have stopped the Holocaust would have been to take that free will from the perpetrators. If he did that, to be just he would have to do the same to us. For Adolph Hitler and his followers to express their free will it was necessary for the horrors of that time to take place. But notice the second part of that saying, "... and pay for it." I find it difficult to think of a penalty worthy of the things they did, but I live believing that G-d has an appropriate answer for that.In Deuteronomy 32, 35 G-d says, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay". I live in the belief that G-d will also repay (compensate) those who were treated so abominably. We do not live in this corrupt and unfair world only, but in the next as well, where all wrongs will be righted. That is a comfort to the just and a warning to the unjust. Reply
Who knows why things happen? Why "didn't God prevent the murders in the camps. Why didn't God stop the Black Plague? Why did that innocent child die in an automobile accident? As some have said, "Ours is not to question why, but to do or die." Reply
Why Again my question: Why couldn't G-D stop the holocaust (pardon my spelling) in Europe? Reply
Mario Lerario Aldan, July 9, 2018 in response to Ed:Why couldn't G-d stop the Holocaust in Europe? Ed. We cannot know the mind of G-d. We look at the nature of something like the Holocaust and are appalled - and rightly so. We see the slaughter of humans and because we are human, react as a human being. But G-d is not human. He is the Creator. He sees this totally differently. Not that He thinks less of humanity. Quite the opposite. He may see a cleansing of souls; or maybe He sees this sort of prejudice ending someday because of what this tyrant did to the Jews. Perhaps this is necessary so that the Free World will unite against antiSemitism. Or maybe for some other reason entirely. Reply
Peter WA July 10, 2018 in response to Mario Lerario:It all comes down to free will. You can eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or you can not eat from it. If you eat, as we were warned, we will die, and we will kill.And if we refrain we will not kill, and we won't die until we reach a ripe old age.Non-Jews ask the question of "why?" But Jews should know the answer: "a command must have been violated. Reply
When G-d talked with Adam and Eve in the garden, what did they talk about? He would not have allowed them to break their close bond with Him, thereby causing their tuition to cease, until they had whatever knowledge was necessary for them to live outside of the garden.It would then be their responsibility to pass that knowledge on to their children. A part of that knowledge would have been that only the best was good enough to be offered to G-d as a sacrifice. Able took notice of that instruction, Cain chose to ignore it. That is why G-d warned Cain of the sin that lay in wait at his door, and urged him to deal with it. This is the first proof of the warning in Proverbs 12,1 He that loves discipline loves knowledge, and he that hates reproof is a fool. Reply
Billy_theMountain City of Tiny Lights July 15, 2018 in response to David Rankin:The mudrash is that Adam was given instructions after being expelled from Eden. The Angel Raziel gave Adam a book "Sefer ha-Raziel ha-Melech" (The Book of/from the Angel Raziel). This book described the cosmological world for Adam. It explained to him the nature of sin & punishment, the mechanics of bringing sacrifices, the mazelot (the astrological realm), and how to do teshuva (atonement). Hence, after the expulsion from Paradise, Adam knew enough that he was able to compose and recite the brucha (benediction) over fire ("borei pri ha-aish"). With this blessing, Adam was able to close out the first Sabbath, and also show gratitude to God for just having given Adam the special gift of how to make fire. This gift of fire from God was one of the tools that God gave to Adam so that Adam, and Mankind after him, will be able to handle the elements. My point, though, is that the Sefer ha-Raziel ha-Melech is the knowledge of how the universe and the Heavens work, passed on to his kids. Reply
Wonderful teaching. Sad story if considering how each man must have felt when offering up a sacrifice which came from his labors on a daily basis. There was no prior command of how or what to offer in a sacrifice. There were no commandments or stern warning which would have prevented the outcome of the sorros of rejection turned against a person. Perhaps it started as a common argument turned to fighting, but Abel's death may not have been premeditated but accidental. Nonetheless Cain knew he did wrong because his many reactions to Abel,'s death bespeak such. Thus, he had a conscience of his actions. God has purpose in all events and it is not my desire to over think or read between the lines with summations of my own opinions. But, to just say, this was truly one of the saddest accounts in the Scriptures. Reply
General response to Cain and Abel When interpreting the actions and words of our biblical ancestors, it is important not to think in terms of our modern world nor use our own experience. Rather than expecting Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel to see the world through our eyes, we must understand they are responding to a brand New World, the World with dew still on it. They have a similar capability to season, yes, but they do not have the same information we have. Too, they have a direct response from G-d while we have their story to interpret what G-d is telling us. Reply
6 million Why were6 million of us Jewish people killed during ww2...explain that...6 million! Reply
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