Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, Sovereign of the universe, who has chosen us from among the peoples, and given us the Torah. Blessed are you YHVH, who gives us the Torah – Ameyn
הֵן
הָאָדָם
Gen
3:23 so יהוה Elohim sent Adam out of the garden of Ěḏen to till the ground from which
he was taken,
This desire remains in YHVH’s heart to this day - 2Pe 3:9 יהוה is not slow in regard to the promise, as
some count slowness, but is patient toward us, not wishing that any should
perish but that all should come to repentance. 1Ti 2:4 who desires
all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Once
again we have a very interesting opening verse of the 5th Aliyah of Parashat
Beresheet, with the scribe highlighting the words ‘’see the man’’ הֵן
הָאָדָם.
YHVH addresses
the ‘’divine council’’ and says ‘’ look at what has happened to man, now he has
become like one of Us, to know good and evil’’ This was never the purpose of our
creation. We were created to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of
our Creator. (Deut 8:3 and Mat 4:4
The tragic reality is that man still chooses to live
by what others say instead of by what YHVH says. Mat 16:17 And יהושע answering, said to him,
“Blessed are you, Shim‛on Bar-Yonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this
to you, but My Father in the heavens.
YHVH then lovingly protected Adam against himself by
preventing him from eating from the tree of life and living forever in a ‘’lost
state’’.
This is the destiny of fallen angels – they will never
be able repent.
Their rebellion
is total, final, and unrepentant. True repentance requires YHVH’s gift
(2 Tim. 2:25) — but this gift is not extended to fallen angels. They are
fixed in opposition; their will is bound in pride.
Angels sinned in
the very presence of YHVH’s esteem, with full awareness of who He was but
Humans most
often sin in ignorance and weakness (cf. Luke 23:34; 1 Tim 1:13).
Blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit is the wilful, hardened and ongoing rejection of the
Spirit’s testimony about Yahshua. It is not a careless word or momentary doubt.
It is a persistent, deliberate choice to call YHVH’s work evil, to
resist His Spirit, and to shut oneself off from the only source of forgiveness.
2Cor 11:4 Most believers still cling to Satan’s deception regarding the
identity of Yahshua; the proclamation of the Good news as well as rejecting the
promptings and calling of YHVH’s Set Apart Spirit.
Midrash Rabbah
states ‘’The way to the Tree of Life was not destroyed but guarded
until the righteous return in the world to come.’’
The apostle Paul
echoes a similar sentiment in Rom 7 where he clearly states that the Torah was
given to show us the ‘’exceeding sinfulness of sin’’ Paul is saying that the Torah,
though set apart and good, paradoxically makes sin appear even more sinful,
because it exposes, magnifies, and condemns sin.
The Rabbis saw
the Torah itself as the cure (through study and obedience).
Paul saw Torah
as the revealer of man’s desperate condition, and Messiah as the cure – not by
doing away with the Torah but highlighting and establishing the importance of
every single word in the Torah – Mat 5:17-19
Israel's Failure to Hear and See
Isa 42:18 “Hear, you deaf! And look, you blind,
and see.
Isa 42:19 “Who is blind but My servant, or deaf
as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace, and blind as
servant of יהוה?
Isa 42:20 “You see much, but do not guard; ears
are open, but do not hear.”
Isa 42:21 It has delighted יהוה, for the sake of His righteousness, to
make the Torah great and esteemed.
Isa 42:22 But this is a people robbed and
plundered, all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison
houses. They have become a prey, with no one to deliver – for plunder, and no
one to say, “Restore!” (or repent)
Isa 42:23 Who among you gives ear to this, pays
attention and hears for the time to come?
Isa 42:24 Who gave Ya‛aqoḇ for
plunder, and Yisra’ěl to the robbers? Was it not יהוה, He against whom we sinned? For they would
not walk in His ways, and they did not obey His Torah!
Isa 42:25 So He has poured on him His burning
displeasure and the strength of battle, and it set him on fire all around, yet
he did not understand. And it burned against him, yet he did not take it to
heart!
Let us return to
the parasha’s opening statement ‘’behold the man’’ this phrase occurs only
twice in the Scriptures – Gen 3:22 and John 19:5
Joh
19:5 Then יהושע came outside, wearing the
crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “See the Man!”
The repetition is not coincidental —Its almost as if John
echoes Gen 3:22 deliberately to highlight Messiah’s role in restoring what
man lost in Eden.
Gen 3:23 so יהוה Elohim sent him out of the
garden of Ěḏen to till the ground from which he was taken,
וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ (vay’shalleḥechu) – “He sent him out” Same
verb root as “to divorce” (שׁלח
shalach). This is strong language; it is not just about leaving but
being dismissed or expelled.
Gen
3:24 and He drove the man out. And He placed keruḇim at the east of the garden of Ěḏen, and a flaming sword which
turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
וַיְגָרֶשׁ’’
(vay’garesh) – “He drove out” Stronger than v.23’s “He sent out”
(vay’shalleḥechu).
Here it carries more force - expulsion and banishment.
The
sages of old wrestled with this issue. Some stated for example in the “”Yoma
72b (Talmud Bavli) “If man is worthy, the Torah becomes a pathway to
life. If he is not worthy, (the Torah) it becomes a poison of death.”
Rom
8:4 so that the righteousness of the Torah should be completed in us who
do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
This
the true evidence of being filled with YHVH’s Spirit – the torah shows us the
exceeding sinfulness of our sin (Rom 7) as well as the exceeding greatness of
His mercy, love and forgiveness of those receive the gift of ‘’teshuvah’’ or
repentance – returning again to the ancient paths of our fathers.
Cain
and Abel
Gen
4:1 And Aḏam knew Ḥawwah his wife, and she conceived
and bore Qayin, and said, “I have gained a man, יהוה.”
The phrase , “I have gained a man, יהוה.” קניתי אישׁ את־יהוה
is unusual and needs to be unpacked carefully, since it’s not a
common expression.
Targum Pseudo-Jonathan expands: “I have
acquired a man, the angel of the LORD” — hinting at a messianic or
eschatological figure.
It is amazing – it is like YHVH is leaving His ‘’little
love letters’’ all over the Torah.
Isa
8:17 And I shall wait on יהוה, who hides His face from the
house of Ya‛aqoḇ. And I shall look for Him.
Cain means “acquired or possession.” Abel means “vapor or
breath.”
The midrash says their names foreshadow destinies: the
one rooted in worldly acquisition falls; the one acknowledging life’s frailty
is favoured.
Gen
4:2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Heḇel. And Heḇel became a keeper of sheep, but
Qayin became a tiller of the ground.
Gen
4:3 And it came to be, in the course of time, that Qayin brought an
offering of the fruit of the ground to יהוה.
Gen
4:4 And Heḇel also brought of the first-born of his flock and of their fat. And יהוה looked to Heḇel and his offering,( Colossians
1:15: Messiah is called “the firstborn of all creation.”)
Gen
4:5 but He did not look to Qayin and his offering. And Qayin was very
wroth, and his face fell.
This the first recorded act of worship after the Fall —
and it sets the tone for true vs. false worship.
Psa
51:16 For You do not desire slaughtering, or I would give it; You do not
delight in ascending offering. Psa 51:17 The slaughterings of Elohim
are a broken spirit, A heart broken and crushed, O Elohim, These You do not
despise.
I
believe that is why Abel’s offering was more acceptable to YHVH. Abel was
declaring to YHVH ‘’we are now broken beyond human repair and we are helpless
to get ourselves out of this situation; but You alone YHVH are able to repair us and bring us back into
Your Gaden’’
Now
when Cain saw this outpouring of truth and honesty of his brothers broken heart
– he despised him even hated him enough to kill him. Why? Because Cain was exposed
and unwilling and unable to do the same.
The “spirit of Cain” is not just an ancient story, but an
ongoing pattern.
Jud
1:11 Woe to them! Because they have gone in the way of Qayin, and gave
themselves to the delusion of Bil‛am for a reward, and perished in the
rebellion of Qoraḥ.b Footnote: b Jud_1:7-11; compare with 2Pe_2:6-15.
Jud
1:12 These are rocky reefs in your love feasts, feasting with you,
feeding themselves without fear, waterless clouds borne about by the winds,
late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots,
Jud
1:13 wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame, straying stars for
whom blackness of darkness is kept forever.
Today
these people are known as the ‘’CCC’’ or the ‘’Cancel Culture Clan’’
When
we, like Abel come and worship before YHVH with this heart attitude. YHVH
responds by assuring us that He will do
whatever is required to restore us and bring us back into His presence. And He
does ….
Isa
57:15 For thus declares the high and exalted One who dwells (tabernacles)
forever, whose Name is set-apart, “I dwell (אֶשְׁכּוֹן) in the high and set-apart place, with him who has a bruised and
humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of
bruised ones. אֶשְׁכּוֹן = “I will dwell” / “I will
reside.” It’s the (future tense in Biblical Hebrew).
In
fact the scripture tells us 1Co 2:6 Yet we speak wisdom among those who
are perfect, (teleios) and not the wisdom of this age, nor of the
rulers of this age that are being brought to naught.
1Co
2:7 But we speak the wisdom of Elohim, which was hidden in a secret, and
which Elohim ordained before the ages for our esteem,
1Co
2:8 which no one of the rulers of this age knew, for if they had known,
they would not have impaled the Master of esteem.
Paul consistently uses teleios to mean spiritual
maturity and readiness, not absolute completion.
1Ti
3:16 And, beyond all question, the secret of reverence is great – who was
revealed in the flesh, declared right in Spirit, was seen by messengers, was
proclaimed among nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in
esteem.
If they had realized that Yahshua’s’ death would unleash
resurrection power, atone for sin, and break the power of death, they would
never have crucified Him.
1Co
15:16 For if the dead are not raised, then neither Messiah has been
raised.
1Co
15:17 And if Messiah has not been raised, your belief is to no purpose,
you are still in your sins!
YHVH intentionally concealed His plan until the
appointed time (Rom 16:25–26; Isa 53).
The mystery of salvation through a suffering Messiah was not
obvious.
Man’s pride blinded him to the paradox of YHVH’s wisdom: apparent
weakness achieves ultimate victory (1 Cor 1:18–25).
Christ
the Wisdom and Power of God
1Co
1:18 For the word of the stake is indeed foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of Elohim.
1Co
1:19 For it has been written, “I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and set aside the learning of the learned ones.”a Isa_29:14.
Footnote: aSee Mat_11:25, Rom_1:22.
1Co
1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of
this age? Has not Elohim made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co
1:21 For since, in the wisdom of Elohim, the world through wisdom did not
know Elohim, it pleased Elohim through the foolishness of preaching to save
those who believe.
And so
a shallow gospel is preached to the spiritual hungry who are never satisfied. Is
this what Yahshua meant - Joh 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water I give
him shall certainly never thirst. And the water that I give him shall become in
him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” ?
Gen
4:6 And יהוה said to Qayin, “Why is he
wroth towards you? And why is your facea fallen? Footnote: aLit. faces.
Gen
4:7 “Is it not if you do good, you are to be accepted? And if you
do not do good, towards the door is a sin.b He is lyingc and towards you is his
desire, and you must rule overd him.” Footnotes: bOr, sin-offering (feminine).
cOr, reposing or crouching (masculine). dLit. in.
Gen
4:8 And Qayin told Heḇel his brother. And it came to be when they were in the field, that
Qayin rose up against Heḇel his brother and killed him.
Gen
4:9 And יהוה said to Qayin, “Where is Heḇel your brother?” And he said, “I
do not know. Am I my brother’s guard?”
Gen
4:10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood
cries out to Me from the ground.
Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5 Quotes Gen 4:10 to emphasize
the gravity of murder:
“Whoever destroys a single soul, it is as though he has
destroyed an entire world.”
The
phrase ‘’ “What have you done?’’ appears nine times in the Hebrew scriptures
but only once in the Apostolic scriptures.
Joh
18:35
Pilate answered, (Yahshua)“Am I a Yehuḏi? Your own nation and the chief
priests have delivered You to me. What did You do?”
In Gen 4:6, “What have you done?” unmasks human sin.
In John 18:35, “What have you done?” unmasks human
blindness, for the true innocent Man is about to be condemned. Pontius
Pilate asks Yahshua what he had done to deserve this condemnation from men.
Hebrews 12:24 — Yahshua’s blood vs. Abel’s blood.
Abel’s blood cries for vengeance. Yahshua’s’ blood cries for forgiveness.
Rabbinic tradition: Cain’s sin destroyed worlds.
Messianic theology: Yahshua’s blood restores the world,
healing what Cain destroyed.
Gen
4:11 “And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth
to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
Gen
4:12 “If you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to
you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
Gen
4:13 And Qayin said to יהוה, “My punishment עֲוֹנִי is too great
to bear!
Cain shows remorse for the punishment, not true
repentance for the sin.
He does not say, “My sin against my brother is too
great,” but “My punishment is too great.”
Contrast with David in Psalm 51:4 — “Against You, You
only, have I sinned…”
Gen
4:14 “See, You have driven me from the face of the ground today, and I am
hidden from Your face. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and
it shall be that anyone who finds me kills me.”
Gen
4:15 And יהוה said to him, “Well, if
anyone kills Qayin, vengeance is taken on him sevenfold.” And יהוה set up a sign for Qayin, lest anyone
finding him strikes him.
‘’The mark of Cain was not a curse on his descendants,
nor a specific race. In Jewish tradition it is a protective sign (possibly
spiritual, possibly visible), reminding all that vengeance belongs to YHVH. Its
meaning is both punishment and mercy: Cain must live with his sin, but he is
not allowed to be destroyed by others.’’
Gen
4:16 So Qayin went out from the presence of יהוה and dwelt in the land of Noḏ on the east of Ěḏen.
Gen
4:17 And Qayin knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Ḥanoḵ. And he built a city, and called
the name of the city after the name of his son, Ḥanoḵ. Not the same Enoch
as in Seth’s line (Gen 5:18).
Cain’s descendants are associated with city-building,
culture, and technology (Gen 4:20–22).
Seth’s line is associated with calling on the Name of
YHWH (Gen 4:26).
This sets up the contrast between human self-reliance
and godly dependence.
Midrash Rabbah (Gen. 22:8): Cain’s city may
symbolize separation from God, beginning organized human society apart
from divine guidance.
1 Enoch: Cain’s line introduces early
civilization, but also violence and rebellion, contrasting with Seth’s
righteous line.
Gen
4:18 And to Ḥanoḵ was born Iraḏ. And Iraḏ brought forth Meḥuya’ěl, and Meḥuya’ěl brought forth Methusa’ěl, and Methusa’ěl brought forth Lemeḵ.
Gen
4:19 And Lemeḵ took for himself two wives, the name of one was Aḏah, and the name of the second was
Tsillah.
Gen
4:20 And Aḏah bore Yaḇal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents, with
livestock.
Gen
4:21 And his brother’s name was Yuḇal. He was the father of all those
who play the lyre and flute.
Gen
4:22 As for Tsillah, she also bore Tuḇal-Qayin, a smith of all kinds of
tools in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tuḇal-Qayin was Na‛amah.
Gen
4:23 And Lemeḵ said to his wives, “Aḏah and Tsillah, hear my voice! Wives of Lemeḵ, listen to my words! For I have
killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me.
Gen
4:24 “For Qayin is avenged sevenfold, and Lemeḵ seventy-sevenfold.”
Gen
4:25 And Aḏam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Shěth,
“For Elohim has appointed me another seed instead of Heḇel, because Qayin had killed
him.”
Gen
4:26 And to Shěth, to him also a son was born. And he called his name Enosh.
Then it was begun to call on the Name of יהוה.e Footnote: eThe first record of “calling
on the Name of יהוה.”
Isa
25:7 And He shall swallow up on this mountain the surface (face) of the
covering which covers all people, and the veil which is spread over all
nations.
וּבִלַּע
בָּהָר הַזֶּה, פְּנֵי-הַלּוֹט
הַלּוֹט עַל-כָּל-הָעַמִּים;
וְהַמַּסֵּכָה, הַנְּסוּכָה עַל-כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם.