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October 12, 2001/Tishri 25, 5762, Vol. 54, No. 5
Weapons of war have their time and place
Torah Study
RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN
B'reisheet/Genesis 1:1 - 6:8
What caused the very first murder in the history of humanity - and what can we learn from it about preventing murder in our own generation? The Bible tells of the original nuclear family spawned by Adam and Eve: A mother and father, two sons, Cain and Abel. Each bring gifts to God, who accepts Abel's heartfelt sacrifice of the first-born of his sheep but rejects Cain's half-hearted offering of whatever fruits seemed to be available at the time.
And then comes the nebulous description of the first murder: "Cain said to his brother Abel ... and when they were in the field, Cain set upon his brother Abel and killed him." (Genesis 4:8)
What was the precise disagreement that led to such a drastic reaction and such a tragic fratricide? As usual, the Midrash supplies the missing details.
Perhaps the most relevant explanation is offered by Rabbi Yose of Sikhin in the name of Resh Lakish: "This brother said that the Holy Temple must be built on his area of land, and that brother said that the Holy Temple must be built on his area of land, as it is written, 'and when they were in the field.' The word 'field' refers to the Holy Temple, as in the text 'Zion shall become a plowed-up field.' " (B'reisheet Rabbah 22)
In our present Israeli-Arab conflict, all rational negotiation broke down around the question of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The heinous suicide bombers wreak their terror-killings against innocent men, women and children because of a misguided religious fanaticism which promises eternal bliss and Divine blessing.
How must Israel - and, indeed, the entire free world - react to such horrific actions? The Bible concludes the tragedy of Cain's fratricide with an almost inexplicable account of an incident, which occurs seven generations later. Lemech, a sixth-generation descendant of Cain, takes two wives, Adah and Tzilah; Adah provides him with two sons - Yaval, the pastoral shepherd, and Yuval, the musician - while Tzilah bears Tuval Cain, forger of implements of metal and iron.
Lemekh then makes a nebulous declaration to his wife, expressing these words, which have no apparent textual antecedent: "I have slain a man for wounding me, and a lad for bruising me. If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold." (Genesis 4:24)
This verse seems to appear apropos of no previous incident.
I would suggest that Lemekh taught his sons their respective trades. Lemekh's wives were upset when Tuval Cain forged implements of metal and iron. Although it is true that such objects can be used for constructive agriculture, they can also become ammunition for warfare.
Lemekh explains that sometimes even weapons have their place - if they are used for self-defense.
In the face of destructive fanatical aggression, the pacifist becomes an accomplice to terror. But if one kills because otherwise he or another innocent would be victimized, then the "killer" is merely making the world safe for those who revere life and freedom.
Jewish morality teaches that we dare not turn the other cheek before a cruel aggressor, that if one comes to murder, he must be killed first. And this is the case even if it were a child who has been primed to kill by fanatical brain-washers.
Lemekh teaches that weapons of war are tragically necessary in moments of self-defense; would that we all learn this very difficult but necessary lesson.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is the spiritual leader of Efrat, Israel.
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