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A question in the language of Genesis, Chapter 4 – 5

שו”תCategory: generalA question in the language of Genesis, Chapter 4 – 5
asked 3 years ago

Hello Rabbi
In the dialogue between God and Cain, God says, “Therefore whoever kills Cain will be avenged sevenfold, and God will set a mark on Cain, so that no one who finds him will strike him down.”
On the one hand, God promises Cain that whoever kills him “sevenfold shall be avenged” (which simply means that he will be punished sevenfold the punishment that God gave Cain), and on the other hand, God places a mark on Cain that will prevent harm from coming to him.
Wouldn’t God’s letter 100% prevent harming Cain? If so, what is the purpose of the promise to punish those who harm Cain?
I continued to review the following verses and came across two verses that seem to be the key to understanding the matter.
In chapter 4, verse 24, Lamech says, “For Cain shall rise sevenfold, and Lemech seventy-sevenfold,” and in chapter 5, verse 24, it does not say, “And all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.”
It seems to me that, in a simple way, each verse stands on its own, but on the other hand, the great similarity between them is confusing, and seemingly suggests a connection between them.
How are we supposed to understand the verses? Is there a connection between them?
Apparently, with Cain, “seven times” would be the punishment for anyone who harms Cain. With Lamech, Lamech seems to be proud of murdering a man and a child, and says “seventy-seven” and is an expression for the multiplied punishment he deserves in relation to Cain. But this does not fit with the first understanding of “seven times.”
In short, I would love to know if the rabbi has an interesting explanation that would help understand this entire passage clearly.
thanks


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מיכי Staff answered 3 years ago
As far as I understand, the sign does not prevent harm to Cain, but rather indicates that he is protected by God and that anyone who harms him will be resurrected, and also indicates that there is a prohibition on murder to educate the world (which is why he wandered in the world). The comment about Lamech’s age is interesting and I didn’t pay attention to it. I thought maybe it was 7 times the age of Cain when he was murdered. But in the order of the world, he died at 700 years old and it seems that Lamech was given another 77 years on top of that. That is, his revenge is that he will live after Cain was killed for another 77 years and that’s it (he was probably expected to live longer). And maybe this is also seven times the age of Cain, meaning he will be killed at the age of 700. By the way, Lamech’s language implies that he killed by accident and not intentionally, and it is not clear to what extent he owed revenge.

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Yitzhak replied 3 years ago

Forgive me, your honor. But the Lamech of chapter 5 is not the Lamech who killed a child for his wound.
What is more, I also noticed that both are called Lamech, and the number 7 surrounds them.

א replied 3 years ago

It doesn't work out anymore. How were there other people in the world that needed to be protected from?

Yitzhak replied 3 years ago

There were no more people to protect themselves from. Rashi writes that Cain's fear was of the animals.

מלכישוע replied 3 years ago

Isaac, so where does Cain's wife come from?

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