Rabbi Dr. Zvi Aviner 2023/4
BLOODSHED-2/
What did Eve see at her childbirth?
In the section of the Torah devoted for BLOODSHED, the Torah explains how Mankind advanced from the first murder of Cain and Abel, to receive the Rainbow Covenant of Noah, which is based on BLOODSHED, spelling out the BLOODSHED Laws in details.
After all, we still live on contingency under the Rainbow Covenant; breaching it would bring back the Flood.
Hence the Torah wishes to inform us how the Covenant was formed, what sort of problems does it address.
It is the flag of the Noahide movement, it ID card, the very message that Noahides teaches the world.
Hence we should pay attention to every step in the journey from Cain and Abel to receiving the Rainbow Covenant.
Last class we focused on the transition from Eden to Earth. We’ve lealrned that is was accompanied with the flowing changes:
- Knowing good from evil, where Evil is whatever YHVH hates
- The possibility to do good and evil
- The desire, drive, to do good and evil
In Eden, they received the Six Commandments of Adam, IDOLARY, ADULTERY, BLOODSHED, THEFT and BLESPHAMY. Yet they could, and did, violate only the first two.
Living under the Tree of Life, they could not kill and commit BLOODSHED. They also could not violate THEFT where there was no private ownership, or commit INJUSTICE where there was no society. Now on Earth all the Commandments became relevant to their life and be violated.
The Torah says that after the Sin, YHVH ELKM made them “skin coats” which stands for the talents and drives required to thrive and survive in this world.
in Kabbalah, the skin coats are the desires and passions to do good and good and evil, Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Rah. Observing the Six Commandments would help Mankind to purify ourselves and restore our spiritual level as it was prior to the Sin, a process called Tikun, Correction.
But the passage from Eden to Earth, and the exposure to Evil and Death, was accompanied by something more drastic – a new awareness of YHVH. In Eden, after the Sin, they had already got to know YHVH as the Merciful Attribute, offering Adam the option of repentance and forgiveness. It was YHVH ELKM who called Adam in Aden- Where are You? Come to me. Had Adam and his wife taken the opportunity and come forwards with admission and repentance, they would have stayed in Eden forever. Having failed the opportunity, they lost Eden and were driven out to live on Earth. Now they are about to learn a new aspect of the Merciful YHVH – an aspect that is so important to the understanding the BLOODSHED Law and the Rainbow Covenant, under which we all still live today.
To see that new aspect oof YHVH let’s read the text. Immediately after Eden the Torah says:
“Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived
and she bore Cain, and she said
I’ve bought a Man with YHVH (Genesis 4:1-2)
Adam knew his wife – PASSIONATELY, the Midrash says.
The Hebrew word “knew”, comes from daat, which stands for knowledge acquired by intimate, real encounter. In contrast to Eden where everything was “theoretical,” chochman and binah.
And she named him Cain. You don’t see that in English, but Cain comes from the verse cano, purchase. She purchased that boy by her labor, harsh labor as G-d had told her (in the preceding verses.)
But she said: “I’ve purchased a man with YHVH.” What is special in her words? Says Rabbi Bachyee:” HERE COMES YHVH ALONE, THE FIRST TIME IN THE TORAH!”
Indeed, up to now, YHVH appears in the verses never alone, only side by side with ELKM, as “YHVH ELKM.”
Progression of YHVH into our world
In fact, there is a progression here in the appearance of YHVH name. At the end of Chapter One Her Name appears as a hidden Acronym:
Yom (day)
Hashshi (six)
………..Sabbsath…….
Vayechulu (ended)
Hashamyim (the sky) and the
Earth and all their hosts…
Half of YHVH name (YaH) lies in the Sixth Day, the other half VH is in the Sabbath.
Next, YHVH appears openly in the text of Eden as YHVH ELKM, not alone but side by side with ELKM. A two Cherubs in Love.
And now on Earth, YHVH appears in Eve’s words by Herself, alone, without ELKM by her side! What happened?
Eve had just had a harsh, painful labor, where she probably encountered the Angle of Death; encountered “evil.” Now, holding her first baby in her bosom, her hormones rushing in her blood, she is washed with a blend of feelings – happiness, unconditional love, compassion, hope for a better future – all that as the result oof her labor. FROM HERE SHE SAW THE MERCIFUL YHVH IN HER FULL GLORY FOR THE FIRST TIME. Our flesh and blood mother saw, encountered, our Heavenly Mother YHVH the first time; Mother to Mother.
And the new aspect of YHVH says: I am for love, for life, for birth, for compassion.
And I hate cruelty, hate murder, hate taking life away.
And she named him Cain, for he would purchase connection of Man to YHVH. He will be our priest. I wish that all Mankind would feel what I have just felt, and I wish males to feel what we, women feel at our childbirth.