In our ninth grade Parsha class, we examined the names that Chava chose for her two sons.
בראשית: ד:ב...וַתַּהַר, וַתֵּלֶד אֶת-קַיִן, וַתֹּאמֶר, קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת-ה'
“She conceived and she gave birth to Cain and she said, “I have acquired a man with Hashem”.
We noticed that the word קנה is used differently in the very first bracha of Amidah . “גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים, וְקֹנֵה הַכֹּל.../...He bestows benevolent kindness and is Master/Creator of all.” Hashem “acquires” the universe in the fullest extent of the word; He creates it, so it is His. Rashi explains that Chava saw herself and Adam as partners with Hashem in the creation of this child. She appreciated that she could emulate the ‘דרך ה .
We asked: What impact would such a name make on a child? There were some who felt that Cain would have wonderful self-esteem; one girl mentioned that he might also try to emulate the ‘דרך ה and exercise his creativity in a positive way. But there were others who worried that this name might cause Cain to be haughty. He might overestimate his own position in the world and this could lead him away from Hashem.
ב וַתֹּסֶף לָלֶדֶת, אֶת-אָחִיו אֶת-הָבֶל...She continued to give birth to his brother, to Hevel"
There is no explanation for this name in the text and the commentaries are silent. But we encounter this “name” in the first perek of Sefer Kohelet, which we just read on Sukkot.
ב הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת, הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים הַכֹּל הָבֶל.
“Utter futility!—said Koheleth— Utter futility! All is futile!”
The girls were highly critical of Chava for saddling Hevel with such a “negative” name. They worried that it would have a terrible impact on his psyche. I suggested that the two names have to be viewed as one entity, designed to offer a balanced perspective. On one hand, we are called upon to exercise creativity in the physical world and to produce accomplishments. But if we relate to them as ends in themselves, life will be an exercise in futility and will not lead us to happiness. We must use our creativity and drive as a means to fulfilling the will of the Creator.
Not all the girls were satisfied with this answer. We talked about the fact that Hevel’s offering was accepted by Hashem. The Seforno explains that it was of the highest quality and the state of mind of Hevel was of the highest quality as well. It was Cain who brought the inferior offering, which reflected a defect in his state of mind. Perhaps he worked hard to cultivate the land that was “cursed” after the Sin. He regarded his produce as the results of his creative efforts. Part of him wanted to affirm the principle of “ לה’, הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָה/To Hashem is the land and all that fills it (Tehillim 24)”, but another part wanted to believe that the produce really was his accomplishment. Hevel, on the other hand, was able to embrace Hashem’s mastery of the universe wholeheartedly and to celebrate it through his קרבן תודה.
He seemed to have gotten his mother’s message… תורת אמך!
Shabbat Shalom!
Comments