Bereishis
The passuk states “Hashem said to Kayin קול דמי אחיך צועקים אלי מן האדמה the voice of your brother’s bloods is screaming to Me from the ground.” What did Hashem rebuke Kayin for? Rashi explains that the word דמי, bloods, is plural which reflects “not only did you kill Hevel but you also killed his future descendants.” Or, “you smashed Hevel in many places since you did not know where his soul will go out of the body.” Hashem rebuked Kayin for killing Hevel and his future descendants. Onkelos however translates as “the blood of your offspring that in the future will go out of your brother are screaming before Me from the land.” Why does Onkelos only translate about killing Hevel’s descendants, and not about killing Hevel himself?
The Nefesh HaGer answers that Kayin transgressed two sins; one, he killed Hevel, and two, he denied Hashem. Hashem asked Kayin “Where is Hevel your brother?” He responded “Am I the guardian of my brother?” as though he didn’t know what happened to him, and he shouldn’t be blamed for something he had nothing to do with. Hashem rebukes Kayin, “I know about what you did to Hevel’s future descendants who are not yet existing, you caused their blood to scream out, I certainly know what has happened now that you killed Hevel.” Onkelos does not need to mention the blood of Hevel explicitly because it is a kal v’chomer and is automatically understood.
After Kayin sinned he confessed. The Nefesh HaGer explains that the pessukim state Kayin’s confession in two ways corresponding to the two sins. Kayin said “גדול עוני מנשוא” which Rashi explains, “You carry the world above and the world below, and You can’t carry my sin?” Onkelos translates differently, “My sin is too numerous from being forgiven,” as a factual statement. Meaning, “I did such a terrible sin that there seems no atonement for it.” With these words Kayin confessed and repented for the sin of killing. Kayin also said “ומפניך אסתר” which means, “And from before You, shall I hide?” Meaning, “Where shall I go to be safe from anyone finding me and killing me? There is no place for me to go to escape.” Onkelos translates differently, “And from You it is impossible to hide,” as a factual statement, “there is no place for me to go hide from You.” Here Kayin confessed the sin of denying Hashem. He sinned by saying to Hashem “Am I the guardian of my brother?” as though Hashem didn’t know what happened, and repented by saying, “Hashem exists in the entire world, and there is absolutely no place for me to go and hide.”
My Rosh Yeshiva shlita said b’shem the Rambam that one cannot run away and escape from being punished for sin, as Hashem fills the entire world. Rather one’s only recourse is to escape by running to Hashem Himself through doing teshuva. Hashem waits and anticipates the teshuva of those who sin as it states “כי לא תחפץ במות המת.” Even when a person is described as dead, Hashem anticipates his teshuva. Out of Hashem’s mercy and kindness He will forgive if one confesses and repents.
May we remember that Hashem is aware of everything that we do, and accepts everyone who repents!
