This week we begin reading the Torah anew. One of the episodes recounted in the parsha is the offerings which the two sons of Adam HaRishon brought to Hashem. The Torah tells us that Hashem accepted the offering of Hevel but that of Cain He didn't not. Cain's reaction as described by the Torah is that he became angry and saddened. The Torah then continues that there was an altercation between Hevel and Cain in which Cain killed his brother. How can we understand that one brother would kill another? How can we even understand one person killing another person? I think a simple reading of the events gives us some insight. First Cain was angry and then saddened and then the fateful confrontation between him and his brother. There was a major build-up to the murder it wasn't just out of the blue.

The evil inclination doesn't just convince us to commit grave sins such as murder, instead it finds an opening through our negative character traits. It plays on our desires, honor, jealousy, anger etc. Although we may think that these negative character traits aren't harmful unless we start to act on them these are the true precursors to the most serious sins. I am sure if we analyze some of the most serious sins we have seen people commit we will find these negative character traits as the basis for these acts. We can therefore understand the severity of not working to improve and change these negative traits.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath