Lemekh's Monologue/2/en

Lemekh's Oration

Exegetical Approaches

Response to Killing

Lemekh shares with his wives his feeling about killing others.  Commentators disagree whether he is expressing regret or boasting.

Regret

Lemekh either shares with his wives his regret over having killed, or defends himself by pointing out that it was an accident.

Sources:TanchumaBereshit 11About the Tanchuma, R. Saadia GaonCommentary Bereshit 4:16-25Tafsir Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Saadia Gaon,¹ Rashi #1Bereshit 4:15Bereshit 4:19Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, AbarbanelBereshit 4:18Bereshit 4:13-14Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel,² SefornoBereshit 4:15,23-24About R. Ovadyah Seforno, HaKetav VeHaKabbalahBereshit 4:23About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg, Netziv, R. D"Z Hoffmann

"לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם"

Who did Lemekh kill ("אִישׁ" and "יֶלֶד")?

What is "לְפִצְעִי" and "לְחַבֻּרָתִי"?

Purpose of the story

Boasting

Lemekh is proud of his ability to kill.

Sources:R. Yosef ibn KaspiTirat Kesef 1Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi, opinion cited in the BiurBereshit 4:23About Netivot HaShalom and ShadalBereshit 4:15Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, U. CassutoBereshit 4:23,24About Umberto Cassuto, Y"M ImmanueliBereshit Hesberim VeHaarot pp.101-102

Calming of Wive's Fear

Lemekh is calming down his wives who fear he will be killed for inventing weapons or being the seventh generation from Kayin.

Potential Death of their Children

Sources:Bereshit Rabbah23:4About Bereshit Rabbah, Rashi #2Bereshit 4:15Bereshit 4:19Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ibn EzraBereshit 4:15,16,23About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 4:15Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RalbagBeiur Divrei HaParashah Bereshit 4:15Beiur Divrei HaParashah Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Levi b. Gershon

Punishment of Lemekh for Inventing Weapons

Sources:RambanBereshit 4:23About R. Moshe Nachmanides

Reaction to Wive's Squabbles

Sources:R. Yosef KaraBereshit 4:23About R. Yosef Kara, RadakBereshit 4:15Bereshit 4:19,23-24About R. David Kimchi, Ma'asei HashemMa'asei Bereshit 21About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi, ShadalBereshit 4:15Bereshit 4:23-24About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto

¹ This is R. Saadia Gaon in his first possibility.  He also mentions that Lemekh could be defending himself to his wives saying he did not kill anybody, though it is unclear what he is rebutting.

² Abarbanel presents Lemekh as defending himself over the killing rather than regretting his action.