By Rabbi Howard Wolk
Parashat Beresheet

This d’var Torah is dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Ari Weiss, z”l, of the IDF, son of our dear friends, Susie and Rabbi Stewart Weiss, of Ra’anana, Israel, formerly of Dallas.

Ari’s 20th yahrzeit was observed on Oct. 19, corresponding to the 24th of Tishrei. Ari fell in combat protecting his fellow soldiers and our homeland. May Hashem bless the soul of Ari Yehoshua and may his memory be for a blessing for all who knew and loved him.

Hashem yimkom damo. (May Hashem avenge his blood.)

The holiday season reached its crescendo with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. This Shabbat we begin the Torah cycle again with Beresheet — Genesis.

The first crime in human history is brother against brother, the terrible sin of murder and bloodshed. Filial competition degenerates into humiliation, hatred and failure. The commentator, Don Isaac Abrabanel, notes the filial strife throughout the first book of the Torah: Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, the 10 sons of Jacob and Joseph. He notes that Genesis could not come to a close until those sins were corrected — through the brotherly love of Ephraim and Menasheh, the sons of Joseph. Hence the names of these last two brothers are invoked as a blessing on Friday night.

But, at the very outset of human history, how could one brother rise up and kill his brother? The Torah introduces this episode with “And it was when they [Cain and Abel] were in the field… Cain rose up and killed Abel.”

The commentator, Shoshanat Yaakov, astutely points out that nowhere in the entire drama are we told anything about the role played by the parents of the two brothers. We are told nothing about the relationship of Adam and Eve toward their sons. Nothing is described to us before or after the crime. What role did Adam and Eve play in raising and educating their sons?

Evidently they played no role in influencing Cain and Abel. They simply watched the unhampered development of their children. The boys grew up without any parental supervision or guidance. No ethical principles were inculcated in them. Cain chose one occupation and Abel another, and then “they were in the field.” Cain and Abel were allowed to develop naturally, without any parental input. The boys were allowed to grow like fruit — wild fruit.

So, when Cain was overcome with jealousy and envy, he had no moral principles to hold onto. When he was faced with inner conflict for the first time, he fell back on his primitive instincts and killed his brother. If there is no overseeing or tending to children, crops or fruits, they will ultimately grow wild and not realize their full potential.

The Midrash in Beresheet Rabbah (11:6) tells us that everything that was created by the Almighty needs to be worked upon. Wheat must be harvested and ground…even people need refining (tikkun).

Susie and Rabbi Weiss educated Ari in the path of Torah, love of the Land and people of Israel and dedication. Ari, who was a member of our family and household in Dallas, dedicated himself to the Land of Israel. The initials of his name, Aleph-Yud, stand for Eretz Yisrael — the Land of Israel. His initials, in fact, appear as the word ay in this Shabbat’s Torah portion.

The dedication that Ari had to others and to the State of Israel knew no bounds. The love of his family and friends for him is also without limitations.

May Ari continue to be a protector of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Howard Wolk is community chaplain with Jewish Family Service and rabbi emeritus of Congregation Shaare Tefilla. He is a member of the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas.

This d’var Torah is dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Ari Weiss, z”l, of the IDF, son of our dear friends, Susie and Rabbi Stewart Weiss, of Ra’anana, Israel, formerly of Dallas.

Ari’s 20th yahrzeit was observed on Oct. 19, corresponding to the 24th of Tishrei. Ari fell in combat protecting his fellow soldiers and our homeland. May Hashem bless the soul of Ari Yehoshua and may his memory be for a blessing for all who knew and loved him.

Hashem yimkom damo. (May Hashem avenge his blood.)

The holiday season reached its crescendo with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. This Shabbat we begin the Torah cycle again with Beresheet — Genesis.

The first crime in human history is brother against brother, the terrible sin of murder and bloodshed. Filial competition degenerates into humiliation, hatred and failure. The commentator, Don Isaac Abrabanel, notes the filial strife throughout the first book of the Torah: Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, the 10 sons of Jacob and Joseph. He notes that Genesis could not come to a close until those sins were corrected — through the brotherly love of Ephraim and Menasheh, the sons of Joseph. Hence the names of these last two brothers are invoked as a blessing on Friday night.

But, at the very outset of human history, how could one brother rise up and kill his brother? The Torah introduces this episode with “And it was when they [Cain and Abel] were in the field… Cain rose up and killed Abel.”

The commentator, Shoshanat Yaakov, astutely points out that nowhere in the entire drama are we told anything about the role played by the parents of the two brothers. We are told nothing about the relationship of Adam and Eve toward their sons. Nothing is described to us before or after the crime. What role did Adam and Eve play in raising and educating their sons?

Evidently they played no role in influencing Cain and Abel. They simply watched the unhampered development of their children. The boys grew up without any parental supervision or guidance. No ethical principles were inculcated in them. Cain chose one occupation and Abel another, and then “they were in the field.” Cain and Abel were allowed to develop naturally, without any parental input. The boys were allowed to grow like fruit — wild fruit.

So, when Cain was overcome with jealousy and envy, he had no moral principles to hold onto. When he was faced with inner conflict for the first time, he fell back on his primitive instincts and killed his brother. If there is no overseeing or tending to children, crops or fruits, they will ultimately grow wild and not realize their full potential.

The Midrash in Beresheet Rabbah (11:6) tells us that everything that was created by the Almighty needs to be worked upon. Wheat must be harvested and ground…even people need refining (tikkun).

Susie and Rabbi Weiss educated Ari in the path of Torah, love of the Land and people of Israel and dedication. Ari, who was a member of our family and household in Dallas, dedicated himself to the Land of Israel. The initials of his name, Aleph-Yud, stand for Eretz Yisrael — the Land of Israel. His initials, in fact, appear as the word ay in this Shabbat’s Torah portion.

The dedication that Ari had to others and to the State of Israel knew no bounds. The love of his family and friends for him is also without limitations.

May Ari continue to be a protector of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Howard Wolk is community chaplain with Jewish Family Service and rabbi emeritus of Congregation Shaare Tefilla. He is a member of the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas.