סנהדרין קא

After קין killed הבל, the רבונו של עולם asked him למה חרה לך ולמה נפלו פניך?  The question seems odd, since the פסוק expressly states that it was because “וישע ה׳ אל הבל ואל מנחתו ואל קין ואל מנחתו לא שעה.  ויחר לקין מאד ויפלו פניו.”   In fact, ר׳ חיים סולובייצ׳יק explained, the question was well put.  When a רב rules that an animal is טריף, its owner accepts the ruling even though it causes him a major loss.  But if the same man has a דין תורה with a fellow Jew and the רב rules against him and orders him to make payment, he will complain and argue that he was being treated unjustly.  ר׳ חיים explained that the losing litigant is not primarily upset at having lost.  What he is really angry about is that his fellow won.  And this was the reason for השם’s question: Are you angry because your קרבן wasn’t accepted or are you angry because your brother’s was?

06/10/2021