If a corpse will be found באדמה — on the land that G-d your Lord, gives you to possess it, נופל בשדה — fallen in the field, ולא נודע — it was not known who smote him. (דברים כא א)
The Torah goes on to detail the laws of the עגלה ערופה — the axed heifer that is brought by the city that is determined by the elders and judges to be in closest proximity to the corpse.
The crux of this ritual is to display the responsibility of the community for a stranger's death. They must declare they were not culpable for the death, having not ignored any guest in the town, providing them with food and escort. By taking the heifer — too young to propagate, to a harsh valley — too hard to work and produce fruit, and axing the back of its neck, they display their sorrow over the death of a stranger who will also not merit to ever produce good deeds again.
The earlier description of this tragic discovery seems to echo the first murder in the history of mankind.
There is a common reference to the victim and the אדמה — ground.
In our story it refers to the corpse being found באדמה — on the ground.
When G-d confronts Kayin after he kills his brother Hevel, G-d inquires, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from האדמה — the ground."
There are six total mentions of the אדמה — ground, in the episode of Kayin and Hevel.
The unknown corpse is depicted as נופל — having fallen.
Prior to Kayin's heinous act, Kayin initiates a sacrifice to G-d only to discover it being rejected, in contrast to his brother Kayin who follows his brother's lead and presents an offering which is immediately accepted.
Kayin's bewildered and annoyed response is reported as ויפלו פניו — and his countenance fell.
Finally in a departure from utilizing the word אדמה — ground, to denote the earth, when describing the unidentified corpse having 'fallen' dead, it mentions it was בשדה — in the field.
Kayin as well, prior to killing his brother the Torah details that Kayin spoke to Hevel בשדה — in the field.
After Kayin spills the blood of his brother the Torah states how 'the voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground'. The Midrash indicates that at first the blood remained unabsorbed by the earth and only later did the earth 'opened wide its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.'
The earth instinctively rejects the notion of murder, and it resists accepting its reality. It is a shock to the earth that man was formed from to absorb the notion of quashing life.
Perhaps regarding the axed-heifer and the unknown victim, the Torah directed us to 'shake the earth' with our reaction to murder by making a powerful public display with the all the elders and judges, coming out en masse to 'shake the earth' with their declaration to beg for atonement for this tragedy.
When Kayin is crestfallen, it indicates he being surprised by the unexpected rejection.
The 'fallen corpse' in our story also connotes an unanticipated attack.
Perhaps the intimation here is to note that often our reactions are the product of frustrated anger that lashes out quickly blinding otherwise thoughtfulness in our choices.
Kayin spoke with his brother Hevel. And it happened when they were in the field, that Kayin rose up against his brother Hevel and killed him.
The verse never reveals what Kayin said. Likely he may have wanted to talk it out, but when emotions are pent up, one acts reflexively, often preventing one's better instincts to try and discuss the issues and quell the need to react.
In that same vein, our unidentified corpse 'fell', because of a quick drawn response that was fueled by angry desperation that could have otherwise easily been quashed.
The notion of both murders having transpired in 'a field', away from peering eyes, might be intended to apprise us of the danger in allowing ourselves to be in venues that naturally lend to the lowering of our guard, making us more susceptible to lax and mindless reactions catalyzed solely by raw emotion.
Lastly there is an interesting parallel between the two episodes.
By the unidentified corpse we simply do not know who was killed.
By Kayin we clearly do, yet in Kayin's first response to G-d's query as to where is Hevel, Kayin feigns knowledge of his whereabouts by famously exclaiming, 'am I my brother's keeper?'
The Midrash explains that Kayin wasn't pretending he didn't know but rather he was pointing a finger towards G-d, intimating that the Master of the world could have intervened to stifle Kayin's reaction.
Rebbi Shimon Ben Yochai interprets G-d's stating 'The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground", as G-d affirming that Hevel was talking to G-d specifically reflecting this very same 'accusation', 'why did 'You' not interfere and stop him?'
Of course, the response is that although G-d accepts responsibility, but for man to maintain free-will, G-d will not stifle man's choices. But it is incumbent upon us to fulfill that role by reacting with the understanding that through our healthy choices we can create the environment that will restore mindfulness, calm, and understanding that will restore the world towards healthy and inspired choices only.
(מבוסס על מאמר של הרב אלי קלינג בקובץ קול מהיכל ו)
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
