Parashat BeReishit contains many stories, but one of the most peculiar is that of Lemech. We have a man named Lemech with several wives who give birth to inventive children, so clever that they essentially found entire professions. A short time after, Lemech declares to his wives that he has killed someone. Finally, Adam procreates with Chavah, and has another son, Sheth, who he explicitly names as a replacement for Hevel. The obvious question to be asked: what is going on here?
While the story itself is confusing, the most intriguing part is a line said by Lemech: “Ki Shivatayim Yukam Kayin, VeLemech Shivim VeShivah” (BeReishit 4:24), or “because Kayin will be avenged sevenfold, and Lemech seventy seven.” This is echoing an earlier Pasuk, stated at the end of the Kayin story earlier in this Perek: “Lachein, Kol Horeig Kayin Shivatayim Yukam,” “Whoever kills Kayin will be avenged sevenfold” (BeReishit 4:15). I believe that in order to understand the story of Lemech, one must first understand the story of Kayin, and specifically that Pasuk.
After Adam and Chavah are expelled from Gan Eden, they have two children, Kayin and Hevel. Kayin is a farmer while Hevel is a shepherd. Kayin brings the first Korban, and Hevel copies him. Hevel’s Korban is accepted while Kayin’s is rejected. This makes Kayin very angry and frustrated. Hashem reminds Kayin that he has self control and can improve. Kayin and Hevel go out to the field, argue about something, and Kayin kills Hevel. When Hashem asks Kayin for Hevel’s whereabouts, Kayin denies knowledge. Hashem impresses Kayin with the severity of his sin and curses him to be a wanderer. Kayin confesses to the gravity of his sin but wonders what will stop others from doing to him what he did to Hevel. Hashem then promises that anyone who kills him will be avenged sevenfold, as we saw above, and gives Kayin a sign of protection.
While the story contains the first murder, it also contains the first instance of Teshuvah in the Torah. Kayin has just killed Hevel, and has just received his punishment. He could give up and walk away. Instead, he remembers the lesson Hashem had taught him earlier about Teshuvah and does Viduy, confessing his sins. While Hashem does not remove the curse - feeling bad does not undo murder - He does offer him divine protection. The lesson: one always has the ability to do Teshuvah.
Lemech is Kayin’s great-great-great-grandson. He kills a man. We don’t know why he did this; the Mefarshim explain that it was an accident. However, the main issue here is not what Lemech did, so much as his excuse for it. Lemech declares that while Kayin’s death would be avenged sevenfold, his would be avenged seventy-seven-fold. Most Mefarshim, such as Rashi, explain that Lemech is stating that if Kayin received a seven-fold protection; when he killed on purpose, then Lemech, who only killed someone by accident, should get so much more of a protection. On the surface, this logic makes sense. However, when examined more closely, it is totally twisted.
The way Lemech interprets it, Hashem’s protection of Kayin is a protection for murderers. Kayin deliberately killed a man, and receives limited protection. Lemech killed only accidentally, making him a better man, so obviously, Hashem must give him a better protection. However, Lemech totally misunderstands why Kayin received this protection. It was not because Kayin deserved it as a result of his murder; Hashem is the God of life, and abhors those who murder. Rather, it was because Kayin realized the gravity of his sin. Lemech, by comparing his murder with Kayin’s, doess not understand the seriousness of murder. The descendants of Kayin saw the Creator of Mankind as one who protected its destroyers, and totally ignored Teshuvah; as a result they had to go.
The only reason the Mabul did not come then and there was due to the fact that while Lemech may not have understood Kayin’s lesson of Teshuvah, Adam did. He had another son, Sheth, replacing Hevel, almost as if Kayin’s sin, the murder of his brother, had been undone. While Lemech did not understand Kayin’s Teshuvah, Adam completed it. Adam understood what Kayin learned, that Hashem desires Teshuvah. So while Kayin’s descendents created many great things, it was fitting that from Sheth’s son, Enosh, would come prophecy, the word of Hashem.