“And Hevel was a shepherd, and Kayin was a farmer.” (Bereshis 4:2) Rashi (ibid., from medrash) explains that Hevel chose shepherding because he saw that the earth was cursed (when Hashem punished Adam); Hevel therefore opted for a non-farming occupation.

One can ask why Kayin did not likewise enter another field of work; did Kayin not also realize that the earth was cursed and that farming was not an opportune profession?

When one contemplates the ideas expressed by Kayin as well as the curse placed upon him for murdering his brother, one readily draws a comparison between Kayin and the Nachash (Serpent). Targum Yonasan ben Uziel (on Bereshis 4:8) explains that during his confrontation with Hevel, Kayin denied that Hashem applies justice to the world. Kayin likewise was quite brazen when communicating with Hashem, for when Hashem asked him, “Where is Hevel your brother?”, Kayin disrespectfully responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (ibid. v. 9) In contrast with the punishments meted out to Adam and Chava , which placed them at the mercy of the domains over which they would have been masters (the earth and procreation), Kayin’s punishment was a total, overwhelming curse which ruined his future and reduced him to the lowest level of society.

Similar to Kayin, the Nachash spoke brazenly against Hashem (v. Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on ibid. 3:4) and denied that He would execute judgment (Bereshis ibid.). Like Kayin, the Nachash was punished with a curse that forever changed and immeasurably lowered his existence.

Targum Yonasan ben Uziel (on Bereshis 3:1) notes that the Nachash was the most cunning of all creatures in terms of evil; comparably, Or Ha-Chaim (ibid. 4:1) quotes the Zohar (Bereshis 54a), which explains that Kayin’s spiritual root was from evil. If put together, the message that emanates from these and the aforementioned sources is that Kayin was a spiritual continuation of the Nachash. The same brazenness toward Hashem and denial of His justice permeated both Kayin and the Nachash, for they shared the same spiritual roots.

It is thus understood why Kayin chose farming rather than shepherding or some other trade as his occupation. Kayin’s decision was not made as a result of sloppy judgment. Rather, Kayin denied the veracity and actuality of Hashem cursing the earth. Kayin, the brazen heretic, did not accept that Man should have been punished and that the earth’s fertility was at Hashem’s total mercy. Just as the Nachash maintained that Man could compete with Hashem (v. Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on Bereshis 3:4 and Rashi on ibid. v. 5), so too did Kayin challenge Hashem's mastery over the earth and the Divine curse placed thereon. By entering the profession of farming, Kayin was sending a message to refutation of Hashem's ultimate control over all, echoing the sentiments of the Nachash, whose words brought about the downfall of Kayin's parents.

May we learn from and emulate the ways of Hevel, whom Or Ha-Chaim notes (from Zohar ibid.) shared the same soul as Moshe Rabbeinu. In contrast with Kayin, who was the spiritual progeny of the Nachash, let us strive to be forever worthy to be identified as the progeny of Moshe and his flock.