Why was Cain's sacrifice unacceptable?

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The torah does not say directly

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Another one of those stories that doesn't really give specifics.Normally when stories don't give those types of specifics, it is because that isn't the point of the story. The clash is a means to the end.Could this story simply have been a setup for the people who descended from Cain and how they came to be where and who they are?

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"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz

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Possibly. Yet it would seem that the lineage of Cain was academic, since (presumably) all of his descendants were wiped out at the flood. Noah's ancestry is traced from Adam through Seth, Cain's brother.

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Since they are not related, odds are the stories weren't originally told together. Each had its purpose. They weren't necessarily trying to support each other.Even the ancestry of Noah may be another writer.

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"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz

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Cain demonstrated his lack of faith by becoming angry when God rejected his offering. There is no indication in the bible that he lacked faith before the rejection.

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In reading the text, I don't think it is so much that God rejected Cain's offering, but that God favored Abel's. Both sacrifices were accepted, but God appears to have paid more attention to Abel's.The word used for "favored" is translated many ways concerning that verse.liked, regarded, favoired, accepted, pleased, looked, respected, etc.Was there truly a rejection or just favoritism?

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"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz

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As I'm trying to say to jaywill, it doesn't matter why God favoured one over the other. It wasn't necessarily because he likes playing catch better than chess. What's important is that we accept His choice. Tomorrow the choice might swing our way - but not if we throw our brother's baseball glove in the lake.

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Exactly. If you do what is right you should be happy or at least not pouting, you'll have your "day" of "favor" when necessary.A very nice plain text lesson.

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"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz