The founding murder teaches the murderer(s) a kind of wisdom, a form of prudence that moderates their violence. God takes ad-vantage of the lull by promulgating the first law against murder: "If anyone kills Cain, he shall be avenged sevenfold" (Gen. 4:15). The foundation of Cainite culture is this first taw against murder: each time a new murder occurs, the community will immolate seven victims in memory of the original victim, Abel. Even more than the crushing character of the retribution, it is the ritual nature of the sevenfold sacrifice that reestablishes the peace.
