ISAAC WAS SEIZED WITH VERY VIOLENT TREMBLING,

"WHO WAS IT THEN" HE DEMANDED, "THAT HUNTED GAME AND BROUGHT IT TO ME? MOREOVER I ATE OF IT BEFORE YOU CAME, AND I BLESSED HIM; NOW HE MUST REMAIN BLESSED!"

WHEN ESAV HEARD HIS FATHER'S WORDS,

HE BURST INTO WILD AND BITTER SOBBING

AND HE SAID TO HIS FATHER: "BLESS ME TOO, FATHER..."

AND ESAV SAID TO HIS FATHER: "HAVE YOU BUT ONE BLESSING, FATHER? BLESS ME TOO, FATHER!"

AND ESAV WEPT ALOUD.

AND HIS FATHER YITCHAK ANSWERED, SAYING TO HIM: "SEE, YOUR DWELLING SHALL ENJOY THE FAT OF THE EARTH AND THE DEW OF HEAVEN ABOVE. YET BY YOUR SWORD YOU SHALL LIVE, AND YOU SHALL SERVE YOUR BROTHER, BUT WHEN YOU GROW RESTIVE,

YOU SHALL BREAK HIS YOKE FROM YOUR NECK."

 

 

The Blessing Will Not Be Fully Fulfilled If It Involves Suffering and Insult

"Said Rabbi Chanin: Whoever says that The Holy One, Blessed Be He, makes concessions (pardoning tzaddikim), he will be punished. The Holy One, Blessed Be He, is patient, but ultimately He collects His debt. Know, that Yaakov caused Esav to cry out a single scream, as is written (Bereishit 26) "he burst into wild and bitter sobbing". And where do we find Him punishing him? In Shushan, as is written: "He burst into wild and bitter sobbing"

 (Esther Rabba 8)

 

It is said in Midrash Rabba that our father Yaakov was punished for causing Esav to burst into a wild and bitter sobbing, [generations later we find] Mordecai bursting into a wild and bitter sobbing. The thought arises: why was Yaakov punished more for causing Esav to cry than for his causing his righteous father, Yitzhak, to be seized with very violent trembling?... It would seem that when he sinned for the sake of sin he derived no enjoyment from Yitzchak's trembling; certainly he was sorry about it, but he had been coerced [by his mother to deceive his father]. This was not so with regard to Esav's scream; then he rejoiced in his heart, and therefore he was punished; he had sinned by lying, and it is forbidden to derive any pleasure from it.

 (Netziv "Harchev Davar", Bereishit 27:9, note 1).

 

 

 

RETHINKING JEW -GENTILE RELATIONS

Menachem Klein

 

The parasha of Toledoth begins and ends with the Yaakov-Esav struggle. The parasha begins with the conflict waged yet in Rivka's womb, and ends with the contest over the blessing bestowed by their aged father, Yitzchak. Jewish commentary throughout the ages reads the lives and acts of the patriarchs of the nation as paradigms which pre- figure the future of their descendents. The conflict between Yaakov and Esav is understood as a sibling quarrel which teaches us something about the nature of the family of Man. We already read about that in the beginning of the Book of Bereishit with its descriptions of relations between man and woman - Adam and Eve - and of siblings - Cain and Abel.

Prevailing Jewish interpretation reads the Yaakov-Esav relations as shaping the relations of the Jewish nation with the 'the other' - the goy - in general, and with the Christian nations in particular. The painful history of these relations fashioned the dominant Jewish commentary in mythic form. It is stamped with the seal of our essence, and it sketches the Yaakov-Esav relation exclusively from Yaakov's perspective. Rashi, drawing upon the midrashim of our Sages, is the foremost representative of this bias. Yaakov is forever the righteous victim; Esav is the wicked embodiment of absolute evil. Esav's red hair testifies to his violent and murderous nature [Rashi on Bereishit 25:25, 28]. Yaakov is deserving of the birthright, either because Esav relinquished it so easily, totally trivializing it, (Ibid. 32), or because Yaakov was the first to be conceived in the womb (Ibid. 26). Esav is corrupt and a deceiver (Ibid. 28). Yitzchak is the immaculate Torah student. Esav sold his birthright, but afterwards he relented and reneged. Yaakov in no way deceived Yitzchak by exploiting his blindness and old age, for he told him "I am the one who is bringing you [this meal] Esav is your firstborn" (Rashi 27:19 Yaakov barely whispered the small-print words; Yitzchak heard only: "I am Esav".). The foul stench of the goatskins worn by Yaakov was not noticeable. On the contrary, his fragrance was that of Gan Eden (Ibid. 27). Isaac's blessing reached the right party with the help of heaven. This expositional model is the dominant factor in the fashioning of the gentile's image in the Jewish collective consciousness throughout many generations.

Alongside this model, Jewish commentary offers a slightly different model. Its perspective is more complex and less harsh, for it includes elements of Esav's version of his relations with Yaakov. As far as I know, these relations as seen exclusively from Esav's point of view have never been illuminated by Jewish commentary. Some elements, however, filtered into the works of various commentators by virtue of the Biblical description and through the mediation of historical reality. As we shall soon see, we are not discussing alternatives to the basic model, but a model which mitigates and qualifies the basic commentary.

The Bible draws the portrait of Esav differently than the predominant Jewish interpretation. Esav is the biological firstborn. He sells his birthright to Yaakov in a state of exhaustion and extreme hunger, when his judgement is impaired. Yitzchak chose Esav to receive the blessing, and Esav did 'above and beyond' to fulfill his father's craving for a meal of game. The text is most sympathetic to Esav, the loser, and to his conversation with Yitzchak. Yitzchak confirms "Your brother came in deceit" (Bereishit 27:35), but he cannot cancel the blessing given to Yaakov. Esav's world comes crumbling down about him; he cries for a blessing which will save his life. He receives it. The chapter ends with both brothers receiving a blessing.

In addition to the Biblical description, the historical reality of Jew-Gentile relations made the predominant interpretation problematic. Esav's long-time superiority over Yaakov stands in contradiction to the direction exemplified by the dominant model. It is instructive to learn to what degree the accepted model has been constricted by the major commentators.

Commentary had no choice but to qualify Yaakov's rule over Esav in a number of ways. One explains the passage "And the older shall serve the younger" (Ibid. 25:24) as follows: "If Yaakov merits - the older will serve the younger. If not, the younger shall serve the older" (Hizkuni 25:23). In similar manner Rashi explains Yitzchak's blessing to Esav "Yet by your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restive, you shall break his yoke from your neck." When Israel shall transgress the Torah, you will have just cause for pain over the blessings which you took". Esav will then rule over Yaakov. The meaning of this is that as the exile grows longer, so will Esav's blessing overwhelm Yaakov's blessing because of the latter's sin. The pendulum of relations described in "One people shall be mightier than the other" clearly swings in the direction of Esav's good fortune.

The second type accepts the principle of "pendulum relations", but rejects the tendency which usually judges in favor of Esav: "Sometimes the older will serve the younger, as was the case in the days of David, and sometimes the younger will serve the older, as is the case today" (Radak 25:23). But "most of the time the older will serve the younger... and thus will it be again after our captivity will end" (Ibid. It is surprising to note that - for some reason - in his explication to 27:40, Radak prefers the first model).

The third approach, that of Ibn Ezra, limits the relevancy of the Esav-Yaakov relations to the Biblical period alone, negating their actual application to events following the Second Temple. "Sleepers who have not awakened from their sleep of folly suppose that we are in the exile of Edom. Such is not the case... Rome, which exiled us, is from the seed of Kittim (= Greece) (Ibid. 27:14). Ibn Ezra pulls the rug from under the view that the Esav-Yaakov relations predetermined the shape of Jew-Gentile relations throughout most of Jewish history. This is, indeed, an unorthodox approach which regards most Jewish writings on relations with the goyim as foolishness.

The fourth approach is no less revolutionary. It allows Esav to rebel against Yaakov, not because of Yaakov's sin against God (as assumed by the first approach). but rather because of his base attitude - unethical and improper - towards Esav. Esav's blessing contains permission to rebel against Yaakov. "When he will subject you to harsh labor, you will not be able to stand it, and you will throw off his yoke" (Rashbam 27:40). Or, in the words of Ramban, "Intimating to Israel that he not provoke them too much, wronging them" (Ibid.) Esav has the right to rebel, if Yaakov rules over him ruthlessly and unjustly. Study of Jewish history in this light of this explication reveals that in the final analysis, the Jewish nation has not known how to rule over the other, the goy, in decent fashion. Were this not the case, why is Esav's arm so overbearing throughout most of Jewish history? This is a ringing failure which demands cheshbon nefesh - serious soul-searching. No less significant is the additional conclusion derived from this approach. Jewish rule over the non-Jew does not mean actual dominion and supremacy. Dominion is not an inherent Jewish right acquired automatically. Jewish domination over the goy is conditional upon the manner in which Israel rules. The non-Jewish person has moral, humane, and universal right to rebel against improper Jewish dominion.

Dr. Menachem Klein, member of the editorial board of "Shabbat Shalom" teaches the Department of Political Science in Bar-Ilan Univ.

 

 

Readers react (to Dr. Devorah Waysman's article, Parashat Noah)

 

Dr. Waysman's words are interesting. It is difficult, however, not to get the impression that the writer is positioned somewhere between Orthodoxy and Reform. The main problem with Reform in its early stages was not the denial of the 13 principles of Maimonides, but rather the slight erosion in the principle dealing with the Oral Law.

 "Precious is the human being for he was created in the image" is understood by the writer as a genetic mould of the human race. In our Oral Law, however, "the image of God" is a set of values which builds a human entity which resembles the model demanded of a human being, as described in the chariot seen by Ezekiel - the image of man.

The Zohar expressed this effectively in its explanation of the "image" concept as related to the seven nations before the conquest of the land. The reading "their protector has departed ("sar tsilam") from them" is interpreted as reading "their image has departed ("sar tselem").

Love for the ger which the writer demands refers, in the Oral Law tradition, to love for the ger tzedek ("righteous stranger"), one who has fully accepted Torah and commandments. The writer would have us understand that not only does the text not refer specifically to the ger tzedek, but not even to the ger toshav (alien resident who does not worship idolatrously). In her opinion, the text refers to anyone who belongs to the species homo sapiens sapiens... thus including the idolater, the murderer, the thief, the adulterer, etc. According to our hermeneutical tradition, not only do these have no place in Eretz Yisrael - they deserve no place whatever on the face of the earth

The use of the word racism as an abominable term is - surprisingly enough - foreign to the Torah of Israel which strives for the truth and not for Popolitika. Our Torah contains clear expressions of racism, such as that against Edom, Moab, Ammon, Egypt, the seven nations, and especially against Amalek. Yet more, our Torah forbids marriage with gentiles. Even within the Jewish ranks there are expressions of racism, such as regarding the mamzer, the offspring of a chalutzah, a divorcee, etc.

At every wedding we sing "The wine grapes with the wine grapes". It behooves whoever thinks that racism is a bad thing (in the spirit of Popolitika) to advise the prospective bride and groom not to pay attention to genetic defects in his/her partner. I wonder...

Every farmer understands that genetic crossbreeding is a positive and beneficial procedure... why should we not apply this also to humans?! All, of course, within the framework of the laws of Torah which forbid murder and commercial discrimination, etc.

It is true that within the framework of Israel's mission, it is important to be considerate of the nations' honor ("not to rebel against the nations"), but this does not imply erosion of the Jewish people's mission to the world - to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

The Torah's universality vis a vis the nations lies in its calling to them to observe the seven Noachide mitzvoth and in offering them the opportunity to accept upon themselves more and more mitzvot, so that they attain the aim of man's creation - the observance of the Torah by conversion. In this respect, the Torah pays no attention to sex, color, race, or language. Converts were always accepted with love.

That hassid who wept at the very thought that the Mikdash will be filled with gentiles was right. But he would not have been at all shocked if he would have understood that the reference is to goyim who accept upon themselves belief in the Torah, and at least become hasidei umot ha'olam - righteous gentiles.

 

                                                            Dov Meir - Yerushalayim

 

Devorah Waysman replies:

 

I recall that Moshe Unna, z"l, once wrote that the difference between himself and Haredi anti-Zionist Jews is not rooted in their nationalism, but in their religiosity. I find that there are very significant differences in religiosity between myself and the writer. I am not a Reform Jew (which I don't consider to be a vulgar term); I am a humanist, and I believe that there is support for such a position through generations of Jewish tradition. Space prevents me from relating to all the arguments raised in the letter; the application of the term "image of God", for instance, is subject worthy of serious discussion - relating also to Abarbanel, who believed that women were not created in the image (see his commentary to Bereishit 1:27). All this notwithstanding, I will react to two major points:

1.     If, for example, the Torah says "You shall not wrong a ger or oppress him, for you were gerim in the land of Egypt" (Shemot 22:20) How can the first "ger" possibly be interpreted as meaning a "ger tsedek" - a righteous convert (I am speaking about the plain reading of the text, not about midrashei Chazal), when it is obvious that in the closing phrase, "for you were gerim in the land of Egypt", the word "ger" means something altogether different, i.e., strangers. The concept of the "ger tzedek" is post-Biblical.

2.     My disgust at racism is not related to "Popolitika". I have no intention of disparaging pre-modern sources, such as the Zohar, whose words were written in a different cultural and social context. But today, after the Shoah, I believe we must beware racist approaches as if they were fire. In my opinion, racism is the most dangerous illness of 20^th century mankind. No other people suffered from it as did ours. Should we also become infected with this disease, I would consider it a desecration of the memory of those who perished in the Shoah and of the memory of those righteous gentiles who tried to save them, [see Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch's explanation of the mitzva to erase the memory of Amalek - Devarim 25:19]

 

 

Editorial Board: Pinchas Leiser (Editor), Miriam Fine (Coordinator),Itzhak Frankenthal and Dr. Menachem Klein

Translation: Kadish Goldberg

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