Spiritual and
Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach;
SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE BEREISHIT STORIES These four books ostensibly are merely the history of Israel from the entry into the Promised Land until the destruction of the Temple and the temporary loss of independent statehood. In fact they are actually, in a specifically Jewish sense, the most deeply religious and spiritual books of the Bible. One does not have to be specifically Jewish to see or feel the religion and spirituality in the revelations of the prophetic writings or in the words of the Tehillim. They speak to all people, as evidenced by the fact that the Bible is still the world's bestseller and there are millions of non-Jews who regularly recite the Psalms. However, it is specifically and intrinsically Jewish to understand that G-d is revealed in the prosaic material, in the political, social and military events in the lives of ordinary men and women, kings and leaders that are described in the Nevim Rishonim. Here are described the ideology and religious thoughts in Judaism, while in Chronicles we have the purely historical. "These are the Generations of Yitschak" [7] Before he crossed the Yabok we learn, "And Yaakov was greatly afraid and was distressed (Ber. 32:8); greatly afraid that he would be killed together with his whole family, and distressed that he would kill others" (Rashi). We may consider it strange that Yaakov should have been afraid, rather we would have expected him to simply trust in Hashem to deliver him. However, true tzadikim consider themselves unworthy of so much chesed and are always apprehensive that maybe they have in error sinned in some way (Ramban); only the spiritually arrogant consider themselves perfect. Many commentators, in the wake of Chazal's saying (Berachot 4a) that he feared that his sins would abrogate the promise of Divine Protection, sought to see what particular sin was involved: "He had been remiss in KIBUD AV for 20 years and during that same period Eisav had been serving their father diligently" (Ber. Raba 76b); "Eisav honored his father, for which the reward is longevity" (Baalei Hatosafot). "He had made a covenant with an idolater, Lavan" (Ramban). "He flattered the rasha by calling Eisav, my lord; Rabbi Eliezer taught (Sotah 41b), that one who is obsequious to an evil person becomes his victim" (Kli Yakar). Perhaps he feared that he had sinned against Eisav with regard to the blessing as he did to Lavan when he left suddenly and stealthily. He feared from Eisav because his very fear made him deficient (Sfat Emet). So he made a threefold preparation for the meeting, T'FILA (32:10-13), DORON - gifts [bribery] (32:14-17), and warfare (32:8-9) (Torat Kohanim, Vayishlach 6); just as his descendants would have to do in their own meetings with enemies. In his prayer, he recalled Hashem's material benevolence to him during the 20 years and His promise to him while still in Haran. However, relying neither on his own merit nor on miraculous redemption he made two further steps to defend himself and his. Firstly, he sent messengers, angels or human, with herds of sheep, cattle and camels together with male and female servants as a large bribe to placate his brother. Furthermore, they were a sign that he had not benefited materially from Yitschak's blessings but had earned them all; it would also show that he had no need to encroach on or threaten Eisav in any way so that they could be reconciled. Then he divided all he had into two separate camps since he had no idea from which direction Eisav would come, so that in any case one of them would not be taken by surprise and could either fight or run away. "In doing so he taught that a person should not place all his money in one place (Rav Chiya in Bereishit Raba); [and] a person should divide his wealth in three, one third in real estate, one third in goods for resale and one third in cash" (Kiddushin 30a). The Netziv points out that bearing in mind a Jewish value system, we see from the text that Yaakov placed himself in the camp of his wives and children rather than in the camp with his flocks, herds and possessions. While there is a consensus regarding the t'fila and the warfare, our Sages are divided in the opinions concerning the delegation to Eisav and particularly Yaakov's humbling himself before Eisav. "And Yaakov sent messengers to Eisav": to find favor in his eyes and appease him (Radak), to find out what his intentions wereas Yaakov was going to pass near him (Soforno, Rabbi Hirsch), and to ascertain his military strength and to get permission from him to pass into Eretz Yisrael (Torah Shleima). On the other hand: "Hashem said to Yaakov, 'Eisav goes on his way and has no intention of challenging you and yet you send delegations to him saying, 'my lord Eisav'. This is like one who grasps the ears of a dog" (Bereishit Raba 75:2). The Ramban adds that similarly we started our own destruction by Rome-Edom, when the Hashmonean Yehuda ben Mattityahu sent a delegation to passive Rome and made a pact with them. Yaakov prostrated himself before Eisav and called him lord; the commentators saw thereby two ways in which Israel should deal with their oppressors: "Because Yaakov flattered Eisav this way, we live dispersed among Eisav (Maharam MiRotenburg). "Hashem said to Yaakov, you have debased yourself before him and called him lord 8 times, therefore surely I will appoint 8 kings from his house before there shall be a king in Israel "(Bereishit Rabbah 75,11). At the same time we read, "Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi told them to write in his name to his lordship Marcus Aurelias, the Roman emperor, from your servant Yehuda. When they objected to Rabbenudebasing himself in this way, he answered that he did not see himself as being more worthy than Yaakov" (Bereishit Raba). At that time, Rabbi Yehuda had excellent relationships with the Roman Emperor that succeeded in bolstering the little independence that the Jews enjoyed after the failure of Bar Kochba. "Rabbi Yochanan said that whoever wants to learn how to influence kings should retain this parsha before him" (Lekach Tov). "And Eisav ran forward, embraced and kissed him. Hashem changed him from enemy to friend (Malbim). His heart was changed by Yaakov's submission. If that message had been heeded at Bayit Sheni the Temple would not have been destroyed" (Soforno). What is the future of the twin brothers? "Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught, it is a halakha from Sinai that Eisav hates Yaakov and that kiss was only temporary" (Sifre B'ha'alotcha), [or] "The descendants of Haman the Amalekite study Torah in Bnei Brak" (Gittin 57a). This is installment #127 in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
Parshat Emor Homepage]
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