Original Torah: Ancient Words in a Modern Light

Va-Yishlach 5762, Genesis 32:4-36:43

Shabbat Shalom-

The Rebbe is a bit busy this week making his living and will thus send out a
dvar torah he liked along with some thoughts and links.

A quick thought: Upon meeting for the first time after more than 20
years, Jacob offers his brother Esau gifts to appease his still smoldering anger
of the stolen birthright and blessing. Esau at first declines “I have
much” (33:9) to which Jacob counters and insists “I have all”
(33:11). The Sage Ben Zoma says “Who is rich? He that is happy
with his portion” (Mishnah Avot 4:1). And so may we all be.

Another critical thought: Many in the list of Esau’s descendents in 36:31-43
can be identified as king that lived long after Moses passed away. This is one
of the stronger sections advocating for a post-Mosaic editing of the text.

Lastly, it’s never to late to change, even your clothes: Before Jacob
makes his pilgrimmage to Beit El (Bethel) he says “Remove from yourselves
the alien gods which are among you, then purify yourselves and change your
garments” (35:2).

From Iyunei Shabbat, http://www.masorti.org/mason/torah/index.asp

The complexity of Jacob’s character is demonstrated once again in this

parashah [portion -BF]. Following his successful encounter with his brother Esau, he

settles in the land of Canaan, near the city of Shechem. His proximity to a

major center of Canaanite population brings about tragedy, for it leads to

the rape of his only daughter, Dinah who was drawn to ”the daughters of

the land” and therefore ventured unprotected into an area where she was

forcibly kidnapped and raped by the prince of the city. When Jacob hears of

this he remains silent, waiting for the return of his sons from the field

(Gen.34:5). This may have been a prudent thing to do – indeed the midrash
[homily -BF]

praises him for it, quoting Prov.11:12: A prudent man keeps silent.

(Bereshit Rabba 34:2). Nevertheless it is puzzling that he remains silent

during the entire matter. He never speaks until it is all over. When

Shechem and his father Hamor come with a proposition of marriage and of a

agreement for the tribes to intermingle, it is Jacob’s sons and not Jacob

who reply – as the text says – ”with guile” (34:13) as part of their plan

of rescue and revenge. Dina’s two full brothers, Simeon and Levi, carried

out the plan and, slew all the males and their brother finished the work by

plundering the town and taking the women and children as captives. Only

then does Jacob speak, castigating the two for bringing trouble upon him

since he fears the overwhelming numbers and might of the other Canaanites

who will take revenge. The brothers justify themselves by saying ”Should

our sister be treated as a whore?” (34:31). Jacob has no answer and

prudently moves his tribe somewhere else. Why did he do nothing himself to

save his daughter? Contrast this with Abraham’s military leadership to

rescue his nephew Lot and his family in Genesis 14. Why did he not protest

again his sons’ devious plan of which he obviously disapproved? There seem

to be no answers to these questions. Indeed the Jacob that we see from this

time to the end is a very different man than he was before. He is no longer

devious – a trait his son Simeon and Levi seems to have inherited from him

- but he is also no longer a strong leader, a planner, a visionary. He

plays a weak and passive role in his family, favoring one son above the

others, not seeing the consequences of this attitude. Perhaps the many

years of exile and servitude to Laban have worn him out and the fear of the

encounter with Esau, whom he had wronged, has drained him of strength and

initiative. He has had enough of strife and now seeks only quietude and the

avoidance of trouble. To his credit, it must be said that at the end of his

life he sees clearly the moral defect of the actions of his sons. On his

deathbed, he castigates Simeon and Levi – ”Their weapons are tools of

lawlessness…cursed be their anger so fierce and their wrath so

relentless” (49:5-7). It is not only that they brought danger to his

family, it is that they violated morality in the way in which they fought

Shechem. They led to the slaughter of innocent people and took booty for

themselves – something Abraham has studiously avoided (14: 22-24). We may

well ask why it took him so long to state a moral position, but at least -

for all his weakness and lack of decisive leadership – Jacob left his

children that legacy – the legacy that in modern times has been termed

purity of arms. It is a moral value, which we must treasure at all times.

It brings with it Kiddush ha-shem [sanctification of the divine name -BF] and a measure of self-pride that

gives us moral strength even in difficult times.

by Rabbi Reuven Hammer (see Legends
of the Jews for more homiletical sources)

Have a caring week!

Benjamin Fleischer