Va-Yishlach 5762

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
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