two nations shall
branch off from each other
[as they emerge] from
your womb.
One people shall
prevail over the other;
the elder shall serve
the younger.”
Such was the message
Rebekah received directly from God
as she asked why these
twins-to-be
were struggling inside
of her with such intensity.
The message was clear
to her:
The elder, Esau, would
serve the younger, Jacob.
Her interpretation set
in motion
all that would
transpire afterwards
as she paved the way
for the younger child
to receive the older
child's blessing
as Isaac's primary
heir.
So would follow the
accusations of deceit
down through the ages
of biblical commentary
Or, a strong defense
of Rebekah's actions
because of her special
insight
into the need for
Jacob to be the fulcrum
of the future for the
children of Abraham and Isaac.
Some say that Rebekah
did understand correctly
one part of the
message,
while failing to grasp
the other possible meaning.
As with ancient
oracular proclamations
that could be taken in
more ways than one,
Rebekah may have
missed this possible understanding:
RAV YAAVOD TZAIR
The older one the
younger one will serve.
So did Rebekah do
wrong in setting up Jacob
as the primary son
who would succeed Isaac in most
every way?
Perhaps not.
Perhaps the statement
with a dual meaning
Was intended to
foretell what would actually happen.
In some ways,
the younger son would
serve the older
in having to leave his
home because of his brother's anger,
in a moment of
trepidation before meeting up with him again,
years later
and in two peoples,
Israel and Edom,
living in close
proximity to each other
whether in calm or in
conflict.
There is here a family
legacy
One not of
competition
but of the necessity
of mutual recognition.
In the end, the sons
of Isaac and Rebekah had to learn
that even though they
might not end up living together,
they couldn't look
past each other
pretending that the
other did not exist.
They had to meet each
other, eventually,
at heart of their
humanity
in a place where a
divine perspective would bring them together
looking into one
another's eyes
as if each was seeing
the face of God in the other.
Their legacy bears
lessons for the human family throughout the ages.
Too many times,
In too many places
People look past one
another
Seeing those who are
different
those whose background
they do not share
as strangers
as the enemy
as objects of scorn
disdain
prejudice
and hatred.
Two men attack people
praying in a house of worship.
Young women attack a
cab driver with tear gas.
In the name of
security, law enforcement officers or soldiers
think the worst about
the people demonstrating in front of them Protesters fail to see the human
beings opposite them
hoping to preserve calm.
Motives of others are
questioned based on rumor
Rather than being
understood based on fact.
Ultimately, The struggle between these boys
Teaches us not to see
others only as we see them
But to see and
understand them
As they see and
understand themselves.
When we reach that
goal,
Perhaps our service to
one another
Will be for good, for
cooperation
And for peace.
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