This Shabbat we study the Parshah, Vayishlach, meaning "And he sent" (Genesis 32:4). Jacob returns to the Holy Land and sends angel-emissaries to Esau in hope of a reconciliation, but his messengers report that his brother is on the warpath with 400 armed men. Jacob prepares for war, prays, and sends Esau a large gift (consisting of hundreds of heads of livestock) to appease him. That night, Jacob encounters the angel that embodies the spirit of Esau and wrestles with him until daybreak. Jacob suffers a dislocated hip but vanquishes the angel, who bestows on him the name Israel, which means “he who prevails over the divine.” When Jacob and Esau meet, they embrace and kiss but part ways. The Parshah also tells of: the rape of Jacob’s daughter Dinah and the vengeance taken by her brothers; Rachel’s death while giving birth to her second son, Benjamin – and a detailed account of Esau’s wives, children and grandchildren; the family histories of the people of Seir, among whom Esau settled; and a list of the eight kings who ruled Edom, the land of Esau’s and Seir’s descendants.

From Chabad.org

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A father moved into a home backing onto a forest. He repeatedly warned his young and mischievous son about the dangers of the forest and its many ferocious beasts. But the son ignored his father and chose to explore his surroundings. One day, the young boy ventured into the forest. Deciding that it was time to teach his son a lesson, the father dressed up as a bear and followed his son. As the vicious bear chased him, the child cried out, “Daddy! Daddy! Help me! Save me!” But his father did not appear. The bear attacked the boy, and his screams grew louder and more frantic. Finally, with his last ounce of strength, he escaped the bear’s claws and breathlessly ran home.

“Daddy, didn’t you hear me?!” He cried to his father. “A bear was attacking me! I called you, but you didn’t come!” “My son,” his father lovingly answered. “Didn’t you realize? I was the bear.”

I thought of this story as I read this week’s Torah portion. Jacob prepares to meet his brother, Esau, after 20 years of enmity and is “greatly afraid and distressed.” (Gen. 32:8). The meeting between Jacob and Esau represents the cosmic meeting between light and darkness, Divine consciousness and ego-centeredness, spirituality and physicality, and good and bad. Jacob was seeking not only to offset his brother, so he would not harm him, but to encourage Esau to join forces with him. Jacob realized, however, that harnessing Esau’s strengths would be a long and arduous process that would only happen in the Messianic era.

Our lives are consumed with Esau encounters of fighting negativity and overcoming challenges. But, if G-d is all good, why do we need so many of these encounters? Why is life such a dark and difficult battle? The Kabbalists explain that G-d created evil so that it can be exploited by goodness. Darkness and cruelty exist in order to be transformed into light. Challenges abound so that we can dig deep within ourselves and mine our infinite potential. As we face our challenges, as we encounter our battles with Esau, it can help us to remember that the bear isn’t as fearful as he seems. Hiding beneath his costume is our Father, trying to teach us.

From an article by Chana Weisberg

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The nations cannot understand why the Jewish people should have a land. “If it is G-d and scriptures and heaven that you are all about,” they claim, “then why do you want a piece of earth? Is G-d in a place? Will you find G-d in settling land, in governing a country, in defending it? Make up your mind: Is it heaven you want, or earth?” 

Those words, perhaps, are never said. They are quiet words, engraved within the human psyche. And they are the bias behind all their contentions with us: We don’t belong here, on earth, where they belong, playing by their rules. Because G-d is in the heavens, and the earth belongs to humankind. But this is the mission of the Jewish people: For all to see that the same G-d in heaven is here within the earth, within all the endeavors of humankind. For there is nothing else but Him. Beginning with that specific, well-defined, very special piece of earth to which our destiny is tied.

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

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May it be G-d’s will that we see Divine wonders with our own eyes; wonders so great that we recognize that it was not “my strength and the power of my hand that brought me the success,” but rather “This is the day on which G-d worked {wonders}, we will rejoice and celebrate on it.” It will be clearly accepted by all nations that every inch  of Eretz Yisrael belongs to the Jewish people, and, indeed, we will merit a foretaste of the prophecy that “G-d will expand your boundaries,” granting the Jews additional lands.

There is a law that on Friday afternoon, we should taste the delicacies prepared for Shabbos. At this time, shortly before the era that “will be entirely tranquility and Shabbos for all eternity,” we will be given a foretaste of the fulfillment of the prophecy that “Eretz Yisrael will expand and encompass all lands,” with the coming of Mashiach.

From an article in Chabad.org

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In the 1930s, a Nazi confronted a Jew: “You Jews are the cause of all the world’s problems!”

“Yes,” says the Jew. “You’re right. And the bicycle riders.”

“The bicycle riders? Why the bicycle riders?” asked the Nazi.

“Why the Jews?!” responded the Jew.

So is there actually a “reason” for Antisemitism? Rabbi Menachem Ziemba was one of the leading rabbis in pre-war Poland. He died in the Warsaw Ghetto, where he refused to abandon his flock. But some of his writings survived. Let me share with you one of his Torah teachings, because it goes to the very core of the question of Antisemitism and whether there is, in fact, any reason for it.

This week’s Parshah tells the dramatic tale of two long-lost brothers, Jacob and Esau, who are about to meet after 20 years of separation. Esau is still gunning for his twin brother, who he claims stole his birthright and his father’s blessings. He has murder on his mind. Jacob prepares with a three-pronged approach: 1) Diplomacy. He sends Esau a huge gift to pacify him, 2) Military strategy. He prepares to battle if diplomacy fails, 3) He prays to G-d for deliverance. In the end, Esau sees his brother’s generous gift (entire herds of livestock), and he sees his family, and seems mollified and ready to make peace. Instead of killing Jacob, he embraces him, and they have an emotional reunion: And Esau ran towards his brother, and he embraced him. He fell on Jacob’s neck, and he kissed him, and they wept.

Now, in the Torah scroll, there are dots written above the Hebrew word vayishakeihu, “and he kissed him,” indicating that not all is as it appears to be. It is like an asterisk—a footnote is required to explain and qualify what is really meant. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says, “It is an established law (halacha) that Esau hates Jacob. But at that moment he was moved to mercy, and he did in fact embrace him with a full heart.” Let’s take a closer look at the language Rabbi Shimon uses. “It is a halacha that Esau hates Jacob.” Why the word halacha? A rule or a principle, perhaps. But a law? Surely it seems out of place here! 

This is what Rabbi Menachem Ziemba had to say: People don’t always agree with or understand a halacha, a law. Do you understand and agree with every legal judgment handed down by the court? Of course not. But a law is a law and a fact of life. There’s simply nothing we can do about it. Likewise, says Rabbi Ziemba, is the halacha of Esau hating Jacob. Antisemitism is a halacha, a law, a fact of life! We don’t understand it. It makes no sense.

Jews are nice people. We do so much for society, beyond our own communities. We are constantly contributing to the world around us, and the world still doesn’t like us. It hurts. But it is what it is. 

But don’t become disillusioned, and don’t become depressed when you see Antisemitism is still here and growing at an alarming rate all over the world…Continue to live as proud, practicing Jews, here on a mission to bring positive change to the world. Be confident and knowledgeable Jews, who live as Jews and raise our children and grandchildren as Jews. As the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks kept reminding us: “Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism!” And certainly, we should all learn from the Rebbe, whose approach David Suissa describes as “Pro-Semitism.” 

Be pro-Jewish and proactively Jewish. Do a mitzvah today that you may not have done yesterday. And if you need further motivation to do it, let Antisemitism be your motivation. Do it davka! To spite the Antisemites. Jewish pride, Jewish defiance, Jewish continuity, will lead to nothing less than Jewish eternity.

From an article by Rabbi Yossy Goldman 

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