Toledot: Forgiveness lesson comes from unlikely source

Toledot

Genesis 25:19-28:9

I Samuel 20:18-42

"And the boys grew, and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, and Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:25).

While the Bible portrays Esau as "cunning," careful reading of the text reveals Jacob, the "quiet man," to have been the more wily of the two. Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that prophetic, rabbinic and modern commentators view Esau in a pejorative way and they affectionately portray Jacob as a man with serious character flaws, there is still an important lesson to be learned from Esau's conduct.

The haftarah that accompanies this week's Torah portion, Toledot, offers a derisive portrayal of Esau: "...I have accepted Jacob and have rejected Esau...And so they [Esau's descendants] shall be known as the region of wickedness, the people damned forever of the Lord" (Malachi 1:1-5).

Centuries later, the rabbis disparaged Esau by associating him with Rome, the unmistakable enemy of the Jewish people in that era.

A parable of the talmudic sage, Rabbi Levi, describes Jacob as a blacksmith who once saw bundles of thorns, the metaphor for Esau, being brought into the city. Understanding this to be a sign of pending ruination, a wise man, seeing the smith's concern, said to him, "Are you afraid of these thorns? One spark from your forge, and the thorns will be afire."

Rabbi Levi interpreted this to mean that when Jacob was afraid of Esau and his entourage, God said to Jacob: "Are you afraid of them? One spark from you, and you will consume all of them."

To strengthen this case, Rabbi Levi cited a verse from the prophet Obadiah (1:18): "The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, with Esau's house like straw to be kindled and consumed" (Genesis Rabbah 84:5).

Thus, this parable was designed to counter their suffering under cruel oppressors by associating them with the "cunning Esau" who would ultimately be defeated.

Rashi interpreted the biblical term "cunning hunter" to mean a smooth talker who deceives others. He suggested that the real reason Isaac gave his blessing and birthright to Esau was that Esau duped Isaac and not that as the first born, Esau was entitled to them.

The legacy of enduring hatred toward Esau carried over into the modern period, where he has come to symbolize anyone who is crude, uncultured and anti-Semitic. A folk song penned by 20th-century poet Hayim Nahman Bialik unflatteringly compares Esau and Jacob: "Esau rises and runs for a drink/Like a barrel of booze his mouth does stink..." In contrast, of Jacob he says: "Jacob rises and runs to pray/And gives his Maker praise upon praise..."

In still other sources, Esau is depicted as an abusive person who nightly beats his wife, while Jacob treats his family with the greatest respect.

Yet the biblical author views Esau not as evil, but rather as an impetuous, brash, live-for-the-moment individual who willingly sold his blessing and birthright without regard for the consequences.

Described as a "cunning hunter" by the biblical author and a "wild beast" by the rabbis, Esau's plaintive plea to his father, "Do you not have a blessing for me?" nevertheless, elicits sympathy from any reader of Toledot.

Furthermore, the end of the biblical account provides a reader access to Esau's soul. Years after the sale of the birthright and the theft of the blessing by Jacob, the brothers meet. Jacob's trepidation reveals his fears that Esau might seek vengeance for the wrongs he suffered at his hand. Instead, Esau hugs Jacob, who commented to Esau: "Looking into your face is like looking into the face of God" (Genesis 33:10).

Here, Esau appears to be changed, for he bore no malice or hatred for the two valuable gifts that he had lost so long ago -- a birthright and a blessing. When he met the brother who had cheated and deceived, he demonstrated genuine forgiveness. Thus, in spite of the poor treatment Esau has received throughout Jewish history, his life can also serve as a source of inspiration that urges others to follow suit by making peace with parents, siblings and themselves.