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THE LAST 12 MONTI'S.
The Need For Peace
Through Brotherly Love
RABBI RICHARD C. HERTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
he events in the life of
Jacob narrated in the
Torah portion for this Sab-
bath unfold a high drama.
Emotions run deep, from Jacob's
trepidation and anticipation of
his reunion with his alienated
brother Esau, to the mysterious
wrestling match with a "man-
angel" at the ford of the River
Jabbok resulting in the change
of his name from Jacob to Israel,
to the horrifying slaughter men
of Shechem at the hands of
Jacob's sons Shimon and Levi, to
the sorrowful death at childbirth
of his beloved wife Rachel for
whom Jacob had labored 14 years
before being able to marry her.
The sedrah thus tells the
amazing story of the two broth-
ers, Jacob and Esau. They never
got along. That is sometimes the
way with brothers. Nothing is
worse than strife between broth-
ers, if nothing is more beautiful
than love between brothers. Both
elements are seen in the rela-
tionship between Jacob and Esau
in this sedrah.
The Bible does not make a
hero out of the early life of Jacob.
He was cunning. He was deceiv-
ing. Scripture does not commend
him for deceiving his father Isaac
and snatching the blessing from
him. Jacob had to pay for his
trickery and escape for his life.
He felt he had deserved the bless-
ing, since Esau had sold it to him
for a mess of pottage. Jacob fled.
He spent many years, 20 years
or more, and finally after serving
his apprenticeship with his un-
cle Laban he wanted to go home.
By now he had matured, he was
no longer the striving, conniving
Jacob. He had grown wiser. He
had•prospered and had become
successful, but he still remem-
bered what he had done to his
brother Esau and felt guilty
about it. He wondered how he
would be received if they ever
met.
Would Esau remember, too?
Would Esau bear a bitter grudge
and try and pay him back? Jacob
decided to play it cool when he
learned that Esau was on his way
to meet him. Jacob sent messen-
gers of goodwill and rich presents
to sound out Esau, but still Jacob
was afraid. At last he reached the
River Jabbok, the boundary line.
That night he fell asleep but
he was restless. He dreamt all
kinds of things, almost night-
mares. Remember, Jacob was a
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Dr.11iehard C. Hertz is
distinguished professor of
Jewish studies at the
University of Detroit-Mercy.
great dreamer. That night he
wrestled with an angel.
At last, the dawn came and
from a distance Jacob spied Esau
approaching with 400 armed
men. Jacob's heart sank, but he
discovered Esau was not coming
to make war upon Jacob. Instead,
he ran up to him and threw his
arms around Jacob Ind kissed
him. Each broke out into tears as
they exchanged presents and
gifts with each other and re-
membered old times together.
They were brothers still.
Just as the Bible described the
two twin brothers whose hate for
each other had turned into love,
so the sedrah tells how magna-
nimity and generosity replaced
the envy and covetousnes of the
early years. Each brother proved
himself forgiving and mature.
What makes a good brother?
Kindness, yes. Consideration,
yes. Generosity, yes. Respect, yes.
Fair play, yes. A favorite story
from the Midrash will illustrate
what makes a good brother.
Long, long ago on the site of old
Jerusalem, the holy city, there
lived two brothers. They were
farmers who tilled the land which
they had inherited from their fa-
ther. The older was unmarried
and lived alone. They younger
was married and lived with his
Shabbat Vayishlash:
Genesis 32:4-36:43
Hosea 11:7-12:12.
wife and four children. The broth-
ers loved each other dearly and
did not want to divide the fields
between them. Both plowed,
planted, and harvested the crop
together. After they cut the
wheat, they shared equally in the
profits of the earth. They were
true partners. Real brothers.
One night during the time of
the harvest, the older brother laid
down to sleep but his thoughts
were troubled, "Here I am all
alone with no wife and no chil-
dren. I din't have to feed anyone
or clothe anyone; I have only my-
self to care for, but my brother
has the responsibility for a whole
family. Is it right that we share
our harvest equally? His needs
are greater than mine." And so
at midnight he arose and took a
pile of sheaves from his crop and
carried him to his brother's field
and left them there. Then he re-
turned to his tent quietly and
went back to sleep in peace.
The same night his brother too
could not sleep. He thought about