TORAH PORTION

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Deal Honorably When
Others Do Not?

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Shabbat Vayishlach: Genesis 32:4-
36:43; Hosea 11:7-12:12.

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me odious unto the inhabitants of the
t seems almost as certain as the
land ... they will gather themselves
change in weather: Every time
together against me and smite me;
a president leaves office, in a
and I shall be destroyed, I and my
bid to establish a long-lasting legacy
house." (Genesis 34:30) Yaakov seems
he exerts pressure on Israel to make
concerned that the brothers' devious
concessions in the hope of reaching a
comprehensive peace agreement in the behavior — negotiating an agreement
and then using that agreement to
Middle East.
undercut an enemy — would endan-
George Bush (the first) meddled in
ger their standing with the
Madrid; Bill Clinton tried
other inhabitants of the
in Taba, and now George
region.
W. Bush will attempt in
The brothers reply sim-
Annapolis. While I find
ply, "Should one deal with
their goals admirable
our sister as with a harlot?"
— after all, who doesn't
(34:31)
want peace and stability
In other words: How
in the world — forcing
can we negotiate in good
one side to negotiate
faith with an adversary
in good faith with an
playing by very different
unreliable partner will
rules? Should we be bound
only bring more strife,
Rabbi R euven
by
agreements that we
struggle and suffering.
Spol ter
make
with an enemy who
Our forefather Yaakov
Special to the
adheres
to no known set of
and his sons found
Jewish News
morals or principles?
themselves in a similar
The Torah never resolves
situation. The local war-
the debate between Yaakov and his
lord's son Shechem seduces, kidnaps
and rapes Yaakov's daughter Dinah. In sons. It leaves us to grapple with the
a bid to legitimize his barbaric behav- question: Do we deal deceitfully with
an enemy willing to bomb our civilian
ior, he approaches the brothers with
an offer of peace, hoping to marry the centers; that harbors terrorists and
incites violence of any kind against
girl he has (sodomized, taken hostage
Israel, all while still holding Israeli sol-
and) fallen in love with. How do you
diers hostage throughout the Middle
negotiate with one hand tied behind
East? Or, as the chosen people, are we
your back? How can the brothers seri-
bound by the Torah to our word to
ously contemplate a peace agreement
negotiate in good faith, despite the
with a thug who, wants to negotiate
despicable tactics of our enemy?
but refuses to release their sister?
To my mind, when we have an hon-
The brothers concoct a rather
orable and faithful negotiating partner
devious plan. "Sure, we'd love to live
we will reach an agreement. Until then,
in peace and harmony:' they tell
to paraphrase Yaakov's sons, "Should
Shechem. "But we don't intermingle
we deal with our country, our soldiers
with the uncircumcised. So all you
and our land as with a harlot?"
need to do is circumcise yourselves
and we'll have a deal."
Shechem, overjoyed at his negotiated Rueven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel of
Oak Park.
triumph, convinces his city's entire
male population to circumcise them-
selves. (He must have been quite per-
suasive.) Three days later, as the men of
Conversations
Shechem recuperate painfully in bed,
What would you do if you were
Shimon and Levi storm the city, kill
Yaakov — talk or fight? What are
every adult male and rescue their sister.
the dangers of each option?
Yaakov is apoplectic, telling his
sons, "You have troubled me, to make

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Can I Have a
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Sunday, December 2, 2007
at Temple Israel

9:30 AM: Bagel Breakfast
I0 AM: Author Presentation and Book Signing

To RSVP, contact Elaine Bertsch in the Robert Sosnick
Family Life Center: 248-661-5700 or eloine@temple-israel.org .

5725 Walnut Lake Road,
www.temp

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November 22 • 2007

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