09 December 2011

Parshat Vayishlach

13 Kislev 5772

Guest Post by Geula Girl:

As long as Yaakov was in "galut," Esav could care less about him, but when Yaakov was returning with his family back to Eretz Yisrael, prepared to receive his birthright, Esav came to stop him.

Esav uses two means of attack: excessive closeness to the Jewish people, bringing them spiritual death with the fatal "kiss" of assimilation; and second, outright murder, with pogroms and violence, destroying the Jews physically. (Insights in the Torah)

When the Jewish people were scattered among the nations, Esav (xianity) used pogroms and violence, but now that we have come back to Eretz Yisrael, Esav comes to us with a kiss saying, "We are your brothers. We love you. We worship the same G-d."

Actually, Esav wished to administer a "kiss of death to Yaakov" (Breishit Rabba): He would ingratiate himself with Yaakov and his sons, and get them to leave God's ways. Then Esav and Yaakov would become a single, united nation. The proof of his intent is that he pressured Yaakov to accompany him to Seir, until Yaakov promised to come to him later (33:14). [The promise will be kept when the Messiah comes to make his reckoning with Esav.] (Insights in the Torah)

This is the stated goal of all xian "lovers of Israel" - to break down the walls and barriers between Jews and xians so that we will all be "one new man". Many religious Jews who have bonded with xians have assimilated xian ideas without even knowing it.

If you doubt that we (Yaakov) and the xians (Esav) are just repeating history think about this:

The angels returned to Yaakov saying, 'We came to your brother, to Esav. Moreover, he is heading toward you, and four hundred men are with him.' (Vayishlach 32:7)

Dr. John Hagee, the American evangelical pastor who last month announced plans for a Christian-style AIPAC, says the organization is a "canopy group" encompassing Christian supporters of Israel from across America and is coming together "with a speed and harmony I never would have believed possible."

Hagee says he attempted something similar, though on a smaller scale, 25 years ago, but to no avail. "I called 30 pastors together... At the end of the first hour, I lost 29 of them." Now, by contrast, "I called 400 [pastors] and all 400 have agreed to participate in Christians United for Israel."

The San Antonio, Texas-based Hagee specifies three primary aims for the group: one, to unite Christian supporters of Israel to speak "with one voice for a common cause"; two, to establish a "rapid response" capability that can flood Capitol Hill with e-mails, faxes and phone calls at short notice on issues of concern to Israel; and three, to organize "Night to Honor Israel" events in every major US city "so that the Jewish people can see and feel Christians expressing the love of God to them without a hidden agenda." (Evangelicals seeing the error of 'replacement theology'By DAVID HOROVITZ)

When xians come to "kiss" us, we need to act as our forefather Yaakov did.

Esav suggested to Yaakov, "Let us travel further together!" "No!" Yaakov answered. (The Midrash Says)

In the end, the Mashiach will come to judge Esav on the mountain of Seir, which side will you be on?

Shabbat shalom.