Eisav: "Meet Me Half-Way"

15 Kislev 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Vayishlach 

Here is a very interesting commentary on Vayishlach ...

The rabbinic identification of Rome [aka Christianity/Western Civilization] with the Biblical figure of Esau is basic to the traditional understanding of much of the relevant sections of Chumash Bereishis.  Esau's faults and shortcomings as well as his complex and tortured relationship with his brother Yaakov was seen by the Rabbis through the prism of this identification, so much so that the conflict of these two brothers typifies the struggle for spiritual and moral supremacy between Rome and Jerusalem.

...The following midrash typifies the personalization of Rome and the West as Esau while not sparing his hypocrisy.

In the future Esau will wrap himself in a tallis, sit down next to Yaakov and say to him, "You are my brother".  ...Yaakov will say to him, "My brother, you will not be like me.  "I will lead you to death, I will be the pestilence that leads you to Sheol (Hoshea 13,14).  Had I upheld decrees that you promulgated against me, I would have been guilty at the eyes of Heaven.  Had I violated them, you would have killed me? (Yalkut Shimoni, Yirmiahu 333)

"That was Esau's intention when he told Yaakov, "Let us travel together and I will go before you (Genesis 33,12).  He wanted them to join together in both this world and the world to come, to meet each other halfway, with each modifying his conduct until they were alike (Yalkut Shimoni, Genesis 133).  Indeed, Esau will even adopt certain tenets of Judaism - such as monotheism, the Divinity of the Torah, and reward and punishment - but only if Israel will give up some of its heritage.  Similarly, according to Tanna D'Bei Eliahu Zuta (19), Esau proposed:  "Give up some of the mitzvos that divide us. You will thereby enjoy this world and still have half the world to come.  Isn't that enough?  (Bais Halevy, Vayishlach).

~ SHABBAT SHALOM ~