From the teachings of the Rebbe on the Torah portion
This week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach, describes the encounter between Jacob and his brother Esau, after Esau had sent 400 armed men announcing his arrival. Their meeting, which threatened to be confrontational, actually turned out amiable—“Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him; and they wept.”
Why this change of Esau’s intentions? Rashi explains: Esau’s mercy was aroused when he saw Jacob prostrating himself before him so many times. Rashi continues by quoting Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai: Despite the halacha (rule) that Esau hates Jacob, Esau’s compassion was stirred at that time and he kissed him with his whole heart.
Rabbi Shimon used the word “halacha,” which means religious law, to emphasize something about the nature of Esau’s hatred toward Jacob: it is as immutable and timeless as are the practical laws of Torah. Rabbi Shimon wished to teach us that we should not try to rationalize Esau’s hatred of Jacob by ascribing various reasons or motives to it; it is a hatred rooted in Esau’s very essence. If and when we find an instance of Esau’s positive behavior toward Jacob, we should realize that it is an exception to the rule—“his compassion was stirred at that time.”
This saying of Rabbi Shimon also found its expression in his own personal life. Rabbi Shimon lived under the yoke of Rome, and suffered under the harsh decrees issued against the Jewish nation. He, in particular, suffered greatly because of his own staunch opposition to the Romans, and was forced to hide in a cave for 13 years, together with his son. Yet it was precisely this same Rabbi Shimon who traveled to Rome to have the anti-Jewish decrees rescinded, and was successful!
The story of Rabbi Shimon illustrates both sides of the coin: the unchangeable nature of Esau’s hatred and persecution of the Jews, and the triumph of one who was particularly renowned for his opposition to Roman rule.
We learn from this a valuable lesson in how to relate to our oppressors during this long and bitter Exile:
On the one hand, a Jew must not rely on the mercy of the nations, because we know that Esau’s hatred toward Jacob is a given fact. At the same time, it is within the power of every Jew to command respect from the non-Jews by maintaining his pride and adherence to the Jewish way of life.
When a Jew is unbending in his commitment to Torah and mitzvot, it positively influences the nations, so that “Esau’s compassion was stirred and he kissed him with his whole heart.” Not only does this command respect, but it brings about Esau’s cooperation and even assistance in helping the Jew to keep his Torah.
Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
