Shabbat Vayishlach
Torah Reading: Genesis 32:4 - 36:43 / Haftarah Reading: Obadiah 1:1-21
“Flexible or Unbending”
Dear Friends,
Which is better, to be flexible or unbending? In this week’s Torah portion, Jacob returns to the Promised Land after many years in self-imposed exile from his brother Esau. Jacob is a humble and bending shepherd. Esau is a mighty and strong warrior.
In the Talmud, the rabbis consider the flexibility of Jacob with the firmness of Esau. They wrote, “The reed, which is a humble plant, grows in water, replenishing its roots which are many. No matter how hard the wind blows, or from which direction, the reed is not blown from its place. It simply bends away from the wind. The cedar, which is a high and prideful tree, stands tall against all the winds of the world except for the south wind. When that wind blows, it can uproot the cedar and turn it upside down.” (Ta’anit 20a).
Our tradition teaches that we should be more like Jacob - seeking humility, compassion, kindness, and fairness wherever and whenever we can.
Zay a mentsch – be a good person.
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
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