At the beginning of Parashat Vayishlach, Yaakov sends messengers (some say human beings, others say that they were angels out of fear that Esav would kill humans) to check Esav’s intentions and plans. When they come back, they tell him the terrifying news that his intention is to wage war against him, and the proof to that is that he is walking towards Yaakov leading a group of 400 soldiers.
According to the Rashbam, the angels came back with a positive report, that Esav was coming to make peace with him and brought 400 people out of respect for him. Either way, Yaakov was still very concerned. Because he didn’t trust Esav, he prepared in three different ways. First, he starts to pray, second, he prepares a gift to appease him, and lastly he prepared himself for the possibility of fighting him. At the end, he discovered that it was a false alarm. Esav decided to have a positive relationship with his brother, and he was trying to find ways to live in peace with him.
Later on, Yaakov gets to Eretz Canaan and reaches the city of Shchem. His daughter Dinah goes out for a walk, and is kidnapped by the son of the local leader. Shimon and Levi, the sons of Yaakov prepare themselves to take revenge and to kill the people of Schem and to release their sister, and this is what they did. But, Yaakov didn’t like this and criticized his children. Some of the criticism we find here in this Parasha, and a lot of it in Parashat Vayivchi before his death.
At the end of the Parasha, we also learn about Reuven and how he behaved inappropriately with the maidservant of Rachel, Bilhah. But, the following Pasuk after the incident with Reuven is rather puzzling. It says that the children of Yaakov are twelve. Aren’t we able to count it ourselves? Why does the Pasuk have to tell us?
Perhaps this Pasuk is comes to teach us something profound. Up until now, we got used to the fact that our forefathers had good children and bad children. Avraham had Yitzchak and Yishmael, Yitzchak had Yaakov and Esav. One son is left out from the continuation of the family and the other continues the legacy. The Torah doesn’t talk about the sons who were disqualified from the legacy, as there is no point in elaborating on their family.
However, here with the twelve children of Yaakov, even though two of them were criticized with killing the people of Schem, and the oldest one criticized with inappropriate behavior they all stay within the legacy and are not separated. It seems like from the moment the decision was made to function as a nation, we need to accept even those that we would not drink coffee and tea with them.
This is what the Torah emphasizes, that although they are sinners, they are still the children of Yaakov, an integral part of the Jewish people. We all belong to one nation and one state. Although we will never be the same people, we are proud to be diverse, if only we accept the differences between us.
When I think about Eli Bishburg, one of his great attributes that we should all acquire comes to mind. Between Eli and I, and many others, there were many things that we didn’t agree upon. But, Eli was very special. All of these disagreements had nothing to do with his love for the person. He would have the same love for them whether or not they would agree, as they were his family, on of Am Yisrael.
We don’t need to agree to have peace with one another, we just need to have one thing in mind, that we all belong to the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. This is especially important now a days with the hate the world has towards us. May Eli’s soul rest in peace.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Eli Tal