Torah Sparks
Genesis 25:19–28:9
Our Torah portion tells us about the conflict between the two brothers, Esau and Jacob, over possession of the family birthright. During this week of tragedy, as we mourn the deaths of innocent Jews—horrifically murdered while offering their prayers to God—and the death of the Druze police officer who heroically sacrificed himself to protect his fellow citizens, I am acutely conscious that our own birthright, our sacred Torah, is the subject of contention between brothers and sisters of the House of Israel.
Shall we even try to read our holy Scriptures so as to derive a meaningful lesson for us in these dark days? In Israel there are scores of weekly pamphlets that appear every Shabbat, produced for every possible group, advocating every possible political and religious position. Our many partisan camps will invariably succeed in reading the Torah so as to find confirmation for whatever predetermined position they hold.
I acknowledge that I am no different in my own approach to the Torah portion. Like Rebecca, I know that I will do anything I can—or must—in order to wrest a blessing from this ancient, sagacious, patriarchically blind text, though I know that, in doing so, I may call down upon myself the curses of those who feel that I have not played straight with them. Nevertheless, I say with Rebecca, “Let the curse be upon me if necessary.” (Gen. 27:13) There is no other choice. The Torah, our birthright, will belong with those who will not despise it or bargain it away, but who will do whatever is necessary to help it realize its essence as a source of blessing, through us, for the world.
So, what do I see this week among the many possible lessons of our Torah portion? I am struck by the reactions of Isaac toward his enemies. Repeatedly they stop up his wells, wells that are his rightful inheritance from his father, Abraham. Isaac has been given ownership of the land by God. Yet, each time his neighbors stop up his wells Isaac moves off, avoiding conflict, refraining from insisting on his ancestral and God-given rights. He will not and cannot leave this land. Yet he moves over and makes space for his enemies. Rather than contend over his well-earned well, vandalized by his cruel and resentful neighbors, he goes and finds a different place to dig a new well.
Finally, precisely after he has distanced himself from conflict again and again, his erstwhile enemies come to him and sue for peace. Because he has not striven to prove his claims against them, and because he is content to allow them to tell their story their way, even though it is factually incorrect, they are finally ready to acknowledge his legitimacy. They declare, “You are now [at last] the blessed of the Eternal, Compassionate One!” (Gen. 26:29) Clear-eyed, Isaac enters into a covenant of peace with them. And, immediately after, his servants jubilantly report to him: “We have found water!” (Gen. 26:32)
Image: “Quite a Handful” © Zach Dischner altered and used with permission via Creative Commons License 2.0
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