Dear Friends,
Jacob had been terrified. He was about to meet his estranged brother, Esau, after more than two decades, and he remembered that the last word from Esau was that his brother wanted to kill him. The moment of reconnecting was at hand! Jacob had prepared himself and his family, separating them into separate camps, putting the most beloved in the back, and then bowing seven times to his mighty brother.
But, notice what happened! Though Esau came to meet Jacob with 400 armed men, he came out alone, embraced his brother, and they burst into tears. As good as that reconciliation was, this is actually when the marvelous moment began: “Then Esau looked around and saw the women and the children, and he said, ‘Who are these? Yours?’” (Genesis 33:5)
In a very difficult Torah portion, which includes the deaths of Rachel and Isaac, rape and mass murder, there is this wonderful, tender moment when Esau meets his sisters-in-law and his nephews and nieces. And, this tender moment only came after the feared reconnection turned out to be a loving embrace.
In a very difficult Torah portion, which includes the deaths of Rachel and Isaac, rape and mass murder, there is this wonderful, tender moment when Esau meets his sisters-in-law and his nephews and nieces. And, this tender moment only came after the feared reconnection turned out to be a loving embrace.
Sometimes, we have to get our own, personal angst out of the way, to see the rest of those around us. Until then, we only see ourselves and our inner churning. As much as there may be scores of beloved family and friends in our midst, we can be blind.
So many trembling and nervous B’nai Mitzvah students have told me how scared they are as they approach their moment on the Bema! Though I try to reassure them that all the people in attendance are their friends and family – the best crowd they’ll ever have – it rarely settles the nervous child. Until they start reading their prayers and overcome their fear, they can’t see the smiles and joy of those around them. One is stuck in one’s own angst, until the cloud lifts.
So, too, all of us. We can elevate all kinds of worries which fog our vision and prevent us from seeing the support, love and devotion around us. Jacob’s story comes to remind us that “Gam zeh ya’avor – This too will pass,” and then, hopefully, we will be surrounded by blessings.
May such be our Shabbat blessing!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
Jacob had been terrified. He was about to meet his estranged brother, Esau, after more than two decades, and he remembered that the last word from Esau was that his brother wanted to kill him. The moment of reconnecting was at hand! Jacob had prepared himself and his family, separating them into separate camps, putting the most beloved in the back, and then bowing seven times to his mighty brother.
But, notice what happened! Though Esau came to meet Jacob with 400 armed men, he came out alone, embraced his brother, and they burst into tears. As good as that reconciliation was, this is actually when the marvelous moment began: “Then Esau looked around and saw the women and the children, and he said, ‘Who are these? Yours?’” (Genesis 33:5)
In a very difficult Torah portion, which includes the deaths of Rachel and Isaac, rape and mass murder, there is this wonderful, tender moment when Esau meets his sisters-in-law and his nephews and nieces. And, this tender moment only came after the feared reconnection turned out to be a loving embrace.
In a very difficult Torah portion, which includes the deaths of Rachel and Isaac, rape and mass murder, there is this wonderful, tender moment when Esau meets his sisters-in-law and his nephews and nieces. And, this tender moment only came after the feared reconnection turned out to be a loving embrace.
Sometimes, we have to get our own, personal angst out of the way, to see the rest of those around us. Until then, we only see ourselves and our inner churning. As much as there may be scores of beloved family and friends in our midst, we can be blind.
So many trembling and nervous B’nai Mitzvah students have told me how scared they are as they approach their moment on the Bema! Though I try to reassure them that all the people in attendance are their friends and family – the best crowd they’ll ever have – it rarely settles the nervous child. Until they start reading their prayers and overcome their fear, they can’t see the smiles and joy of those around them. One is stuck in one’s own angst, until the cloud lifts.
So, too, all of us. We can elevate all kinds of worries which fog our vision and prevent us from seeing the support, love and devotion around us. Jacob’s story comes to remind us that “Gam zeh ya’avor – This too will pass,” and then, hopefully, we will be surrounded by blessings.
May such be our Shabbat blessing!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
