Walk Through the Parsha by Rabbi David Walk

Clash
Vayishlach 5768
November 21, 2007
The book of Genesis contains two titanic confrontations. The most famous, I suppose, is the collision in this week's Torah reading between the brothers, Ya'akov and Esav, after at least twenty apart. However, equally momentous for Jewish destiny is the face off between Yehudah and Yosef over the fate of Binyamin in parsha Vayigash. These two incidents are very different. When Yehudah stares down Yosef, we have a meeting of two positive forces. Even Yehudah recognizes the legitimacy of Yosef's claim against his brother Binyamin. He just wants to plead for clemency. On the other hand, this week our plucky Patriarch challenges the authenticity of Esav's position. In any case, these two incidents become the prototypes for encounters of the two major varieties, namely good versus evil and good versus good.

There are different rules of engagement for these distinctive confrontations. In the case of getting together with a person whom we respect and acknowledge as a force for good, it behooves us to be open and flexible. When Shamai disputes Hillel there is not only mutual respect, there is the honesty and humility to be amenable to the acceptance of the opposing opinion. Sages in the Talmud often abandon their own standpoint when facing superior logic. In these differences of opinion the object of the debate isn't to beat down the rival but to arrive at the truth. These arguments are often inspiring in the level of intellectual honesty achieved. This is not the case when the opponent is viewed as negative or even evil.

So, we must discover a policy for quarreling with those forces that we view as illicit. I'd like to present the meeting between Ya'akov and Esav as the paradigm for this phenomenon. I realize that a literal reading of the text may yield a different interpretation, more favorable to Esav. I don't deny it. However, for the purposes of this article I am totally buying into the rabbinic approach that Esav is the epitome of evil. Maybe some other time I'll discuss the relative merits of both opinions. Anyway here goes our primer on negotiating with pure evil.

The major source for this exposition is the first Rabbeinu Bechaye (ben Asher, d. 1340) on this week's Torah reading. Let me remind my gentle readers that the first comment of Rabbeinu Bechaye every week is based on a verse from the book of Proverbs, which he believes best encapsulates the central message of that week's parsha. This week he leads off with, "A righteous man giving way before a wicked man is like a muddied spring and a ruined fountain. Eating honey to excess is not good, but fathoming their honor is honor (Proverbs 25:26 & 27)." On the surface these verses seem to describe that a righteous person giving in to evil or, perhaps, falling before malevolence is an abomination. It pollutes all that is pure and beautiful in the world. This seems to reflect a comment made by Ya'akov in our parsha. When Levi and Shimon massacre the village of Shechem to avenge the dishonoring of their sister Dinah, Ya'akov declares, "You have made me odious among the inhabitants of the land (Genesis 34:30)." Our Patriarch is not only concerned for the safety of the family; he is also worried about the reputation for righteousness that his fathers had established in Canaan.

Rabbeinu Bechaye explains that the image of the water sources in the verse describes the eternity of righteous positions. He explains that although goodness may be defeated by the dark side of the force its downfall will be temporary. Just like flowing water sources soon clean themselves of dirt, so, too, right opinions will prevail over time. Generally, nature does a good job of cleaning up our messes, although with progress we've taxed Mother Nature's recuperative powers. King Solomon describes the roots of the righteous as a makor or a source and as a mayan or a flowing fountain (probably an artesian well). Goodness spreading through the world begins with a pure source, namely God. This hidden source emerges into the world through a spring or well, which is the patriarch, prophet or spiritual leader. From this holy individual there proliferates the influence of this inspiring concept in a flow whose volume is commensurate with the charisma of the messenger or the power of the idea. King Solomon is explaining that this river can be polluted or even dammed by negative forces but the source itself will never be sullied or stopped.

Ya'akov goes through a period of soul searching and self doubt, but eventually meets Esav with confidence and even panache. The pre-meeting qualms have been quieted and Ya'akov knows the lesson from Proverbs (albeit centuries earlier than its authorship). His cool demeanor is the result of his conviction that he represents an eternal idea. Nothing can happen on this field of conflict which will alter the eventual success of his position. He feels the Torah sources coursing through his very being. He knows that win or lose in this skirmish his progeny will be living Torah lives long after the Kingdom of Edom (Esav's heirs) have long been obliterated by dry desert dunes. The fact of Esav's earlier successes (He had eight kings who ruled before we Jews had established our monarchy) doesn't deter him. He is sublimely secure in the eventual outcome.

The second verse quoted by Rabbeinu Bechaye warns against a haughty approach to this assignment. We can't present ourselves with arrogance. We must be assured that following the Torah path leads to ultimate success. However, the honor belongs to the Torah and God not our personal pride. We Jews find ourselves representing our nation and our heritage constantly throughout history, whether in palaces of potentates or assignations in Annapolis.

We must prepare ourselves for these clashes with the perspective of history, steeping ourselves in our heritage and traditions. Then, we must present our position with a humble confidence that the eternity of Israel will never be compromised.