AFTER ALL OF ESAV'S SABER RATTLING, HE MEEKLY RETIRES TO THE LAND OF SEIR LEAVING YAKOV WITH THE INHERITANCE OF AVROHOM AND YITZCHOK'S LANDS.
AFTER ALL OF HIS ANGER AND THREATS HOW DOES ESAV GIVE UP ON THE HOLY LAND?
THIS IS COMPLICATED BY THE MIDRASH THAT WHEN THE TRIBES WERE BURYING YAKOV IN THE MACHPELAH, ESAV APPEARS WITH HIS DEMAND THAT YAKOV SHOULD BE BURIED ELSEWHERE.IN THE ENSUING FRAY ESAV LOSES HIS LIFE. NOW IF THE LANDS WERE SO MEANINGLESS TO HIM EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PART OF THE DIVINE INHERITANCE, WHY WOULD ESAV BALK AT THE MACHPELAH.
THIS CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE AFOREMENTIONED DISTINCTION BETWEEN A FEELING THAT COMES FROM A G-D GIVEN PERSPECTIVE AND THE HUMAN ONE.
TO ESAV HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER WAS ALL IMPORTANT. THE LAND OF THE COVENANT MEANT NOTHING TO HIM AS HE SAW NO TANGIBLE BENEFIT FROM HOLDING ON TO THOSE LANDS OVER OTHER TERRITORIES IN THE REGION.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO AS THE LANDS WERE CONDITIONAL WITH OUR WILLINGNESS TO BE ENSLAVED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. EVEN WITH THE PROMISE OF REDEMPTION ESAV KNEW THAT MOST OF THE SLAVES WOULD DIE AND REMAIN BEHIND. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ESAV . WHEN YAKOV IS READY TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE, ESAV IS ONLY TOO GLAD TO LET YAKOV ACCEPT THE VEIL OF TEARS THAT WILL BE THE BONDAGE OF EGYPT.
THE BURIAL SPOT AT MACHPELAH IS DIFFERENT . IT MEANS THE LASTING CONNECTION WITH ESAV'S HOLY FATHER YITZCHAK. THIS HE CANNOT BEAR TO PART WITH WITHOUT A FIGHT.
THE REASON HE LOSES IN THIS CONFLICT IS THAT ALL MATTERS OF THE HERITAGE OF YITZCHAK ARE BOUND UP WITH MESIRAS NEFESH=SELF SACRIFICE. EMOTIONAL AND NOSTALGIC TIES ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP GOING.
ESAV LEARNS TOO LATE THAT THE CONNECTION WITH HIS ABRAHAMIC=JEWISH ROOTS
REQUIRE MORE THAN JUST FEELING COMMITTED. THE ACTIONS OF YAKOV LIFE DISTINGUISH HIM FROM HIS BROTHER . IN HIS DEEDS YAKOV HAS BECOME ATTATCHED TO THE INFINITE WILL OF G-D WHILE ESAV ONLY GOES ACCORDING TO THE LIMITS OF HIS MIND.
ORDINARY MINDS AND HEARTS CANNOT BY THEMSELVES SIEZE THE LIGHT OF THE EIN SOF. NOR CAN THEY GRASP THE ROLE OF THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
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