Genesis Vayishlach

Vayishlach
Genesis 32:4−36:43

I. Summary

A. Vayishlach = (Jacob) “sent” (messengers ahead …)

B. On his way back from Haran to Canaan (returning home after 20 years to where he first fled from Esau at Rebekah’s insistence… nice symmetry), Jacob meets Esau. Jacob prepares for the meeting by a) sending messengers to Esau to announce Jacob’s return to the Land, b) defensively dividing his people into two camps (front guard and rear guard with favored Rachael and Joseph in rear), c) begging God to save him from Esau (who Jacob fears will kill him), d) sending gifts of livestock to Esau, e) taking his wives, children, and retainers across the Jabbok (river crossing = transition?) and f) wrestling (why?) with a "man" (is it God? God’s angel? Jacob’s conscience? Esau’s guardian angel? Esau himself?) who makes Jacob limp (dietary prohibition against thigh muscle as stated in 32:33) and changes Jacob's name to Yisrael, “the God fighter”. (32:4-33)

C. Jacob and Esau (who comes with 400 men suggestive of Esau’s non-peaceful intentions) meet. Jacob bows seven times (reversing prophesied dominance of Jacob over Esau). Esau embraces Jacob (suggesting Esau’s gracious forbearance v. Esau bringing 400 men with him … does Esau see a different Jacob than he expected?). Jacob and Esau cry (why?). Jacob presses Esau to accept part of Jacob’s riches (guilt?). Esau accepts “gift of blessing” (ironic in that Rebekah and Jacob duped Isaac into giving Jacob preferred blessing). They part peacefully, each going his separate way (not to meet again until they bury Isaac). Esau wants to travel alongside Jacob but Jacob refuses claiming need to travel slowly (to protect the delicate children and animals … uncharacteristic sensitivity of Jacob given his history of deceit … evolution of character?). Esau goes to Seir while Jacob goes to Shechem in Canaan where he buys a portion of the field from Schechem’s father. (33:1-20)

D. Shechem (the son of local prince Hamor) “lays with” Dinah “by force” (perhaps improper non-marital consensual sex rather than true forced rape especially in light of no stated objection by Dinah). Shechem is then captivated by and falls in love with Dinah (sympathy for Shechem?). Jacob is relatively passive about the rape (“kept quiet until his sons came back”). Jacob and Jacob’s sons are asked by Hamor and Shechem to allow family of Jacob to intermarry with family of Hamor and Shechem (violating biblical law). After deceptively suggesting their agreement by asking that men among Shechem’s people be circumcised as a pre-condition (and it being done), two of Jacob’s sons (Simeon and Levi) take revenge on Shechem by murdering all the males in the city of Shechem. Jacob's other sons (w Simeon and Levi?) plunder the city. Jacob reacts insensitively by thinking only of the consequences of the murders to him (telling Simeon and Levi “you have made trouble for me”). (34:1-:31)

E. God instructs Jacob to set up an altar at Beth El/Canaan. On his way there, Jacob buries (near Shechem) all the “foreign gods and rings in their ears” belonging to his household members (for protection?). “Dread of God fell upon the cities around them” preventing Schechem populace from seeking retribution from Jacob (God’s revenge on Shechem for Dinah’s rape? … reminiscent of God’s destruction of Sodom). Arriving at Bethel, Jacob builds the altar. Rebekah’s nurse, Deborah, dies and is buried there (v. no mention of Rebekah’s death and burial … why not?). (35:1-8)

F. God promises Jacob the gifts of numerous descendants and the land promised earlier to Abraham. God declares Jacob’s name to be Israel (alternative telling of Jacob getting re-named as result of wrestling with an angel at 32:29). Jacob sets up pillar of stone as monument (similar to Jacob’s using stone pillow as monument in 28:18 and raising stone as monument at time of peace-making with Laban in 31:45). (35:9-15)

G. Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin and is buried in Ephrah (present-day Bethlehem). Reuben, a son of Jacob, lies with Jacob’s concubine, Bilah, and Jacob hears of it (apparently unrelated incident - what significance?). (35:9-22)

H. Jacob’s twelve sons are listed. Isaac dies at 180 years of age. Jacob and Esau, again united, bury Isaac in Hebron.(35:23-29)

I. Progeny and future key events of Esau/Edom (translation = hairy/red) are set out in detail (finishes Jacob story and sets stage for Joseph story). (36:1-43)

II. Commentary (Plaut, various websites and prior Hevreh discussions)

A. Spirituality of Jacob v. Esau - Torah views Jacob as deceitful (e.g. stealing birthright) but studious and spiritual v. Esau viewed as praiseworthy (e.g. attentive to his father and reaching out to reconcile with Jacob) and physical (hunter) but not spiritual = basis for God’s preference for Jacob? Rabbis paint Esau as wicked (and symbolizing murderous Rome) v. Jacob as representative of spiritual and peaceful Israel. Difficulty in reconciling Jacob’s deceitfulness with his spirituality suggests possibility of forced preference of God? Does evidence suggest Jacob is arguably less worthy of God’s preference than Esau? Consider Jacob and Esau as representative of conflicting tendencies found all of us, i.e. view Jacob and Esau as two (necessary?) parts of a single being.

B. “Misdelivered” blessing motif – Note how various recipients/providers of blessings use unilateral action (deception, force, verbal demand) to obtain blessing: 1. Rebekah and Jacob deceive blind Isaac so that Jacob receives the blessing rather than the older Esau (27:27). 2. Jacob’s demand to be blessed by his wrestling partner (32:27). 3. A blind Jacob intentionally giving his preferential blessing to his younger grandson, Ephraim, rather than to his older grandson, Mannasseh (48:17-20). Suggests blessings not deserved; however, God’s plan always prevails, i.e. circumstances created/allowed by God so God’s choice gets blessing regardless of means and tradition re: older son entitlement.

C. Elements of reconciliation - What makes a reconciliation genuine and lasting? Consider: 1) genuine desire, 2) level of reconciliation desired, 3) letting go of perceived wrongs, 4) taking the initiative, 5) responding to another’s initiative, 6) value of gesture, 7) sincerity, 8) value of word v. gesture and 9) follow-up.

D. Jacob’s prayer reflecting evolution of Jacob – Contrast Jacob making his earlier promise to God to worship God conditional on God protecting and providing for Jacob (28:20-21) v. Jacob's unconditional prayer in this parasha where Jacob seeks God’s protection from Esau (32:12). Change in Jacob’s attitude in dealing with God reflects Jacob’s maturation, i.e. earlier prayer is a trade v. later prayer based only on Jacob’s need for God. Different “uses” of God by Jacob suggests that God is what you need when you need it.

E. Rationales for including story of Dinah and destruction of Shechem – 1. The murders by Simeon and Levi explain their later landless status (Levites become hereditary temple servants whereas tribe of Simeon intermingled with other tribes … Simeon also absent from blessing of Moses in Deut 33). 2. Rape and revenge reinforce Jacob tragedy (retribution on Jacob for his long-ago acts of deceit, e.g. “stealing” birthright and Isaac’s blessing... contra, if it was God’s plan that Jacob receive birthright and blessing despite deception used to accomplish those ends, why is Jacob punished in later life?). 3) The rapist/kidnapper Shechem continued to circulate freely within community with no apparent loss of stature. He was even able to persuade the entire population of Shechem to accept circumcision and enter into a confederation with the Jewish people. The high esteem retained by a rapist/kidnapper is symptomatic of a lawless society. As Shechem was a lawless society, it deserved to be annihilated under the Noahide laws (one of which mandates the establishment of law and order).

F. Amalek and his mother Timna - Traditionally, any mortal threat to the Jewish people is referred to as Amalek who was first post-liberation foe of Israel (Exod 17:8) and attacked Israel from rear and overtook the weakest (Deut 25:18). Genesis 36:12 quietly introduces the birth of Amalek ("Timna was concubine to Elifaz son of Esau, and she bore Amalek to Elifaz"). Timna was the sister of a Canaanite chieftain (36:22 and 29) yet settled for being a concubine. Amalek's personal history and the choices of his mother (giving up status of being chieftain’s sister to be concubine to Elifaz) may have fueled the anger of Amalek’s descendants towards the descendants of Abraham. Everything is personal.

(Revised 12/5/09)