When I was growing up, there were a couple of kids I knew who were clearly struggling. One was not very bright, and the other acted very strange most of the time. The last I heard about them, 40 years later, they are still struggling.
I was drawn to Esau while reading this week, and I thought of those boys. What is our obligation to the strugglers? Do we have any? One reading of this parshah, not one I would particularly like to subscribe to, could be that they are there so we know what NOT to do.
As the parshah starts, God tells Rebekah that “the older shall serve the younger” in her womb (Genesis 25:23). Before he is even born, Esau is decreed a “loser” in life. If we are honest, I think we have all met a younger person and had the feeling they were not going to have an easy life. We hope we are wrong.
After he is born, Esau is first introduced as a “skillful hunter” (Genesis 25:27), but he only goes down in the narrator’s estimation from that point forward. The first thing we see Esau do is sell his birthright for some stew. This is immensely short-sighted. Truly, unbelievably dumb. I can only think of a bad situation comedy set-up, where we are pounded over the head with the message: “This guy is not worthy.”
In Genesis 26:34, we learn that Esau made lousy choices in marriage. He married Hittite women, and “they were a source of bitterness to Isaac and Rebekah.” I’m sure the Hittite women returned the bitterness! Our “loser” child has made another bad choice.
The next time we catch up with Esau, he is getting screwed over by his little brother, in cahoots with mom. Esau has done as Papa Isaac asked, making a meal for dad so he can receive dad’s blessing. But Jacob beat him to the punch. Esau bursts into tears and asks for a blessing. Dad gives him a strange blessing about “living by the sword” and “breaking the yoke from your neck.” Gee, thanks Dad!
Finally, as the parshah ends, Esau figures out that his mom and dad don’t like Hittite women. He was very slow on the uptake on this one. It is a touching moment as the parshah ends, and Esau is taking on new wives from the tribe of Israel. He has done nothing but fail in his attempts to be the favored son, yet he still tries.
So what do we do with this story? As I suggested above, I think the text/narrator is using Esau is a cautionary tale of what NOT to do. In this view, he is presented as a symbol of failing to live a right life.But the problem is that many, many people do not live a right life. Sometimes due to environment, but more importantly for the point I’m raising, sometimes due to genes. They are born dumb, or selfish, or prone to evil, and they never outgrow it. When I was younger and more idealistic, I used to think that we could rid the world of these people with enough love and education. These days, I am not so sure. As long as there are humans on earth, I fear there will always be Esaus. What is our obligation to them? As children? As adults? Do we keep trying to help them, or do we just try to minimize the harm they cause to themselves and to others?
Great observations! When thinking about the stories of Jacob and Esau, I always tend to focus on Jacob and his strengths as our patriarch. I never really gave much thought to Esau and his many weaknesses. I just figured he wasn't the chosen one and was destined to always finish last.
ReplyDeleteBut you pose a valid question. What do we do for these strugglers? Are we our brother's keeper? Do we help them to the point of emotional exhaustion and at the expense of resources that could be allocated to those with more potential? Or is our obligation to these strugglers to just be tolerant? Accept them for who they are and lend a hand when possible?
I apologize if I am merely repeating the questions already posed in your insightful post. I guess I am thinking "aloud" and don't have any answers myself....
Thanks. I do not have answers either. I am just throwing out questions this week!
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting because when I read this parsha, I don't see Esau's weaknesses or Jacob's strengths. I see it the other way around. Jacob seems very weak to me. He seems dishonest, underhanded, and easily pushed around by his mom. Esau is the provider. Even the seemingly stupid decision of giving Jacob his birthright seems, perhaps, kind to me. Esau, as we find out later, was successful without his birthright. I mean, God and his mother plotted against him and he still became quite wealthy. Would Jacob have been successful without that birthright? Based on the parsha, I tend to doubt it.
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