Shabbat Shalom from the Boxing Rabbi
As the Torah portion for this Shabbat, Toldot, begins, our ancestor Rebekah discovers she is pregnant with twins. The children struggle within her, and upon inquiring of God she is told that “two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall separate from your body” (Gen 25:23).
The two twins emerge as Esau and Jacob. According to the Torah, Jacob is the ancestor of the Israelites, Esau the ancestor of the Edomites, a neighboring people. However, the ancient rabbis chose to identify Esau with Rome, the hated enemy of the Jewish people two thousand years ago. The medieval commentator Rashi, makes an astonishing comment. He states that Jacob and Esau actually represent Rabbi Judah haNasi and Antoninus, a Roman official who was the great friend of Rabbi Judah. It seems that Rashi is trying to say that two different peoples can still enjoy bonds of friendship and compassion. At this time of bitter division in our country, perhaps the vision of Rashi can be equally true in our time.
From Rabbi Doug Sagal aka “the Boxing Rabbi”