What do we do when we are afraid of others?

for Parshat VaYishlach

 

i

Joseph loves Rachel

so Rachel’s father, Lavan,

gives him her hand.

But Lavan also tricks Jacob

into taking Leah, Rachel’s sister,

and into taking Leah’s handmaid,

and into taking Rachel’s handmaid.

From these four women

Jacob sires thirteen children

only two of whom

are Rachel’s.

 

ii

Jacob sends a message

to his brother who hates him,

who has wished to murder him—

a message of peace.

The messenger answers back:

Your brother comes to you

with four hundred men.

Jacob says to God:

I am afraid.

*

That night

when Jacob is alone

an unnamed man

who is an angel

wrestles him.

This angel injures Jacob.

But even so

Jacob forces the angel to bless him.

 

iii

Jacob is afraid

because people overwhelm him:

more join him  than he had hoped

they are more dishonest than he would expect

they are violent when he seeks peace.

*          

What does Jacob do?

He reaches out

into this overwhelmingness:

and so he finds

how the man who hurts him fiercely

is also an angel who will bless him. 
 

 

 

_____
Shabbat shalom,

Abe 

 

Based in part on thoughts of Rav Moshe Lichtenstein 

 

Please pray for for Ayelet Yakira bat Chaya Hinda Matel Nechama, and for Neshama Emunah bat Batya

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