for Parshat Toldot
i
Isaac will bless his older son,
Esau,
whom he loves most.
He will not bless his other son,
Jacob.
*
Rebecca,
the sons’ mother,
dresses Jacob in goat- skins
to make him hairy to the touch
(as Esau is)—
so Isaac,
old,
blind,
will feel Jacob
and think he is Esau
and bless him.
*
So that the goat represents a way
to become someone other than yourself:
to become someone more loved than yourself.
ii
Amongst the first things God says
about Temple sacrifices
is this:
If you bring Me an offering of your flocks,
you may bring it
of the sheep or of the goats.
*
Inviting the sacrifice of a goat,
God invites us to disguise ourselves,
perhaps,
as one He loves more.
iii
Approaching God,
one of our first questions is:
Who am I to approach Him?
God answers:
Even if you do not deserve
this closeness,
disguise yourself as one who is very righteous
who is very holy
who is very deserving of God.
Pretend you are such a person.
So that no matter who you are,
you may come to Me.
___
Shabbat Shalom,
Abe