Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 19 Kislev, 5784
Parsha Va-Yishlah (Genesis 32:4 – 36:43)
Seventh Portion: Genesis 36:20 – 36:43
Shabbat Shalom! This week’s portion, Va-Yishlah (and he sent) has been FASCINATING for me. It would seem we picked up a ton of learning this week. To summarize so far:
The path to freedom involves grief. Allowing ourselves to feel sadness – maybe other feelings we’ve judged as negative? Avoiding and repressing our feelings leads to war and conflict. Being aware of our feelings leads to freedom and joy. This is the path to spiritual liberation. We can receive Isaac’s blessing and grieve to take the yoke off our back.
The path to freedom is not rejecting sincerity for accuracy. Accuracy can be a safe harbor – but it can also be a prison. Remain curious and work towards sincere feeling and honest seeing. THIS is the harmony of Kislev (in my opinion).
Fear is potentially the avoidance of grief. It’s holding onto something in the past and not moving forward. As long as the yoke of fear is on our neck and we do not allow ourselves to grieve? We cannot be free or liberated. Grieving takes power away from fear.
So. We come into today’s final portion with the idea that freedom involves engaging our grief. ESPECIALLY unresolved grief. Receiving Isaac’s blessing of Esau to grieve and take the yoke off ourselves if crucial. Focusing on the sincerity of those feelings and not the accuracy of what caused those feelings is also important. And, seeing fear as a “warning light” to see what we are holding onto to avoid letting go of.
This is the blessing of Esau. And I just think how many times I’ve read this parsha – and recounted the story of Jacob and Esau, and have missed this blessing.
I wrote two years ago that I was confused as to why this parsha ended with Esau’s familial line. I think upon reading it now? I understand why. Esau has a special honor. Grief. Regret. And how we can let go of that. Let’s dig in:
20These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, and Anah;
21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chieftains of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom.
So. Let’s stop here. What I notice is that YESTERDAY we ENDED with:
36:19These are the sons of Esau and these are their chieftains, he is Edom.
The first six daily portions this week ended with Esau. We start today’s seventh portion almost letting go of Esau and jumping into – the sons of Seir.
It is interesting the Seir was the crossroads. Jacob promised to meet Esau at Seir. And Jacob ghosted Esau. And today’s portion begins with a focus on Seir. Seir is important. Will we keep our promises? Will we heal our grief? If we do, we can see our past grief being healed is a blessing, and this is the blessing:
22The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and the sister of Lotan was Timna.
23And these are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho and Onam.
24And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah he is Anah who found the mules in the wilderness when he pastured the donkeys for his father Zibeon.
25And these are the sons of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
26And these are the sons of Dishan: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
27These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
29These are the chieftains of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah,
30Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan; these are the chieftains of the Horites according to their chieftains in the land of Seir.
“Be fruitful and multiply.” Healed grief and taking Jacob’s yoke of his neck, allowed Esau’s tree to flourish and grow. Just as his father Isaac told him it would. Isaac was the miracle child of Abraham and Sarah. Hashem provided the egg. Abraham provided the seed. And from that came the healing of grief. The blessing of the son who regretted his decision to sell his birthright and his promised blessing from Hashem. Hashem took care of Esau – long before Esau knew he’d sell his birthright. Esau’s life was much more beautiful than I realized, TBH. He was born rough. Made some REALLY bad decisions. Married the wrong women. Sold his birthright.
Christians talk about the prodigal son. I wonder if Esau is the original prodigal son? Seir is the place the healing happened. Esau trusted Jacob to meet up with him. And when Jacob didn’t? Esau just lived his life. Let it unfold. And it bore much beauty.
How often do we feel ashamed? Guilty? Embarrassed by our past. We see ourselves as Esau; longing to be a Jacob. And yet here, the Torah paints a beautiful picture of healing through grief.
And we see. Esau’s children have royalty:
31And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel:
32Bela, son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33Bela died, and Jobab, son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his stead.
34And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
35Husham died, and Hadad, son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead. The name of his city was Avith.
36Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
37Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.
38Saul died, and Baal Hanan, son of Achbor, reigned in his stead.
39Baal Hanan, son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead. The name of his city was Pau; his wife’s name was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me zahab.
Esau was royalty BEFORE Jacob. Now – we might argue this isn’t a good thing. And yet – who are we to judge? It is CERTAINLY curious that Esau had kings before Israel did. Esau created royalty for themselves. From Bela, to Jobab, to Husham, to Hadad, to Samlah, to Saul, to Baal Hanan, to Hadar – Eight kings. Eight lights of royalty.
And we close the king lineage by focusing on a woman. Mehetabel. The wife of Hadar. And the Torah gives us the name of her mother and grandmother – Matred and Me zahab.
What is ALSO interesting – is we STARTED this section – leaving the sons of Seir behind with this:
22The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and the sister of Lotan was Timna.
Timna. From Timna to Mehetabel. With one woman in the middle: Oholibamah – the daughter of King Anah.
Who was Timna?
36:12And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz, son of Esau, and she bore to Eliphaz, Amalek. These are the sons of Adah, the wife of Esau.
Who was Oholibamah?
36:18And these are the sons of Oholibamah, the wife of Esau: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, Chief Korah. These are the chieftains of Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, the wife of Esau.
These were from yesterday’s portion.
Now. I was a little confused. Anah. Adah. Both are listed as the wife of Esau. In verse 12? Amalek is born. He is listed as a “son of Adah, the wife of Esau.”
Who was Esau’s wife? Anah? Adah? Is this a typo?
To further confuse things:
24And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah he is Anah who found the mules in the wilderness when he pastured the donkeys for his father Zibeon.
Anah is ALSO the son of Zibeon. And the Torah does seem to think ahead here – this isn’t a typo. Anah here (in verse 24) is NOT the wife of Esau.
So. Esau seems to have (at least) the following wives: Anah, Adah (from verses 12 and 18) and Oholibamah (verse 18).
Confused? Let’s add one more:
25And these are the sons of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
This Anah (in verse 25) is the Anah discussed in verse 24. NOT a wife of Esau. And. THIS Anah? Pops of Oholibamah, a wife of Esau.
Now. Let’s stop.
How many times have we read this and COMPLETELY ignore the women in the Torah? Just moved beyond this list. But think of what we just did by being curious about it? We centered the women.
The Torah gets a bad rep as being patriarchal. But femininity is built into the Torah – we just have to VALUE IT to see it. If we don’t VALUE femininity? It seems to get lost.
Because what I take away from this portion? Oholibamah seems like an important woman in the line of Esau. She’s sandwiched between Timnah and Mehetabel. Let’s keep this in mind as we FINISH TODAY’S PORTION and TODAY’S PARSHA!
40And these are the names of the chieftains of Esau, according to their clans, according to their places, by their names: Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth;
41Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon,
Full. Stop.
Just reread verse 40 and 41.
If you stuck with my thoughts. If you slowed down and didn’t speed up through them? These verses pack a punch, don’t they? If they didn’t? I would encourage you to re-read today’s thoughts from the beginning again.
Timna. A concubine. Was a flippin CHIEF.
Oholibama. A wife of Esau. Was a CHIEF.
And their names are FIRST. Verses 40 and 41 could have been written in SO MANY different ways. Yet Timna and Oholibama are FIRST in each line. WHY?
Because Women have value in the Torah. The feminine has value in the Torah.
And this is what I THINK I am discovering about the masculine and feminine:
The masculine? It smacks you in the face with masculinity. It shouts “here I am! Don’t ignore me!” Femininity? It says “come and find me. I want to be DISCOVERED. That is where my POWER lies!”
This is JUST a hypothesis. I’m curious to other thoughts. But wow.
And before we look outward to the men and women in our lives? I think the idea is to look within. Where is our OWN femininity? Are we looking for it? Are we discovering it? Or are we so focused on our internal masculinity (I am NOT just talking to the dudes here – I think women may struggle with this as well – but I am not a woman so I don’t know) we can’t find it?
And. Another thought.
The shadow/opposite side of this? A masculine within us begging to be discovered. Hiding within us saying “come and find me. I want to be discovered because I’m just a little boy scared of rejection. Afraid to be seen because of the power I have. And a feminine within us that shouts “HERE I AM! Don’t IGNORE ME! I am tired of waiting to be discovered! I have been here in PLAIN SIGHT and you just speak over me! You don’t seem to care to discover me. PAY ATTENTION!”
This is going to require more. But as we close today’s portion – “and he sent” I leave with these questions to “send out” into the universe:
- Do we send our consciousness within to discover our hiding, scared masculinity within our own soul? Or do we distract ourselves by being critical of others who hide this scared masculinity?
- Do we send our consciousness within to discover our powerful feminine waiting to be discovered and recognized within our own soul? Or do we distract ourselves by being critical of others who boast about their feminine power?
This. This is where the Torah is taking us. Let’s finish out:
42Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar,
43Chief Magdiel, Chief Iram. These are the chieftains of Edom according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. That is Esau, progenitor of the Edomites.
Whew. This is a lot. I am SUPER CURIOUS to your thoughts!
Here is my commentary from the past two years:
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 16 Kislev, 5783
Shabbat Shalom!
Wow. I wrote this all a year ago. It is incredible how things play out in timing. I literally wrote in my journal this morning how silence is giving approval for behavior (thank you again Tammy Cotter). I even sent someone an email this morning asking them to not remain silent as to reinforce negative behavior. All before reading this passage.
The Torah really is a book about spiritual freedom and liberation friends. The Torah portion today is relatively benign on the surface. But deep down it has a powerful message for us.
Where are we being silent in our lives and not speaking up to advocate for ourselves? For those we care about? Where are we staying silent out of politeness or fear of hurting someone’s feelings, even though we know the behavior is concerning and not healthy?
Where are we being silent WITHIN OURSELVES because we don’t want to advocate and do the work?
Before we get too far down this road….
Where are we being silent within ourselves and avoiding words of compassion and empathy and kindness to ourselves because we are trying to be polite to the voice in our heads that constantly criticizes ourselves and our identities?
Be kind. Speak up. Tell yourself. You are doing good. It’s going to be ok. You’re doing the best you can. You are exactly where you need to be. You have courage to live the next 60 seconds the best way you know. In harmony. In compassion. In kindness. In love.
Shabbat Shalom.
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Kislev 16, 5782
Yesterday we left off with the descendants of Esau, known as Edom.
I IMPLORE YOU to read the Haftorah thoughts in the comments. Todays portion in the Torah is very “bland” to a degree. But when we bring the Haftorah into it? It comes ALIVE! A lot of warnings to us and a really good question to chew on. You don’t want to miss the Haftorah.
Today, we finish Va-Yishlah with the descendants of Seir; where Esau had ended up. It is an otherwise uneventful portion today. A lot of names.
We also learn about the Kings of Edom. These are the kings who reigned before any king reigned over Israel.
We then learn that after Hadar died, Esau’s family lost their authority and things became regional instead of through Esau’s line.
I was struggling to find deeper meaning here. I first came to the place of recognition of how the Torah names the descendants of Esau here. It is interesting the honor Hashem gives Esau and his descendants by listing the names. Names are crucial in the Torah. I think about whose names are listed and who is left out.
I did find this nugget in The Talmud, when looking at the children of Seir (verse 36:20). The verse says ”these are the children of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land.”
From the Talmud; “Here, the unexpected phrase ‘the inhabitants of the land’ tells us that the Horites were experts in agriculture. They were able to accurately predict: this piece of land is best suited for planting olive trees, this plot is best suited for grapevines and this is best suited for fig trees. The name “Horite” suggest that they smelled the earth to discern its properties, for by transposing the letters of ’Horite’ – Hori we obtain the Hebrew word for “scent”. By the smell of the earth they were able to tell which crop would thrive on any given piece of land.”
Interesting.
What do you think? How do we navigate portions like this, which are just names? What do you think?
Haftorah thoughts will be coming in the comments.
Todays Haftorah is Obadiah 1:1-21
As a summary, this passage fast forwards and sees the Nation of Edom bringing the conflict between Israel and Edom to a close.
Obadiah was a convert from Edom; he prophesied the downfall of Edom. The Talmud said “From the Forrest itself comes the handle of the axe which fells it.”
This is all a vision; Obadiah hears directly from Hashem.
God invites the nations to wage war against Edom. God says that Edom started small and despised by the nations; but Edom became great. However, wickedness enticed Edom to be overly proud.
Let’s stop here. How often do we see good people struggle, but when they see success, they become overly proud and forget their foundation? They start believing their own hype.
But Edom forgot what got them there; Hashem allowed Edom to become great, but he can bring them down to be conquered by other nations.
God adds insult here; because he says, even if thieves and robbers come, they don’t take EVERYTHING. Even if Grape gatherers come, they would leave some behind. Yet, Hashem says Edom is going to get totally wiped out. Wow.
So I’m stopping here because the Torah portion seems to lay the foundation of the strength of Edom; and the Haftorah shows just how it will fall.
Edom can’t even recognize their friends and Allies aren’t going to help. They will be wiped out.
We find out here why God is so angry with Edom. It’s not just their pride. We see starting in Obadiah 1:10 that Edom oppressed Jacob – he stood by when strangers confiscated his possessions, and foreigners divided lots to split up Jerusalem. God very clearly says Edom is like one of them because they did nothing to help.
Let’s stop here for a moment. I learned from Tammy Cotter a valuable lesson that has stuck with me a long time, and it was reinforced by Cyndie Morozumi and Chuck Rhodes. It’s the idea that “silence is giving tacit approval to behavior.”
That wisdom is biblical. When we are silent in the middle of injustice, we are guilty.
Given everything that has happened this past week, this lesson hits home even more when we look out in our world and see injustice.
We get a very clear warning; “You should not have looked on at your brothers anguish, on the day of his estrangement from his land, and all the more so you should not have rejoiced at the children of Judah when they were destroyed. Nor should you have spoken proudly on the day of his distress and since you did these things, I consider them acts of oppression against your brother.”
Given what happened in Wisconsin, this warning seems very apropos.
These are just questions to chew on. No judgment attached to these questions; but more for us to examine our own hearts here;
- Who is speaking proudly today while people in this nation are greatly distressed?
- Who is remaining silent over the loss of life in Wisconsin?
- Who is looking on at the anguish of our brothers and not feeling or communicating any compassion?
- Who is rejoicing right now?
Those are some hard questions to swallow to be honest. Hashem considers these acts of oppression. We can ignore them if we want; but I fear the consequences will be grave.
Let’s continue here. This section ends with God saying “because you should have realized the day of God’s reckoning on all the nations is near. As you have done, so will be done to you. Your recompense will come back on your head.”
That is very convicting for me. How am I acting towards others? If I treat others with compassion and empathy, that will come back to me, right? If I treat others with judgement and scorn, that will come back on me, right?
Even as a Jew; if I looked upon Edom for what they did with scorn and derision, that may come back to me. And God addresses this;
“For just as you, Judah, have drunk on My holy Mount, so too all the nations will constantly drink from the cup of turmoil. They will drink and become confounded. And they will be destroyed as if they never were. But on the Mount of Zion, there will be a remnant. And it will be holy. The house of Israel will inherit those nations who inherited them previously.”
Um. Wow. I reflect on who has “inherited” the house of Israel? That seems like something people would want to avoid. I’ll leave it for others to chew on those who have attempted in history to inherit Israel (cough cough *the church maybe* cough cough) and what the end result will be.
Because here’s how it ends;
“The house of Jacob will be a consuming fire, the house of Joseph a consuming flame, and the House of Esau will be like Straw.”
Obadiah concludes with “the exiled army of the children of Israel, who lived with the Canaanites until Zarepath, and the exiles of Jerusalem until Sepharad, will inherit the cities of the south. And when the Messiah and his ministers, the saviors of Mount Zion, will ascend Mount Seir to judge the children of Esau for all their wrongdoings to Israel, God will be King – all nations will recognize His sole authority.”
Wow. Just wow.
So the question I have to ask myself; without ANY assumptions is this;
Am I a member of Esau? Or do I belong to Jacob?
Regardless of my bloodline. Internally; do I stand by in silence as injustice occurs? Or do I drink on top of the Holy Mount? Do I drink compassion and empathy? Or do I drink pride and silence?
Those are important questions to consider.
Wow.
No responses yet