Po Ve Sham

Parashat V’yishlach

A Short reflection…

Jacob and Esau are about to meet again and this is what Jacob has in mind:

” Now deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him” (Gen 32:12).

Of course he is afraid, they separated 20 years ago following a terrible conflict involving anger, anguish and harsh words.

Afraid of getting close to Esau:

 …he went ahead of them and prostrated himself to the ground seven times, until he came close to his brother (Gen 33:3).

And this is what happened:

And Esau ran toward him and embraced him, and he fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept (Gen 33:4).

Sometimes we cling on to the narrative of the disagreement and the conflict. We somehow forget that in parallel to those there are other parts to the story – the nostalgia, the love…

Jacob and Esau’s meeting is a beautiful reminder that what has been defined as lost forever can be found again.

So let’s not define! Let’s keep the hope of meeting again, of sharing again….of running toward each other and hugging again.

Shabbat Shalom