This week’s Torah portion is parsha Vayishlach, from Genesis 32:3 through chapter 36.
The story begins with Yakov, his wives, and his sons and daughter returning to the land of “his country and his kin,” after a long absence and obviously still-unresolved conflict.
And this one definitely has a lot to say about dealing with conflict.
First, the parsha itself, from the Erev Shabbat session:
The Sabbath Day teaching begins with some of the contrasts, and the parallels. Yakov has direction, and he has a promise. Several, in fact.
Yet still, he’s human, and when he hears news about his brother Esau coming to meet him, and that he seems to be bringing an army as well, he is “greatly afraid AND distressed.”
Which is where both the contrasts and the parallels begin.
“Vayishlach: Brothers, Enemies, and Jurisdiction”
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