Yes We Can Change!

The article "Yes we can change" was written regarding Toldos wihich ends with Jacob running for his life to flee Esau who wants to kill him. Two weeks later is the Parshah of Vayishlach Esau with a large army of soldiers confronts Jacob he lovingly embraces his brother Jacob and they both wept. Surely , that is a story of change. But we must study the Parshah of Vayishlach and see the humble gracious and respectful way Jacob received his brother that helped to change him from the passion of murderous rage to the compassion of brotherly love.

Many years ago when President Carter was trying to make a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel I was talking to a Hebrew school class about the sedrah of the week which was Parshah of Vayishlach. One of the children asked what the story has to do with today.
I said that maybe just as Esau was able to turn around to make peace with Jacob (whose name became Israel) the country of Israel will be able to achieve a lasting peace Egypt. Reply

Change is never easy to accomplish.
There are many circumstances, peer pressure and sometimes even parents and or spouses that don't want you to change.
I believe the first step is to ask Hashem to help you, to send you heavenly help.
Next do a lot of soul searching. Try to communicate your feelings with your loved ones. If they truely love you they will respect your desire and decision to become more religious. Hopefully they will support you in your quest.
If you have friends that ridicule you and try to stop you, they are not really your friends.
Sometimes changing to a new job or changing to a new city can help since you are starting from scratch.
The most important thing is don't lose yourself. When you look in the mirror you should feel pleased with who you have become and never lose your faith. Reply

to Dino You say you're losing your faith and in distress but I can't help you without personal info. Know this though- I live w/out any hope at all for most of my life. That never means being w/out faith. They are two totally different things and my life is testimony to the fact that w/out faith at all especially not in humanity for me, and GD turning His back on me....I still believe. To cease to believe is to cease to live. Reply

To Haresh Goldman (SwampsxcottMA): I believe that Ishmael improved his attitude to Isaac from the comment in Genesis after the narrative of Abraham's death and send off by his children : " And Isaac dwelt near Beer Rahi Rohai (Well of the Living One Who Sees Me)" . Ishmael apparently allowed Isaac to use his well (named by Hagar after an Angel revealed it to her), unlike the other desert nasties, till Isaac could find his own well and settle there.
We do not know it if it was for a large fee, this coming from someone who has to depend on a certain neighbouring Muslim majority country for water. What do you think as Jews? Reply

Jacob and Esau Why did G-d say "Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated" before they did anything good or bad? Reply

Superb I love this piece of writing. I am not Jewish but I do reckonise the Jewish people as being G-d's chosen ones and therefore I respect them as such.
Very enlightening.
Thank you. Reply

I am in complete distress. I am losing my faith. Can you help me start over? Reply

Thank You I love these readings,keeps me relaxed feeling i am at least keeps me wanting to remember what was forgeten many years ago,again thank you for doing what you do, Reply

So you want to marry a non-Jew? To say being Jewish just is, it's a state of who you fundamentally are , and no-one outside of this can join the club, is not what this is about. In fact one could say that the exclusion from the 'club' is every bit as racist as if we were talking all white and no black. Whether or not you keep showing your faith by outward demonstrations such as attending festivals, eating certain foods, abstaining from others etc you do not want to go down the route of faith-racism...we see what this does to whole countries and its people daily as we see the latest is atrocities. So, you want to marry a non-Jew? Then ask her to join you in your faith and convert...the way to do this is already enshrined and really it is not used enough. Embrace the fact that you have the chance to fully re-engage with your faith and take your wife to be on a spiritual journey which will be with you forever as a symbol of your togetherness. What's the problem? none! And if someone says there is..then that is a problm Reply

Yes, Esau is actually an uncomplicated person Your commentary on Jacob and Essau reminds me of the time long ago when my son, now 14 had daily devotions. We went through the Book of Genesis. We drew the conclusion that G-d does not bless gluttons or people who do not think ahead (Essau wanted the red lentil soup more than his birthright, so giving Jacob the right to deceive their visually challenged father). My son said that he preferred Esau as he was at least honest. He was only 5. Reply

on being human The morality of each person is in his own hands. We are taught what we are taught and as we grow we decide what to believe. It is proper to live a G-Dly life but many don't. Too many. The question remains to each and every human on this planet: do you like what you see when you look in the mirror? Why or why not? Reply

Does this imply that there is hope (of redemption), even for the most incorrigible amongst us? Reply

Yes, We Can Change Mazel tov, Chani! Your well written article has given me several things to think about. Your words have reminded me that I do have control over my responses to even more challenges that I have faced this year; I needed that reminder! Reply

From my own experience,prayers in the morning and being in gratitude for everything has helped me to stay away from negative elements or to go astray.The desire is there but once i decide what is good G-d helps.I then feel locked in and sealed with his presence. Reply

Chani Benjamin's assertion "Yes we can change!" Chani says , The day will come when the Esau's of the world will shine. May it be now.

Near the end of the previous sedrah, Chayay Sarah, it is written that Yishamael joined his brother, Yitzchak, to pay respect for their/our Patriacrh, Abraham, at the burial at the Machpelah in Chevron. Rashi says regarding the verse that Yishamael did tshuvah (repentance). Not many verses later it states that Yishamael died. The Torah uses the term "vayigva". Rashi explains that the term "vayigva" is used for tzadikim (righteous people). About a couple of days ago Netanyahu told
Obama, "We'll never give up the hope for peace"
Of course,it gets more complex when we are not talking about individuals like Yishamael and Yitzchak or Yaakov and Esau, but whole movements. Still national politics of friends and enemies constantly changes. Reply

The story of Jacob and Esau does not appeal to the sensibilities of contemporary people . The starving Esau was connived by Jacob to give up his inheritance .In olden days kids grew up and tried to overthrow their parents to take over their wealth or kingdom . They would even kill the older sibling to be next in line for the inheritance .
The other confusing thing is that G -d made Esau's lineage so powerful it took over the Middle East . Only in WW1 were they conquered by Western Nations and only after WW2 did Arabs suffer their first diaspora from Palestine .
The Talmud serves as a form of Apologetics to rebut the story in a positive light .
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Change we change? Yes, by repenting, turning from our ways and following Deu. 28:1-14, choosing life. Reply

yes I agree that we do have the choice in how we react to them, yet I take a slower road and choose to respond. most enjoyable to see this in my inbox this day. Thankyou :) Reply