of course there was potential good in eisav and he did have the capacity to do good. yitzchok recognized this and to this end he wanted to give the brochos to eisav. however, this was dependent upon eisav's choice to acknowledge and submit to yaakov's greatness. this was actualized in the relationship between rebee and antanienus. the netziv is telling us that when yaakov and eisav embraced, yaakov detected in eisav some stirring of this positive regard towards him. as a result of this his own love towards eisav was aroused. eisav, ultimately chose not to submit and became an eternal enemy of yaakov.
when the torah describes eisev's hatred towards yaakov that began after yaakov received the blessings, it uses the verb vayistom and not the usual root sinah. the commentators explain, based on the targum, that this was a more intense hatred that eisev held onto and harbored towards yaakov. this hatred was transmitted to his descendants,among them amalek and haman, with disastrous consequences for klal yisroel through out history. the netziv is saying that in spite of this historic hatred, any descendent of eisav who is aroused to recognize the supremacy of klal yisroel can opt out of this historic hatred and will be embraced by klal yisroel as brothers reconciling after being estranged from each other. this is reflected in the issur to reject a convert from eisav's descendants (rmb"m sfh"m 54) as the torah states (deu. 23 8) you shall not reject an edomite for he is your brother.
rav hirsh explains the word yayistom to mean a pent-up hatred and to bear a grudge and harbor resentment. chazal clearly say that eisev's intense hatred towards yaakov was transmitted to his descendants. rashi (gen.29 11) quotes the medrash to explain why yaakov came empty handed to lavan's house. the medrash explains that eliphaz, the son of eisev pursued yaakov, at the command his father, in order to kill him. however, since eliphaz grew up under the influence of yitzchok, he did not kill yaakov, and instead robbed him of all his possessions. the medrash (deu. 20 2) continues and contrasts eliphaz's behavior to the behavior of amalek which gained the notoriety of being the first nation to attack klal yisroel as they left mitzraim. the medrash states that this was because amalek grew up under the "close embrace of eisev" who had a profound influence over him and imparted to his grandson amalek his own hatred of yaakov. it is now close to two thousand years since the destruction of the second bais hamikdosh by the romans and we continue to suffer under the ongoing golus edom.
He emphasized however our National Mission to rise from Yaakov's exilic situation to the level of Yitzchak and culmination towards Avraham - all inclusive rubric of Av Hamon Goyim. This was a central tenet of his weltenshauung!
I read that bit to Debbie the erstwhile history teacher, and she said "Antoninus? The gay emperor?" One wonders if the Netziv or his sources knew that.
h/t Daniel Rubin.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is coming from the leader of a place all contemporary yeshivos claim as their model!
ReplyDeletePlace, yes. After all, Reb Chaim said a shiur there. Hashkafa of this particular individual, lav davka.
Deletehairsplitting
DeleteWhile his influence is weaker & subliminal now
it remains in the older more traditional crowds still
of course there was potential good in eisav and he did have the capacity to do good. yitzchok recognized this and to this end he wanted to give the brochos to eisav. however, this was dependent upon eisav's choice to acknowledge and submit to yaakov's greatness. this was actualized in the relationship between rebee and antanienus. the netziv is telling us that when yaakov and eisav embraced, yaakov detected in eisav some stirring of this positive regard towards him. as a result of this his own love towards eisav was aroused. eisav, ultimately chose not to submit and became an eternal enemy of yaakov.
ReplyDelete1. He mentions nothing about being enemies.
Delete2. He does mention that throughout history the relationship can be rekindled at any time.
Rabbi Sender Goldberg of Baltimore
ReplyDeletehas expounded a whole exposition similar to this
when the torah describes eisev's hatred towards yaakov that began after yaakov received the blessings, it uses the verb vayistom and not the usual root sinah. the commentators explain, based on the targum, that this was a more intense hatred that eisev held onto and harbored towards yaakov. this hatred was transmitted to his descendants,among them amalek and haman, with disastrous consequences for klal yisroel through out history. the netziv is saying that in spite of this historic hatred, any descendent of eisav who is aroused to recognize the supremacy of klal yisroel can opt out of this historic hatred and will be embraced by klal yisroel as brothers reconciling after being estranged from each other. this is reflected in the issur to reject a convert from eisav's descendants (rmb"m sfh"m 54) as the torah states (deu. 23 8) you shall not reject an edomite for he is your brother.
ReplyDeleteWhich commentators? I suspect you are referring to Acharonei Acharonim...
Deleterav hirsh explains the word yayistom to mean a pent-up hatred and to bear a grudge and harbor resentment. chazal clearly say that eisev's intense hatred towards yaakov was transmitted to his descendants. rashi (gen.29 11) quotes the medrash to explain why yaakov came empty handed to lavan's house. the medrash explains that eliphaz, the son of eisev pursued yaakov, at the command his father, in order to kill him. however, since eliphaz grew up under the influence of yitzchok, he did not kill yaakov, and instead robbed him of all his possessions. the medrash (deu. 20 2) continues and contrasts eliphaz's behavior to the behavior of amalek which gained the notoriety of being the first nation to attack klal yisroel as they left mitzraim. the medrash states that this was because amalek grew up under the "close embrace of eisev" who had a profound influence over him and imparted to his grandson amalek his own hatred of yaakov. it is now close to two thousand years since the destruction of the second bais hamikdosh by the romans and we continue to suffer under the ongoing golus edom.
ReplyDeleteHe emphasized however our National Mission to rise from Yaakov's exilic situation to the level of Yitzchak and culmination towards Avraham - all inclusive rubric of Av Hamon Goyim. This was a central tenet of his weltenshauung!
Deletehttps://rygb.blogspot.com/2012/12/halacha-byadua-eav-soneh-lyaakov.html
Deletehttps://rygb.blogspot.com/2017/06/rav-henkin-on-esav-sonei-lyaakov-from.html
https://rygb.blogspot.com/2018/11/blog-post.html
I read that bit to Debbie the erstwhile history teacher, and she said "Antoninus? The gay emperor?" One wonders if the Netziv or his sources knew that.
ReplyDelete