Reconciliation

This past Sunday, the entire school went to see a musical called פרח נתתי לנורית (I gave a flower to Nurit). Although based on a children's book of the same title, the musical takes a dozen or so children's songs and compiles them into a story of what it means to be strong and believe in yourself. Truthfully, I was so excited to be back in a theater that anything would have been enjoyable to me, although this show touched my very heart. Many of the offhand comments the actors made to their fellow players were exactly the kinds of things we explicitly tell our students not to do. Yet, although I cringed inwardly, I watched to see how they would rectify the wrongs played out on the stage. And fix them they did. The last song of the play, entitled מתפייסה,  means something along the linesמתפייסה of to make right or to make nice/good. That as well as the word בורגוס were unfamiliar to me. Regardless, I understood immediately that the point of. Song is that we must make right the wrongs we do in order to demonstrate how we want others to treat us. As I've been told over and over, if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right. The main character Danny spends the play learning to believe in himself and in the end even shows how magnanimous he is by inviting all three other kids to play with him (even after they made fun of and harassed him for so long).

Oddly enough, this relates directly to the relationship between Jacob and Esau. A few weeks ago we read about the birthright which Jacob was promised by  Esau when Esau simply desired a bowl of soup.  Now, many years later, Jacob wants to make right with his brother. After sending the message that he wants to meet, Esau returns saying he is coming with 400 men (interesting-either his family is rather large, or he believes in strength in numbers). Jacob splits his family into two camps on either side of the river Jabbuk, (a tributary of the mighty Jordan) and prepared the gifts he would present to his brother.

If you will permit me, a small detour into the parsha offers an interesting glimpse into the dexterity with which these stories are crafted. Genesis 32:25 has Jacob wrestling with a creature. As the day is breaking, the creature realizes he is being bested so touches and strains Jacob's thigh (which is why we don't eat thigh meat now). The creature then requests release, but Jacob does not relent. Instead, he demands a blessing in exchange. The name Israel is bestowed upon Jacob, meaning he who will struggle with God (the verb in Biblical Hebrew, ש.ר.ה. only appears twice in the whole bible, but definitely seems to have an association with struggle and perseverance. An interesting thing to look into further). The future connotation of the word suggests that Jacob and then the people who share his name will be blessed/plagued with struggles with God, but will persevere. Because not only is the word about struggle, but about perseverance. Which is very apt to the initial play, as the whole play is about Danny struggling with himself, with his self-esteem and courage. Three tasks are placed before him Dan three times he succeeds. Each task provides an opportunity to learn, and each one Danny finds a want to excel.

Now, as we turn back to the reunion of the estranged brothers, we see the direct correlation to התפייסות, which, As it turns out, when input into a translation machine, means reconciliation. How fitting. Esau runs to meet Jacob and falls on his throat (another example of possible mistranslation due to convoluted pronoun use) and kisses him. The reunion is complete and the brothers are connected.

Regardless, the brothers do have their reconciliation, their התפייסות. Although obviously difficult for each party, they find the inner strength to appear before the other and beg forgiveness. This lesson of putting aside one's pride and simply apologizing, or extending the hand of welcome is imperative for us to teach our children. For, if our children learn this lesson, plain and simple, they will be able to carry it into their lives and therefore be able to bring greater humanity to all those they encounter.