“The Voice is the Voice of Jacob But the Hands Are the Hands of Esau”

"The Voice is the Voice of Jacob But the Hands Are the Hands of Esau"

November 20^th, 2009

Rabbi Gary S. Creditor

 

The verse from this week's parsha of Toldot, "The Voice is the Voice of Jacob but the Hands Are the Hands of Esau" indicate the duplicity of Jacob towards his father Isaac to surreptitiously receive the blessing of the first born instead of his brother Esau, who was the true first born. It is a complicated sedra, and reading it can and should leave us ill-at- ease with all three main characters, Rebecca, Isaac and Jacob. While I was conditioned to see Esau as the "bad guy" in the Torah, in reading this sedra is particular, Esau is the one which attracts my sympathy. With all that said, the verse uttered by Isaac with his son standing before him, echoes through history as signifying a person being two-faced. I wish to use this verse in a most serious, delicate and crucial context.

 

Regarding Reverend Pat Robertson, at least everyone knows where he stands on any given issue. He is the voice of the ultra-conservative political spectrum as well as a voice expressing Christianity's response and manipulation of immediate pressing issues, social and political. While some in the Jewish world are willing to embrace ultra conservative Christian leaders when their views on Israel dovetail with ultra nationalistic Jewish views, I would personally reject both these and those. Both "ultra"s lead to destruction. And I would be particularly leery and exceedingly watchful of politicians who don't understand the difference and repudiate both these and those.

 

We are all horrified by the shootings at Fort Hood, Texas that happened two weeks ago. Whenever such terrible events occur I double clutch my kishkes, first for the terrible event itself, and secondly, waiting for the name of the perpetrator(s). When the name Maj. Nidal M. Hasan was mentioned I knew that many terrible things would be said about Arabs/Muslims, their place in our country and the world view about Islam. As Jews and as American, we should not, must not be silent.

 

On his 700 Club, Reverend Pat Robertson said the following:

"Islam is a violent – I was going to say religion – but it is not a religion. It's a political system. It's a violent political system bent on the overthrow of governments of the world and world domination.

 

"They talk about infidels and all this. But the truth is, that's what the game is. You're dealing with not a religion. You're dealing with a political system. And I think you should treat it as such and treat its adherents as such. As we would members of the Communist Party and members of some Fascist group."

 

I condemn Reverend Robertson for his remarks. The definition of Islam as well as Judaism and Christianity does not yield to simplification. We talk about Israel as a "Jewish State." Christianity made the Roman Empire into "The Holy Roman Empire." Islam has "the Ummah." In particular Christianity does not have clean hands. Its representatives decimated the Native Americans in North, South and Central Americas, never mind its bloody trail in Africa. It led several very bloody Crusades against Muslims before its adherents perpetrated the Holocaust on us. Judaism, at least in its earlier history also has bloody hands. The conquest of Canaan and the disposition of its peoples is well recorded with people rejoicing with David having killed by the thousands and tens of thousands. Even the self defense against thousands of missiles from Gazaand previously from Lebanon shows the difficulty of doing so among large number of civilians. There is an old expression: "People who live in glass houses don't throw stones." Everyone lives in glass houses. No one should throw stones at the other.

 

I condemn Reverend Robertson for his remarks.  No segment of American society should be tarred and feathered because of one its adherents has committed a crime. Should American Jewry have been so tarred when Goldstein perpetrated the massacre in the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron? Are we all to blame for the sins of Bernard Madoff? Has not Robertson learned anything from the witch hunts conducted in the early 1950's looking for a "Commie" under every rock? Muslims, Jews and Christians died in the World Trade Towers catastrophe. Particularly because of his besmirching Muslim Americans with one brush stroke, we, from our own Jewish experience, must condemn him and his words and join with like minded Americans in demanding an apology and retraction. We know to where calling names leads. Words are not empty. They create hate. As Jews, because of the values of our Judaism we must condemn hate in any form.

 

I condemn Reverend Robertson for his remarks and want to hear equal words of condemnation from governor elect McDonnell.When then candidate Obama was linked to his former minister Jeremiah Wright, every one, Robertson and republicans included, jumped on the bandwagon to pressure him to denounce Wright.  $25,000 is not paltry sum in campaign donations. Does it by silence? Or will the governor elect, with a sizeable Muslim American population speak the truth?

 

Particularly one who has advocated for, lived in and has a daughter as a permanent Israeli citizen, do not take lightly nor casually the multi-dimensional geopolitical, religious, and economic dynamics that bedevil the world. There is nothing simple about it. But when I shop in the grocery store, in the malls, walk down Carytown and see men and women in their authentic garb speaking in their native language, I will not look at them as threats to my existence. I will look at them as fellow Americans. I want them to see my kipah and hear my Hebrew. I want us all to salute the flag and sing the anthem. If we can not do it in this country, then the world is doomed. As Jews, we must make a difference and raise our voices, to quote my favorite hero, Superman, "for truth, justice and the American way."

 

Shabbat Shalom.