Towards the end of Chaye Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael come together to bury their father, Abraham in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 25:9). The parsha concludes with the listing of the generations of Ishmael and describing the land where they dwelled.
Towards the end of this week's parsha, Vayishlach, Esau and Jacob come together to bury their father, Isaac (Gen 35:29). The final chapter of the parsha is devoted to the generations of Esau and describing the land where they dwelled.
In the Torah, the lineage of the Jewish people is clear--the covenant between the Israelites and God is passed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob. But while the children of Ishmael and Esau may not be of our tribe, they are our brethren and our neighbors. That is clear.
As both sets of brothers join together to honor their father, the Jews of Israel must find a way to come together; to be able to live side-by-side; to honor our ancestors. This is the message the Torah has for us in this generation.
08 December 2006
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