Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/283

Rh Jacob and Esau

265

Now

to regard as life's greatest blessing.

he stood upon the

border of his native land, prepared to enter and to come to his father's house.

prayed and longed.

was the moment for which he had

It

Surely Jacob should have been happy.

But Jacob was far from happy. had opened

so narrowly averted,

been so enraged

had himself

quarrel with Laban,

eyes.

first

life's

so

cruelly

dearest blessings

by

Laban had

betrayed and de-

his

cherish his anger and to seek revenge

still

If

having been deceived, even though he and repeatedly deceived Jacob, then how

at

much more reason had Esau, frauded of

The his

own !

brother,

Now

to

that he

had escaped Laban's wrath, and the inevitable meeting with Esau drew closer, Jacob realized more clearly than at any time previously the full measure and import of the wrong which he had done to his brother. He had hoped that these twenty years might have allowed Esau's anger to cool or if not, that he might appease Esau with a rich present of flocks and herds, such as he could easily spare out of his "



Now he suddenly remembered that Esau was not of a forgiving nature, and, above all, that he had ample reason for hatred and revenge. And as he stood upon the border of the home land fear seized him, fear of

great abundance.

brother and his anger, but even more, fear of himself

his

and

In this connection the wise rabbis sagely asked,

his sin.

why

should Jacob have feared so greatly before Esau,

he did not fear

at all to fight the angel, or

And knew how

throughout the entire night? feared Esau because he

whatever

they answered greatly he had

it

when was,

that

he

wronged

him. So we always fear before those whom we have wronged. And the rabbis also taught that before a man sins everyone fears him after he sins he fears everyone. Thus, as the great poet said, "Conscience doth make cow;

ards of us

But

all".

this

acter at this

very fear showed Jacob's real nature and char-

moment.

For he was judging Esau

entirely

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