In this week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach, Jacob gives something of himself to his brother Esau. In this parashah, Jacob sees Esau for the first time in twenty years. You may remember that the last time these two brothers saw one another was when Jacob was fleeing his family’s home in fear of his life, for Esau had just discovered that Jacob had stolen his birthright.
In the beginning of this week’s portion, Jacob spends a night of restless wrestling, he is filled with the deepest fears imaginable. Jacob is terrified that Esau, in violent retribution for his earlier thievery, would attack him and his entire family. We can imagine how relieved and shocked Jacob must have been when Esau, instead of attacking him, received him. We can imagine what Jacob must have felt when he realized that his worst nightmares would not become reality. We can imagine that Jacob, by the end of this encounter, was unbelievably grateful to his brother and to God.
I believe that we can all identify with Jacob: We know the feelings associated with being given a gift that we feel we might not have deserved. We can empathize with the deep gratitude that Jacob must have felt when he knew that his life would be spared.
But, what is remarkable about Jacob’s behavior in this story is what Jacob does with his gratitude. For, when Jacob realizes that Esau is granting him the gift of peace, Jacob says to him: “‘…I pray; if you would do me this favor, accept from me this brachah (blessing), for to see your face is like seeing the face of God, and you have received me favorably. Please accept my blessing which has been brought to you, for God has favored me and I have plenty’” (33:10).
Jacob responds to his heartfelt gratitude by giving something essential of himself to his brother. The blessing that Jacob gives to Esau is more than just a simple offering. This gift is Jacob’s attempt to make right the wrong he had committed against Esau twenty years ago. The Hebrew word for birthright is “b'racha” or “blessing.” And so, when Jacob offers Esau a “b'racha,” a blessing as a gift of gratitude, I believe that Jacob is trying to set right what he had done wrong. For, Jacob, in his gratitude, gives Esau a “b'racha,” something that is profoundly essential to who he is, and something which Esau lacks.
The truth is, it would have been easy for Jacob to have simply walked away from his brother. Jacob could have fallen to his knees, in perfect biblical style. He could have thanked and praised God, his Provider and Protector, his Rock and his Shield for delivering him from his brother. But, Jacob does not just do that. Jacob knows that prayer, in this case, is not enough. His gratitude warrants action. We can learn a lot from Jacob.
This is thanksgiving.
Questions for further reflection (perfect for family-sharing during Shabbat meals):
- What is a gift that have you received for which you did not feel worthy?
- How did you feel when you received it? How did you react?
- What life-lesson(s) did you learn from the experience?
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