Maureena’s Torah Reflections
Parashat Vayishlach. Genesis 32:4-36:43
He took with him a present for his brother, Esau: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys (32:13-15).
This is Jacob coming home to be reconciled with his brother. He has his servants go in droves to present these gifts to Esau, and at each encounter with Esau to say, “They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us” (32:18).
Throughout this whole scene, Jacob refers to his brother as lord and to himself as his servant.
Before the actual encounter with his brother, Jacob had a tough night of struggle with an unknown force. Jacob came out of the struggle with a new name: “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.” No longer will he be called Jacob, the supplanter, but Israel, in which is embodied God’s name EL, Isra-el. When the brothers separate, Esau says to Jacob, I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God” (33:10).
I hear Jesus saying, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7).
Prepared by Prof. Sr Maureena Fritz
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“Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies.”
Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions: Nostra Aetate, No. 4