The Kiss Of Esau (הנשיקה של עשו)

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parashath Wayeishev 5771

Last week, Jews read Parashath Wayishlah. One pasuq in particular caught my attention. Coming back into Eretz Yisra'el with his family, Ya'aqov is warned that his brother Esau approaches, and so he prepares to meet him through prayer, military strategy, and gifts. When Ya'aqov and Esau meet, this is what happens...

בראשית לג,ד  וַיָּרָץ עֵשָׂו לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ, וַיִּפֹּל עַל-צַוָּארָו וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ; וַיִּבְכּוּ.

Genesis 33:4 4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.

Rash"i comments that

וישקהו, נקוד עליו, ויש חולקין בדבר הזה בברייתא דספרי, יש שדרשו נקודה זו לומר שלא נשקו בכל לבו. אמר ר' שמעון בר יוחאי הלכה היא בידוע שעשו שונא ליעקב, אלא שנכמרו רחמיו באותה שעה ונשקו בכל לבו.

And he kissed him..., is dotted above it [in a Torah scroll], there is disagreement on this point in a baraita of Sifri, there are those who view the dots saying that he [Esau] did not kiss him with all of his heart. R' Shimon Bar Yohai says the halacha is well known that Esau hates Ya'aqov, but he took pity upon him at that moment, and he did kiss him with all of his heart.

After citing the same midrash regarding the presence of dots above the word (וישקהו), Bereishith Rabba (75:9) continues with an alternative view...

אמר לו ר' ינאי אם כן למה נקוד עליו, אלא מלמד שלא בא לנשקו אלא לנשכו, ונעשה צוארו של אבינו יעקב של שיש וקהו שניו של אותו רשע. ומה תלמוד לומר ויבכו, אלא זה בוכה על צוארו וזה בוכה על שניו. ר' אבהו בשם ר' יוחנן מיתי לה מן הכא (שיר השירים ז ה) צוארך כמגדל השן וגו'.

R' Yannai says, “If so, why is is it dotted above? Rather it teaches that he [Esau] did not come to kiss him, but rather to bite him, and the neck of Ya'aqov Avinu was made into marble and the teeth of the evil one dulled. And what it said regarding ‘and they cried?’ Rather this one cried because of his neck, and this one cried because of his teeth. R' Abahu in the name of R' Yohanan, “Say to him from this, ‘Your neck is like a tower of ivory…’” (Song of Songs 7:5)

More recently, the S'fas Emes, the Gerer Rebbe of the late 19th Century, stated that...

כשעשו מנשק, יעקב ננשך!

When Esau kisses, Ya'aqov is bitten!

So, who is Esau, that we must still be on guard from his bite, as well as his kiss?

The answer can also be found in Bereishith Rabba. Here HaZa”L identifies Esau with “The Evil Empire,” their code phrase, if you will, for Rome.

Rome was transformed into the Holy Roman Empire, which eventually fell under control of the Roman Catholic Church, having great influence, if not total control, over the countries comprising the European continent. Christianity underwent various transformations but the forbidden belief in a false messiah-deity is the same, no matter how many different changes Christians claim have taken in place their approach.

Another midrash teaches that Rome continues to be a threat to the Jewish People. In Parashath Shemini, we receive extensive instruction regarding the kashruth status of animals. Four mammals are mentioned specifically as not being kasher. The camel, the rock badger, and the rabbit chew their cud, yet they are not kosher, as they do not possess split hooves. The last in the list, the pig does have a split hoof, yet does not chew its cud (Lev. 11:1-8).

According to the midrash, these four animals represent the four Kingdoms which have ruled over Am Yisra’el. The pig represents our current and final exile, albeit our longest, that of Rome. The first three animals are not kasher due to problems with their limbs; whereas the pig is not kosher, due to its mouth. It sticks its split hooves out there, proclaiming that it is kosher. It even makes a chewing motion with its mouth, yet does not actually chew its cud. In other words, it lies.

“We love you!”

“We love Israel!”

“We want to give you money, and build you cultural centers!”

“We want to visit you, and volunteer to help you build up the land!”

The Ramba”m (Maimonides), a prominent halachic authority of the 1100's CE, suggests that we must not do anything which will allow ovdei avodah zarah (practicioners of forbidden worship) to get a hold on the land, nor anything which will make it easy for them to stay here. (Mishneh Torah, Hil. Avodah Zarah 10:1-9)

And very clearly, the Ramba”m states...

הנוצריים עובדי עבודה זרה הן (הל' עבודה זרה ט,ד)

The Christians are ovdei avodah zarah.... (ibid. 9:4)

In censored versions of the Mishneh Torah, Christians cleverly substituted the word “Romans” for “Christians,” in an attempt to cover up their identity with Rome (Edom/Esau), the very kingdom which currently rules over the Jewish People in exile, both physically and spiritually.

So why are those, who are forbidden to be settled in the Land (ibid. 10:1-9), being settled in the Land? Why is the town of Ariel in Samaria home to Christian missionaries and churches? Why are Likud Members of K'nesseth attending dedications for Christian (ie. avodah zarah) television stations,...in Israel?

Why are those who have performed the misswah of destroying avodah zarah been condemned by officials of the Israeli government,...in the name of “freedom of religious practice?” And, just where exactly in the Torah is any thing stated, which is even remotely related to “freedom of religious practice?”

The Torah also states...

...ולא-תקח שוחד--כי השוחד יעור את עיני חכמים, ויסלף את דברי צדיקים - דברים ט"ז,י"ט

…and do not take a bribe, for the bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and distorts the words of the righteous. (Deut. 16:19)

This refers to Hakhamim, thus even more so for those of us who are not Hakhamim.

So, why are “cultural centers” and playgrounds being built by Christians or with Christian money? Why are “religious, right-wing” radio stations accepting significant amounts of money from Christians? Why are their broadcasters visiting “messianic” congregations in North America?

Do “religious” Jews really think that they can take Christian money, and not be influenced in some way? Are “religious” Jews really fooled by the “hazir's” smiles, by the “hazir's” lies?

It appears so.

Still have doubts? Tomer Devorah has pointed out something very interesting, not proof perhaps, but very interesting nonetheless. If you change the letters in Esau's name around, you get none other than Hebrew name Christian missionaries’use for their false god.

עשיו = ישוע

Yeshu'a is essentially the same name as Yehoshu'a, Joshua in English or Jason from the Greek. Whether a real, compilation, or totally imaginary figure, some of our Sages z”l referred to him as YeSh”U, an acronym for yimach shemo wezikhro, “may his name and memory be blotted out.”

Some Qabbalistic sources claim that YeSh”U was the reincarnation of Esau.

In order to deal with Esau today, and defend against his bite-kiss, we must apply the same strategies as those of Ya'aqov, our forefather.

Prayer: We must pray to HaShem, separated from Esau, NOT with Esau.

Military Strategies: We must plan to defenses from Esau, NOT with Esau.

Gifts: We may give gifts to Esau, things than are helpful to him, and to the rest of humanity, like solar, agricultural, and computer technology, NOT accept gifts from Esau.

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For a list of Jewish organizations accepting money from John Hagee (יש"ו) alone, click here.