Fear and Forgiveness
Rabbi Gustavo Surazski
The Hebrew root S.L.CH (in its different forms) appears forty six times in the Torah. Amongst these are a few we recognize from the liturgy of the High Holidays: "And you shall forgive (ve-salachta) our iniquity and error, and make us Your heritage" (Exodus 34, 9). "Forgive (Slach) now the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your kindness" (Numbers 14, 19). "And G-d said: 'I have forgiven (salachti) this people because of your words" (Numbers 14, 20).
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In any case, the root S.L.CH appears always in connection with G-d. There are no recollections of humans forgiving. Therefore we can say that forgiveness is a characteristic held solely by G-d.
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Out of the forty six appearances of this root in the Torah, the verb doesn't appear even a single time in the book of Genesis; however, in this book, we are aware of two of the better know stories that include this idea. First is the famous story of Yosef and his brothers, and the second is the heartfelt meeting between Ya'acov and Esav after twenty years of separation. We can learn from these stories about the nature of the human forgiveness and the relationship between those who hurt and those whom have been hurt, those how forgive and those forgiven.
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There is a well known controversy between the Sages on the meeting between Jacob and Esav It is written: "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept" (Genesis 33,4) Rashi Says: There are those who explain this dotting (the dots on the Hebrew word Va-Yishakehu) as saying that he did not kiss him with all his heart. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: 'It is a well-known and accepted principle that Esav detests Ya'acov. However, at that moment his mercies were aroused and he kissed him with all of his heart'.
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The controversy is about Esav's feelings. Was his kiss honestly felt? Was he really able to forgive in his heart?
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There are those who believe in Esav's sincerity. Forgiveness is not the "weapon of the weak" but that of the strong. When you are not afraid forgiving comes easy. Where there is fear there is no forgiveness. It is a real paradox; the fear felt before the forgiveness disappears only in those who forgive and remains with those forgiven. Ya'acov wants forgiveness but nothing more. Esav suggest to continue their journey together, but Ya'acov evades the offer. Esav has forgiven Ya'acov but in Ya'acov's heart Esav remains Esav.
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It is the same in the story of Yosef. Yosef forgives and opens a new page. But his brothers still hold a grudge in their heart. They are sure that Yosef will "throw them to the dogs" after their father's death.
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I don't know what would have happened if Yosef had met up with his brother's while he was still in the pit. It is also hard to know what would have happened if Esav had met up with Ya'acov alone, without the company of family and soldiers but with a ragged dog... It may have been a totally different story.
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The strong have no problem with the idea of forgiving. Who is the stronger person in these stories? Who is the brave? The injurer or injured? The forgiver of forgiven?
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May be, the answer is simple. It is written in Masechet Avot (4:1): "Who is it that is most mighty? One who subdues his evil impulse". And Avot DeRabbi Natan (Version A, Chapter 23) adds and says: "(Mighty is he) who makes of his enemy a friend...".
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Previous Drashot
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Vayishlach 5766 - A Struggle of Conscience
Rabbi Gustavo Surazski
The Hebrew root S.L.CH (in its different forms) appears forty six times in the Torah. Amongst these are a few we recognize from the liturgy of the High Holidays: "And you shall forgive (ve-salachta) our iniquity and error, and make us Your heritage" (Exodus 34, 9). "Forgive (Slach) now the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your kindness" (Numbers 14, 19). "And G-d said: 'I have forgiven (salachti) this people because of your words" (Numbers 14, 20).
.
In any case, the root S.L.CH appears always in connection with G-d. There are no recollections of humans forgiving. Therefore we can say that forgiveness is a characteristic held solely by G-d.
.
Out of the forty six appearances of this root in the Torah, the verb doesn't appear even a single time in the book of Genesis; however, in this book, we are aware of two of the better know stories that include this idea. First is the famous story of Yosef and his brothers, and the second is the heartfelt meeting between Ya'acov and Esav after twenty years of separation. We can learn from these stories about the nature of the human forgiveness and the relationship between those who hurt and those whom have been hurt, those how forgive and those forgiven.
.
There is a well known controversy between the Sages on the meeting between Jacob and Esav It is written: "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept" (Genesis 33,4) Rashi Says: There are those who explain this dotting (the dots on the Hebrew word Va-Yishakehu) as saying that he did not kiss him with all his heart. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: 'It is a well-known and accepted principle that Esav detests Ya'acov. However, at that moment his mercies were aroused and he kissed him with all of his heart'.
.
The controversy is about Esav's feelings. Was his kiss honestly felt? Was he really able to forgive in his heart?
.
There are those who believe in Esav's sincerity. Forgiveness is not the "weapon of the weak" but that of the strong. When you are not afraid forgiving comes easy. Where there is fear there is no forgiveness. It is a real paradox; the fear felt before the forgiveness disappears only in those who forgive and remains with those forgiven. Ya'acov wants forgiveness but nothing more. Esav suggest to continue their journey together, but Ya'acov evades the offer. Esav has forgiven Ya'acov but in Ya'acov's heart Esav remains Esav.
.
It is the same in the story of Yosef. Yosef forgives and opens a new page. But his brothers still hold a grudge in their heart. They are sure that Yosef will "throw them to the dogs" after their father's death.
.
I don't know what would have happened if Yosef had met up with his brother's while he was still in the pit. It is also hard to know what would have happened if Esav had met up with Ya'acov alone, without the company of family and soldiers but with a ragged dog... It may have been a totally different story.
.
The strong have no problem with the idea of forgiving. Who is the stronger person in these stories? Who is the brave? The injurer or injured? The forgiver of forgiven?
.
May be, the answer is simple. It is written in Masechet Avot (4:1): "Who is it that is most mighty? One who subdues his evil impulse". And Avot DeRabbi Natan (Version A, Chapter 23) adds and says: "(Mighty is he) who makes of his enemy a friend...".
.
Previous Drashot
.
Vayishlach 5766 - A Struggle of Conscience
