Our patriarch Isaac loved Esau even as Jacob seemed the more likely candidate to receive the familial blessing. This affection has puzzled commentators for centuries. Many read Isaac's love as the reason he couldn't see Esau's unworthiness. However, one commentator read Isaac's choice as strategic, his decision to confer a blessing on his unsavory son as a path that all of us might take when dealing with the obstacles, difficulties, and painful parts of our life.

Friday, November 5, 2021