[Avodah] maaseh avot siman lebanim

[via Avodah]

From: Toby  Katz at < t613k at aol.com>


R' Eli  Turkel wrote: 

We all  know the aggadah of the burial of Yaakov, the fight with Esav and
finally the  deaf Chushin the son of Dan kills Esav


explanation #1 - The sons of  Jacob didn't know how to handle the challenge
of Esav and argues with him but  Esav was more clever. Chushin who was deaf
understood the "real" Esav and  understood the resultant Chilul Hashem. So
he acts without considering the  reactions to his act to claim the rights of
the descendants of  Yaakov



explanation #2 - There was no need for the disagreement  between Esav and
the sons of Jacob to involve murder. It could have been  solved by friendly
negotiations by showing Jacob's legal right to Maarat  HaMachpela. Instead
there are "deaf" people who rush to action before all  peaceful ways are
followed. Rikvah who fought to prevent the fight between  Yaakov and Esav
now loses both of them the same day.



There is  no way to decide between these alternatives sometimes the
questions are  stronger than the answers-- 
Eli Turkel




>>>>>
 
There is a way to decide between these alternatives.  Look for earlier  
sources or commentators -- earlier than the 21st century.  We moderns can  
speculate but can't really make up our own meforshim based on nothing but our  
own intuition.  You need sources, precedents.
 
Your explanation #1 is close to the classic explanation. While  the sons of 
Yakov were arguing with Esav about who has the rights  to Me'aras 
Hamachpela, Chushim ran back to Egypt and fetched the original  shtar. (However I do 
not understand the last sentence of that paragraph --  you wrote, Chushim 
"acts without considering the reactions to his act to claim  the rights of the 
descendants of Yaakov."  I don't know if "he acts without  considering...." 
is an implied criticism of Chushim, and I don't understand "to  claim the 
rights of the descendants of Yaakov" at all.)
 
Your explanation #2 has a totally modern "shmeck."  I'd like to see  any 
Chumash commentator who says anything similar to that.
 
 

--Toby  Katz
t613k at aol.com
..
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