[Avodah] Esav

[Eli Turkel]

In discussing Esav=Edom we have to distinguish between various eras.
In the chumash Esav is not painted in such black terms. Though he has
his faults he does everything for his father and sincerely wants the berachot
and eventually makes up with Yaakov.

In midrashe chazal Esav=Edom (=red=blood) is identified with Rome the enemy
and the picture darkens. Many of Esav's better deeds are then re-interpreted
as not what they seem or insincere. However, even here bereshit rabbah
quotes R. Shimon ben Gamliel that the kibud av of Esav was 100 times greater
than that of RSBG. ie  Esav had good deeds and we can learn from them
(similar to other stories in the gemara about the great kibud av of
other gentiles).

In a shiur I learned today about a piyut of R. Yaanai (lived under the
Byzantine empire)
that really attacks Esav. The lecturer explained the difference that
by then Esav=Edom
represented not just the physical enemy of Rome but rather the
spiritual enemy of
Xtianity which would be completely evil. This continues through the time of
rishonim like Rashi.

Thus over the centuries Edom has been associated with various enemies
and depending
on the enemy the picture of the Torah Esav has changed.


-- 
Eli Turkel