A (Belated) Poetic Midrash for Parshat Toldot. How have we inherited the sibling rivalries of Genesis/Bershit?

Dear Online Hevre/community,
 
I read this poetic midrash this past Friday night, but have been continuing to edit it.  As it is still a work-in-progress I would appreciate any comments you might have.

In response to the horrific terrorist attack at the synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem last week, which killed five people, including four rabbis, I joined so many other rabbis in trying to figure out the best way to address the occurrence at services.

As has been the case in the past, I really believe it is my job to present some kind of a theological response to the tragedy, rather than to talk politics.  Of course, when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and terrorist attacks, it is impossible to be apolitical.  I have learned that the hard way.  So, even if my intention is not political, there are certainly political implications.  But I will leave it to the reader to draw her/his own conclusion.

In ancient times, the rabbis did not write systematic theology.  Rather, they used midrash (rabbinic tales based on biblical texts) to portray the relationship between God and humanity.  In these tales, one can discover their ideas about that relationship, and about the nature of God and the human beings created in the divine image,

I decided to write a midrash based on the birth of the twins Jacob and Esau, and the sibling rivalry which existed from the start, but was certainly exploited by their parents.  I related this sibling relationship to that of Isaac and his half brother Ishmael.  The two relationships were very different, as they are portrayed in Bereshit/Genesis.  

People often speak of the latter sibling relationship because the Jews are the descendants of Isaac and the Muslims and Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael.  However, perhaps the other sibling rivalry is a better description of the situation.  I'll leave that for each of you to decide.

As I am writing this, here in America we are watching the reaction to what occurred in Ferguson, Missouri, and the discussion about racial inequality and prejudice which still exists today in America.  I can't help wonder whether or not the same issues I raise here could also be raised in relationship to race relations in the USA and, if so, how would they apply.  I would be interested to hear any thoughts on this subject.

L'shalom - in Peace,
SPN
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these are the generations.....this is the heritage

two brothers emerge from one womb    
struggling from the start      vying for attention

sibling rivalry in utero

continuing through the pain and struggle

of being birthed into a world

where without any choice

one knew he was bound     to be subservient to the other

their positions determined by the chance of birth

leading to a lifelong struggle

for father's blessing    father's fortune    father's approval

for mother's love     mother's attention       mother's guidance

a generation ago        two other sons had also been born
born of the same father but
different mothers    different wombs     different circumstances

one born of desperation necessity resignation

one born of divine miracle blessing salvation

they were not twins     not linked to one another from conception

not bound together for life even when they tried to drive each other away

with their jealousy and murderous desire     as this pair is to be

those sons were merely brothers     not rivals or enemies

God had made it clear who was to be most blessed       who was to inherit divine blessing

but his mother did not have enough trust faith in the promise

made by an invisible deity speaking only to her husband

in spite of all the miracles she had witnessed     including her son's birth

her belief was overshadowed by her fear      of the other

the other boy      the other woman       the others who might take

what belonged to her to her son

perhaps event  take some of the love of the man

the one through whom the two woman    were chained to each other

the struggle of mother against the other       mother against mother

became mother against      the other's son 
it was never brother against brother       until her fear made it so

for the two boys were pawns        not players

as mother forced father to turn    the others away       perhaps to die

but this was not to be

for both sons had a blessing         both were destined to become great

though the younger would be greater than the elder

years later

the two brothers came together in peace to honor their father

       the man who gave them their names    their blessings     their curses

together they buried him next to  her
                    the mother who had created the rivalry where none had been

the other mother     also a victim of her fear
    was to remain separated       remain other       even in death

together they pray that they bury with their father the struggle     which he allowed to occur
that harmony will has been returned    to the family   the people   and the land

lifetimes have passed since then   until today

the struggle continues     brother against brother      sister against sister    cousin against cousin      neighbor against neighbor       blessing against blessing curse against curse

yet which of these struggles have we inherited

by rights      by heritage     by our names      it should be the latter

Isaac and Ishmael         the struggle between two brothers      
 forced upon them by their parents        which they never desired

a struggle more easily resolved          a peace more easily achieved

instead  it seems  we have inherited the other struggle        never meant to be ours

Esau and Jacob     a struggle from before birth 
      two linked to each other         struggling with each other

each desiring everything       one tricking the other        the other filled with  murderous rage

this struggle is not easily resolved    this peace impossible to achieve

for it was fueled by jealousy   rivalry     desire    manipulation    mistrust  hatred

why has this become our struggle      when it should not be

we are not twins of the same mother     rivals from birth       or perhaps we are      in our minds

each believing we were given birth by the same small piece of land

each believing that our parent in heaven desires us to remain on that land at all costs

each ready to fight      to die      for the cause         to defend their birthright

but some are also  ready to kill       not only in defense      but simply out of hatred for the other

they kill not only soldiers      who are prepared to die

they murder innocent women   men   toddlers   teens    children   elderly    infants

murdering  men praying to God      the parent of both       of all humanity

cutting them down      giving no thought to their actions

never really asking if this is truly what God would want       though we know it is not

as the righteous are cut down    their blood sinks into the ground

yet it cries out to God      why

as their souls of the righteous ascend to heaven    returning  to their source

they look down on earth     together   with the angels

they weep tears of suffering and sadness       for God's children below

for the family still torn apart     by the hatred of millenia

God asks these souls why they cry

for they are now at peace       they are with the angels       with God

the souls cry out          we weep for those we have left behind

we weep for the loved ones of those who have taken this journey before us

we weep for those who shall make the ascent in days and years to come

and we weep too for the others    those who have shed our blood

for the enemy who has   murdered us       and for their families

for we are all your children     though they seem to have forgotten

we mourn the loss of their humanity         we cry for their souls

which they have tainted      by their actions

and God we weep for you as well

for the misunderstanding    the misuse     the perversion      of your teachings

which have led them to commit these atrocities

in the name of the source of peace    they bring terror

in the name of the source of love     they preach hatred

in the name of the mother of compassion    they practice cruelty

in the name of the father of justice     they let vengeance guide their actions

in the name of the one who brought Isaac and Ishmael together to bury their father

        they come wishing to bury the other's children

as Ishmael weeps    together with the angels     with Isaac     with the souls of the righteous

Jacob and Esau look down on the land and wonder if their legacy   of brotherly animosity

is the source of the struggle       the hatred

but the people forget     that eventually   they embraced    reconciled

filled with forgiveness        each content to accept the other as they were

so that they could each live in peace        even if not together

Isaac and Ishmael look down on the land and wonder if their legacy

     the rivalry and mistrust    spawned by their mothers     which tore them apart
is the source of the struggle     the hatred

but the people forget that they too came together in peace

to bury their father         the true link between them

who never desired them to be enemies          but didn't know how to stop it

Looking down on the land which gave birth to them all       and to the struggle

they know that there are those on both sides who understand this      

those who want to follow in their fathers' footsteps     reconcile       and live in peace

at this moment      these voice praying for    shalom   salaam      can be heard on high

are so difficult to hear  below  over the din    of hatred    fear   mistrust    violence

 our ancestors look down with the angels     with God      with the souls of those who died

for the sanctification of God's name       even if it was not their choice    

they wonder     why this must happen        what is to become of their loved ones below

they wonder     when the hatred     the violence     the mistrust      the terror     the atrocities

will end       or if they ever will