“When one rises, the other falls”

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

The relationship between Israel and the nations over thousands of years is difficult and complex, especially regarding the control of Jerusalem. The end of that struggle is hinted at in G-d’s words to Rebecca: “Two nations are in your womb. Two governments will separate from inside you. The upper hand will go from one government to the other. The greater one will serve the younger” (Bereisheet 25:23). Rashi comments, “From the womb, Eisav and Yaakov separated, one to his wickedness and the other to his righteousness.” They will not be equal in greatness. When one rises, the other will fall. Tyre did not reach its greatness until Jerusalem was destroyed. Each desired the downfall of the other so as to become greater than it (Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, Ibid.).

Seemingly we can ask: Why can’t Eisav and Yaakov live side by side in peace and tranquillity, without fighting each other? Why is this historic see-saw necessary, such that when one rises the other falls? Why this equation of greatness-destruction? Why cannot Tyre and Yerushalayim be built up simultaneously?

The answer is that Tyre and Yerushalayim are not just typical cities in the Near East. The two of them each represent a different culture. One’s culture is the opposite of the others. Tyre represents Eisav and his culture: “ Eisav became a skilled trapper; a man of the field” (Bereisheet 25:27). That is, he knew how to deceive his father and other people (Rashi, Ibid.)

Yerushalayim represents Yaakov, his personality, and his culture: “ Yaakov was a righteous man who remained with the tents” (Ibid.). “He said what was in his heart, and he sat in the tents of Torah” (Rashi).

These two cultures, the culture of deception and falsehood, and the culture of righteousness, reverence, and love of G-d and man, cannot coexist together in peace. Quite the contrary, when the culture of falsehood rears its head and takes control, Israel and Jerusalem decline. Conversely, when the Jewish People return to their land and to Jerusalem their capital, it is a sign of their renaissance and rebirth, following two thousand years of downfall in exile.

Yet “a righteous man falls seven times but rises up again” (Mishlei 24:16).

Right now, we are finally standing up on our own two feet. Each morning, in the blessings before the Shema, we pray, “May You lead us erect [komemiyut] into our land.” Rereading “komemiyut,” this prayer can be asking for G-d to redeem us via two “komot” [stages]. The first stage comprises the ingathering of the exiles, the rebuilding of a national home, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem as the Capitol of the State of Israel, which is being rebuilt and is developing before our very eyes.

The second stage is spiritual renewal, the ascendancy of the good spirit of Yaakov, the “righteous man who remained with the tents,” that good spirit concealed within the whole Jewish People in the aggregate, and within every Jewish individual. The more the spirit of Yaakov the Patriarch emerges and grows, the more the divine promise, that “the older one will serve the younger” (Bereisheet 25:23), will come to fruition. In other words, first will come the fulfillment of the prophecy, “Liberators shall ascend upon Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the L-rd’s” (Ovadiah v. 21), and then will come to the fulfillment of, “The L-rd shall be King over all the earth. On that day the L-rd shall be one and His name One” (Zechariah 14:9).

Looking forward to salvation,
With the Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom.