Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 33/0
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Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 33
Yaakov and Esav, Moshe and Aharon
There are parallels between the narrative of the anticipated reunion of Yaakov and Esav in Bereshit 32-33 and the reunion of Moshe and Aharon in Shemot 4.1
Tools
- Concordance – The concordance demonstrates that the root "פגש" appears only four times in Torah, twice in each of these stories, perhaps a linguistic hint to compare the two.
Articles
- See Moses in Danger, by R. Alex Israel, for an exploration of these parallel stories, who suggests that both relate to a character's avoidance of a mission and the repercussions of such delay.2
Esav Throughout Tanakh
Bereshit 36 speaks of the descendants of Esav, the nation of Edom. Throughout Tanakh, Edom is seen as a rival and enemy of the nation of Israel, paralleling the initial conflict between Esav and Yaakov. The Sages noticed such parallels in choosing Ovadiah 1 as the haftarah for Parashat Vayishlach.
Tools
- Concordance – Using the concordance, one can find all the various texts in which Edom plays a role, and compare the nation's various interactions with Israel.
- Makbilot Bamikra – See Makbilot Bamikra on Ovadiah 1 for a listing of stories in which Edom is happy for Israel's downfall. This might stand in contrast to Esav in the stories of Bereshit, who according to a simple understanding of the verses, appears capable of forgiving his brother and ultimately wishing him well.
Articles
- See Esav As Brother, Esav As Other by R. Mosheh Lichtenstein for an analysis of the complex identity of Esav throughout Tanakh.