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Article: Isaac's Statesmanship
- Article from:
- The Jerusalem Report
- Article date:
- December 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2003 The Jerusalem Report. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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The Torah portion Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9) is read on Shabbat,
November 29 Rabbinic tradition teaches that "the deeds of the
ancestors are a sign unto the children." Isaac's struggle for
survival and coexistence with an ambivalent neighbor animates this
dictum. He extracts himself from an explosive situation through
proactivity, vision, a commitment to his ancestral land, and
pragmatic flexibility. His statesmanship in transcending dissent
could be a model for today's troubled Israel.
Isaac's material success and perceived divine favor cause his
neighbors' resentment. King Avimelekh rescinds his protection of
Isaac and Rebekkah; the Philistines stop up all of Isaac's wells.
Isaac ...