Questions for SIMSHALOM: Do Esau and Jacob still "exist"? And Why write on the 'Net?

To: simshalom@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Ultimate Rivalry:Jacob&Esau:Part 2
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 03:58:21

Shalom Sim Shalom,
I wonder why you are wasting your excellent gifting in writing for
those on the net.

I know that some people might read it, but the net
is not the place for a truly effective and powerful piece of
writing. Because the true scholars are not found on the net, but
rather in schools, universities etc.

I like your comparison between the struggle between Esau and Jacob
with the struggle of the Jews against anti-semitism. But I know that
Esau's physical seed has long been anihilated, and that the hatred
that was found between Esau's seed--the Edomites--and Jacob's
seed--the Jews-- died when the Edomite were obliterated.
Just because a person is a Jew doesn't mean that they are any more
special than any of the goyim, because the Jew's main calling from
haShem was to be a light to the world by following His commands and
showing them the way in which they should go. It isn't all about
being Jewish, but it is all about obeying G-d and becoming praisers
of haShem. When we get to this point, we will be fulfilling the true
law of righteousness. I know that G-d created the Jewish race as a
means to impart salvation to hakol goyim. Ohr haolam.
Shalom.

SIMSHALOM RESPONDS:

Thank you for your thoughtful and kind Email.
Your feed-back is greatly appreciated.
I know that there are all sorts of reasons and challenges that brings people to write in various situations. Everybody has their "story" , and I am no exception.

At the present time, the Internet is an excellent forum to reach a very wide variety of people. The biggest proof for this is the phenomenal rise of WEB LOGS (BLOGS) whereby millions of people are writing to their hearts' content and a very few excellent, or shall I say "attention-getting" writers have readerships in the millions, without any exaggerations. Maybe I can become one of them? (-:

What I wrote about the 'Eternal Struggle' between Jacob and Esau is NOT derived from my "imagination" or based on my "personal opinions". In classical Judaism, which I have studied seriously for many years under the direction of some profound Masters of the Torah, the "Fight" between Jacob and Esau NEVER ended, and continues un-abated to the present!

The ancient 'Edomites' are no longer with us, and neither is the ancient Jewish Temple. But the spiritual core of both these entities continues to animate the struggles between the spiritual and physical heirs of both Jacob and Esau as their seed progresses through the passage of time down to the present!

Rome is considered the quintessence of Esau by the classical rabbinic sages, and after the old Roman Empire transmutated into the nations of the West primarily, its' laws and lores continue to be the basis of that same Western World. It was subsequently transformed into the Roman Catholic Church which classical Judaism considers to be the "Religion" of Esau as it incorporates strains of old Judaism with a new "messianic component" that seeks to totally displace the Jews as the bearers of the "Messianic Message" for the world. Very much something Esau always wanted to do, to "out-do" his brother Jacob in "redeeming" the world!

It's a very complicated topic at any rate.

Glad that it's thought-provoking enough to call for responses from you!
Best wishes,and I look forward to hearing from you again!
- posted by Izak @ 3:52 AM