Rabbi Lundin Links Biblical Jacob and Esau to Israeli Politics
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Rabbi Hagai Lundin compared the biblical figures of Jacob and Esau to contemporary Israeli politics, viewing Esau as a cynical politician and Jacob as a principled leader. He argued that manipulative politicians, like Esau, seek power at any cost and make false promises. Rabbi Lundin believes that a combination of strong values and practical leadership, like Jacob's, is necessary for governing. He predicted that current attempts to form unnatural political coalitions in Israel will ultimately fail, with principled leadership prevailing.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Hagai Lundin likened Esau to a cynical politician seeking power at any cost.
- He criticized Israeli politicians for making contradictory and manipulative promises.
- Rabbi Lundin advocated for leadership combining strong values with practical action.
- He predicted that current unnatural political coalition attempts in Israel will fail.
- The Rabbi believes principled leadership, like Jacob's, will ultimately prevail.
Rabbi Hagai Lundin, head of the Holon Yeshiva, has drawn parallels between the biblical story of Jacob and Esau and the current political landscape in Israel, particularly concerning coalition formation, the drafting of ultra-Orthodox men into the military, and political alliances. In a video released for the weekly Torah portion, Tolded, Rabbi Lundin analyzed Esau as a prototype of a cynical politician seeking power at any cost, even by compromising core values. "A hunter is a person who wants to transfer everything to his side, he wants power at any price," Rabbi Lundin stated. "And if for that he needs to sell his birthright for a mess of pottage, meaning to sell all values and give his people to enemies, a fifth column within us, he will do it."
Rabbi Lundin also criticized politicians for making contradictory promises, describing them as manipulators who use their words to deceive the public. He cited the example of politicians claiming to want to draft Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) while simultaneously working against it. He contrasted Esau's manipulative nature with Jacob, the "simple man dwelling in tents," and addressed the biblical dilemma of who should receive the blessing. Rabbi Lundin explained that Isaac initially believed that practical leadership required strong, cynical figures, questioning if a Torah scholar could be a finance minister or head of the Shin Bet.
However, Rebekah, who understood the nature of "hunters" from her family, knew that those lacking values do not build the practical world but destroy it. Rabbi Lundin interpreted Rebekah's solution, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau," as representing a combination of pure values managed practically and decisively, while preserving Jewish identity. He concluded by directly addressing the ongoing coalition negotiations, predicting that unnatural political alliances are doomed to fail. "The left can continue with its 'make-believe' games, that it will form a coalition here with Arabs or some lame coalition with the Haredim, none of that will hold," Rabbi Lundin asserted. "The people of Israel understand very well what is happening here, and in the end, 'the voice is the voice of Jacob, and the hands are the hands of Esau,' and the voice of Jacob is what will win."
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
