וְה֖וּא עָבַ֣ר לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּ אַ֙רְצָה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֔ים עַד־גִּשְׁתּ֖וֹ עַד־אָחִֽיו׃
He himself went on ahead and bowed low to the ground seven times until he was near his brother.
וַיָּ֨רׇץ עֵשָׂ֤ו לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־צַוָּארָ֖ו וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃
Esau ran to greet him. He embraced him and, falling on his neck, he kissed him; and they wept.
Genesis 33:3-4 (Revised JPS, 2023)
There’s a hard teaching that comes out of Genesis 33 regarding wicked authority figures, and it helps to frame some of the Christian teachings on “obey the governing authority because they carry the sword.”
The context of these verses is that the governing authority is BAD. Esau is the older brother and more powerful. He is the authority figure, and he hates Jacob.
Yet Jacob bows to him. Seven times. And Esau embraces him.
This isn’t “boot licking.” This is humility to save human life.
The rabbinical commentary on the passage points to the wisdom of restraint, and outlines a consequence of rising up against the governing authorities.
If the Jewish people during the period of the second Temple had taken his advice to heart, the Temple would not have been destroyed. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai testified to this when he said “if not for the militant extremists the Romans would not have destroyed the Temple.”
Sfnorno on Genesis 33:4
The teaching is difficult. I hate it. But there is wisdom in it that should be considered.