Israel 365: For the past several years, in lecture after lecture, prominent Jewish educator and international lecturer Rabbi Mendel Kessin has been calling President Trump the tov she’b’Aisav – the good part of the Biblical personality Esau.
In Jewish tradition, Aisav will do teshuva (repent) at the End of Days and cooperate with the Jewish people. According to Kessin, with all of his actions in support of Israel, President Trump is fulfilling that prophecy.
In a recent Torah lecture delivered on October 14, 2020, Kessin delved into the spiritual secret behind Trump’s success. “People don’t understand Trump. He exhibits certain personality traits, character traits which turn off a lot of people,” Kessin established.”
Opinion: With all due respect to the Rabbi, the Jewish prophets Isaiah and Obadiah disagree. The problem comes in in the second paragraph; In Jewish tradition.
Traditions of men:
- In Judaism, tradition is of Torah and the teachings of the rabbis
- In Catholicism, tradition is the (infallible) dogma of the Popes
And here is the problem. If, as the rabbi suggested, Esau (Aisav) repented, Obadiah’s prophecy would be in error.
“The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
And the house of Joseph a flame;
But the house of Esau shall be stubble;
They shall kindle them and devour them,
And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,”
For the Lord has spoken.” Obadiah 1:18
And if Esau, who is Edom, repented, why did Jesus get His robe stained by their blood at His second coming?
Who is this who comes from Edom,
With dyed garments from Bozrah,
This One who is glorious in His apparel,
Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—
“I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? Isaiah 63:1-3
And if, as the rabbi says, Esau had a good side, then the writer of Hebrews is in error:
“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son” Hebrews 12:16 NIV.
Edom’s descendants are right where the prophet Malachi 1:4 said he would be …
“Even though Edom has said,
“We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“They may build, but I will throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.”
… in Judea trying to take back the land.
