The Book of Bereshit (Genesis) portrays our founding mothers and fathers as imperfect people grappling with raw emotions—love, fear, greed, jealousy, rejection, sorrow— all unfolding within a Divine covenant that intensifies the drama. Modern scholars tell us these ancient tales were compiled after the exile to Babylon, incorporating many folk traditions. Over the millennia, Jews have learned that unpacking the interactions of our spiritual progenitors can help us reflect on the complexity of relationships with one another, with our tribe of birth/choice, and within ourselves. Join Builders Ted and Wendy Besmann weekly for virtual discussions (or just come when you can!) as they explore six of these stories that we will read in the upcoming parshiyot. We’ll end the series with Rabbi Julie offering a rabbinic perspective!

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Isaac and Rebecca: The middle patriarch Isaac has a remarkably passive role in his own life story; by contrast, his wife Rebecca is a wily strategic thinker who demands answers from God and elevates her clever son Jacob over his older, physically stronger brother Esau. What might the story tell us about the traits that we value most as a people? How have these traits affected us as a people and as individuals within our birth and found families?

Jacob and Esau: The story of an elder brother’s hunger results in an impulsive decision to trade his birthright for lentil stew, in stark contrast with a younger brother’s cool calculation in withholding food until he’s promised something of greater value. What does this story tell us about how our tradition views acting from the heart instead of the head? What might it teach us about unintended consequences?

Jacob and Laban: The transactional relationship between Jacob and his unscrupulous great-uncle Laban is a study in how a powerless young stranger doesn’t get mad, he gets even—ending up a wealthy man with two wives. How does this compare and contrast with our tribe’s experience through the centuries?

Rachel and Leah: Two sisters vie for the same man because status comes through motherhood. Leah bears many children but is unloved; Rachel wins love but dies in childbirth. Why do people relegated to a lower rung of society choose to cooperate or compete? What makes the difference?

Joseph and his brothers: In a story that echoes Babylonian and Persian traditions, naive hubris falls prey to jealous trickery, and a powerless young man must gain wisdom through privation as he scrabbles his way to success. What makes a rags-to-riches story so compelling? Is Joseph an opportunist or a hero?

Joseph and Judah: Joseph, alienated from his people, makes the painful journey toward reconciliation with those who hurt him, while his older brother Judah repents his complicity and offers a selfless sacrifice to save a younger brother. Are there similarities/differences between this younger/elder story and that of Jacob and Esau? How has reconciliation, forgiveness, and reparation affected us as a people?