ABSTRACT
Jacob’s behavior in the meeting with Esau many years after having stolen the blessing from him, reveals Jacob to be carrying a heavy burden of guilt for dispossessing his brother. Where exactly does Jacob think he went wrong, however? Not to do as Rebecca said would be, not only to defy his mother but also to discredit her self–acclaimed status as an agent of providence. It would also be to fail to implement what Jacob now has good reason to believe was God’s plan. The answer I propose is that Jacob feels bound by two different, and in this case incompatible, sets of obligations–those to God and those of a moral nature. Albeit, in Jacob’s eyes the former is ultimate, but his belief that he had no other option but to act as he did does not free his conscience from the consequences of the latter. The notions of survivor–guilt, agent–regret, and dirty hands shed light on Jacob’s remorse. Jacob’s life is afflicted by tragedy after his act of deception. Playing one’s designated role in God’s plan does not keep one safe from misfortune nor does it guarantee moral integrity.
