“Yitzchok said to them…You hate me…They said…Let there now be an oath between us…We did nothing but good to you, and sent you away in peace…they each swore to the other…Yitzchok sent them away and they left in peace.” (Bereishis 26:27-33)

This is indeed a very odd conversation. Yitzchak certainly had good reason to say that Avimelech didn’t send him off in peace. Avimelech mistreated him with hate and jealousy. They should be at odds with each other. Yet Avimelech offers to make a peace treaty and Yitzchak acquiesces?

In fact, Yitzchak makes this clear by saying to Avimelech – “you hated me”. To which they respond, “we sent you off in peace.” It seems that both sides are talking past each other.

I believe that in order to understand this, we must first understand the nature of the world’s view of the Jews. We assume that without provocations people will get along. I believe this to be a mistake. It is similar to thinking that if one had a cat and a mouse in a house together and the mouse didn’t provoke the cat, there would be no reason for the cat to eat the mouse. However, the nature of the cat is to eat mice without provocation. When Chazal tell us that Klal Yisroel is like a sheep amongst 70 wolves, they are telling us that, this is the nature of how the world is set up. This is something that we must be aware of at all times. In fact, Chazal tell us that the halacha is “Eisav hates Yaakov” (whether that means all gentiles or just certain gentiles will be left for a different discussion).

Notwithstanding, there are exceptions to the rule and we appreciate those brave gentiles who go against the tide. They deserve to be honored for their righteousness.

Rav Zalman Sorotzkin points to a verse in megillas Esther and gives a novel interpretation, in order to explain our parsha. Achashveirosh had a sleepless night. He calls in his attendant to read to him from the book of memoirs. The story is told of the patriotism of Mordechai who saved the king from the wicked plot of two. The king asks, “How was he repaid?” and the answer given was that there was nothing done to him. It should have said instead, “He wasn’t repaid.”? Rav Sorotzkin explains being that the natural inclination of those countries at that time was to bully the Jews. The fact that Mordechai was no longer picked on was considered his reward. This means that the reward was that the gentiles didn’t do anything to Mordechai!

So too, Rav Sorotzkin explains that when Yitzchak tells Avimelech, “You hated me” Avimelech responds, “What do you mean? I let you live in peace!” (The rest of their discussion is just to work out the details of their relationship).

This same idea is brought down in a medrash in this week’s parsha: A lion mauled prey and a bone was stuck in its throat. He [the lion] said: Anyone who extracts it, I will give him a reward. An Egyptian heron with a long beak inserted its beak and extracted it. It said to it [the lion]: Give me my reward. It [the lion] said to it: Go, boast, and say that you entered the mouth of a lion in peace and emerged in peace (meaning, that the fact that nothing happened to you in my mouth, is your reward). (Bereishis Rabba 64:10)

We find ourselves in a time where the Jews across the entire globe have supporters, though these supporters are under pressure to reverse course. We must understand that these current allies deserve recognition for standing up to help us, and whether they have personally to gain or not is irrelevant. May this Divine protection that we have been granted for now, continue, and may we recognize that this “unnatural” support has all been orchestrated by our Father in Heaven. The more we appreciate this as an “unnatural” state, the more it should strengthen our bitachon in Hashem.