Yitzḥak Navon, who died last week, was a playwright, poet, and statesman who served as president of Israel from 1978 to 1983. Reflecting on Navon’s life and legacy, Marc Angel looks to the patriarch Isaac:
In this week’s Torah portion, we read a famous passage that had been uttered by our forefather Isaac. When he was trying to determine the identity of the son who stood before him, Isaac said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” While this verse is often understood as a sign of confusion on Isaac’s part, it also can be understood in another way. . . .
[Previously], Isaac had favored Esau, who was strong, ruddy, and warlike. But he must also have realized that a nation cannot be founded upon brute force alone. . . . When Jacob appeared before Isaac, he was dressed as though he were Esau. I believe Isaac saw through the ruse—but was very impressed. Now he understood: Jacob was not simply a passive, quiet idealist; he was ingenious and gutsy; he was able to outsmart Esau. Isaac then said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob”: it is a sweet, gentle, and kind voice. But “the hands are the hands of Esau”: Jacob had mustered the inner strength to take risks, to combat his brother.
The combination of a peace-loving voice and strong arms willing to wage battle was the right combination for a leader of a nation. . . . I think the words of our forefather Isaac can be aptly applied to our modern-day Yitzḥak Navon. His voice was the voice of peace, tolerance, mutual respect. He exuded kindness, warmth, [and] a perpetual smile. But his hands were the hands of Esau. When necessary, Yitzḥak Navon stood strong and courageously to defend his nation. He was a warrior who never lost his vision of peace.
Read more on Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals: https://www.jewishideas.org/angel-shabbat/remembering-president-yitzhak-navon-thoughts-parashat-toledot