Our Gemara on Amud Aleph refers to a bizarre trophy that the Romans kept—a scalp of Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Godol, who was executed by the Romans. However, because his face was so unusually beautiful, the daughter of the Caesar asked that the skin be preserved.

The Gemara (Avodah Zara 11b) relates that the Romans had a ritual, performed every seventy years which included the scalp of Rabbi Yishmael:

“Once every seventy years they bring a man who is whole and free from any defect and have him ride on a lame man, to symbolize the healthy Esau ruling over Jacob, who walked with a limp after his fight with the angel. And they dress him in the garments of Adam the first man and place on his head the scalp [karkifelo] of Rabbi Yishmael, which the Romans flayed when they executed him. And they hang gold on his neck weighing two hundred dinars, and cover the markets with onyx, and announce before him: The calculation [sakh] of the master [kiri] Jacob with regard to the time of the redemption is fraudulent [plaster]; the brother of our master, i.e., Esau, a forger. They further announce: One who witnesses this festival witnesses it, and whoever does not witness it will not witness it ever, as it was celebrated only once every seventy years. What purpose does deceit serve for the deceiver, and forgery for the forger? And they conclude in this fashion: Woe unto this one, Esau, when that one, Jacob, will arise, as this will cause Esau’s downfall.”

The Maharal (Netzach Yisrael 16) explains the meaning of this aggadah. Yaakov’s limp came from the angel who wrestled with him. The limp in the thigh is representative of Yaakov’s weak spot: his descendants, which come from that area of the body, will be susceptible to physical temptations, also represented by that area of the body. The clothes of Adam represent the physical world. Esav was laying claim to the physical world, his birthright, and he has this power. This is him riding on top of Yaakov. 

Clothes are externalities that indeed bring honor and status, but they are still externalities. That is the physical world that Esav appropriated. Even more so, it is the inappropriate possession of the physical beauty of Rabbi Yishmael’s scalp. Symbolically speaking, treating the material realities of this world as the ultimate truth and beauty is the same as taking the skin off a dead person because you find him attractive. By taking it and trying to possess it, you murder it. The Nations of the world saw our depth and our beauty and wanted it for themselves, and they thought that by killing us and scalping us they are going to have it. But they won’t. Instead they are left with a grotesque and macabre expression of their desire to have our spiritual beauty, while making a mockery of it by only recognizing its external dimension. This reminds me of the true and bizarre “nostalgic” moment of modern day poles to honor Jewish culture. They have “Kosher” delicatessens with no Jews actually eating from them. (See this fascinating article: https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-lucky-jew-imagery-is-so-popular-in-poland/ )

Furthermore, even though the protagonist is riding on top of the other person and clearly dominating, this is inherently an unstable situation. At some point, the one who is being ridden upon will throw the rider off. The seventy years in this aggadah represents a generation. It is also notable that King David lived for seventy years. There is an aspect of seventy that represents a mastery and ownership of a generation and has messianic roots in it, but ultimately is temporary. It is messianic in the sense that it is a completeness of purpose that for a period of time Esav possesses. But the cycle ends, and the superficial truths and status are overshadowed by the ultimate truth and depths of the spiritual realities, which is our birthright to come.

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Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com