🎤Kol-🐥Hayyah🐘 - קוֹל־חַיָּ֖ה
VaYishlah 5779: Michal Morris Kamil
"Parashat VaYishlah: Are Jacob and Esau really Mufasa and Scar?"
Parashat VaYishlah is one of the most poignant Parashot in the Torah. Many of them are, but when it comes to siblings, it is especially so. From the initial moments of human creation, the love, hate, rivalry, and jealousy, have been the key foci of the brothers, sisters, and even brothers and sisters. Much has been written about Jacob and Esau, and their challenged relationship, so intertwined with the individuation, identity formation, and life journeys of these two sons of Isaac and Rivqah. And this will be replicated with Jacob's sons and their complex relationships.
When my girls were growing up, they, like most children, were exposed to Disney's The Lion King. From an early age, they internalized the dysfunctional and ambivalent relationship of the lion king Mufasa, and his embittered brother Scar. Human relationships were attributed to the celluloid characters resulting in the formation of human stereotypes attributed to the animal kingdom. Scar, evoking the ultimate Shakespearean villain, was the evil brother, who had his brother king murdered so that he could rule the animal kingdom.
Steve Jenkins wrote about elephants and the caring relationships brothers and sisters have for one another. In his children's book, Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World, he cites armadillos, who almost always enter the world as loving identical quadruplets. Mole rats are born in their hundreds, all from one mother. The younger siblings have to make space in their dug-out tunnels for their older siblings. European shrews are especially supportive to one another to ensure their siblings don't get lost, they all move in a caravan formation, with the mother leading them all, while each sibling holds on to their brother or sister in front of them.
The Smithsonian Institute in DC has done much research into sibling relationships. They discovered that otters who come from different litters, stay together as long as the parents are around. Smithsonian biologist Erica Bower shares that otter brothers spend most of their time together, getting on happily, and building sleeping locations together.
Birds however, are different. There are Heron subspecies who practice siblicide when their parents aren't watching or are away seeking food for their chicks. The incentive usually seems to be about food, and comes down to survival.
And lions, how are they really? The sisterly and brotherly alliance is especially notable. The sisters remain in the sisterhood pride while the brothers form coalitions who venture out to seek other prides to conquer and cohabitate.
When Disney and Co. anthropomorphize animals with human traits, it results in a disservice and deep misunderstanding of the animal world. Humans are unique in many of their behaviors, and sadly, specifically those which are negative. Attributing those to animals is just another one of traits of human denial and self reflection. Once again, we have much to learn from our animals on this planet who are wonderful teachers.
VaYishlah 5779: Michal Morris Kamil
"Parashat VaYishlah: Are Jacob and Esau really Mufasa and Scar?"
Parashat VaYishlah is one of the most poignant Parashot in the Torah. Many of them are, but when it comes to siblings, it is especially so. From the initial moments of human creation, the love, hate, rivalry, and jealousy, have been the key foci of the brothers, sisters, and even brothers and sisters. Much has been written about Jacob and Esau, and their challenged relationship, so intertwined with the individuation, identity formation, and life journeys of these two sons of Isaac and Rivqah. And this will be replicated with Jacob's sons and their complex relationships.
When my girls were growing up, they, like most children, were exposed to Disney's The Lion King. From an early age, they internalized the dysfunctional and ambivalent relationship of the lion king Mufasa, and his embittered brother Scar. Human relationships were attributed to the celluloid characters resulting in the formation of human stereotypes attributed to the animal kingdom. Scar, evoking the ultimate Shakespearean villain, was the evil brother, who had his brother king murdered so that he could rule the animal kingdom.
Steve Jenkins wrote about elephants and the caring relationships brothers and sisters have for one another. In his children's book, Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World, he cites armadillos, who almost always enter the world as loving identical quadruplets. Mole rats are born in their hundreds, all from one mother. The younger siblings have to make space in their dug-out tunnels for their older siblings. European shrews are especially supportive to one another to ensure their siblings don't get lost, they all move in a caravan formation, with the mother leading them all, while each sibling holds on to their brother or sister in front of them.
The Smithsonian Institute in DC has done much research into sibling relationships. They discovered that otters who come from different litters, stay together as long as the parents are around. Smithsonian biologist Erica Bower shares that otter brothers spend most of their time together, getting on happily, and building sleeping locations together.
Birds however, are different. There are Heron subspecies who practice siblicide when their parents aren't watching or are away seeking food for their chicks. The incentive usually seems to be about food, and comes down to survival.
And lions, how are they really? The sisterly and brotherly alliance is especially notable. The sisters remain in the sisterhood pride while the brothers form coalitions who venture out to seek other prides to conquer and cohabitate.
When Disney and Co. anthropomorphize animals with human traits, it results in a disservice and deep misunderstanding of the animal world. Humans are unique in many of their behaviors, and sadly, specifically those which are negative. Attributing those to animals is just another one of traits of human denial and self reflection. Once again, we have much to learn from our animals on this planet who are wonderful teachers.