top of page
Writer's pictureLeann Shamash

Siblings

Updated: Nov 30, 2022

The book of Genesis is filled with stories of siblings. From Cain and Abel, through Isaac and Yishmael, Jacob and Esau, we see one dysfunctional family situation after another. Perhaps the Torah's message is theological; that God has a plan and we fit not so neatly into that plan or perhaps the Torah is asking us to expect the realistic outcomes of our lives; that we are human and flawed and our relationships, in turn, will be flawed. Maybe we are being asked to do better than the Avot and Imahot. It is hard to know.


Parshat Vayeitzei differs from other stories in Genesis in that it deals with the relationship of sisters. Rachel and Leah are introduced to us in this parsha. Their father, Lavan, perhaps an unscrupulous character, marries the sisters off to the same man which complicates the already complicated life of siblings.


For the next few moments I would like to examine the complicated world of siblings. For those of you reading this post, who have siblings, perhaps you will recognize yourselves in this series of poems. Whether relationships with siblings are healthily maintained or break over time, for some magical time in our lives, our siblings were everything to us as we created worlds together.

Leann


Siblings


One


To be a sibling

is to share a catalog

of memories.

Sibs are your other half,

or third

or

quarter;

without them you are minimized;

a tiny file

in the corner of the monitor.

With them you are

the complete set,

the encyclopedia of Us-ness

the dictionary of We-ness

and the Complete Reference Guide

to the Musketeer Universe.


******

Two


Not to over romanticize


Siblings,

are

a cup of

deep

red wine

overflowing

with shared experiences.

Shades of

cinnamon and cloves

lemon and honey.


Not to over romanticize


Sometimes with

Siblings the cup overflows.

Out pours vinegar,

sour smelling

and biting.


Resentment boils over.


Stains of envy

never wash out.


******


Three


Siblings are wallpaper

strippers.

peeling away

the layers of paper

we‘ve added over the years.

the bold stripes

peeled off

reveal

the colors of life’s stages

ripped from the walls

gleefully;

leaving us as we were

skinny,

scabby kneed,

mosquito bitten,

kids in baggy socks

looking for attention.


*****


Four



Siblings

can walk away forever

leaving a ragged cut

in

cracked sepia family photos.

Historical markers

that appear so happy.

Forced smiles

in portraits

disguise what lies beneath;

mistakes that cannot

be

papered over.


******

Five


siblings,

no matter the age

remain fuzzy

young pups

warmed by each other,

yet blind;

still

competing

to find the warmest space

close to their mom.


***** Six


Siblings are home,

whatever home might mean.

No matter where you are

or what your age

or your station in life;

when you are with your siblings

you are home.


****


Seven


Once

I had a sister.

It was a lifetime ago.

I remember her brown hair,

her sharp eyes

her laugh.

Old songs she sang.

And then life interrupted

and we became sisters

in name alone.

Sisters

whose history

remains

a mere trickle

of a teardrop.

Salt leaving

white rivulets

on cheeks

growing wrinkled

with age.






Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

Genesis 29:16-17 Translation from Sefaria


וּלְלָבָ֖ן שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הַגְּדֹלָה֙ לֵאָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה רָחֵֽל׃

וְעֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכּ֑וֹת וְרָחֵל֙ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃


When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I was in your service for Rachel! Why did you deceive me?”

Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the older.

Genesis 29:25-26 Translation from Sefaria



 

For inspiration and learning this week I listed to Matan's One on One podcast with Dr. Yael Ziegler.



174 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page