"There is now a #Jewish debate about fighting #antisemitism. And we need to consider what exactly we are arguing about when we argue about it.
[Brett] #Stephens’s thesis might seem provocative now, but it wouldn’t shock medieval #Jews. #AvrahamGrossman points out that #Rashi often depicts the nations of the world as “lying in wait to attack and devour the #Jewish people.” #Grossman writes that this is not surprising, considering that the renowned medieval commentator’s community was massacred during the #FirstCrusade, and endured multiple #antiJewish edicts.
In his commentary on the #Torah, Rashi quotes the phrase from the #Midrash saying that “it is a rule that #Esau hates #Jacob.” This means that antisemitism is a metaphysical reality; the spiritual heirs of Esau will always hate the descendants of Jacob. Antisemitism will never end.
Rashi’s attitude to antisemitism remains influential today."