Jews are sometimes accused of finding antisemitism everywhere, even when it does not exist. There is some truth to this claim; no less an authority than the Netziv (R. Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin, 1816–1893), who composed an entire monograph on antisemitism, emphasized that the attitude is not universal, and there are many non-Jews who have a great love for the Jews, and that must be acknowledged and reciprocated. At present, the Jewish people are greatly fortunate to have many genuine and devoted friends who are vital sources of support at this heart-wrenching time, in America and throughout the world.

Some have expanded and extrapolated from the comment of Rashi (Gen. 33:4), regarding two of the main protagonists of Parashat Toldot, Esau and Jacob, “It is well established (halakhah b’yadua) that Esau hates Jacob” to all of the descendants of those individuals, to say that hatred against Jews is universal. However, as Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein has noted, not only is this reading of relatively recent vintage, and not reflective of classical understandings, it is demonstrably untrue. Further, even if the character of “Esau” should be read more expansively, the Netziv’s comment (found in his He’amek Davar to that verse) is that just as the individual Esau at times recognized his brotherhood with Jacob and reached out with love, his descendants often will as well.

Nonetheless, while antisemitism is not universal, it is perennial. The fact that this “oldest hatred” has erupted, unimpeded, in its most blatant, vile forms in the modern era, in the halls of universities and the streets of Western cities, is evidence enough of this tragic truism. In our time, this hatred has taken on a particularly grotesque and brazen mutation: the libel that Israel, the lone Jewish state, is engaged in “genocide.” That charge has been hurled in international forums, courtrooms, parliaments, and mass protests, and amplified endlessly in slogans, social media, and campus encampments. This newest version of an ancient blood libel is not a distraction from antisemitism; it is one of its purest and most dangerous expressions. Here, our Torah reading this week indeed has much to teach us; however, instead of looking to Jacob and Esau, we can look to Isaac and his interlocutors.

The Torah describes how Isaac becomes embroiled in a number of disputes regarding wells, and is ultimately sent away from his location of Gerar, and eventually travels to Be’er Sheva. R. Zalman Sorotzkin, in his Oznayim LaTorah, notes regarding the timing of travels that he did not wish to leave in the middle of a dispute, because “Antisemitism is a contagious disease” and the hatred would follow him to his next destination. R. Yaakov Kaminetsky comments that Isaac ultimately came to realize the need for distance. Much commentary on these verses recognizes the snapshot presented here of what would be a long and sad saga.

Advancers of the current rhetoric, who repeat or defend the accusation that Israel is committing “genocide,” claim they are not antisemitic in targeting Israel; Israel‘s behavior, they insist, should be up for evaluation just like every other nation, and the use of this term, they argue, is merely a principled application of international law. Some publications and commentators endeavor to show that they are not “obsessed with Israel,” but are simply calling out atrocities wherever they see them. A statement such as this misunderstands the nature of antisemitism and its unique threat.

It is by now undeniable that overt, blatant antisemitism has manifested all over the globe, tolerated by governments and universities as acceptable and even respectable. However, this is not the only kind of........

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