“Including our Brothers”

Numbers 20: 14: “From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: ‘Thus your brother Israel has said, “You know all the hardship that has befallen us.”’” Our sense of awareness must include not just our own past, present, and future, but the experiences of our brethren, as well. Israel and Edom had a common ancestor, Isaac, from almost five hundred years previous. Yet they were expected to keep up with each other. Edom didn’t. They spurned their brother Israel—and today the nation no longer exists.