San Francisco traffic. If you have a car and live in the bay area, you have experienced it. Stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, running late for a meeting or carpool, or simply a "quick trip" to the supermarket.
It is fascinating to take a moment and imagine where the individual in the car next to yours is heading, and how he or she likely has the same urgency to get to their destination.
Tensions run high. 
Everyone has developed their own method to dealing with the madness. Podcasts, audiobooks or music might be the choice for some. Phone calls or blissful silence for others. And then you have road rage. Who are these people?
In this week's Torah portion we read about two seemingly conflicting personalities. Jacob and Esau. Jacob sits and studies in his tent. Esau hunts wild animals. It's fun to imagine what they might look like in 2016, which vehicles they would drive, and which music they might listen to.
But is Esau evil? Did he even have a chance? Or was he a disaster waiting to happen from birth? And how is it that such a terrible child could come from such greats as Isaac and Rebecca?
The answer is that Esau actually had the potential for tremendous greatness. He had tremendous passion and drive. Things that Jacob could not accomplish with his delicate disposition, Esau could have achieved with his abounding energy by channeling his enthusiasm to effect positive change in the world.
It is not who he was, but the choices he made.
We can each identify with one (or both) of these characters. There is a path of study, prayer, and perfection, and just as important, there is a path of doing, passion and struggle. And each one of us has something to learn from the other.
Next time you experience road rage, appreciate the tremendous potential that is waiting to be unleashed. And stay safe :-)
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Chanukah celebrates that triumph of transforming darkness into light. Join us at the Petaluma River on December 27th, or for one of our many other programs leading up to the Festival of Lights. RSVP: www.JewishPetaluma.com/Chanukah
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
ב"ה