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Frustration in Succoth

The young heir of Edom hated every second in Succoth. Accustomed to the red stone palace of Seir, where his word was law and silence reigned, he now shared a tent with goats, in the humid heat and endless noise of his cousin Job's wedding preparations. They arrived three days early. Three days away from the mines, the caravans, and the decisions. Three days trapped in someone else's party, while Omar, his brother, stayed in Edom gaining influence. His mood was pure bitterness: he hated the smell of nard mixed with dung, he hated the flutes, he hated having to smile at Simeon and Levi when they passed by provoking him. His grandfather Jacob asked him and his father, Eliphaz, to stay. "Participate in the wedding. Then we'll talk, catch up on everything." Eliphaz agreed. He didn't. But he obeyed, chewing on anger. On the third day, he couldn't take it anymore. Jacob commanded all the men to purify themselves in the river before the feast. Instead of going to the crowded stretch, he took a path alone to a secluded bend in the Jordan. He wanted silence. He wanted to wash Succoth from his skin. He took off his tunic, entered the icy water, and closed his eyes. For a moment, he was not an exiled prince. He was just a man in the water. A branch snapped. He opened his eyes. Among the reeds, he saw a tunic folded over a stone. And in the water, facing the other bank, was someone.