GEN1434 At the hour that Jacob called Esau “my lord,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You humbled yourself and called Esau ‘my lord’ eight times.   By your life, I will make eight kings from his sons before your sons [have a king], as it says, ‘These are the kings which ruled in the land of Edom before a king ruled over the Israelites’” [this verse]. Bereshit Rabba 75:11, cited in Kimelman, 44. COMMENT: Eight times in Genesis Jacob refers to Esau deferentially as “my lord” (Gen. 32:5,6,19 and 33:8,13,14 twice, 15). The lesson here is that flattery rather than courageous confrontation has its place, as indeed was the case in Jacob’s confrontation with Esau.  As Kimelman notes, remonstrating requires strategy and planning, of ten demanding patience, a soft tongue, self-suffering, and careful self-examination. It can even require praying for one’s enemies.   Further, it is also true that disobedience and protest is not always the right response: Abraham does not protest when God asks for the sacrifice of Isaac (Gen. 22) and this is considered the act of faith par excellence. Yet, according to rabbinic tradition, Saul tried to argue against God concerning the annihilation of Amalek and was punished for it (I Sam. 15:26-29). Talmud, Yoma 22b BANAL 187