A leading rabbinic scholar of biblical interpretation, Norman J. Cohen examines in this book the soul-shaping struggles of Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Leah and Rachel, and Joseph and his brothers. The intent is to delve into these ancient familial dramas in order to find their contemporary meanings. Dr. Cohen sets the stage with a skillful interpretation of Adam and Eve's attempt to live with their inner tensions and then to find their way back to their original wholeness. The other Genesis stories help us understand sibling rivalry, the struggle for identity, parental authority, fragmentation of families, reconciliation, and the healing of old wounds. Self, Struggle & Change mines the spiritual meaning of these biblical texts on relationships.