From newman@jerusalem1.datasrv.co.il Sun Nov 7 17:11:50 1993 Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 17:00:22 +0200 (IST) From: Rabbi Newman To: Rabbi Moshe Newman Subject: toldos.tw * TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion * Parshat Toldot * SUMMARY : After 20 years of childless marriage, the prayers of Yitzchak are answered and Rivka conceives twins who cause her extreme pain. A heavenly revelation explains her suffering as a preview of the conflict between the two great nations which her children will found, with the older one ultimately serving the younger one. Esav is born first and Yaakov follows clutching his heel. As they begin to grow up, the contrast between them is clear; Esav is a hunter, a man of the field, while Yaakov spends his time studying in yeshiva and perfecting his character. The privilege of responsibility as the first born is sold by Esav to Yaakov for a bowl of red lentil soup, the traditional mourner's food which Yaakov was cooking on the day of their grandfather Avraham's funeral and which a voraciously hungry Esav, returning from a hard day of hunting, valued more than his birthright. Yitzchak seeks to escape famine by leaving Land of Israel (as did his father) but Hashem reminds him that he was sanctified and must remain in the Holy Land. He moves his family to the land of the Plishtim in the Land of Israel where he announces that Rivka is his sister in order to avoid the risk of being murdered by those who would desire his beautiful wife. His great prosperity in that land arouses the envy of the people and the king asks him to leave. He moves to Beersheva where he spreads the knowledge of Hashem and achieves such prosperity that the Plishtim king makes a treaty with him. As Yitzchak suspects that his days are ending, he summons Esav for the purpose of blessing him. Rivka, who had received a prophecy that this blessing must be conferred on the truly deserving Yaakov, arranges for him to impersonate his brother and receive the blessing. When a frustrated Esav fumes to his father about his brother having bought his birthright, Yitzchak realizes that his blessing truly reached the son who valued the responsibility of a firstborn and he confirms the blessing he has given. Violently upset by this loss of the blessing, Esav vows to kill Yaakov. Therefore Rivka arranges for Yitzchak to send Yaakov away to the home of her brother Lavan where he may find a suitable wife. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * COMMENTARIES : "And these are the children of Yitzchak the son of Avraham" (25:19). Before introducing Yitzchak's own children, the Torah stresses that he was the son of Avraham. The message communicated is that although Yitzchak's righteousness made him a fitting son for Avraham, it did not prevent a son like Esav from growing up in his household. Even with such ideal heredity and environment, one can never be certain how a child will develop and there is a responsibility for parents to constantly supervise their children's education and growth. (Rav Moshe Feinstein) "And they called him Esav...afterwards his brother came out...and he called him Yaakov" (25:25-26). "They" called him Esav while only "he" - a reference either to Hashem or to Yitzchak - called him Yaakov. Many are the ways of evil which Esav personifies so there were many who could identify him. But the way of truth is singular and only identifiable by the Creator or one of His righteous servants, such as Yitzchak. (Based on the Klei Yakar) "And Esau said to Yaakov : Feed me from this red, red (food) for I am exhausted...and Yaakov said `Sell me today your birthright'." (25:30-31) Esav was so engrossed in his material pursuits that he was unable to recognize the lentils as anything more than the red color of their surface. This, Yaakov told him, indicates that you are totally unqualified to handle the responsibilities of a firstborn in serving Hashem and it would therefore be wiser for you to sell that birthright to me. This incident serves as a reminder that becoming too obsessed with material pursuits can blind one to seeing anything beyond the surface and become incapable of dealing with spiritual responsibilities. (Based on Seforno) "And Yitzchak smelled the fragrance of his clothes and he blessed him, saying `See how the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field blessed by Hashem'."(27:27) When Yaakov entered his father's chambers, he was accompanied, our Sages teach, by the fragrance of the Garden of Eden. A story in the Midrash will help us appreciate the significance of this fragrance. The Prophet Eliyahu, walking together with a man, came across an animal's corpse. While his companion held his nose in reaction to the stench emanating from the body, Eliyahu merely commented on the beauty of its white teeth. But when the two passed a live man guilty of many sins, it was Eliyahu's turn to hold his nose. Spirituality is real, not something abstract and removed from the world. If physical objects are capable of producing sweet smells and foul ones, so too do good deeds produce powerful and pleasant aromas while transgressions create a foul stench. The sensitive nose of a righteous man like Yitzchak is capable of actually picking up those odors and was therefore conscious of the exquisite fragrance of the Garden of Eden when his righteous son Yaakov entered. People are fond of decorating their homes with fragrant flowers and beautiful plants. How wonderful it would be if our homes could be adorned with the fragrance and beauty of kindness and truth. (Rav Yerucham Levovitz, quoted in Lekach Tov) A Service of: The Jewish Learning Exchange/JLE, Ohr Somayach/Tanenbaum College