From: "Yeshivat Har Etzion's
Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash"
To: yhe-intparsha@vbm-torah.org
Subject: INTPARSHA -06: Parashat Toldot
YESHIVAT
HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
*********************************************************
INTRODUCTION TO
PARASHAT HASHAVUA
by
Rav Michael Hattin
PARASHAT
TOLDOT
With the lives of Sarah and Avraham now behind us, the
Torah in this week's Parasha begins to relate the story
of Yitzchak and Rivka. Although they are
important
personalities in their own right, the
principal
significance of Yitzchak and Rivka lies in their being
the link between illustrious forebears and accomplished
progeny. Therefore, this week's Parasha, while certainly
describing important events in the lives of these two,
places its primary emphasis on the story of
their
children, Yaacov and Esav.
In broad outline, the events of the Parasha can
be
divided into three main sections. The first division,
from 25:19 to 25:34, describes the birth and subsequent
rivalry between Esav and Yaacov. The second, from 26:1
to 26:33, relates incidents in the lives of Yitzchak and
Rivka during their residence in Gerar. The last part,
from 26:34 to 28:9, recounts the struggle that ensues
between the two brothers concerning the birthright and
blessing.
The Divisions of the Parasha
Let us table the structure of the Parasha in greater
detail, according to this tripartite division:
1) a) the marriage of Yitzchak at the age of forty to
Rivka.
b) Rivka's barrenness, the heartfelt prayers for its
relief, her conception, the
resultant painful
pregnancy, and her enquiry of
God of its
significance.
c) the prophecy concerning the two
nations that
abide in her womb, the birth of the twins and their
coming of age as each pursues markedly
different
interests, Esav's sale of the birthright to Yaacov
for a bowl of pottage.
2) a) the famine, the family's descent to lodge with
Avimelech King of Gerar, the inhabitants' interest in
Rivka and the protection afforded to her by royal decree.
b) Yitzchak's success at agriculture and husbandry,
the jealousy which this arouses among the
local
peoples, and their resultant attempts to discourage
his continued presence by filling in the wells which
Avraham had dug.
c) Yitzchak's redigging and renaming of the
wells
after the example of Avraham, the struggle between
Yitzchak's shepherds and the local shepherds
over
new sources of water, and Yitzchak's
successful
claim to a newly dug well.
d) the translocation of the family to Be'er Sheva, a
divine vision that dispels Yitzchak's fears,
the
building by Yitzchak of an alter, his invoking
of
God's name, and the digging of a new well.
e) the arrival of Avimelech and his entourage
to
negotiate a covenant with Yitzchak, the exchange of
oaths and the ratification of the
treaty, the
digging of a new well by Yitzchak's servants and the
ascribing of the name 'Shiva' to it.
3) a) the marriage of Esav at the age of forty
to
Hittite women and their inability to find favor in
Yitzchak and Rivka's estimation.
b) the aging of Yitzchak and the dimming
of his
eyes, his desire to bestow the blessing of the first
born on Esav, and Esav's exit to secure the
game
which his father desires as a precursor
to the
blessings.
c) Yaacov's subterfuge and impersonation
of his
brother at his mother's behest and his securing of
the blessings.
d) Esav's discovery of the deception, his hatred of
his brother and raging desire to kill
him, and
Yaacov's flight to Charan ostensibly to seek a wife,
with his father's covenantal blessing in hand.
e) the marriage of Esav to Machlat,
daughter of
Yishmael.
It will immediately be noticed that a bracketing effect
is at work here, in which the tribulations of Yaacov and
Esav enclose the core events of the sojourn in Gerar.
It should also be noted that many of these core events
parallel incidents from the lives of Avraham and Sarah.
Thus, we find that Avraham and Sarah also descend to
Gerar, and that Sarah also is in danger of being seized
by Avimelech but in the end emerges from the experience
unscathed and in possession of a royal decree
of
protection (Bereishit Ch. 20). Further on, Avimelech and
his Chief of Staff entreat Avraham to conclude a pact
with them, and there is discussion concerning water
rights, namely the wells that were unjustly seized by
Avimelech's shepherds. The two conclude a treaty at
Be'er Sheva and Avraham invokes the name
of God
(Bereishit Ch.21:22-34).
Significantly, the final section of the
Parasha
describing the stratagem employed by Yaacov to secure the
blessing also seems to exhibit a bracketing feature.
Here, it is Esav's marriages that enclose the struggle
over the blessings. His marriage to Hittite
women
introduces the section and his marriage to
Machlat
daughter of Yishmael concludes it, and with it, the
Parasha. We will endeavor to keep these items in mind as
we begin to consider some of the Parasha's most salient
features.
The Theme of Infertility
The Parasha opens with a description of the marriage of
Yitzchak to Rivka. Yitzchak is forty years old at the
time of his marriage, and Rivka, like Sarah before her
and Rachel (and perhaps even Leah) after her,
is
initially barren. This inability to conceive is not
overcome until the protagonists call out to God
to
intervene. God accedes to their prayers, and in the
cases of Sarah and Rivka, provides some cryptic insight
into the nature of the offspring.
The theme of childlessness is to be found in
other
instances as well. The mother of Shimshon, for instance,
is initially unable to conceive (Judges 13:2), as is
Channa the mother of Shemuel (Samuel 1:1:2). The Jewish
people in exile, manifest by Zion and Jerusalem in ruins,
are envisioned by the Prophet Yishayahu as being barren
and bereft of children, until God in His gentle mercy
redeems and restores them to their land (Isaiah 54:1).
Of course, great anticipation and expectation on the part
of parents precedes the birth of every child. Pregnancy
often heralds hopeful musings about the child to be, and
dreams about his/her future. When a prolonged period of
infertility comes before that pregnancy, those feelings
and thoughts are no doubt magnified many times over. If
recourse to prayer is an integral part of addressing the
difficulty, and the prayers are answered, then
an
additional sense of destiny and mission invests the
circumstance of birth.
For this reason, I believe, the Matriarchs were without
exception barren. The tearful prayers addressed to the
Creator, and the divine intervention that those prayers
secured, made it very clear that the child thereafter
conceived and born was not the consequence of a typical
and unremarkable chain of events. Rather, that child,
born out of intense longing and eventual
triumph,
embodied the concrete expression of a unique and special
task in life. In similar fashion, the twin birth of Esav
and Yaacov indicates that each one of them has a special
role to play in the world, singular and exceptional.
Esav and Yaacov as Contrasting Archetypes
The peculiar nature of these disparate destinies is
accentuated by the very unusual oracle that heralds their
birth: "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples
will separate from your belly. One nation will be more
powerful than the other, and the greater shall serve the
lesser" (Bereishit 25:23). The
truth of the
pronunciation is soon borne out by the very different
features of the emerging babies: the first is ruddy and
full of hair, the second (who emerges while grasping the
ankle of his brother) does not share these attributes.
As the children grow, their characters diverge even
further. Esav the elder takes to the
hunt. An
outdoorsman by nature, full of guile and craftiness, he
enjoys the field and the killing of prey. Yaacov his
younger brother is of a more refined
constitution.
Adopting the pastoral pursuit of shepherding flocks, he
gravitates towards a serene, contemplative lifestyle.
Portentously, the text indicates that Yitzchak has a
special love for Esav because of his provision of game,
while Rivka prefers Yaacov.
Let us briefly analyze the account of Esav's selling of
the birthright. Returning from the
hunt in a
particularly exhausted state, Esav finds his brother busy
preparing a stew. "Allow me to devthis very red stuff"
he exclaims, employing the unusual verb
"haL'ETani"
(devour). This verb is otherwise unknown in biblical
Hebrew, but in Mishnaic Hebrew it carries the sense of
gorging down food after the manner of an
animal.
Apparently, the exact ingredients of the stew in question
are unimportant, so great is Esav's gnawing hunger and so
impetuous his desire. Yaacov, sensing an opportunity,
offers to exchange the stew for Esav's birthright, and
the latter readily accepts: "Behold, I am going to die
(of hunger?). Of what use to me is the birthright?"
Yaacov extends the stew of lentils to Esav along with
some bread, and the Torah then proceeds to provide a
highly exceptional list of five successive verbs to
describe Esav's actions: "and he ate, drank,
arose,
walked off, and despised the birthright." There is a
great sense of impulsiveness expressed by the use of
these verbs, a feeling of dynamic abandon as Esav gorges
on the stew, taking nary a breath, and rushes back to the
hunt. Whatever the birthright's true significance, it is
insufficient to give Esav pause for even a moment. He
willingly and consciously exchanges it for a bowl of
lentils, because he scorns its value.
Understanding the Birthright
What is the significance of the birthright and blessing,
the two things that constitute such an integral part of
our Parasha? Or, to phrase the question differently, why
is Yaacov so interested in securing it? An
ancient
tradition suggests that the birthright was initially
associated with the special role of
serving and
ministering to God: "Why did Yaacov our father risk his
life for the birthright? It was because of what we have
learned elsewhere, that before the construction of the
Tabernacle, sacrifice on high places was permitted, and
the firstborn served as priests. After the building of
the Tabernacle, the high places were forbidden, and the
service was limited to only the Cohanim." (Bereishit
Rabbah 63:33).
In other words, being the first born in ancient Israel
meant aspiring to a special life of connectedness to God.
In this context, living by the terms of the birthright
meant being prepared to continue the spiritual legacy of
Avraham and Sarah. That being the case, it seems hardly a
vocation for a savage hunter whose greatest pleasures are
temporal, corporeal, and sanguinary.
I believe that it is possible to interpret Yaacov's
conduct here as his means of testing Esav's resolve. If
the birthright means anything to him at all, he will
certainly not exchange it for a bowl of lentils! To no
one's surprise, not Yaacov's and not Esav's,
the
birthright is peddled away. Significantly, in
the
aftermath of the sale, Esav expresses no
regret,
contrition, or remorse. Instead, his attitude towards
the birthright is one of unmitigated disdain
and
derision.
The Sojourn in Gerar
At this point, the Torah digresses from the opening
narrative to describe the famine which strikes the land
"after the manner of famine which occurred in the days of
Avraham" (Bereishit 26:1). Yitzchak, Rivka and their
children descend to Gerar and take up residence.
A
series of incidents ensue as detailed above in the second
section of the summary. To briefly
recap, the
inhabitants' of Gerar express interest in Rivka, thinking
that she is Yitzchak's sister. Avimelech discovers that
she is in fact Yitzchak's wife and
affords her
protection. This of course parallels Avraham's
and
Sarah's almost identical experience in Gerar (Bereishit
Ch. 20).
Yitzchak's material success arouses jealousy among the
local peoples, and they attempt to discourage
his
continued presence by filling in his wells. Curiously,
the Torah adds that these were the very wells dug by
Avraham his father. Yitzchak, not discouraged, redigs
the wells and assigns them the very names that his father
Avraham had given them.
The family eventually relocates to Be'er Sheva, and
Yitzchak is afforded a divine vision that dispels his
fears. Just as Avraham his father had done in similar
circumstances (Bereishit 12:7), Yitzchak proceeds to
build an alter and to invoke God's name. Soon thereafter,
Avimelech and his entourage arrive to negotiate
a
covenant with Yitzchak. They exchange oaths and ratify a
treaty, just as Avraham had done years before at the very
same location (Bereishit 21:22-34). The section
is
concluded with an unmistakable flashback to those events,
as a new well is dug by Yitzchak's servants and named
"Shiva." "And therefore the name of that city was Be'er
Sheva until this very day." It will be recalled that the
name "Be'er Sheva" was initially bestowed by Avraham to
commemorate his sealing of his oath ("shevua")
with
Avimelech (Bereishit 21:31).
What is the meaning of all of these parallels? Is it
sheer coincidence that Yitzchak and Rivka undergo such
similar life events as their parents? It is almost as if
the two have no independent, original experiences of
which to speak. Clearly, the Torah is
indicating
something consequential to us by narrating only those
events that are comparable to the life of Avraham and
Sarah.
Broadly speaking and without attempting to explain each
specific parallel, it would not be unwarranted to suggest
that the Torah is clearly trying to emphasize to us that
Yitzchak and Rivka are very much following in
the
footsteps of Avraham and Sarah. The trail that
the
latter two blazed, the revolution in human thought and
ethics that they initiated by introducing monotheism to
the world, remains very much alive due to the efforts of
Yitzchak and Rivka. These two are absolutely committed
to the same ideals and values, and fervently continue the
legacy that was bequeathed to them with such solemn trust
and trepidation.
It is almost as if Yitzchak and Rivka have become Avraham
and Sarah, so closely do their lives seem to overlap.
And at the very heart of this reality lies a single
pertinent truth: Avraham and Sarah have succeeded as
progenitors of a nation not because of their own personal
accomplishments in acquiring faith and trust, but rather
because they have been able to pass on these
most
precious of possessions to their son and to his wife, who
have willingly and enthusiastically embraced the same
destiny. Yitzchak the physical heir and Rivka
the
spiritual heir together embody the principles developed
and faithfully transmitted by Avraham and Sarah, and the
lives of these children therefore bear
so much
resemblance to those of their parents.
Esav's First Marriages
The account of the sojourn in Gerar and the lessons
derived from it serve as an appropriate foil to the brief
two-verse account of Esav's marriages, which introduces
the final section of the Parasha. "When Esav was forty
years old, he took Yehudit the daughter of Beeri the
Hittite and Basmat the daughter of Elon the Hittite as
his wives. The wives caused vexation of spirit
to
Yitzchak and Rivka" (Bereishit 26:33-34).
What a
frightful contrast is here described by this blinding
juxtaposition! Esav, the first born, the promise of the
next generation, the aspiring scion to his parents' holy
and demanding mission, here follows in the footsteps of
his father Yitzchak, who also took a wife at the age of
forty (Bereishit 23:20). But how disappointing, dismal
and discouraging is his choice, for he decides to take
Hittite (Canaanite) women as his wives! It will
be
recalled that Avraham his grandfather went to his grave
only after having abjured his faithful servant not to
take for Yitzchak "a wife from the daughters of Canaan"
(Bereishit 24:1-4). As for Yitzchak himself, it was
"unnecessary for Avraham to command his son concerning
it, for he knew that Yitzchak would not abrogate the
wishes of his father and the oath placed upon
the
servant, for Yitzchak was very much aware of the matter"
(Ramban, 13th century Spain, 24:3).
Avraham correctly surmised that for his son to marry the
daughters of Canaan would spell certain ruin for the
ideology of ethical monotheism. The attractions
of
Canaanite polytheistic culture, the intense familial and
communal connections that a Canaanite wife would bring
into the marriage, would create insurmountable obstato
achieving the objective of raising children committed to
a different way of life, a life of responsibility and
obligation. Had Yitzchak married a Canaanite woman, the
death knell would have been sounded for the lifelong work
of Avraham and Sarah, and all hopes of a future nation
would have been dashed. Therefore, Avraham made his
wishes crystal clear to his son Yitzchak and the servant,
and the prohibition was faithfully observed.
And yet cognizant of this, nay, in spite of it, Esav
consciously turns his back on that mission and brazenly
takes Hittite wives, in contravention
of his
grandfather's injunction, and in contempt of
his
patrimony! No wonder that these wives cause vexation of
spirit and "bitterness of soul" to Yitzchak and Rivka.
How dejected they must have felt, and how disappointed in
their first born son.
The Bestowal of the Blessing
Yitzchak ages and his eyes grow dim. With the specter of
mortality looming just over the horizon, Yitzchak decides
that it is time to bestow the covenantal blessings on his
first born. "Behold, I am now old," he tells Esav his
eldest son, "I know not the day of my death. Therefore,
take your weapons, go to the field and bring me back
game. Prepare for me the tasty food that I love and
bring it before me, so that I met bless you before I die"
(Bereishit 27:1 - 4).
At first glance, Yitzchak's
conduct seems
incomprehensible. How could he have intended to bless
Esav in light of the latter's disdain for the life of
Godliness that the blessings entail? The
Ramban
accentuates the paradox further: "It was
Yitzchak's
intent to bless Esav so that he would
merit the
benediction bestowed upon Avraham to inherit the land.
Further, Esav would be designated to fulfill the covenant
with God, for indeed he was the firstborn" (Bereishit
27:4). How are we to understand Yitzchak's lack
of
judgement and his failure to exercise even a minimal
amount of parental discretion? And how indeed
to
understand Rivka's recourse to deceit and subterfuge, in
order to secure the blessings for Yaacov?
The commentaries offer different approaches. Rashi (11th
century, France) suggests that Esav, true to his vocation
of the hunt, is a master deceiver, a sly and skillful
manipulator who is able to hoodwink his trusting father
into believing that he is truly a pious and spiritual son
(see his comments on 25:27). Only Rivka, it seems, is
able to see through this carefully crafted facade. Of
course, this explanation is difficult to sustain in light
of our knowledge of Esav's conduct in choosing wives.
Much more plausible is the approach of Seforno (15th
century, Italy), who senses in Yitzchak's premature
blindness a metaphor for a spiritual malaise as well:
"Yitzchak failed to recognize Esav's true character, and
should have protested his son's intermarriage.
The
attempt to bestow the blessing on Esav was a terrible
error of judgement...The blindness with which he was
stricken happened also to Eli (see Samuel 1:2:11-26), who
failed to reprove his sons concerning their unacceptable
conduct..."(Bereishit 26:35, 27:1). In other
words,
Yitzchak is not at all deceived by Esav's behavior; on
the contrary, he is well aware of it and
willfully
chooses to overlook it!
Seforno's approach would of course explain
Rivka's
conduct as well. According to Rashi's approach, we are
initially puzzled by her lack of communication with her
husband. Why does she not speak to him about Esav's
unsuitability for the blessing and about his true colors?
Why is there no conversation between the two, as if a
dysfunctional family dynamic exists in the household?
If, on the other hand, we adopt Seforno's interpretation,
the picture is clarified. Rivka does not speak
to
Yitzchak about the matter, because she has done so a
thousand times in the past. And her words have fallen on
deaf ears, because Yitzchak has consistently decided to
close them out. Blinded by his own shortsightedness, he
is determined to select Esav as the spiritual heir, and
no amount of reasoned arguments and rational proofs will
sway him from his decision.
Esav the Hunter
Having resolved the question concerning
Yitzchak's
behavior, we are of course left with a larger question.
What is it about Esav that finds favor in Yitzchak's
eyes, to the degree of being inclined to ignore his
unsavory attributes? Does Esav possess any qualities
whatsoever that make him a suitable choice for the office
of firstborn? We suggested earlier that the designation
of first born involved primarily God-centered spiritual
pursuits, and the mission to continue the legacy of
Avraham and Sarah. The one to merit the patriarchal
blessing will carry on his shoulders the onerous burden
of founding a nation. Nation-building ability is a rare
commodity, for not all men or women possess the crucial
mix of ambition, determination, skill, foresight, and
imperiousness that the calling demands.
Considering Esav, we are reminded of the only other
hunter figure in all of Hebrew Scripture: Nimrod the
mighty. A descendant of Cham, his postdiluvial exploits
are singled out for special mention in the Parasha of
Noach: "Cush begat Nimrod, who began to be a mighty man
in the land. He was a mighty hunter before God,
a
proverbial hunter of great strength. The beginning of
his kingdom was in Bavel, Erech, Akkad and Chalneh, in
the land of Shinar. From that land he extended his rule
to Ashur and built Nineveh, Rechovot Ir and Calach. Also
Resen, between Nineveh and Calach, it is the great city"
(Bereishit 10:8 - 12).
The place names mentioned in this passage dot all of
southern and northern Mesopotamia. In other
words,
Nimrod the hunter is actually the builder of cities, the
developer of regions and the founder of an empire. The
Torah is suggesting that there is a definite connection
between his prowess as a hunter and his skill as an
emperor. The successful hunter possesses
power,
determination, alacrity, and foresight. He also can be
crafty, stealthy, and sly. He is not dissuaded by the
sight of bloodshed and is able to maintain calm and
resolve in the face of fear. In short, a conqueror of
animals can easily adopt his abilities to become
a
conqueror of men.
In the words of the Ramban: "Nimrod was the first man to
rule by force over other people. He was the first king,
for until his days there were no wars and no empires.
First he overpowered the Babylonians and ruled over them
by might, and then extended his dominion over Assyria,
building fortified cities and tightening his grip..."
(Bereishit 10:9). It is no wonder that the ancient Near
Eastern king, whether of Egypt, Assyria, or Babylon, is
so often represented as a hunter! This is the hoary
symbology that so accurately captures his essential
skills and characteristics, striking the requisite amount
of fear and foreboding into his subjects' hearts.
Astonishingly, the Midrash ties these disparate elements
succinctly together, stating that Rivka dresses her son
Yaacov in the "desirous mantle of Esav her
elder"
(Bereishit 27:15): "These are the garments that he had
coveted from Nimrod!" (Bereishit Rabbah 65:16). In other
words, Esav shares not only Nimrod's pastime, but his
essence as well.
The Fateful Moment
Yitzchak grows old and begins to ponder the task that
lies ahead. A nation must be founded whose ideas will
sweep the world. Which of his two sons seems better
suited to the mission? Will it be the placid and serene
Yaacov, who prefers introspection and solitude to the
bustle of the city? Or will it be Esav, who is in a
constant state of dynamism and motion, and demonstrates
unbridled enthusiasm, enterprise, and an appetite for
dominion? Confronted by the awesome choice, blinded by
its terrible gravity, Yitzchak decides in favor of his
true first-born and selects Esav to receive the blessings
of the covenant. It is a decision
fraught with
misgivings, for he knows well Esav's failings
and
failures. But do it he must, for how else shall the
nascent nation survive in a hostile world, if not by the
exercise of force?
Rivka, kind, insightful and wise, knows otherwise. The
future people of Israel will not survival through arms or
weapons. They will not win over adherents to
their
conception of a better world by bloodshed and coercion.
They will not weather the whirlwind that will seek to
engulf their ideas through the exercise of military
might. Their survival will be a function of a quiet and
persistent faith, an abiding trust that will allow them
to endure the most horrific of attempts to destroy their
grand vision. They will conquer the world not by the
edge of the sword, but by gentle and impassioned words.
In short, the nation of Israel shall look to Yaacov as
their founding father, for it is he who secures and
deserves the blessings of the covenant.
Yitzchak's Regaining of his Sight
Esav, enraged at his brother's deception, resolves to
kill him. Yaacov is forced to flee eastward to Charan,
using the pretext of looking for a wife. Yitzchak, now
finally aware of his folly and convinced of Yaacov's
capabilities, sends him off with the precious blessing of
the covenant and the revived injunction not to take a
wife from the daughters of Canaan! Yaacov tearfully
takes his leave, his fractured and stunned family left in
a shambles. There will be no reconciliation between Esav
and his mother for the rest of her days.
At this
juncture, however, Esav does something quite amazing:
"and Esav saw that the daughters of Canaan were bad in
the sight of his father. Esav therefore went to Yishmael
and took Machlat the daughter of Yishmael, who
was
Avraham's son, (she being the sister of Nevayot), in
addition to his other wives" (Bereishit 28:8 - 9). How
striking that the Torah indicates Machlat's lineage! She
is the descendent of Avraham and therefore a suitable
mate. And even more striking is Yitzchak's regaining of
his spiritual sight, for Esav finally realizes that his
two Canaanite wives are bad "IN THE EYES of Yitzchak his
father"! The bout of blindness is over, and in its wake
Yaacov the first born will go forth in the world to
secure his rightful place.
Shabbat Shalom.
YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433
Copyright (c) 1999 Yeshivat Har Etzion
All Rights Reserved
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