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

***********************************************************************