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Toldot | Between Yaakov and Esav

 

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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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 devour this 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 obstacles to 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 secure 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 descendant 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.

 

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