Torah Commentary - Toldot
*Commentary courtesy of Menahem Me-Zahav
Our Sidra is named for 2 words in its 1st Passuk: “Ve’eile Toldot Yitzchak - And this is the life story of Isaac the son of Abraham”. It is Isaac, representing the 2nd generation of the Jewish people, to whom our Sidra is now dedicated. Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebeca - Rivka the granddaughter of his uncle Nachor (Genesis 25:20).
Rebeca, after 20 years of marriage, is pregnant with twins. It is a difficult pregnancy. The twins are struggling within the womb. Their struggle signifies the future tumultuous relations between the two brothers and their descendants. The first to be born is red and hairy and is named Esau – Eissav since he was hairy as “Essev” – “Grass”.
The 2nd to be born is holding Esau’s heel and is named Jacob - Ya’akov - since “He was grasping Esau’s Akev” – “Heel” (Genesis 25:21-26).
The two brothers are totally different from one another. Jacob is the “man of the book” studying all day long. Esau is the opposite of his brother. He is a hunter, a man of the wilderness. Jacob is mild mannered and polite, whereas Esau’s behavior is of a wild, uneducated and crude man. Isaac favors Esau, but Rebeca loves Jacob best. “And the boys grew up. And Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors, but Jacob was a mild man who used to stay indoors” (Genesis 25:27).
According to Midrash that is supported by Rashi, Jacob was spending most of his time in the “Torah School of Shem and Ever” (Noach’s son & great grandson). Jacob’s life is later saved by staying at the “School” while Esau was looking to kill him for stealing Isaac’s Final Blessing from him.
Isaac’s Blessing is mentioned later.
The Torah’s School of Shem and Ever. It was established by Shem, the son of Noach according to Rabbinic Literature. Rashi identifies a gap of 14 years in Jacob’s life, which are not accounted for, in the Torah. Rashi’s calculation is quite long and complicated. In order to familiarize ourselves, with Rashi’s calculation, please see the Rashi at Genesis 28:9 (which is the last Passuk of our Sidrah). Rashi explains there, that in the above unaccounted for - 14 years, Jacob was hiding in the Torah School of Shem and Ever. Jacob was familiar with The School, as he used to study there, before making it, his hiding place from Esau. Esau, as we’ll read later in the summary, was looking to kill him, for ‘stealing’ Isacc’s Final Blessing.
The Dish of Lentils – “Nezid Adashim”. Esau comes home one day from his hunting, while Jacob happens to be cooking a Dish of Lentils. As Esau is very hungry, he sells his Birthright for Jacob’s Dish of Lentils - Nezid Adashim. The Torah seems to tell us that Esau did not value his Birthright, since he exchanged it for a worthless item – Dish of Lentils - Nezid Adashim.
The use of the phrase “Nezid Adashim”, in order to imply that something is worthless - can be found today quite often, in contemporary Hebrew literature.
Rechovot. Living close to the Philistine city of Gerar (in today’s Negev), Isaac digs a few wells that are forcibly taken over by the Philistines. He finally digs a well which is not being challenged. He calls it Rechovot (Roomy area). “And he (Isaac) called it Rechovot, saying: Now God has made room for us to grow in the land of Israel” (Genesis 26:22).
The City of Rechovot in Israel. It is located some 10 miles south of Tel Aviv. Founded in 1890, it was named so, as an expression of hope, that it “will grow in the land of Israel”. It is a similar hope, that was expressed over 3,500 years earlier, by Isaac when he finished digging, his last and most successful well. The City of Rechovot served as the seat of the First President of Israel, Chayim Weitzman. The city that numbers today well over 120,000 is home to the world renowned ‘Weitzman Institute of Science’ (Machon Weitzman Le’Mada). The seven decades old Weitzman Institute, is named after its founder Chayim Weitzman.
The word Rechovot as a name of a place, can be found in the U.S. It is spelled Rehoboth. (IE: Rehoboth- Beach, DE. Rehoboth, GA. Rehoboth, MD. Rehoboth MA and Rehoboth, NM – to name just a few).
Isaac’s Blessing. Some 25 years later, the 100 years old and almost blind Isaac, asks Esau to prepare a meal for the two of them, at which he (Isaac) will bestow upon Esau the Final Blessing. Esau then rushes out to hunt an animal. Rebeca overhears Isaac’s request. Knowing that Esau does not deserve Isaac’s blessing, she convinces the reluctant Jacob, to disguise himself (so that the almost blind Isaac, will ‘recognize’ him as Esau) and ‘steal’ Isaac’s blessing for himself. Jacob complies and with Rebeca’s help (In concealing his real identity, from the almost blind Isaac), he is then being blessed by Isaac.
Isaac’s Final Blessing of Jacob: “May God give you the dew of the sky, the riches of the earth and the abundance of food. Let people (of the world) serve you and nations bow to you. Be master to your brothers … And blessed shall be those who bless you”. (Genesis 27:28-29).
When Esau returns, he begs Isaac, to bless him as well. Isaac blesses Esau too but adds that Esau “Will live on the sword, and shall serve his brother” (Genesis 27:40). Soon the enraged Esau thinks aloud that “After Isaac’s death, he will kill Jacob” (Genesis 27:41). Jacob, upon Rebeca’s request (As she overheard Esau’s threat) leaves home, on his way to Haran, Rebeca’s birth place. Rebeca hopes that Jacob will find a bride at her (Rebeca’s) own family’s home. Some 60 years earlier, Rebeca met her future husband Isaac (With the help of Eliezer, Abraham’s servant. Described in full detail, in last week’s Sidrah of Chayei Sarah).
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1 – 2:7 Page 163.
Our Haftarah is taken from the prophecies of Malachi. Malachi was the last of all the prophets. He lived around the time when the 2nd Temple was being built (Circa 530 BCE).
Although the nation has been enjoying, the newly found peace and prosperity, Malachi’s heart nevertheless, refuses to overlook some of the inequities, that became part of the Jewish people’s life.
Malachi begins with a proclamation, that is meant to reaffirm God’s eternal commitment, to his chosen people: “I have shown my love to you, says The Lord, but you (Israel) are saying: how have you (God) shown your love to us? (And God answers) Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? And yet I loved Jacob and I have rejected Esau”. This divine announcement, that serves also as a linkage to our Sidrah, echoes the Final Blessing of Jacob (by Isaac). A blessing that was initially intended for Esau and God transformed it, into a blessing for Jacob. (Malachi 1:2).
Malachi then confronts the Kohanim, who have transgressed, by not adhering to the proper order of the rituals, in the Holy Temple, that they are committed to follow (Malachi 1:7-8). God seems to accuse the Kohanim, also for the misdeeds of the Israelites, who disrespect God. He compares them to sons, who do not respect their father, and to servants who do not acknowledge their master. “A son honors his father and a slave his master. And if I (God) am a father, where is my honor? And if I (God) am a master, where is my reverence? said the Lord” (Malachi 1:6). The way to escape God’s wrath, is in the hands of the Kohanim: “And now, ask God’s forgiveness and He will be gracious to you” (Malachi 1:9) and “For the lips of the Kohen are full of knowledge, and the Torah is sought from his mouth, for he (The Kohen) serves as God’s Angel” - God’s Messenger (Malachi 2:7).
Note: The Very Humble Rashi - Genesis 28:5
The Torah tells us the following: “Then Isaac sent Jacob off, and he went to…Labban…the brother of Rebekah, mother of Jacob and Esau” (Genesis 28:5).
The above few words (namely: “mother of Jacob and Esau”) do not seem to be of any special importance.
There are of course different opinions by Bible commentators, which is quite common.
What makes these few words unique is Rashi’s “explanation”.
Rashi, known probably as the greatest Bible Commentator was known also as a very humble man.
Rashi decided that instead of trying to explain, the above words (namely “mother of Jacob and Esau”) he had some problem that he could not explain. He wrote therefore the following:
“I do not know what (the Torah) is teaching us” (Hebrew: “Einy Yode’a Mah Melamdainu”).
A real unique case indeed. It does not happen again in the entire Torah.
Just for information, Chumash Etz Hayim does explain it (Page 160, bottom of left column).
It quotes a book named “Zeidah Laderech” written by Rabbi Eillenburg in the 6th Century CE
as a review of Rashi’s Explanations to the Torah.
Here it is:
“Why does the text emphasize that Rebekah was the mother of Jacob and Esau, something we already know? She sends Jacob away not only to spare his life but to save Esau from becoming a murderer. Although she favored Jacob for the blessing, they were both her children and she loved them both”.
