Parashat Toldot
First Aliya - 21 p'sukim - 25:19-26:5 [SDT] Rashi quotes the Gemara that tells that when Yitzchak was born, scoffers said that Avraham and Sara, who were childless for so long, had found a baby and claimed it as theirs. Avraham invited the leaders of the nations, their wives and infants, and Sara was miraculously able to wet-nurse all the babies. (The Gemara points to the plural "banim" in 21:7.) Then the scoffers accepted that Sara bore Yitzchak, but chided Avraham that Avimelech was the father (since Yitzchak's birth followed Sara's abduction). A miracle occurred and baby Yitzchak was the very image of his father Avraham, until the scoffers proclaimed, "Avraham sired Yitzchak". [SDT] Earlier, the Torah tells us of the generations of Yishmael b. Avraham. That seems to be in balance with the beginning of this sedra, which speaks of Yitzchak, except [1] the Torah makes a point that Yishmael is the son of Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sara. In other words, Yishmael was NOT the real To'l'dot of Avraham; and [2] To'l'dot (in the Yishmael context) is spelled without a vav, implying that something was missing. To'l'dot of Yitzchak b. Avraham; it was Avraham who fathered Yitzchak. And the word To'l'dot is spelled with a vav. Yitzchak is 40 years old when he marries Rivka (3 years after the Akeida). The Torah emphasizes Rivka's family background. After 20 years of childlessness (10 until Rivka was of child-bearing age plus an additional 10 years without a child), Yitzchak and Rivka pray to G-d. G-d hears their (actually his) prayer and Rivka becomes pregnant. She is having a "rough time" and goes to Shem b. Noach (who outlived Avraham, by the way) who tells her G-d's message, that she will give birth to twins who will go in very different ways and become great adversaries. [sdt] Commentaries say that Rivka was unaware that she was carrying twins; she thought the turmoil within her existed in a single individual - this had her very upset; she was somewhat calmed by the Divine message. [SDT] If foetus-Eisav wanted to come out when Rivka passed a place of idolatry - makes sense. But Yaakov was learning all of Torah in the womb - why should he want to come out? Because Eisav was his wombmate. One must avoid a potentially bad influence of a colleague even in the greatest of yeshivot. (Imrei Shefer) Eisav and Yaakov are born, Yaakov clutching the heel of Eisav. The boys grow and develop different personalities - Eisav is the hunter and outdoorsman; Yaakov, the mild, studious "tent-dweller". Yitzchak loves Eisav; Rivka loves Yaakov. G'MATRIYA Yaakov is preparing a lentil soup for his father. (Our sources tell us that this was the day of Avraham's death; Yaakov was preparing the traditional mourner's meal for Yitzchak.) Eisav returns from the field in a state of exhaustion. He asks Yaakov for some of the food. In exchange for the food, Yaakov acquires the birthright, which is insignificant in Eisav's eyes, but meaningful to Yaakov. A famine hits the Land (like the one in Avraham's time - this is one of the many similarities between the lives of Avraham and Yitzchak) and Yitzchak goes to Avimelech in Gerar. G-d appears to Yitzchak and reminds him that he must not leave the Land. G-d also repeats his promises of the Land and of the large nation that will descend from him. [sdt] The Torah says that Yitzchak loved Eisav KI TZAYID B'FIV. The straightforward translation is that Eisav provided food from the hunt for his father to eat. On a drash level, another meaning is given to TZAYID, namely that Eisav deceived his father with religious questions, thus pretending to be interested in Yitzchak's faith. [sdt] There are many different commentaries on these relationships. Note that Yitzchak's love is based on Eisav's providing food for him. Rivka's love is unconditional. Pirkei Avot says that only an unconditional love will endure forever. [sdt] The Gemara says that Eisav did not manifest his evil nature until Avraham died. This is part of the definition of Avraham being blessed BAKOL - with everything. It should be pointed out that the written text of the Torah does not portray Eisav as an evil person, and it might follow from this that he was taken unfair advantage of by his brother Yaakov. He seems to genuinely love and honor his father Yitzchak, and for this he is complimented by the Gemara. However, that he was a wicked person should not be doubted, as it is the Oral Torah that teaches us so. It is no less authoritative than the Written Word, and the two inseparable component of Torah complete each other. WHY we get different pictures from each, is another issue. Second Aliya - 7 p'sukim - 26:8-12 Compare... Third Aliya - 10 p'sukim - 26:13-22 (Some see this as a hidden reference to the first and second Temples, which fell, and the third which will stand forever. May we see it soon in our time.) Gemara Brachot 56: Rabbi Chanina said, he who sees a well in a dream, he will see peace... Yitzchak's servants dug and found a live spring, B'EIR MAYIM CHAYIM. This is immediately followed by the peace treaty between Avimelech and Yitzchak Avinu. Rabbi Natan continues in the same Gemara. He who sees a well in his dream has found Torah, as it says in Mishlei: He who finds me, finds life... an equation is made between G-d, Torah, and Life. Fourth Aliya - 7 p'sukim - 26:23-29 [SDT] G-d appears to Yitzchak and identifies Himself as the G-d of your father Avraham. Baal HaTurim notes that G-d does not use His YUD-KAY-VAV-KAY name with Yitzchak, as He had done with Avraham and will do with Yaakov. That name is associated with Divine Mercy. Avraham and Yaakov went through difficult times, but they were treated, so to speak, with an element of Mercy. Yitzchak's trials and tribulations were without the MIDOT HARACHAMIM, without G-d's mercy. This fits with Yitzchak's traits of GEVURA, a certain extra strength of character that can withstand powerful trials. Fifth Aliya - 33 p'sukim - 26:30-27:27 Eisav marries at 40 years of age - a (sub)conscious attempt to emulate his father. However wicked Eisav is, he is genuinely respectful and loving of his father. However, Eisav's choice of a wife disgusts both Yitzchak and Rivka. Yitzchak is old and blind and calls to Eisav to prepare for him a special meal and then receive a special blessing. While Eisav is in the fields doing his father's bidding, Rivka prepares Yaakov to receive the blessing instead of Eisav. She tells Yaakov to bring her two goats and she would prepare the dishes that Yitzchak loved. Yaakov hesitates for fear that Yitzchak will feel his smooth skin and realize that Yaakov has come to deceive him. Rivka dresses Yaakov in Eisav's garments and places a goat- skin on his neck to give it a rough feel. She gives Yaakov the food to bring to his father. When Yaakov hesitates to participate in Rivka's plan to get him the bracha, Rivka says to him, ALAI KI'L'LATCHA B'NI. The "p'shat" (plain understanding) is that Rivka was taking upon herself the potential curse if the deception were to be discovered. Targum Onkeles adds a very significant phrase to his translation of ALAI. He says, "to me was told as prophecy..." This way of looking at the episode is that Rivka was, in essence, commanded by G-d to arrange that the brachot go to Yaakov. And in specifically this way. This is considerably different from the "plain" understanding of the text, and probably affecting the accountablity for their actions of both Rivka and Yaakov. (The same interpretation of ALAI is offered for Esther when she said V['TZUMU ALAI. That also explains things from the Megila differently.) Sixth Aliya - 23 p'sukim - 27:28-28:4 As Yitzchak finishes blessing Yaakov, Eisav returns from the hunt. He prepares food for his father and presents it to Yitzchak with a request (demand) of the blessing. Yitzchak trembles when he realizes that this is Eisav and that the bracha has been given to Yaakov. When Yitzchak explains to Eisav that Yaakov received (and rightly so) the blessing, Eisav bitterly cries out and asks his father for a blessing too. Yitzchak gives Eisav a blessing (not as exalted as Yaakov's). Eisav decides to kill Yaakov for this, the second time he has taken something away from him. Rivka hears of Eisav's plans and encourages Yaakov to flee to Rivka's hometown until Eisav's wrath subsides. Rivka suggests to Yitzchak that he send Yaakov away to find a proper wife. [SDT] One commentary suggests that Rivka did not want to tell Yitzchak about Eisav's intentions, lest it distress the ailing and aging Yitzchak too much. Instead, she suggests a positive motive for Yaakov's leaving. Another commentary points out that Rivka would not speak R'CHILUT (actually, LASHON HARA) about Eisav - now that Yaakov would be safely away - so she attributes her suggestion that Yaakov leave to his quest in finding a wife that would not be from Canaan. Yitzchak calls for Yaakov and gives him another blessing and sends him off to Padan Aram to find a wife among Rivka's family. He gives Yaakov "the blessing of Avraham", thus providing for the continuity of the Chain that becomes Judaism. Seventh Aliya - 5 p'sukim - 28:5-9 Talmud Yerushalmi exclaims that this is Bosmat, and asks why her name was changed. The
astonishing answer is that all Eisav's sins were forgiven when he took a wife intended to please his parents. The Talmud generalizes and gives this as the source that the sins of a CHATAN (and KALLA) are forgiven when they marry. Strange source for an important idea. 21 p'sukim -Mal'achi 1:1-2:7 The prophet draws contrasts between Israel and the descendants of Eisav, hence the choice of this portion as the Haftara of To'l'dot. He stresses personal belief in G-d and emphasizes mercy and faith. He speaks of the proper way of life and of problems that must be faced repeatedly. The prophet warns the people to show proper honor to G-d. He also speaks of the Kohanim as being the appropriate teachers of the people. [The Toldot Homepage]
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