Overview of the Weekly Reading: Toldot
To be read on 4
Kislev 5764 (Nov. 29)
Toldot
is the 6th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and
6th overall, and 36th out of 54 in overall
length.
Genesis
25:19-28:9; Haftorah: Malachi 1:1-2:7 (because
the second verse mentions Yaakov & Esav)
Pirkei
Avot: not till after Passover
Yitzchak married Rivkah when he was forty. When he was sixty, Rivkah
gave birth to twins, Esav and Yacov. At age fifteen, Esav returned
one day from hunting in the fields, tired and hungry, and asked
Yacov for some food. Yacov told him to sell him his birthright,
which he did. There was a famine in the land, but G-d told Yitzchak
to remain in the land. Yitzchak went to Gerar, near the border,
where he said to the people there that Rivkah was his sister, as
he was afraid that he would be killed because of her. When king
Avimelech found out he issued a decree that should anyone touch
Yitzchak or Rivkah they would be killed. Yitzchak farmed and became
wealthy. The Philistines became jealous and filled in his wells.
Avimelech told him to leave.
Yitzchak eventually arrived in Be’er Sheva. He made a peace treaty
with Avimelech. When Esav was forty he married Judith and Basemath.
Yitzchak became old and his eyesight was fading. He told Esav to
prepare him a meal, and he would bless him before he died. Rivkah
heard this and told Yacov that she would prepare a meal for his
father, and he should take the blessing instead of Esav. Esav was
furious, and planned to kill Yacov after his father’s death. Rivkah
heard of this and sent Yacov away. Yitzchak blessed Yacov and told
him not to marry a Canaanite girl. Yacov left for the house of Lavan,
Rivkah’s brother. Esav understood that his father was displeased
with his Canaanite wives, and married Ishmael’s daughter Machlat.
FROM THE MASTERS
OF KABBALA (K:06-64/Toldot
)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:06-64/Toldot
)
This
is the hidden reason behind sickness in a person's life and tragedy
at a national level. It is the manner in which G-d causes the elevation
of the spiritual over the physical. It also explains the higher spiritual
powers of the handicapped and explains why fasting and ascetic practices
have the same effect.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy
Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed
(A:06-64/Toldot
)
Now,
when Isaac and Rebecca were praying [to G-d for children], they were
addressing these two attributes [of divine mercy]. This is why the
expression "entreated" is used [instead of the more usual "prayed"].
As our sages say: "Why are the prayers of the righteous compared to
a pitchfork? To indicate that just as a pitchfork turns the grain
from place to place in the barn, so do the prayers of the righteous
turn the mind of the Holy One, blessed be He, from the attribute of
judgment to the attribute of mercy." (Sukka 14a )
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the Shelah,
Shney Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
(S:06-64/Toldot
)
Of
Esau, the Torah reports, "Esau went to a land" (Gen. 36:6). He had
to leave the Land of Israel because that land "vomits" people who
behave in a grossly incestuous manner. Isaac was the model of refinement
in every respect. The reason G-d blessed him in such an extraordinary
fashion was to demonstrate the fact to one and all that sexually pure
conduct unlocks all the bounty of the land of Israel to those who
dwell in it.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V:06-64/Toldot)
"And
they called his name Esau." (25:19;25)
The name Esau is derived from the Hebrew word meaning done or completed.
Esau felt whole, satisfied and comfortable with his spiritual status,
and was thus lacking any desire to elevate himself. Jacob, by contrast,
is derived from the word meaning heel. No matter how high a spiritual
level Jacob achieved he considered it as nothing, and was consistently
motivated to elevate himself further.
(Shem MiShmuel) (Sefer HaMaamarim 5738)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent 
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click here)
(W:06-64/Toldot )
Rabbi Yitzchok Ginsburgh explained the difference between life before
and after marriage. Before the wedding, the bride and groom can easily
grow 'vertically', approaching G-d's Essense, taking on new levels
at will. After the wedding, when the two souls are united, it is not
so easy to grow vertically. The emphasis is to spread holiness outward
as opposed to personal elevation. The growth is 'horizontal', touching
the world with
G-dliness through all of the new mitzvahs the couple can now
fulfill that were unavailable to them before. Where do they get the
strength to fulfill all of these new mitzvahs?
Jewish custom is that the Shabbat before his wedding, the groom is
called up to the Torah, called having an 'aliyah'. The word
'aliyah' literally means to ascend. It is a Chassidic tradition
that only then, during this state of spiritual elevation, is when
the groom is invested with the strength to be a married person. A
similar transformation happens to the bride at the 'bedekin',
when a veil is placed on her face, just prior to the wedding ceremony.
The community celebrates this event with a Kiddush, and by
some, also a farbrengen, which serves to escort the young man
on his way to his new station in life. Likewise, from that Shabbat
until the wedding, the bride and groom are always accompanied by another
person, as a form of protection. Also, during the week following the
wedding, the bride and groom are both always escorted as one honors
a king and queen to their every destination. Similarly, as part of
the mitzvah of hospitality, not only should we provide food
and lodging for a guest, we should also escort him some small distance
when leaving our home. Even in the world at large it is customary
to escort someone going on a long or important journey, he is escorted
at least part of the way. What is the significance of escorting someone?
The Shlah connects the idea of escorting someone with this
week's Torah portion. The Jewish nation is called 'Knesset Yisrael'.
'Knesset' means a gathering and refers to the special power
of the Jewish people, who are gathered together and united on a soul
level. This special unity gives us a secure position before the Almighty
in His Divine palace, which is also called the 'heavenly city'.
There is a spiritual state, called 'outside', relating to the verse,
"Esav, man of the field"(25/27). Anytime a Jewish person
leaves the security of one spiritual level, he moves out of the spiritually
developed 'city', into the limbo of the wilder 'field'. In the field,
all routes are considered dangerous because a person is tapping into
the dimension of Esav and his field. This is the basis for travelers
or guests to be escorted by loved ones or hosts, to strengthen their
ongoing connection to the spiritual security of the 'city'. Even if
a person in transit is physically separated from the 'city', his soul
is still connected. Since he is still in the 'city' in a spiritual
way, no danger can befall him.
Through this, Esav's field is transformed to the holy field of Yitzchok,
as it says, "Yitzchok went out to meditate in the field"
(24/63), and that Yitzchok smelled "the fragrance of the field
blessed by G-d", on Yaacov. This is the holy apple field which
the Zohar describes, and the Sages say is actually the Garden of Eden.
From the above we understand the importance of the mitzvah
to escort someone physically on their journey. This is also why the
Rabbis emphasized thinking Torah thoughts when traveling, because
this also connects us to the Divine city.
This Shabbat is the "ufruf" (Shabbat preceding wedding)
of my son Yaacov, and his bride, Sara. As they leave the security
of their family homes and move into their status as an independent
couple, may our escorting them create an eternal spiritual connection
to the Divine city, protecting them and nurturing them wherever they
go. So too, wherever each of us go, may we maintain our connection
to the Source.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul Leiter
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click here)
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