Overview of the Weekly
Reading: Toldot
To be read on 2 Kislev
5766 (Dec.3)
Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9; Haftorah: Malachi
1:1-2:7 (because the second verse mentions Yaakov & Esav)
Toldot is the 6th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and
6th overall, and 36th out of 54 in overall length.
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:066/Toldot)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:0666/Toldot)
Now look at the verses: First, it states, "He smelled the
fragrance of his garments," but then Isaac sensed something else
and said, "see, the fragrance of my son," for he became aware
that the scent was because of Jacob, [not merely the scent of spices clinging
to his clothes. Then Isaac declared, "the fragrance of my son] is
like the fragrance of a field which G-d has blessed," [referring
to the scent the Garden of Eden.] Now how was Isaac familiar with "the
fragrance of a field that G-d had blessed" [the scent of the Garden
of Eden?]
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy Ari,
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed (A:0666/Toldot)
Therefore, Rebecca was worthy of giving birth to twelve tribes,
but because she said, "what is this [in Hebrew, 'zeh'] for me?"
(ibid. 25:22) because of the pain of her pregnancy, and also because Esau
destroyed her womb, her son Jacob was privileged to father the twelve
tribes [instead of her].
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From Rabbi Chaim (ben
Moshe) Ibn Atar (S:0666/Toldot)
You have to appreciate that in the period under discussion [prior
to the revelation at Mount Sinai], the holy souls had not yet been separated
from the regions in which they were imprisoned. Seeing that Abraham's
family was recognized as a place where holiness had found a foothold,
both he and Sarah being the first proselytes, anyone who would subsequently
convert to Judaism would be called either Abraham if a male, or Sarah
if a female.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V:0666/Toldot)
"Isaac loved Esau...but Rivka loved Jacob." (25:25)
Isaac was a "perfect offering," whose "style" of
Divine service was somewhat removed from the material world and its
concealments. Rivka, by contrast, had grown up in household surrounded
by devious people. When Esau asked his father how to "tithe salt,"
it was beyond Isaac's imagination that his son was being deceitful.
Rivka, however, with her experience in the ways of the world, recognized
that it was only a scheme to impress his father, and "loved Jacob"
for his quality of truthfulness.
(Der Torah Kval)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
MOSHIACH THIS WEEK
(M:0666/Toldot)
"He (Yitzchak) dug another well…" Gen 26:20-22
Each of the 3 wells which Yitzchak dug symbolized one of the Holy Temples,
for just as the water of a well gives life, so too the Shechinah (Divine
Presence) in the Holy Temple gave life to the world.
* The first well, Aisek (literally "argument") stands for the
first Temple which the non-Jewish nations attacked and finally destroyed.
* The second well, Sitna (literally "hatred") stands for the
second Temple. During that time the nations had a great hatred toward
the Jews, and finally destroyed the Temple .
* The third well, Rechovot (literally "wide" or "broad")
stands for the third Temple. When Mashiach is revealed and he builds the
third Temple, there will be peace in the world and tremendous rejoicing
as we are led into the Redemption -- may we see it very soon! This third
well will be revealed when the Redemption comes, as it is written (Zechariah
14:9), "On that day, living water will come out from Jerusalem."
In speaking of the 3rd well, the Torah concludes, "For now G-d has
made things wide for us and we will be fruitful in the land." This
refers to G-d making the borders of the Land of Israel wider (Deut. 19:8)
and all the nations serving Him together when the Redemption comes.
[Adapted from Discover Moshiach in the Weekly Torah Portion
(by Rabbi Berel Bell and the students of Bais Chaya Mushka Seminary of
Montreal), as published on www.mashiach.org]
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here) (W:0666/Toldot)
The Torah states that Rebecca loved Jacob, and Isaac loved Esau because
"'tzayid' was in his mouth" (see Gen.25:28). One translation
of "tzayid" is hunted meat and is obviously a reference
to the main difference between Esau and Jacob. Esau was a "man of
the fields", a hunter, whereas Jacob was a "man of the tents",
who studied Torah. The Torah does not paint a positive picture of Esau,
so how could Isaac have been so easily fooled when granting the blessing
of the firstborn?
While Rashi cites the Midrash inferring that Isaac was being misled,
the later commentaries do not accept that so easily. The Alshich says
that the term "meat in his mouth" refers to a love that was
conditional - based on something physical, while the love of Rebecca for
Jacob was without any conditions. Of course, the Alshich writes, Isaac
had this unconditional love for Jacob too, since he understood his true
essence. That the Torah specifies Isaac's love of Esau with "meat
in his mouth" hints to us that Isaac knew Esau's true essence also.
The Mei Hashiloach approaches the problem on a different level. He writes
that Isaac really did love Esau more, as the verse infers, for the reason
that Isaac saw more potential in Esau. Specifically, Isaac perceived Esau's
wildness as an indication of his potential to do great things. The Mei
Hashiloach writes that some people take risks in life and others play
it safe. Those that take chances may fail but, when they do succeed, they
accomplish much more that those who are cautious. This was the basis of
Isaac's love for Esau over Jacob. Kabbala explains how Isaac would say
that Esau had the potential to bring the redemption faster than Jacob.
But in the end, Isaac realized he was mistaken.
The Divrei Meir says that, in fact, Isaac was smarter than everyone,
and the blessings as delivered were all part of his plan. The Talmud says
that in the Future, Isaac will say to G-d, "half on You and half
on me", telling us that Isaac will defend the Jewish people before
G-d. Isaac loved Esau - even with all of his failings - in order that
he should be able to claim "even though Esau was filled with faults,
I did not stop truly loving him as a father must. But you Almighty are
not limited like flesh and blood. Your love is unlimited! How much more
so must You love the Jewish people, who are your firstborn, even though
they have sinned grievously."
This is the meaning of the phrase, "tzayid in his mouth".
"Tzayid" can also be translated as "sustenance".
Isaac loved Esau so there would be sustenance, or a compelling argument
in his mouth, to argue for the sake of Jewish people on our Day of Judgment.
May we all take the commandment of loving our fellow Jew by judging one
another favorably, and may G-d always judge us positively, too.
Shabbat Shalom - Shaul
P.S. Please also read my weekly Shabbat Law, below.)
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For all our insights for this parsha:
from four years ago
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