Cary Hillebrand takes a look at Parashat Toldot

Parashat Toldot

פרשת תולדות

בראשית Genesis 25:19 to 28:9

A fascinating story of sibling rivalry between the two sons of Yitzhak (Isaac) and Rivka (Rebecca): Yaacov (Jacob – יעקב) and Esav (Esau – עשו). Arguably, the four protagonists in this week’s parashah set the gold standard for family disfunction.

Many if not most traditional Jews look upon Jacob (the third in line of the patriarchs) as all righteous and Esau as a complete scoundrel. Decide for yourselves if this interpretation is justified. Which of the two would you feel more comfortable buying a used car from?

Chapter 25, verses 19 through 26 – Rebecca gives birth to twins

Struggling with the pains of carrying twins, Rebecca asks of G-d (perhaps somewhat cryptically) ”If so, why do I exist?” אם כן למה זה אנכי?. Perhaps she is demanding of G-d to provide an explanation for her agonies. G-d answers her that two nations are in her womb, one shall be mightier than the other, and the older shall serve the younger. At birth, first the red haired one emerged (Esau – עשו), then his brother, holding onto Esau’s heel (Jacob – יעקב).

Two twins, oh so different! Struggling even within the womb. Hint as to what is in store!

Verses 27 through 34 – Sibling rivalry; Esau relinquishes his birthright

Isaac favored Esau, the rough and tumble red haired hunter who supplied him with meat. Is Isaac being portrayed as so shallow? Rebecca favored mild mannered, perhaps simple and naïve, Jacob. He is traditionally held up as scholarly (although the Torah doesn’t tell us that or even hint at it). Each parent plays favorites with a different child. We already have a recipe for disaster.

Jacob withholds food from Esau until he relinquishes his birthright as the firstborn.

On the surface, Jacob comes off very shoddy. The sages through the ages and the orthodox today interpret this as showing Esau’s evil ways, willing to throw away his birthright for a bowl of stew.

To contemplate: Does traditional Jewish interpretation give Esau a bum rap?

Are Jacob’s means morally justifiable, withholding food from his famished brother? One can argue that while Esau gave up his birthright (בכורה) solely in order to satisfy his immediate needs, it was done under duress. If so, was it morally binding? It must also be noted that Esau, the burly hunter did not resort to brute force to force Jacob to hand over a meal.

Chapter 26, verses 1 through 34 – Isaac migrates to Gerar; Esau takes on two wives

Although there is famine in the land, Isaac is commanded not to go to Egypt (as his father Abraham did) to seek relief.

Note the parallels between Isaac’s sojourn in Gerar and Abraham’s. They even have the same misadventure with a king of the same name (Avimelech).

Unlike his father who was a herder, Isaac was a farmer, and a successful one at that.

Esau, against both his parents’ wishes, takes two local girls, both of them Hittites, as wives.

Chapter 27, verses 1 through 29 – Jacob steals blessing meant for Esau

Esau obeys the dying Isaac and goes off to hunt for what he believes may be his father’s final meal. Rebecca conspires to have a reluctant Jacob steal the blessing intended for Esau through deceit. It is interesting to note that the laws of kosher slaughtering have not yet been handed down. Any animal killed through the hunt and not by a shochat would not be considered kosher today.

Jacob shows no moral compunction against being a party to his mother’s deceitful plans. His only concern is whether he will get away with it or whether his father will find him out.

Note that Jacob’s previous purchase of this birthright seems to play no role in the story of his stealing the blessing; neither Rebecca nor Isaac seem to know anything about it.

From verses 22 and 23, one can wonder if Isaac, due to his advanced age, infirmity, and fading eyesight did not recognize that he was being tricked. Perhaps he did, and due to his passive nature, went along with the ruse so as not to cause waves.

Verses 30 through 40 – Esau realizes that he has been deceived

Esau returns from the hunt and both he and Isaac now realize that they were deceived, and Esau was cheated out of the blessing intended for him. Isaac consoles Esau by giving him a blessing too, but a halfhearted one, without the birthright, and without invoking G-d.

Verses 41 through 45 – Rebecca realizes the dangerous family rift that she caused

Rebecca realizes that her machinations have caused a deep and irreparable split and animosity between the brothers. Rebecca must send Jacob far away for his own protection.

Verse 46 and Chapter 27, verses 1 through 9 –

Instead of rebuking Jacob for his deceitful behavior, or processing the situation in any way, Isaac speaks as if he knows of no strife in the family and proceeds to bless his son again. Possibly, Isaac has come around to believe that Jacob should by right have been given both the birthright and the premier blessing. In the preceding paragraph, Jacob was commanded by Rebekah to flee at once to avoid encountering a vengeful and twice wronged Esau. Rebecca, heartbroken that Esau married local women, maneuvers Isaac to command Jacob to travel to the house of Leban to find a wife. This will also distance Jacob from a vengeful Esau.

What goes around comes around! Jacob goes off to the land of Avraham’s ancestors to the House of Laban to take a bride. Jacob the deceiver will be the victim of deceit. Of that, more next week!