PARASHAT TOLDOT (Genesis 25:19-28:9)
In Genesis, chapter twenty-five, we learn that Abraham died at the age of one-hundred seventy-five. The Oral Tradition speaks of his burial as resembling a state funeral in Hebron where the great and small gathered to pay their respects. But his grandson, Esau was notably absent from the throngs of mourners. Esau had gone hunting instead.
Keep that in mind, as the opening pages of Parashat Toldot take us back to the time just prior to Avraham's death, to the birth of his Esau and his brother Jacob. The narrative sets the stage for an epic historical struggle that continues today, especially the current war being waged by Israel's violent enemy called Hamas, a terrorist organization supported by Iran and Russia but endorsed, sadly, by many in the West.
This blood lust can be traced back to Esau who wrestled with his brother while still in the womb of their mother, Rebecca. She was so troubled by their convulsive movements that she sought the counsel of Melchizedek, also known as Shem, the son of Noach. He spoke as a prophet of God, telling Rebecca:
“Two nations are in your womb,Two separate peoples shall issue from your body; One people shall be mightier than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” - Genesis 25:23
She recalled these words while later giving birth, first to Esau, then Jacob clutching his brother's heel. Though twins, Esau was a sturdy and very hairy redhead. He grew into a hardy young man who loved the hunt. Meanwhile, Jacob stayed close to home enjoying intellectual pursuits. According to Rashi, Esau was cunning in his speech but Jacob was plain-spoken and direct.
At the beginning of this commentary, I referenced Avraham's funeral and how Esau did not attend. It was an act borne of bitterness as expressed in the Torah commentary MeAm Lo’ez:
“Now I see,” said Esau, “that there is no Judge or justice. Abraham was a true tzadik who kept God’s commandments as well as humanly possible. Still, he did not even live as long as Noah or those from earlier generations. I therefore see that religion has no value."
What he saw was an excuse to run amok because of the death of someone that he deeply respected. That Esau would decide to go hunting reveals his contaminated spiritual connection to another infamous hunter:
"He acted like Nimrod. Hence it is written, Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord." — Midrash Rabbah 37:2
The very day of Avraham's funeral, Nimrod and Esau had a fateful encounter. At that time, Nimrod’s reputation was somewhat diminished after the failure of his Tower building project but he still ruled a kingdom. Esau spied a hunting party led by Nimrod and concealed himself. He had good reason to avoid the leader. Again, we turn to Me Am Lo Ez which reveals:
"And Nimrod was observing Esau all his days, for jealousy formed in the heart of Nimrod against Esau all the days."
Catching him alone, Esau sprang from hiding, beheaded Nimrod and took his legendary cloak. We learn from the 24th chapter of Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer that this was the same garment given to Adam to God. It was passed down to the antediluvian patriarchs and later stowed on the ark by Noach. After the Flood, the garment was stolen by Ham, who gave it to Cush who then bestowed the same on Nimrod who believed the robe gave him dominance over wild beasts.
When Nimrod's troops discovered his body, they launched a search for the unknown assassin. Esau escaped undetected. He breathlessly returned home. Here, we return to the epic narrative in Toldot that relates the following in almost terse language:
"Jacob simmered a stew, and Esau came from the field, and he was exhausted. Esau said to Jacob, “Pour into me now, some of that very red stuff for I am exhausted.” (He therefore called his name Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell, this day, your birthright to me.” Esau said, “Look, I am going to die, so of what use is a birthright?” Jacob said, “Swear to me this day;” he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, got up and left; Esau spurned his birthright." — Genesis 25:29-33
Jacob was cooking lentils, the traditional dish for those in mourning. He had prepared the meal for his father, Isaac, following the funeral of Abraham.
The Hebrew text is dense with prophetic insights that expose the corrupt soul of Esau. Esau's penchant for instant gratification is highlighted by the fact that the stew was still red, rather than the usual yellowish or brown hue of fully cooked lentils. The Hebrew text uses nah, a word that can also mean raw — indicating that Esau wanted the soup before it was ready to eat. That red stew stained Esau to his very core, to the degree that he was also called Edom (red). He was enticed by its color because it reminded him of the blood of the hunt.
In Torah, scarlet is symbolic of sin. Prophetically, red was symbolic of the banners carried by future conquerors who would spring from Esau's loins. Chazal (the Sages) inform us that the descendants of Edom would emerge as the Roman empire, the very personification of a nation built through constant warfare and bloodshed. In my book, Blood Brother: Israel's Ancient Enemy (Lightcatcher Books), I track the historical evidence for this idea, as well as the wealth of symbolism that links Edom to Rome, especially the color red:
Red was the color of the standards carried by the Roman legions.
The color was seen in their shields, and uniforms.
The red planet Mars was associated with the Roman god of war.
Pigments such as cinnabar and red ocher permeated Roman art, architecture and daily life.
The color encapsulated Rome's martial spirit, political dominance, and artistic flair, making it the quintessential color of the empire.
Curiously, the ancient land that carries Esau's other name Edom, is located near the shores of what is known today as the Red Sea.
The is another dominant aspect of Esau's nature, revealed in the name Edom. The latter name shares the same Hebrew root as adom, which means earth. It speaks of Esau's earthbound desires and his rejection of spiritual pursuits for utter materialism. These traits are embedded in the culture and history of Rome. Their warfare, sensuality and eventual moral decay led Rome to adopt a religion that was the dark twin of Jacob and his Torah worldview. Esau's ideology was more passion than instruction and his messiah came to bloody prominence by being beaten and tortured. And just like Esau's need for immediate gratification, the religion his descendants spawned can be joined, instantly. Any student of history can read the
The Oral Torah tells us that Jacob and Esau were only fifteen years old when the latter sold the birthright. The age of the twins suggests that the transaction was likely regarded as nothing more than a joke to Esau. As a youth, his father Isaac taught him the holy wisdom that would be bequeathed, in the form of the Torah, to his descendants. Yet, Esau did not embrace these tenets. He chafed at his father’s lifestyle. He found it restrictive and unrewarding to submit to the tenets of the Creator. Esau understood the meaning of his name and saw himself as complete, not needing anything from anyone. He was a perfectionist. Everything and everyone had to conform to Esau’s standards. Thus, he lacked compassion required of a true leader.
When the sum of the aforementioned political, spiritual and philosophical components of Esau are viewed through the lens of history, we see the birth of the Roman Empire and later, the foundation of modern Europe.
The impact of the birthright sale would not be felt until years later when, according to Seder Ha Olam, Jacob and Esau reach the age of sixty-three. That transaction culminates in one of the most misunderstood narratives in the Torah — the so-called “stolen blessing.” This episode is set in motion in the same manner as the sale of the bechorah; Isaac, feeling the pains of old age and thinking he might die soon, decided it was time to bestow the blessing on his first-born. It should be noted that though he was one-hundred twenty-three at this point in his life, Isaac would live to the age of one hundred-eighty (see Genesis 35:2).
What could have caused him to suddenly dwell on the transience of life?
Some of the commentaries suggest that Isaac felt this way because his mother, Sarah, had died at the age of 127 and he was approaching that milestone. Another reason for his decision was that Isaac knew it was an auspicious time for giving the blessing, that day being the anniversary of the Brit Bein HaBetarim, the Covenant Between the Pieces.
In addition to his advanced years, Isaac was blind. The failing eyesight was real but it's an obvious metaphor. In a previous verse, the Torah describes the nature of the close relationship between Esau and his father that served as a stumbling bloc:
"Isaac loved Esau, because he was a hunter, also with his mouth but Rebecca loved Jacob." - Genesis 19:28
The sages tell us that Esau ensnared men with this speech.
Hearing the voice of Esau spouting oratory prevented Isaac from seeing his son’s true nature. Isaac called out to Esau, asking him to take up his hunting gear and bring home some game and prepare his favorite food, “that he may bless him.” The Torah records that Esau replied, hineni which is usually translated as “Here am I.” Every time this phrase appears in the Torah, something crucial in the development of the Chosen People is about to take place. Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch notes that Isaac’s promise to bless Esau for carrying out his request is not a promise of reward for doing a good deed; rather it was Isaac’s hope that Esau realize that his obvious physical skills — for that matter, any skill — can be elevated in the service of G-d by showing kindness to another.
Rebecca had overheard the entire exchange and summoned Jacob to bring two goats from their flock so that she could cook up a feast. Rebecca wanted Jacob to serve the meat to his father so that he would receive the blessing instead of Esau. When Jacob objected that such trickery could backfire, his mother assured him, “The curse be upon me.” She could speak with confidence. The reader will recall that she was informed by G-d while she still carried the boys in her womb:
"And, the elder shall serve the younger." — Genesis 25:23
These prophetic words echoed in Rebecca’s ears as she dressed Jacob in the “costly garments” of Esau — the robes fashioned by God for Adam; the very same royal finery Esau had removed from the body of Nimrod, years earlier. The masquerade was complete when Rebecca strapped the skins from the slaughtered goats onto the hands, arms and neck of Jacob.
He carried the food to his father and announced his presence. It is at this point, that most translations fail to accurately convey Jacob’s conversation with his father. The English interpretation would have us believe that Jacob blatantly claimed to be his brother, Esau. According to Rashi, Jacob’s words to his father as recorded in Genesis 27:19 should be rendered:
"It is I who bring this to you. Esau is your firstborn."
In fact, the whole exchange between father and son is purposely ambiguous. Isaac, unable to discern the face of the person kneeling before him, asked him to come closer. Isaac had no reason to suspect it was anyone other than Esau, since it was only his eldest that he had asked to trap wild game, whip up a tasty repast and be blessed. When Jacob drew near, Isaac reacted as if something was amiss because he heard:
"... the voice of Jacob but the hands are the hands of Esau. — Genesis 27:22
It was Jacob’s manner of expression — his choice of words — that set him apart from Esau. Isaac dispensed with further questions. When the meal was finished, Isaac asked his son to come close so that he could kiss him. He approached and Isaac smelled the fragrance of his son's garments, blessing him:
“See, my son's fragrance is like the perfume of a field blessed by G-d. May G-d grant you the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth, much grain and wine. Nations will serve you; governments will bow down to you. You shall be like a lord over your brother; your mother's children will prostrate themselves to you. Those who curse you are cursed and those who bless you are blessed.”
— Genesis 27:27-29
At this point, many of us are wondering how Isaac could have been so easily duped. To be fair, he was completely unaware of the prophetic words spoken to his wife, many decades previously, when her twins were still in her womb, written in Genesis 19:23:
“Two nations are in your womb,Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;One people shall be mightier than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
Her ruse reads like a poor charade because that’s what it was. But she was accomplishing twin goals in putting on what Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch describes as a clumsy comedy. He is not casting aspersions, rather telling us of Rebecca’s greatness; Rebecca was well aware that a sizzling pot roast and hairy gloves would never deceive her husband. Her costumed sham demonstrated that Esau’s sanctimonious façade was just as clumsy. But could there have been an additional motive? I would like to suggest that Rebecca may have used this bit of theater to prevent Esau from taking the blessing while providing Isaac an out — allowing him to make a “mistake” and bestowing the blessing on Jacob. This might explain why Isaac seemed to play along, especially after hearing such obvious evasions from his younger son, Jacob.
By referencing the voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau, Isaac draws attention to the distinctive persona of each brother and teaches a compelling, vibrant lesson to the Jewish people: The mission of Israel and the key to their survival required that Am Yisrael take on external qualities such as strength, daring and boldness — positive attributes of Esau. At the same time, they must always speak with the voice of Jacob, speaking words of Torah. Jacob is blessed as Israel, the inner man of God, motivated by a holy mission but clothed in the physical power necessary to establish a holy nation and, ultimately, a shining example to all other nations on the earth.
There, in that quiet warmth of Isaac’s tent in Beersheba, on the 15th day of the month we now call Nissan, something monumental had taken place. We know this because of a curious phrase in the blessing by Isaac when he described “a field blessed by God.” The consensus among Jewish commentators is that this was an allusion to Gan Eden. It is no mere coincidence that the words appear at this point in the Biblical narrative. This remarkable reference is a portal that sends the reader hurtling back through the centuries to the first estate of humanity. The Torah is directing our attention to Adam and Eve. There is a direct association between their fall and the blessing given to Jacob. Both events share common elements but with very different outcomes. Adam and Eve were told by the God that they must not eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, Good and Evil. The words of the nachash led Eve to doubt the words of the Creator. She took the forbidden fruit and convinced Adam to do the same. Their eyes were opened. They were expelled from the Garden but, to protect them, the Creator fashioned garments of skin. God told Eve she would experience pain in childbirth.
This reference to a painful pregnancy directly links Eve to Rebecca. And, like Eve, she delivered twins.
The Torah is telling us these two women are spiritual twins. Instead of being deceived, Rebecca deceived her husband to “opens his eyes” to see his error. She accomplished this with a masquerade utilizing garments of skin.
The dramatic effect of this charade was that the plan of God took a quantum leap forward.
Eve doubted the Creator, but Rebecca held His words in her heart — determined that the spiritual mantle would pass to the worthy son, Jacob. He too, is recognized for joining his mother in rectifying the sin of Adam and Eve. He conquered the serpent by means of deception, middah kenegged middah because deception brought curses upon the world.
When Esau returns and discovers that the blessing of the first-born was already given, he wails in despair, falsely accusing his brother of stealing the birthright, while ignoring his blatant sale of that birthright to Jacob--for a bowl of undercooked soup.
Esau's complaint has echoed through the centuries and regrettably alive in the philophical and spiritual heirs of Edom: The Western World. And lest we forget, that bloody legacy rampages through those who embrace the worldview of Amalek, the grandson of Esau. They also dispute the birthright claim of the Jewish people on the land of Israel. A lie that fueled the grotesque violent hatred visited on the innocent people of Israel on October 7th, 2023.
Thank God, Jacob was given the name Israel and called firstborn by the Creator because the blessing bestowed upon on him was no less than a re-birth:
"Nations will serve you; governments will bow down to you. You shall be like a lord over your brother; your mother's children will prostrate themselves to you. Those who curse you are cursed, and those who bless you are blessed. " — Genesis 27:29
By accepting this noble calling, Jacob restored the plan that began in Gan Eden — the plan for a priesthood, serving the Creator and humanity, here on earth.
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