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Tag Archive for: תּוֹלְדֹת

Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת (Genesis 25:19−28:9)

November 25, 2022/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת (Genesis 25:19−28:9)

וַיִּתְרֹֽצְצ֤וּ הַבָּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִם־כֵּ֔ן לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה אָנֹ֑כִי וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ לִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃

“But the children struggled in [Rebecca’s] womb, and she said, “If so, why do I exist?” She went to inquire of the LORD…” Genesis 25:22

The collision of Toledot and Thanksgiving this week is a coincidence; but this story gives us a heady reminder and example of family dynamics gone wrong, right at the moment we are gathering together for our secular Thanksgiving weekend. Even in Rebecca’s womb, the brothers struggle. Rashi shares this midrash in his commentary on the above verse:

Our Rabbis explain that the word ויתרוצצו has the meaning of running, moving quickly: whenever she passed by the doors of the Torah (i. e. the Schools of Shem and Eber) Jacob moved convulsively in his efforts to come to birth, but whenever she passed by the gate of a pagan temple Esau moved convulsively in his efforts to come to birth (Genesis Rabbah 63:6). Another explanation is: they struggled with one another and quarreled as to how they should divide the two worlds as their inheritance (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 111:2).

Midrash foreshadows Jacob’s deep connection and struggle with Judaism and Esau’s struggling movement toward his own destiny. This story also foreshadows the external struggles Jacob and Esau will have growing up, ending in this Parsha with the destruction of their relationship. Esau weeps,  “Have you but one blessing Father? Bless me too Father!” In this story, Isaac and Rebecca believe there is only one blessing meant for one son. What might have been different had they realized that there was more than one blessing to be passed on, even if that blessing looked different for each child? As we gather together in families and friendships of all shapes and sizes and dynamics, let us remember that there is enough love for everyone, and let us give that love abundantly.

Parsha Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת Torah Summary:

Rebekah has twins, Esau and Jacob. (25:19-26) Esau gives Jacob his birthright in exchange for some stew. (25:27-34) King Abimelech is led to think that Rebekah is Isaac’s sister and later finds out that she is really his wife. (26:1-16) Isaac plans to bless Esau, his firstborn. Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac so that Jacob receives the blessing. (27:1-29) Esau threatens to kill Jacob, who then flees to Haran. (27:30-45) Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת

Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת (Genesis 25:19−28:9)

November 5, 2021/in Torah Tidbit

This Week’s Torah Portion: Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת (Genesis 25:19−28:98)

Toldot begins with Rebecca, twins in her womb, struggling with one another over who will emerge first and claim the status of first born. Rebecca calls out asking God why she feels such tumult within her. God replies by sharing with her a prophecy which is placed in her mind and her hands to fulfill. Esau will be born first, and he will be the stronger of her two sons, but God sees something in Jacob, something worthy of blessing, and it will be his destiny to carry forward the story of Toldot, the continuing saga of the generations of the Jewish people.

And therein lies the mystery of the story of Toldot. God tells Rebecca the end of the story at the very beginning, and yet none of this would have happened without her craft and constant aid. Is this a story about keeping faith in God’s promise, or by constantly aiding and supporting Jacob, is Rebecca fulfilling a destiny which she must make real with her own two hands.

And therein lies the mystery of our own lives as well. We are a people of destiny, bearers of God’s promise for a hundred generations. And yet we have learned through all those generations of our people that we must make that destiny real with our own deeds and our own hands. We live in the balance of those two worlds. God shows the way, through words of Torah and lessons on life, but it is ours to learn, and ours to do, and ours to make the future which only we can choose: “for blessing, and not for curse; for sustenance, and not for destruction; for life, and not for death.”  

May we choose life and blessing. 

Parsha Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת Torah Summary:

Rebekah has twins, Esau and Jacob. (25:19-26) Esau gives Jacob his birthright in exchange for some stew. (25:27-34) King Abimelech is led to think that Rebekah is Isaac’s sister and later finds out that she is really his wife. (26:1-16) Isaac plans to bless Esau, his firstborn. Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac so that Jacob receives the blessing. (27:1-29) Esau threatens to kill Jacob, who then flees to Haran. (27:30-45) Tol’dot – תּוֹלְדֹת

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