[youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UZMDKNUMnZA&feature=youtu.be”]<\/p>\n
In this week\u2019s reading from Parashat Toldot (Shemot \/ Genesis 25:19-28:9<\/span><\/em>) we read about the struggle between Jacob and Esau within Rebecca\u2019s womb (25:21-23<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 We learn that Esau became a skilled hunter and Jacob dwelled in tents (25:27-28<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 According to the narrative, Esau despised his birthright.\u00a0 This is taken from the text that states he sold his birthright for a bowl of soup (25:29-34<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Torah portion continues to describe Isaac\u2019s interaction with Abimelech (26:26-31<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 According to the Scriptures, Jacob stole the birthright with a bowl of soup, he also stole the blessing from Isaac (27:1-41<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The portion concludes with Jacob fleeing to Haran (27:42-28:9<\/span><\/em>) out of fear for his life from his brother.\u00a0 This week\u2019s reading contains a number of significant events in the life of both Jacob and Esau that are referenced throughout the history of Israel and all of Scripture.<\/p>\n The Scriptures tell us that both Jacob and Esau struggled within Rebecca and she inquired of the Lord and He said, 25:23 …\u2018Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.\u2019 (NASB)<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 According to the Scriptures, it becomes apparent that this struggle is related to the one who walks by faith and the other who despises God\u2019s ways.<\/p>\n \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05db\u05d4<\/strong> Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:21-24<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Thinking on the topic of the one who walks by faith verses the one who despises God\u2019s ways, reading through the opening verses to the Parashah, an interesting midrash may be derived using the rabbinic style on interpreting the differences between Jacob and Esau according to Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:27<\/span><\/em>, \u05db\u05d6\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d2\u05b0\u05d3\u05bc\u05b0\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc \u05d4\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e2\u05b5\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d5 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d9\u05b9\u05d3\u05b5\u05e2\u05b7 \u05e6\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05b9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05dd \u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b5\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b8\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd:\u00a0 25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. (NASB)<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 In the opening verses, we are told something about these two boys, Jacob and Esau.\u00a0 The Scriptures say that Esau loved to hunt, that he was a skilled hunter and a man of the field.\u00a0 On the other hand, Jacob was a peaceful man who lived in tents.\u00a0 Immediately, there is an interesting contrast being made, suggesting that one who hunts is not a peaceful man.\u00a0 On the other hand, the one who dwells in tents is full of peace.\u00a0 The concept being established here might be that the one who likes to go out into the field likes to be alone.\u00a0 Whereas, the one who dwells in tents must be capable of dwelling with others being a peace maker as compared to the type of person who prefers to be alone.\u00a0 While reading through the Hebrew text, I noticed something quite interesting, it is possible to interpret Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:27<\/span><\/em> in a way that is very midrashic. This week, let\u2019s try to understand this verse (Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:27<\/span><\/em>) from a midrashic sense by breaking down this verse into two sections as shown below.<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e2\u05b5\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d5 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d9\u05b9\u05d3\u05b5\u05e2\u05b7 \u05e6\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05b9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05dd \u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b5\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b8\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd, Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In the midrashim, the rabbis use various methods of exegesis for interpreting the Scriptures.\u00a0 The following seven examples are taken from the seven middot attributed to R. Hillel and cataloged in Tos. Sanhedrin 7.11<\/span><\/em> (see http:\/\/jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/10801-middot-the-seven-of-hillel<\/span>).<\/p>\n These principles of exegesis employed in the rabbinic literature and in the first century are widely divergent from those used by modern scholars today.\u00a0 The method of interpretation for this weeks reading is taken from the Gezerah shavah<\/span><\/em> looking at the text from Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:27<\/span><\/em>, \u05db\u05d6\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d2\u05b0\u05d3\u05bc\u05b0\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc \u05d4\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e2\u05b5\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d5 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d9\u05b9\u05d3\u05b5\u05e2\u05b7 \u05e6\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05b9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05dd \u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b5\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b8\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd:\u00a0 25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. (NASB)<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The idea is to link together the meaning of the text on the grounds of the verbal similarity of two words found in this verse from the Torah.\u00a0 This is something we see being applied all of the time in the midrashim.\u00a0 I would like to compare both Esau and Jacob, to two words, based on the description of Esau being a man of the field, and Jacob, the one who dwells in tents.\u00a0 Taking the words \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4 (field) and \u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b8\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd (tents), if we make the following letter changes, by exchanging the \u201cSin\u201d (\u05e9\u05b9) with \u201cShin\u201d (\u05e9\u05c1) and switching the order of the heh-lamed (\u05d4\u05dc) to lamed-heh (\u05dc\u05d4) we get the following:<\/p>\n \u05b7\u05e9\u05bc\u05c1\u05b5\u05d3 \u2192 \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4\u00a0 Esau Notice how the word \u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4 (field) becomes \u05b7\u05e9\u05bc\u05c1\u05b5\u05d3 (demon) and \u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b8\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd (tents) becomes \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd (God).\u00a0 (A Torah example of the word for demons (plural form) is found in Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 32:18 (\u05dc\u05b7\u05e9\u05bc\u05c1\u05b5\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd) 32:17 \u2018They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread. NASB<\/em>)\u00a0 If we take this approach, exchanging the letters in this way, we find that Esau was a man of demons, and Jacob, dwelled with God.\u00a0 Reading through Midrash Rabbah on this week\u2019s Torah portion, the rabbis do not draw conclusions on Jacob and Esau in this particular method of exegesis.\u00a0 However, studying both the Bible and the rabbinic literature, we find that the same conclusion is drawn regarding Esau being a man who loved idols which correspond to demons, and Jacob a man who loved God.<\/p>\n The Aramaic Targum has the following to say regarding these opening verses in the Portion for this week:<\/p>\n Targum Pseudo Jonathan<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:19-…<\/span><\/em><\/strong> And the two hundred and seventy days of her being with child were completed to bring forth; and, behold, twins were in her womb. And the first came forth wholly red, as a garment of hair: and they called his name Esau, because he was born altogether complete, with the hair of the head, and the beard, and teeth, and grinders. [JERUSALEM. And the first came forth wholly red, as a garment of hair: and they called his name Esau.] Afterward came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on the heel of Esau. And they called his name Jakob (Jacob). And Izhak was a son of sixty years when he beget them.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n And the lads grew; and Esau was a man of idleness to catch birds and beasts, a man going forth into the field to kill lives, as Nimrod had killed, and Hanok his son. But Jakob was a man peaceful in his words, a minister of the instruction-house of Eber, seeking instruction before the Lord. And Izhak loved Esau, for words of deceit were in his mouth; but Rivekah loved Jakob.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Notice how the Aramaic Targum describes Esau as going into the field to \u201ckill lives,\u201d<\/span><\/em> and parallels him to Nimrod who was known as a mighty hunter, and also a man who worked great iniquity through idol worship (dealing with demons).\u00a0 Jacob on the other hand is paralleled to being a man of peace, dwelling with God, and seeking instruction (just like Abraham).\u00a0 In addition to this, Midrash Rabbah Bereshit, Parashat 63, Part 6<\/span><\/em> (\u05de\u05d3\u05e8\u05e9 \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05d4 \u05e1\u05d2 \u05e1\u05d9\u05de\u05df \u05d5) has the following to say regarding Jacob and Esau.<\/p>\n Midrash Rabbah Bereshit, Parashat 63, Part 6<\/span><\/em><\/strong> According to Midrash Rabbah Bereshit, Parashat 63, Part 6<\/span><\/em>, the rabbis say that in the womb, each man run to slay the other, how each annulled the laws of the other, and the children struggled together in the womb.\u00a0 The interpretation is that Esau struggled to come out of idolatrous temples, and Jacob struggled to come out of synagogues and schools.\u00a0 Based upon the Gezerah shavah<\/span><\/em> interpretation of the Scriptures, it is interesting to study the similarity between the interpretation from the rabbis that appears to be very consistent with the historical account of Esau and his descendents (Edom).<\/p>\n In the parashah text on Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:30<\/span><\/em> it says about Esau, \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05db\u05bc\u05b5\u05df \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0-\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d0\u05b1\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05dd \u201chis name will be called Edom,\u201d<\/span><\/em> a nation of people who became known as those who do not live by faith (Ezekiel 24:12-14<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 In Romans 9:10-13, the Apostle Paul wrote of Jacob and Esau, one who walked in faith and the other who walked in sin.\u00a0 The Lord God chooses Jacob to be the father of His chosen people because he was a man of faith.\u00a0 The Lord rejected Esau because he did not care about the covenant promises indicated by selling his birthright and taking from the daughters of the land of Canaan (Bereshit \/ Genesis 26:34<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Jacob on the other hand regarded the covenant of Abraham and worked to obtain the covenant and blessing of the Lord.<\/p>\n The Scriptures tell us the Lord had a plan for both Jacob and Esau from before they were born.\u00a0 In a similar manner, the Lord has a plan for us as well.\u00a0 In the Scriptures, the Lord chose Jacob, demonstrating we are to live by faith before Him.\u00a0 According to the Apostolic Writings, God\u2019s plan for us is to believe in Yeshua the Messiah, to trust in His promises, and to obey His commands.\u00a0 If you would like to live by faith, you can do so by trusting in the way that God has established, that is by faith in the Messiah Yeshua. BTT_Parashat Toldot-2014<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UZMDKNUMnZA&feature=youtu.be”] In this week\u2019s reading from Parashat Toldot (Shemot \/ Genesis 25:19-28:9) we read about the struggle between Jacob and Esau within Rebecca\u2019s womb (25:21-23).\u00a0 We learn that Esau became a skilled hunter and Jacob dwelled in tents (25:27-28).\u00a0 According to the narrative, Esau despised his birthright.\u00a0 This is taken from the text that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3467,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3464","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n\u05db\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b6\u05e2\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05e7 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b9\u05db\u05b7\u05d7 \u05d0\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b5\u05e2\u05b8\u05ea\u05b6\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b7\u05d4\u05b7\u05e8 \u05e8\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e7\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9: \u05db\u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05e8\u05b9\u05e6\u05b2\u05e6\u05d5\u05bc \u05d4\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e7\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4\u05bc \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b4\u05dd-\u05db\u05bc\u05b5\u05df \u05dc\u05b8\u05de\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d6\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b8\u05e0\u05b9\u05db\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05dc\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05e8\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4: \u05db\u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b8\u05d4\u05bc \u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d2\u05b9\u05d9\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd [\u05d2\u05d5\u05b9\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd] \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d8\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05da\u05b0 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05bb\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b5\u05e2\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05da\u05b0 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b5\u05d3\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b9\u05dd \u05de\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b9\u05dd \u05d9\u05b6\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b8\u05e5 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e8\u05b7\u05d1 \u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05d3 \u05e6\u05b8\u05e2\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8: \u05db\u05d3\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05de\u05b0\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d9\u05b8\u05de\u05b6\u05d9\u05d4\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b8\u05dc\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05ea\u05d5\u05b9\u05de\u05b4\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d8\u05b0\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4\u05bc:<\/p>\n
\n 25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, \u2018If it is so, why then am I this way?\u00a0 So she went to inquire of the Lord. 25:23 The Lord said to her, \u2018Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.\u2019 25:24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
\n
\n
\n\u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u2192 \u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b8\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd\u00a0 Jacob<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\n These are the generations of Izhak bar Abraham. And because the appearance of Izhak resembled the appearance of Abraham, the sons of men said, In truth Abraham begat Izhak. And Izhak was the son of forty years when he took Rivekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramite, who was of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramite, unto him for a wife. And Izhak went to the mountain of worship, the place where his father had bound him. And Izhak in his prayer turned the attention of the Holy One, blessed be He! from that which He had decreed concerning him who had been childless. And he was enlarged, and Rivekah his wife was with child. And the children pressed in her womb as men doing battle. And she said, If this is the anguish of a mother, what then are children to me? And she went into the school of Shem Rabba to supplicate mercy before the Lord. [JERUSALEM. And the children pressed in her womb, and she said, If such be the anguish of a mother, what now is life, that children are to be mine? And she went to supplicate mercy before the Lord in the beth midrash of Shem Rabba.] And the Lord said to her, Two peoples are in thy womb, and two kingdoms from thy womb shall be separated; and one kingdom shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger, if the children of the younger will keep the commandments of the Law.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\n And the Children struggled together (Wayyithrozazu) within her (Bereshit \/ Genesis 25:22).\u00a0 Rabbi Johanan and Resh Lakish discussed this.\u00a0 Rabbi Johanan said, Each ran to slay the other, Resh Lakish said, Each annulled (mattir) the laws (Ziwwuyaw) of the other.\u00a0 Rabbi Berekiah observed in Rabbi Levi\u2019s name, Do not think that only after issuing into the light of the world was he (Esau) antagonistic to him, but even while still in his mother\u2019s womb his fist was stretched out against him, thus it is written, The wicked stretch out their fists (zoru) from the womb (Tehillim \/ Psalms 58:4).\u00a0 And the Children struggled together within her.\u00a0 They sought to run within her.\u00a0 When she stood near synagogues or schools, Jacob struggled to come out; hence it is written, before I formed you in the belly I knew you (Jeremiah 1:5).\u00a0 While when she passed idolatrous temples, Esau eagerly struggled to come out; hence it is written, The wicked are estranged from the womb (Tehillim \/ Psalms 58:4).<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n