Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Toldot Volume XIV, No. 6 4 Kislev 5760 November 13, 1999 Special Announcement -------------------- In past years, Hamaayan for Parashat Toldot has been sponsored by Mr. Josh Rosenbloom in honor of the "birthday" of his beloved shul, Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Silver Spring, MD). This week, Hamaayan's staff expresses its own gratitude to Hashem for Mr. Rosenbloom's recovery from his recent car accident. Today's Learning: Orlah 3:6-7 Orach Chaim 190:4-191:1 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Chagigah 9 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Ketubot 17 This week's parashah introduces us to Yaakov and Esav and to their rivalry. The haftarah then tells us: "'I loved you,' said Hashem, and you said, 'How have You loved us?' 'Was not Esav a brother of Yaakov,' [these are] the words of Hashem, 'yet I loved Yaakov'!" (Malachi 1:2). Rabbenu Nissim z"l (14th century; Spain) explains Hashem's words and the rivalry between the brothers as follows: Hashem's kindness in choosing Yaakov over Esav is more obvious than His kindness in choosing Yitzchak over Yishmael. After all, Esav was Yaakov's full brother, while Yishmael was only Yitzchak's half- brother and was the son of a lesser wife. At the same time - especially because Yaakov and Esav were twins - it is fitting for Esav to be Yaakov's primary antagonist through most of history. [Esav represents Rome, both the Roman Empire and the states and religions that succeeded that empire.] Our parashah states (25:23), "The might shall pass from one regime to the other." The gemara (Megillah 6a) explains: When one falls, the other rises. However, Yaakov and Esav can never rise at the same time. Why? It does not appear that other nations have this type if relationship! The answer, says Rabbenu Nissim, is that both Yaakov's and Esav's claim to power comes from their being the children of Rivka; obviously, then, their claims are mutually exclusive. What was Hashem's purpose in bringing this relationship into existence? It was two-fold, writes Rabbenu Nissim: First, Hashem created Esav to be the instrument of His wrath against the Jewish people. Secondly, Hashem wanted Esav to hate Yaakov so that Yaakov's children would not be drawn to assimilate with Esav's children. (Derashot Ha'Ran: Drush Sheni - another excerpt from this derashah appears inside this issue.) ******** "These are the offspring of Yitzchak the son of Avraham - Avraham fathered Yitzchak." (25:19) Should not the end of the verse be "Yaakov and Esav"? asks R' Yitzchak Adribi z"l (Turkey; 16th century). They were the offspring of Yitzchak! The midrash states: Avraham was saved from Nimrod's furnace only in Yaakov's merit. To what may this be likened? To someone who was sentenced to death by the king, but the king saw in the stars that this person would father a daughter who would marry the king. The king said, "I will save him in the merit of his future daughter." Similarly, Avraham was to die in Nimrod's furnace, but Hashem saw that Yaakov would come from him if he lived. Hashem said: It is worth saving him for the sake of his descendant Yaakov. This is the meaning of our verse, writes R' Adribi: These (i.e., Yaakov, who will be mentioned later) are the offspring of Yitzchak, in whose merit Avraham lived long enough to father Yitzchak. The midrash continues: Thus it is written (Yishayah 29:22-23), "Therefore, thus said Hashem, Who redeemed Avraham, to the House of Yaakov: "Yaakov will not be ashamed now, and his face will not pale now, when he sees his children, My handiwork in their midst . . ." R' Adribi explains: Why did Avraham not deserve to be saved from the furnace? Avraham had recognized Hashem based on his own philosophic investigations. Avraham knew that Nimrod's idolatrous beliefs were wrong and Avraham therefore had no choice but to submit to a martyr's death. It was not, as we would have assumed, a particulary meritorious act. [Ed. Note: This may be consistent with the view of Rambam who does not count the encounter with Nimrod as one of Avraham's ten tests.] Why was Avraham saved? the prophet Yishayah tells us. Not (as the midrash implies) in the merit of Yaakov himself, but in the merit of "the House of Yaakov," i.e., the future generations of Jews who would follow Hashem even though they had not attained the same level of recognition as Avraham. (Divrei Shalom) ******** "The lads grew up and Esav became one who knows hunting, a man of the field; but Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in tents." (25:27) Rashi writes: "As long as they were children, their true deeds were not noticeable and people did not know their true natures. When they turned 13, this one went to the study hall and this one went to idolatry." R' Yechezkel Levenstein z"l (1885-1974) observes: The midrash says that until age 13, Yaakov and Esav studied in yeshiva together. How did such a wicked person as Esav allow himself to go to yeshiva all those years? The answer is that even Esav did not realize his own wickedness until he grew up. Unless one studies mussar, he can never recognize the potential evil that lurks within himself. (Ohr Yechezkel: Michtavim No.323) ******** "Yaakov simmered a stew, and Esav came in from the field, and he was exhausted. "Esav said to Yaakov, 'Pour into me, now, some of that very red stuff for I am exhausted.' . . . "Yaakov said, 'Sell, as this day, your birthright to me'." (25:29-31) Rabbenu Nissim z"l asks: How could Yaakov take advantage of his brother's tired state? Moreover, why did Yaakov desire something that was not his? He answers: The bechor/firstborn is the bearer of the family's honor. If the bechor's behavior is shameful, the entire family is humiliated. The Sages say that the day on which the above exchange occurred was the day when Avraham died. Yaakov was stewing lentils because they are the food of mourners. Esav, however, was oblivious to the mourning; not only did he want to eat the mourner's meal that was being prepared for his father, he crudely asked that it be "poured into him." Such a person surely was not worthy of carrying the birthright, and this is why Yaakov acted as he did. (Derashot Ha'Ran: Drush Sheni) ******** "Yitzchak dug anew the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Avraham . . . "Yitzchak's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of fresh water." (26:18-19) R' Yissachar Ber Rotenberg z"l (1906-1986; the "Voidislaver Rav") writes: By relating that Yitzchak redug Avraham's wells and also dug his own, the Torah is teaching us that one should not be content to mimic the good deeds of his parents. One should add his own good deeds to his parents' deeds. By relating (in the verses which follow) that the shepherds of Gerar fought with Yitzchak's shepherds and that Yitzchak repeatedly moved on and dug new wells, the Torah is teaching us that we should not lose heart because of adversity. If we persevere, our enemies will eventually make peace with us, as Avimelech did with Yitzchak. (Yarbeh Torah) ******** "The voice is Yaakov's voice, and the hands are Esav's hands" (27:22) The midrash says: When the voice is the voice of Yaakov, i.e., the Jews study Torah, then the hands of Esav will not touch them. Otherwise, the hands that attack them will be the hands of Esav. R' Shaul Yedidyah Elazar Taub z"l (the "Modzhitzer Rebbe"; died 1947) asks: Does this interpretation not appear to be contrary to the plain sense of the verse? There is no "or" in the pasuk! He explains that the verse should be read as follows: Hashem has two ways of making us listen to Him - the voice of Yaakov, i.e., the Torah, and the hands of Esav. This is similar to the gemara's teaching (Sanhedrin 97b), "If the Jews repent, fine. If not, I will place over them a hard king like Haman." (Yisah Berachah: Parashat Bereishit) ******** Letters from Our Sages The following is an excerpt from a letter by R' Yosef Stern z"l to his father regarding his studies and the importance of studying mussar. The writer was a student of R' Simcha Zissel Ziv z"l (the "Alter of Kelm") in the Talmud Torah of Griban, Lithuania, and was the grandfather of R' Moshe Aharon Stern z"l (died 1998), mashgiach of the Kamenitz Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. The letter is printed in Kitvei Ha'Saba Ve'talmidav Mi'Kelm. I, whom G-d has caused to travel to this glorious house of study, understand a little bit (thank G-d) how most of the world can be ignorant and foolish and go on a way which is wrong, throwing off the yoke of Heaven from upon themselves. Many times, I am consoled from my forebodings by the fact that I am one who sits in a bet midrash/study hall and not on street corners. All of this is my [portion], however, only because I study mussar from the books dealing with fear of Heaven, which direct a person on the path to happiness and eternal success. [My understanding also comes] from that which our master and teacher [the "Alter"] speaks to us lofty and important ideas which are to us like the first rain on a parched land . . . Our actions are according to the schedule that our master and teacher established; this is our success and our happiness, for all of man's success comes from following a set order. The students also make themselves into groups which raise the house of study higher and higher. One person strengthens himself, together with his group, in his observance of Shabbat, one works with his group on avoiding theft (something whose laws are not known to most people), and everyone says to his brother "Be strong!" (whether as relates to character traits or good habits) [see Yishayah 41:6].