Overview
of the Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat
Toldot, 4 Kislev 5787/Nov.14
Torah: 25:19-28:9; Haftorah: Malachi 1:1-2:7 (because
the second verse mentions Yaakov & Esav)
Toldot is the
6th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and it contains 5426 letters,
in 1432 words, in 106 verses
Yitzchak
married Rivkah when he was forty. When he was sixty, Rivkah gave birth
to twins, Esav and Yacov. At age fifteen, Esav returned one day from
hunting in the fields, tired and hungry, and asked Yacov for some food.
Yacov told him to sell him his birthright, which he did. There was a
famine in the land, but G-d told Yitzchak to remain in the land. Yitzchak
went to Gerar, near the border, where he said to the people there that
Rivkah was his sister, as he was afraid that he would be killed because
of her. When king Avimelech found out he issued a decree that should
anyone touch Yitzchak or Rivkah they would be killed. Yitzchak farmed
and became wealthy. The Philistines became jealous and filled in his
wells. Avimelech told him to leave. Yitzchak eventually arrived in Be’er
Sheva. He made a peace treaty with Avimelech. When Esav was forty he
married Judith and Basemath. Yitzchak became old and his eyesight was
fading. He told Esav to prepare him a meal, and he would bless him before
he died. Rivkah heard this and told Yacov that she would prepare a meal
for his father, and he should take the blessing instead of Esav. Esav
was furious, and planned to kill Yacov after his father’s death. Rivkah
heard of this and sent Yacov away. Yitzchak blessed Yacov and told him
not to marry a Canaanite girl. Yacov left for the house of Lavan, Rivkah’s
brother. Esav understood that his father was displeased with his Canaanite
wives, and married Ishmael’s daughter Machlat.
An
Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent
(for a
free weekly email subscription, click
here)
The
last two Torah portions, Lech Lecha and Chayei Sara were
about Avraham. We shift now. This week's portion, Toldot (Generations),
begins with the story of the life events of Avraham's son, Yitzchak,
who, at the age of forty, marries Rivka. The opening verses [Bereishit/Genesis
25:19-20] serve as an introduction to the main story of the portion
- the birth of his two sons, Ya'akov and Esav.
During the forty years before his marriage, Yitzchak experienced many
events, some of them absolutely world changing. First and foremost was
the test of the Akeidah [the Binding of Yitzchak], when G-d commanded
Avraham to take him as an offering. We read about this daily in our
morning prayers - the ultimate example of true selfless service of G-d.
A trial and test for his father Avraham but even more so for Yitzchak
himself, allowing himself to be brought as a sacrificial offering.
Our tradition [Midrash Hagadol] also tells us that because of
Yitzchak's great holiness and the intense experience of the Akeida,
for the three years after that event until he married Rivka, he was
taken by angels to Gan Eden to bask in the Divine light of the
Shechina [G-d's presence] for spiritual healing, elevation and
preparation for his marriage.
This being the case, why does the portion begin with and focus on the
birth of Ya'akov and Esav?
This teaches us that the ultimate intention for a person's life is not
self-sacrifice (as with the Akeida) or even great Divine revelations
(such as being in Gan Eden) that we can experience when learning
Torah.
Rather, the ultimate purpose of our lives as Jews is to transform and
elevate the world from a mundane place to something holy and filled
with Divinity. This happens when we make this world a dwelling place
for G-d and this transformation and elevation is tied to the creation
of children living full Jewish lives as they continue this mission into
the future. This is the true inner dimension of the verse, "Be
fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and conquer it." [Bereishit
1:28]
[Sefer HaSichot 5733, Vol. 1, Page 155]
(for a
free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the
archive.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically, for
an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary
Kabbalists, and more,
click to Toldot
one sample:
Mystical Classics
The
Unique Wealth of Isaac
From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by
Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
Isaac's extraordinary success, the fact that he was sanctified on Mount
Moriah, and his life-long residence on the holy soil of the Land of
Israel, all served to show that he was indeed a true son of Abraham.
For a
free email subscription to our weekly anthology, click
here.
For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the our
weekly Kabbalah magazine
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