|
Overview
of the Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat Toldot, 5 Kislev 5784/Nov.18
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)
Part of the Jewish oral tradition from Mount Sinai that was written down
2,000 years ago, quotes a number of verses to illustrate that the Jewish
people, no matter how apparently negative their current situation, have
many positive spiritual qualities [Talmud. Tractate Sanhedrin 37a]. One
of these verses is from this week's Torah portion, Toldot. The verse says
that when Yaakov disguises himself and comes to his father to take the
blessings Yitzchak meant for Eisav, Yitzchak smells Yaakov's clothing
and says, "You have the fragrance of a field that G-d has blessed
[the Garden of Eden]" (Bereishit/Genesis 27:27). The Talmud in the
name of Rebbe Zeira teaches that the word in Hebrew for "his garments,"
b'gadav, can also be read bogdov, or "traitors."
This is to teach us that even the traitors and sinners of the Jewish people
still smell like the Garden of Eden. They still abound in good qualities.
The Talmud illustrates this idea with a story about Rebbe Zeira. In his
neighborhood there was a group of young Jewish hooligans, whom Rebbe Zeira
befriended hoping they would return to proper behavior, an endeavor his
fellow sages disapproved of. When Rebbe Zeira died, the troublemakers
said, "Who will ask mercy for us now? The rest of the rabbis do not
like us." This caused them to examine their actions, to sincerely
look into their hearts, and because of this they returned on their own
to proper behavior.
There are many beautiful commentaries that come from this teaching about
Jewish people having positive qualities, no matter what. Rabbi Simcha
Bunim [1], says that this is certainly part of the reason that Yitzchak
was willing to bless Eisav, since he could smell that deep inside he had
good qualities. The Eturei Torah [2] explains the connection of "traitors"
to clothing by saying that just like a garment is not a part of the body,
rather only a covering for it, similarly, a Jewish person's negative deeds
are not an integral part of the person. The Yismach Yisroel [3] taught
that just like the smell of fertilizer on a field is unpleasant, but with
time is transformed into a pleasing smell of growing produce, similarly
a person's negative deeds will at the beginning make a person spiritually
impure, but eventually the person's inner truth, which is holiness, will
be revealed. These are all very comforting thoughts.
Another more recent chassidic Rebbe, Rabbi Shlomo of Bobov [4], takes
a different approach to this connection between clothing and traitors,
while also explaining why many observant Jewish people, especially chassidim,
are so careful not to change their style of dress, even if it makes them
stand out, or invites ridicule. He says that tzadikim have taught
us that each person's Evil Inclination's first efforts to take us off
the correct path start with our clothing and accessories, like a kippa
(head covering) or a gartel [5]. A person following the lead of
their Evil Inclination will start wearing clothing that is more modern
or fashionable to the extreme. Once the Evil Inclination has found this
inroad for the secular world into the private life of a person, then it
can introduce other "worldly" behaviors, in the end possibly
dragging a person to do truly negative things. (Often, a child's rebellion
is first seen in his or her clothing.) All of this teaches us that we
should be careful with what we wear, because the verse is telling us that
clothing is the first sign that characteristics of rebellion against G-d's
will are expressing themselves in the person.
Something else about clothing. The Ba'al Shem Tov [6] once told his followers
to hold hands [in a circle], and he shared with them a vision of an ox
dressed in the finest Shabbat clothing [overeating] at a Shabbat meal.
A person is where their desires are, no matter what garments they are
wearing. Even in the most elevated spiritual situations, a person can
act like an animal, forgetting his spiritual potential.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe understands this story in a positive light, as was
his way. No matter how a person behaves, they are incapable of degrading
their "Shabbat clothing". While only we can control where we
are spiritually, where we are in our desires, the physical aspects of
the spiritual (like unique Shabbat garments) that surround us-be it our
clothing, our mitzvot, and our Torah-can never be violated or desecrated.
They always serve as an anchor for us.
The bottom line, everyone without exception has struggles. But never lose
hope. With every effort, the light will shine through.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe worked aggressively to establish a Chabad chassidic
community in the land of Israel. Kfar Chabad became that place. Once,
in its early years, Rabbi Garelick, the first rabbi of the community,
came to visit the Rebbe. When the Rebbe saw him, he immediately said with
pride, "Ah, the rabbi of Kfar Chabad." Rabbi Garelick said,
"Kfar Chabad deserves a better rabbi." The Rebbe responded to
him, "True or not, in the end it is up to you."
[Collected from many sources, including, Hamodia, Rabbi Yussie Chitrik,
and Laya Leiter]
Shabbat Shalom and a bright new month, Shaul
(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
The scoffers of that generation claimed that it was impossible for Isaac
to have fathered a son such as Esau, who pursued married women to commit
adultery with them under the noses of their husbands.
But Isaac's extraordinary wealth and material 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.
To continue, click
here.
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
Back to Top
|
