פרשת תולדות תשפ"ז
LEITZANUT
“And these are the generations of Yitzchak the son of Avraham; Avraham fathered Yitzchak” (25:19). Rashi: “… the mockers of the generation were saying that Sarah had conceived from Avimelech …”.
If these mockers were attempting to deny any miracle, this allegation would seem to be ineffective, since, even if it were true, Sarah was also far beyond childbearing age and could only have conceived through a miracle. The Brisker Rav noted that even when non-believers cannot explain a phenomenon through natural causes they still seek to minimize the extent of a miracle or seek "natural" explanations for supernatural events. At the time that Yerushalayim was being bombarded, he said that the secular media would attribute the lack of casualties to natural causes, such as the might of their army, and, if forced to admit a miracle, they would endeavor to belittle it as much as possible, still finding natural causes.
Rav Moshe Schneider asked why this midrash quoted by Rashi refers to “mockers.” These people were seeking to uproot faith in Hashem and in miracles, so we would have expected them to be termed “wicked heretics” rather than “mockers.” He replied that this teaches us that the danger posed by those who mock and belittle talmidei chachamim or anything connected to kedushah is potentially even greater than the danger posed by outright heretics. He said that even though they had no convincing intellectual arguments to offer, the successes of the maskilim in Russia and Poland were due to their venomous leitzanut, which gradually seeped into the hearts of their victims, eventually transforming them completely.
Rav Schneider also recalled having heard when he was living in Memel, Prussia, that Rav Akiva Eger (who had been the rav of Posen not far from Memel) was once present at a wedding of one of his descendants when the mechutan spoke some words of leitzanut to him. Rav Akiva Eger was so shocked that he left the wedding for a while, apparently in order to perform a chesbon hanefesh (introspection) as to how it had come about that his ears had become polluted by words of leitzonus.
FATHERHOOD
The apparent duplication in the above pasuk may be explained as follows: “And these are the generations of Yitzchak the son of Avraham” refers to physical birth, whereas “Avraham fathered Yitzchak” refers to a spiritual “birth,” as it says “Whoever teaches his friend’s son Torah is considered as though he has given birth to him” (Sanhedrin 19b). Avraham too shaped Yitzchak’s internal spiritual growth and established his qualities of fortitude and self-dedication.
Many people imagine that the father’s main influence over his son lies in the material sphere, but, in reality, the main aspect of “fatherhood” lies in the spiritual arena, in educating him from the outset in Torah and fear of heaven, including generously investing in qualified teachers and, when necessary, a chavrusa. That is when he is called a genuine father, because he thereby grants his son access to the afterlife, and his son absorbs his father’s spiritual qualities.
EISAV's HYPOCRISY
“And the children struggled within her, and she said, ‘If [it be] so, why am I [like] this?’” (25:22). Rashi: “When she passed by the entrances of the Torah [academies] of Shem and Ever, Yaakov would run and struggle to come out; when she passed the entrance of [a temple of] idolatry, Eisav would run and struggle to come out.”
The late Kloisenburger Rebbe asked the following question. Chazal note that Eisav was in the habit of concealing his wickedness and pretended to be righteous, such as when he asked his father how to take ma’aser from salt, so why did he not hesitate to struggle to come out when his mother passed the entrance of a temple of idolatry? Why did he not conceal his wicked intentions?
The Rebbe answered that a hypocrite like Eisav would claim that he only wanted to come out in order to fight the idolatry being practiced there; he would don a veneer of holiness and portray himself as a righteous “zealot” fighting the battles of Hashem. Eisav’s wickedness ran very deep.
KEEPING A DISTANCE FROM TUMAH
The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 17a) says that it is forbidden to walk past the entrance of a house of idol worship, so how could Rivkah have done so? It seems that the prohibition only applies when walking within four amot of the entrance, and Rivkah did not do that, but only walked close to the entrance; and yet, even so, the spiritual impurity (tumah) was still powerful enough to attract Eisav. This shows how much we must endeavor to distance ourselves from tumah.
For this reason, Moshe Rabbeinu did not pray in a town filled with idols (See Rashi on Shemot 9:29). Similarly, the founders of Slobodka Yeshivah chose to establish it there because there was no church in the vicinity. Rav Schneider would say that a house of minut was even worse than a house containing idols, and when he was forced to pass a location where mixed dancing was taking place or speakers spewing words of heresy he would recite the pasuk, "… but you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is to be destroyed" (Devarim 7:26).
Keeping good company
We can understand why Eisav wanted to come out, but Yaakov was being taught Torah by an angel at the time, so why would he have wanted to come out? The Brisker Rav is said to have commented that even being taught Torah by an angel is not worthwhile at the cost of having to live in close quarters with an evil person. Even though there was no obvious detrimental effect, just being in close proximity to a person like Eisav is damaging, especially for someone like Yaakov, whose image is engraved underneath the Kisei HaKavod.
Rav Sternbuch was once asked whether a child should be sent to a cheder with excellent teachers and a very high academic level, but the class in question also has some boys with bad middot, or to another institution with a much lower level of learning but in which the boys in the class did not have bad middot and came from strong homes. Rav Sternbuch instructed the parent to choose the institution with the better boys because that was the most important issue, since even a minority of children with bad middot can have a very detrimental effect on their peers.
“And the youths grew up” (25:27). Rashi: “As long as they were small, they were not recognizable through their deeds, and no one scrutinized them to determine their characters. As soon as they became thirteen years old, this one parted to the houses of study, and that one parted to idol worship.”
Some people are not sufficiently particular about the company their young children keep, or about the quality of their teachers, in the mistaken belief that at a young age, children are not so vulnerable. They are making a grave mistake, because the precedent of Yaakov and Eisav teaches us that even at a young age, a child's character is being formed, even though it may not manifest itself until he becomes thirteen years old.
Similarly, Rashi (on 27:1) cites the midrash that Yitzchak became blind because of the smoke of Eisav’s wives, who would burn incense to the idols. Tosfos wonder why according to this explanation Rivkah’s eyes did not suffer too, and they answer that she was already used to the incense of the idols in her father’s house. Even though many years had passed, and even though she had been only three years old at the time, she had become so desensitized that this still had an effect on her many years later.
Hence, even a very young child (or a fetus for that matter, which is already endowed with a soul) must to be protected from coming into contact with any form of tumah.
If a child keeps bad company, is exposed to immodesty, or is taught by teachers who do not serve as positive role models, this is absorbed by the child, even though the harmful effects may not become apparent until he grows older.
VALUING EVERY MOMENT
“… Eisav was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, whereas Yaakov was an innocent man, dwelling in tents” (25:27).
Rashi says that Eisav, the man of the field, was an idler. This was the source of his tumah. By contrast, Yaakov dwelt permanently in tents. Although Yaakov did not undergo trials comparable to those experienced by Avraham Avinu and Yitzchak at the Akeidah, Yaakov is still considered the bechir sheba'avot, the choicest of the Avot, because of this quality of valuing time and utilizing every moment for Torah and avodas Hashem. This demonstrates what an essential quality this is, since it is the source of all other qualities.
Tents are temporary structures hinting at the fact that Yaakov lived with the awareness of the temporary nature of this ephemeral world. On the other hand, he “dwelt” permanently in them. Gedolei Yisroel throughout the generations immersed themselves completely in their Torah studies, and they considered worldly matters to be complete vanities. They valued every moment.
For example, Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein, the Aruch HaShulchan, did not have chairs in the room where he received visitors, fearing that if they would sit down they might stay a few moments longer than they would if they remained standing, and he would then be disturbed from his learning for a few moments longer than necessary.
Someone once told the Brisker Rav about a certain talmid chacham who was completely immersed in Torah, but the person relating this did not know whether he was a tzaddik. The Brisker Rav responded: “For me, the greatest form of righteousness is hasmadah.”
LEARNING FROM OUR ERRING BRETHREN
“Eisav was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, whereas Yaakov was an innocent man, dwelling in tents” (25:27).
By comparing the two brothers’ way of life, the pasuk is telling us that just as Eisav invested all his energy and dedicated himself completely to hunting, so too did Yaakov do the same with regard to Torah study, as it says, “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies …” (Tehillim 119:98).
The same principle applies to future generations. Just like our erring brethren invest their energy into devising sundry schemes to reduce the amount of Torah learners, so too must we do our utmost to create plans for increasing Torah learning. The Chofetz Chaim already complained: “The wicked fight on behalf of falsehood with truth, whereas we fight for the truth with falsehood.” In other words, those who oppose Torah fight passionately and wholeheartedly for their false ideals, whereas we do not always demonstrate the same degree of dedication when fighting for the holy Torah, the Torah of truth.
KEEPING ERRANT CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE
“And Yitzchak loved Eisav because [his] game was in his mouth, but Rivkah loved Yaakov” (25:28).
Yitzchak knew that Eisav was wicked (see the Alshich HaKadosh), and his love was not constant as Rivkah’s love for Yaakov. This is reflected in the wording of the pasuk: Rivkah is described as ohevet (loving, in the present tense), whereas Yitzchak is described as vaye'ehav (he loved, in the past tense). His intention in showing Eisav love was to draw him closer to avodas Hashem. However, why did Yitzchak do this instead of banishing him from his house as Yishmael had been banished by Avraham Avinu?
Yishmael behaved badly when he was still in Avraham’s house. Chazal tell us that he quarreled with Yitzchak. Hence, Avraham had no choice but to expel him from his house. Eisav, on the other hand, was completely immoral and wicked outside the house but behaved properly at home. In fact, he even made a point of honoring his parents. Therefore, there was no danger involved in keeping him at home, and so Yitzchak wanted to act lovingly towards him in the hope that he would repent his ways.
This teaches us that if a family member starts adopting an irreligious lifestyle, he should not be kept at home if he behaves inappropriately within the home, because there is a great risk that he will influence other members of the household. Only when he is willing to respect the standards of the household and refrain from negatively influencing its other members should he be allowed to remain at home, and every effort is made to bring him closer to a life of Torah and mitzvot.
UPSIDE-DOWN WORLD
“And Eisav said to Yaakov, ‘Pour into me some of this red, red [pottage], for I am faint’” (25:30).
It is amazing to behold how Hashem orchestrates events in this world in order to perform His will. Yaakov Avinu was constantly immersed in Torah, and lived with the bare minimum. All he asked for was “bread to eat and a garment to wear” (28:20). Eisav, on the other hand, was totally preoccupied with worldly matters. It was therefore a completely unnatural occurrence for Eisav to suddenly become dependent on Yaakov’s kindness for worldly affairs. And yet, Hashem orchestrated events in such a way that the wicked Eisav became exhausted and developed a craving for lentils, which he could obtain only from Yaakov. He was so desperate for the lentils that he was willing to sell the bechorah to Yaakov. Completely unexpectedly, Yaakov became the giver and Eisav the taker, so that Hashem’s will that Yaakov should merit the bechorah would become fulfilled.
In future generations too, even when the glory of Torah is degraded in this world, when the redemption comes Hashem will show us an upside-down world, in which the apparent success of those who oppose Torah will disappear like smoke, and the glory of Torah will become elevated. This will manifest in the ultimate fulfillment of Yitzchak’s blessing to Jacob that “Nations shall serve you and kingdoms shall bow down to you” (27:29), culminating in the realization of the pasuk “to make you superior over all the nations” (Devarim 28:1). The holy Shechinah will dwell amongst us when the Moshiach comes, and those who toil in Torah will lead the way.
FOLLOWING IN EISAV's FOOTSTEPS
“Thus Eisav scorned the birthright” (25:34).
Eisav was not the equivalent of a modern-day heretic. He dressed the part of an observant Jew, and by performing mitzvot in the presence of his father, he managed to deceive him. Having been brought up in the home of Yitzchak and Rivkah, he knew all about what awaits those who fulfill the Will of Hashem, and about the consequences of not observing mitzvot. However, he wanted "cash" here and now, preferring to enjoy even the smallest benefit in this world rather than wait for any rewards in the world to come. Thus, if he was very hungry and felt like a pottage of lentils, then giving up the bechorah and all the holiness associated with it, of which he was fully aware, was a small price to pay in his eyes.
Unfortunately, there is an element of Eisav inside most of us. Whenever we give up the opportunity of acquiring priceless eternal life for the sake of momentary pleasure, such as engaging in idle chatter, we are following in his footsteps. If we do this consistently we will ultimately find ourselves, like Eisav, wailing "a great and bitter cry" (27:34) for having exchanged eternal life for the sake of ephemeral pleasure, when it is already too late, and we no longer have the opportunity to amend our deeds.
In this context, it should be noted that some b’nei Torah, finding it difficult to make ends meet, are faced with the test of leaving kollel to enter the workforce. If they fully appreciated the eternal significance of the Torah they are learning, they would be more reluctant to abandon the Torah world merely for the sake of material benefits. Nevertheless, even when an avreich finds himself unable to meet the financial obligations which he undertook in his ketubah, he should consult with da’as Torah before making a decision. A person is subject to personal biases and should not make such a consequential decision without appropriate guidance.
ETERNAL INVESTMENT
“And I will bless you for the sake of Avraham, My servant” (26:24).
The Moshav Zekeinim (written by the Ba’alei HaTosafot) asks why this blessing is attributed to the merit of Avraham; surely Yitzchak himself was worthy of these blessings in his own merit? He proves from this that if someone is righteous, learns Torah, and instructs his sons to learn and follow the proper path, the mitzvot performed by his descendants after his death are attributed to him as if he himself had performed them. That is why it says “For the sake of Avraham My servant,” because all of the mitzvot that Yitzchak performed were performed in the wake of the education he had received from his father. Therefore, Hashem regarded those mitzvot as though Avraham himself had performed them.
We would do well to be cognizant of this fact whenever we experience any emotional pain or frustration when raising our children. Putting our hearts and souls into our children’s education and serving as positive role models is not only an important mitzvah in and of itself, but an investment the yields short-term, long-term, and eternal benefits.
MATERIAL BLESSINGS
“He called Eisav his elder son” (27:1).
What was the argument between Yitzchak and Rivkah regarding Eisav? In the siddur "Otzar Hatefillot” at the end of Veyiten Lecha the commentary "Tikun Tefillah" suggests that Yaakov advocated the Torah-only method of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, whereas Eisav lived in accordance with the maxim in Pirkei Avot (2:2) which teaches the importance of combining Torah study with derech eretz (worldly occupation). Yitzchak was fully aware of Yaakov’s superior qualities, but he felt that someone who enjoys the labor of his own hands is greater than someone who fears Heaven (Brachot 8a). Rav Moshe Schneider was very upset that this explanation had been printed in the siddur, and he felt that it should be deleted, since it was forbidden even to entertain the thought that Yitzchak Avinu would have such views. He said that such “explanations” stemmed from the sort of leitzanut (mockery designed to lead to heresy) practiced by the maskilim.
The simple explanation is that both Yitzchak and Rivkah loved Yaakov more because he was steeped in Torah, and they both realized that it would only be to Yaakov's detriment to receive material blessings in this world, since those would be deducted from his eternal reward in the world to come. However, Yitzchak, in the mistaken belief that Eisav was basically observant, felt that if he were to receive material blessings, this might lead him to come closer to Hashem by increasing his faith and fear of Heaven.
Rivkah, on the other hand, had heard the prophecy about the two progenitors of great nations in her womb, one of whom had the potential to become wicked, and who had unfortunately fulfilled that potential, so that it seemed to her preferable for Yaakov to obtain those blessings furtively under the guise of Eisav, so that nothing would be deducted from his eternal reward.
LONG DAVENING
“Perhaps my father will touch me, and I will appear to him as a deceiver” (27:12).
Rav Yerucham Levovitz, the mashgiach of Mir, would daven a very long Shemoneh Esrei on Rosh Hashanah night. When the yeshiva had already finished the whole tefillah as well as the meal, he was still standing and praying. His student, the bachur Nosson Wachtfogel, later to become mashgiach of Lakewood, wanted to see what his mashgiach did after davening for so long, and so he hid in a place nearby, and then he heard the mashgiach repeatedly singing the above pasuk to himself, with great emotion, to a mussar tune. Rav Yerucham’s behavior may be explained on the basis of the warning contained in the musar sefarim that sometimes prideful thoughts may enter the mind of a person who spends a long time on his tefillah, telling him what a righteous person he was, and if he listens to those thoughts his reward is offset by his pride. Therefore, immediately after finishing his tefillah, the mashgiach reminded himself: “Who knows if Hashem is satisfied with me, perhaps my Father will examine me and find me unworthy of spending so much time in prayer, and I will appear to Him as a deceiver.”
THE TEST OF PROSPERITY
“And Yitzchak became exceedingly afraid” (27:33).
The Midrash on this pasuk (Bereishit Rabbah 67:2) says that Yitzchak became afraid twice, once when he was tied up to become a sacrifice on the altar, and the second time when Eisav brought him the tasty food, and he realized that the recipient of his blessings had not been Eisav. The Midrash notes that the fear Yitzchak experienced on the latter occasion was greater (as it says, "exceedingly afraid").
The fear he felt at the time of the Akeidah may have been similar to that experienced by Sarah before she died, i.e. he may have been worried about whether his descendants would possess the same fortitude as him to withstand physical persecutions throughout the generations (see last week’s article).
Yitzchak intended to bestow material blessings upon Eisav in the hope that this would be for his spiritual benefit. Upon learning that it was Yaakov who had become the recipient of those material blessings, Yitzchak felt an exceedingly great fear, because he knew that the test of material abundance would be even greater than that of physical persecutions. He knew that it would be easier for his descendants to march to the stake or the gas chambers with joy reciting Shema Yisroel or singing Ani Maamin, than it would be to withstand the trials of material abundance.
For example, during the Second World War, the Holocaust revealed many extraordinary examples of Jewish faith, courage, and mesirus nefesh, notwithstanding our enemies' determined attempts to dehumanize us. By contrast, since the Second World War, it is estimated that about 5 million Jews have become assimilated in the United States, due to the prosperity and freedom enjoyed by Jews there. Similarly, the main danger from our erring brethren does not stem from their decrees directed at our way of life, because most of us can withstand such tests with mesirus nefesh, but rather from the danger of our seeking to become assimilated into their way of life.
WEALTH IS NOT EVIL
On the other hand, Rashi says (on the pasuk “Two nations are in your womb” (25:23)) quoting the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 11a) that the two nations refer to Antoninus and Rebbi, from whose tables neither radishes nor lettuce were lacking, either in the summer or in the winter. Rivkah was being told that sometimes the descendants of Yaakov would also enjoy material success in this world. We do not negate wealth per se. However, whereas the descendants of Eisav usually use their wealth entirely for material purposes, we use it for the sake of Heaven to help talmidei chachamim or other spiritual purposes. The example set by Rebbi (Ketubot 104a), who before his death raised his ten fingers toward Heaven and declared that he had not partaken of the pleasures of this world even with his small finger, shows that even the wealthiest people can be avdei Hashem of the highest degree.
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