BS”D

Toldos – Esav, Which Crown is Bothering You.

Dr M Bank

A Guten Erev Shabbos everyone. This week’s parsha is parshas Toldos. I would like to give it the title, Esav, Which Crown is bothering you? An interesting question, for a dentist, to ask a patient, which crown is bothering him. This is a question of spiritual proportions. Which crown is it that has been bothering Esav throughout world history? Were going to explore this parsha to uncover some themes of infinite proportions and to try to identify exactly what it is that leads Esav to this blood libel, this vengeance, of Esav against Am Yisrael, throughout World History and Be Ezras H how it is going to be resolved.

So the parsha starts off, these are the offspring of Yitzhak, the son of Avraham. Ve Eleh Toldos Yitzhak ben Avraham. Avraham begot Yitzhak. Yitzhak was 40 years old when he married Rivka. It gives her family tree, and Yitzhak entreated H because she was barren and wanted to have children. H allowed himself to be appealed to, and his wife conceived. So starts World History. It is an epic event in world history which reveals coming attractions as we know it today. So it says now in perek 25, posuk 22, the children agitated within her. This is, within the womb of Rivka. She felt the tumult and said, if this is so, why is it happening? She went to enquire of H. So, according to Rashi, enquiring of H is going to the Yeshiva of Shem ve Ever. This was the son and descendant of Noach that were still alive in those days, in the days of Yitzhak and Rivka. She went to them and with their torah wisdom, they managed to guide her. Shem was a prophet who could appeal to H on her behalf. She kept her predicament from Yitzhak and Avraham, out of fear that they might deam her safek to be a sign of imperfection on her part (Gur Aryeh). So, as is indicated in the next verse, H conveyed the significance of her terrifying symptoms, and only to her. Not to Yitzhak. This is an amazing thing. Yitzhal Avinu was a prophet himself. Very clearly he had nevua himself. This is the kunst, the crux of the parsha. Soon we will have to address the question of why, apparently, Yitzhak Avinu loved Esav and Rivka loved Yaakov. The obvious question is how could a tzadik of such proportions, of Yitzhak Avinu, having nevua, having been on the Akeidas Yitzhak, Pahad Yitzhak, that he could be fooled, so to speak, by such a rasha, such a murderer, that (in Maseches Megillah) H even told Yitzhak when he prayed for Esav, saying “H, my son Esav, is there nothing he did right? Has he got no schar to go to shamayim? Is there nothing OK about him? His kibud Av ve Em is exemplary. All his life he went out to hunt for food for his father. He honoured his father incredibly”. So Yitzhak Avinu loved Esav. H replied, “shall the one that destroys my home in this world be invited to my home in the next world?”. The second Beis Hamikdash was destroyed by Rome, Esav. If that’s the case, shall he have Gan Eden? He is at war with H.. That is part of the tragedy of world history. But, there is hope. Going back to H revelation to Rivka, but not to Yitzhak, Rivka felt that she had no right to reveal what H had not revealed, even years later when she sought to achieve Yitzhak’s blessing for Yaakov. The Chizkuni explains that this was why Yitzhak could not imagine that Esav was a sinner – because H had not revealed it to him. H revealed to her that the unborn infants represented two great nations who would have totally diametrically opposed ideologies, Israel and Edom. This struggle in the womb symbolized the future mortal struggle between them that would end with the younger triumphant over the older (R’ Hoffman). The Sages teach that the two of them will never be successful at the same time. When one falls the other will rise. The Gemoro in Megilla 6a explains, “if someone tells you that Jerusalem or Rome are being built or destroyed at the same time, can we believe it?” According to this nevua, world history was sealed. If Rome is being built you can be sure that Jerusalem is being laid waste to. If Jerusalem is being built through mitzvas, Torah and Avodas H, then you can be sure that H’s enemies are being destroyed. History has demonstrated this prophecy in reality through 2 regimes, one espousing morality and justice, the other for promiscuity and barbarity. The two cannot co-exist, whether on the battlefield or in the contest in the courtrooms of the mind of mankind.

In World War II Hitler, yimach shemo, said that Jews had to be eradicated from the world because of two scars they left on civilisation, the scar of Bris Mila and the scar of a conscience. The hand that signed the Genocide Declaration at the genocide Convention was the hand that took the life of that Amaleki.

The personalities emerged. Until they reached the age of 13, Yitzhak and Esav were relatively similar except for their external appearance. Their voices were quite similar. Many of their behavioural patterns were influenced by their parents. Esav’s pranks were attributed to childishness (Sifsei Hachamim). From 13 on, essential differences became apparent. Esav strongly turned to idolatry. Yaakov went to learn in the study halls of Torah. Esav became a hunter, a predator, not only with his weapons but also with his tongue. He became exceptional at trapping people, his father included, by asking questions that made him appear exceptionally pious. He would ask, for example, how should one take tithes from salt and straw. Salt is just a condiment, straw is animal food. Truly, he wasn;t interested in the tithes of anything. He was interested in his own Gaavah, Taavah and Kavod. These are the crowns that he was aspiring to. If he could get the kavod of his father and of his friends and if he could go after women and after flesh, that is, whatever he wanted, as evidence shows later, that he married two women that were repulsive to his parents. Kavod – we see what people will do to be President or Prime Minister, the truth is irrelevant to them. People are not shocked anymore when Presidents are accused of all kinds of impropriety and even adultery. They plead immunity, ignorance, a temporary lapse of sanity. We know that it is lifestyle and a value system. Esav knew full well that salt and straw did not need tithes. He sought love by feeding his father fresh meat. Yaakov, however, was morally wholesome, never being underhanded, spending his time in the study halls of Shem ve Ever.

The Sale of the Birth Right.

H’s blessing to Avraham Avinu specified that only one of Yitzhak’s children would be hier to the mission of Israel, according to Rambam, hilchos Melachim (10, 7). This meant that the Torah would go to either Yaakov or Esav, but not to both. This explains Yaakov’s obsession with acquiring the birth right. He had clarity of vision in Olam Haba. Esav demonstrated his lack of interest when he ate the lentil stew in anything that did not satisfy his lustings, taivas and kavod. So we have to ask the obvious question. How is it possible that Yitzhak Avinu could have loved Esav, whereas it says that Rivka loved Yaakov. The episode seems more understandable from the circumstances of Yaakov’s making the lentil stew. Avraham Avinu had passed away that day and Yaakov was preparing stew for the traditional mourners meal for his father, Yitzhak Avinu (Baba Basra 16b). On that very day Esav was starving, he came and Yaakov was simmering the lentil stew. Esav said, pour into me some of that very red stuff, for I am exhausted. He thought that maybe it was a fleishig cholent. Instead of eating it, it was poured into his throat. Therefore his name was Edom. Yaakov said to Esav, sell me today your birthright. Esav said to him, “Look, I am going to die anyway so what us is it to me? That’s a tremendous, tremendous insight. Yaakov saw the infinite value of the birthright and how Esav was not connected to it at all. The Midrash explains that korbanos were brought then by the firstborn. Yaakov said, shall the wicked bring offerings to H’? So he strove with all his might to obtain the birthright. This was a vision from the womb. He was born clinging to Esav’s heel as if to say, you treat the birthright as mud under your foot, you want to scrape it off – give it to me. Spiritually, H told Rivka that the might would eventually go from the Rov, the mightier to the Tzair, the deer one, the young one. So this was decreed from the beginning of time, from the tumult in Rivka’s womb. When she walked past idolatry, Esav would stir, wanting to run and worship idolatry . When she walked past the Yeshiva of Shem veEver Yaakov Avinu wanted to get out to learn Torah and to transmit it to the world.

Esav came in from the field and the household was in mourning for Avraham Avinu – woe to the people that had lost their leader, the ship that had lost its captain. Esav went about his ordinary business, untouched by family tragedy. What is the difference between man and animal? Burying the dead is one, praying to H is another, Yiras Shomayim a third. On many of these levels there was a disconnection. How could it be that Yitzhak Avinu had such a love for his son Esav, when he exhibited values so diametrically opposed to Yitzhak Avinu and Rivka Imeinu.

When the Akeida happened, how did Yitzhak Avinu know that H wanted him? Avraham Avinu had been told by H that he must send his son, his firstborn, the one he loved, Yitzhak. So the commentaries say, H said take your son. Avraham Avinu argued, I have two sons. H said, the one you love, to which he replied, I love them both. H said, the bechor. Avraham again replied, each of them is a bechor and so H concluded, take Yitzhak. Nothing to discuss. What was the difference between this bechor and that bechor? Avraham Avinu was the first person to undergo Bris Mila. Until he was 90, he had not yet performed the mitzvah. He was the first convert, the first Ger Tzedek. The first child born to him after he converted was Yitzhak Avinu. How was Yishmael born? Before Avraham performed the Bris Mila. Until Bris Mila, H withheld a son to Sarah, but allowed Avraham to have a son through Hagar, Yishmael. He would have a very influential part to play in world history, but he was not the bechor. Yishmael’s demand until today is Jerusalem. Esav’s demand is Jerusalem. Yaakov’s aspiration is also, Jerusalem. It is very clear throughout World History, this contest for the birthright. Yitzhak had Yaakov and Esav. Yaakov’s bris was on the eighth day. When Esav was born he was very red and hairy. When Rivka instructed Yaakov to impersonate Esav, she made him wear animal skills so that he would feel like Esav. His skin was blood red. His parents were afraid, when he was born, that if his skin was cut he could suffer an aneurism that would never stop hemorrhaging. He could bleed to death. So because of the perceived danger, they decided to wait. It is not a mitzvah to kill a child for Bris Mila, has veshalom. They saw him grow up and become a hunter and for sure he cut himself from time to time. They thought that when he reached 13 they would give him a bris mila, like Yishmael. When he came to 13, barach – he refused to have a bris mila and ran away. The Sifsei Hachamim say that from 13, the differences became very apparent between Yaakov, who turned to Torah, and Esav who turned to idolatry. Esav was a hunter physically, politically, and in the Court Room. Yaakov worked on himself and his own character. The Bnei Yishmael have mila at 13 until today. Bnei Eisav do not. They only have the 7 mitzvos bnei Noach unless, through tremendous toil and self reflection, they enter the covenant of Avrhaam Avinu and undergo Bris Mila. Otherwise they pursue taiva, gaiva and kavod; lust, arrogance and honour. Who wouldn’t want to meeting foreign rulers of flesh and blood, make millions and go to the Bahamas to behave like behemas? Somebody with Yiras shamayim. This is not in the vocabulary of Esav. Esav had no perception of the next world. The Sages say, a deal was done between Esav and Yaakov. Esav would have the physical things of this world, whilst Yaakov would have the spiritual and the world to come.

Without bris mila it is impossible for a person to truly connect to Torah or Yiras Shomyaim. Then we see all of a sudden the clarity of the birthright. Yaakov Avinu, who had the bris mila, aspired to these values. Yitzhak believed that his firstborn would be the bechor. He did not know that Esav had sold the birthright for a pot of lentil stew. He ate, got up, left ans pruned the birthright. Chazal say that he ate bread, got up and left without saying birchas hamazon. The Torah says, veachalta, vesavata uverachta, al ha’aretz hatova asher natan lach. So Esav ate the bread and the lentil stew, drank, got up – without benching, and left – his birthright, never to return. He discarded it like something repugnant. To him it was purely ethereal, philosophical or academic. Had he benched with all his heart, or pleaded with Yaakov, that he really wanted to keep the birthright, that would have been something else. It is very clear according to the Torah that Esav spurned his birthright forever. It was a pleasure for him that he rid himself of it.

What is the birthright?

Is the birthright just a double inheritance? Is it inheriting the land? Israel isn’t a big deal in term of world real estate. The other nations of the world are far bigger, far more productive industrially and agriculturally, financially. Why is it that this little striup of land smaller than New Jersey, smaller than the size of the Kruger national park in South Africa for Wilde Hayos (wild animals), attracts world attention and catches world headlines on a daily basis. There are more reporters in Jerusalem than in any other city in the world. This demonstrates the critical nature of this land, this city, of Am Yisrael in world history. Esav spurned his birthright. It was repugnant to him. Later he took a wife, Yehudis. They were a source of tremendous anguish to Yitzhak and Rivka. Esav did not consult his father as to whom he should marry. He went after Gaiva, Taiva and Kavod.

Yitzhak’s eyes were dim and he felt he was approaching death. He asked Esav to bring him venison and he was about to bless Esav with the birthright. Rivka was listening. Esav went out to hunt. Rivka commanded Yaakov to get her two goats, corresponding to the two goats of Yom Kippur. Lots are cast and one goes to Azazel, the other to H’. They are otherwise exactly the same. One was used for the food, the other for a gift. This is a remez for one for H, one for Azazel. Rivka saw the birthright from one side. Yaakov understood it from another. Rivka never revealed the nevua that the birthright would go to the tzair, the younger, but she knew that now was the time. Yaakov ha bought the birthright, it had been prophesied that he would get it and Esav had scorned it like something despicable. Yaakov was to inherit three crowns – the crown of Kehuna, of Malchus and of Torah.

How could Yaakov say that he was Esav? How could he dress up as Esav? How could he wear animal skin so that if Yitzhak felt his skin it would seem like that of Esav? Yitzhak asked Yaakov, how come you were so quick in coming? Yaakov answered, because H your G-d arranged it for me. It was clear to Yaakov that this was divine providence, not theft. What was Yaakov saying to his father? Give me the birthright of Esav, because this I have earned honestly, and bless me as you would have blessed Esav, with the absolute blessing of the bechor. Without any regret, remorse or doubt, the birthright is mine by divine decree, and Esav has discarded it absolutely for all time. He is not interested in it, does not want it and H has decreed it for me. Yaakov was coming to collect what was his, on all accounts. He said to his father, H your G-d arranged it for me. Yitzhak said to him, come close. Yitzhak said to Yaakov, ‘you are indeed my son Esav’, in other words, ‘you are indeed my bechor’. I will give you the blessing of the bechor as H commanded it to me. Yitzhak asked Yaakov to come close and he kissed him, smelling the fragrance. He said that his fragrance was that of a field H had blessed, a remez to Gan Eden. It says in Maseches Kesubos, an Avera smells terrible, disgusting. Something that smells good, like the garden of Eden, yuou can be sure has been blessed by H’. Not synthetic smells, but true smells. So we see from this that Yitzhal Avinu had been given the remez that H had truly blessed Yaakov, that even the smell was the smell of the garden of Eden. May H give you the dew of the heavens and fatness of the earth, that you should not need to serve others in this world. All the blessings of the earth will be yours. Abundant grain and wine. This is a remez to the things we give to H, to serve Him in the Beis Hamikdash – the solet (fine flour) and wine libation. People will serve you, and regimes will prostrate themselves to you. Be a Lord to the people of the world, and your mother’s sons will prostrate themselves to you. Cursed are they that curse you and blessed are they that bless you.

Who arranged that Esav should not return until Yitzhak had finished blessing Yaakov? Who was behind the stage? Everything was perfectly navigated so that Esav would not disturb or confront Yitzhak or Yaakov during the conferring of the blessing of the bechor. Who was it that delayed Esav so that on the passing of Avraham Avinu, Esav couldn’t catch any game? As hard as he searched in the field, there was no game to be captured. He came back starving and was ready to trade his birthright for a lentil stew. Who was it that gave the nevua to Rivka Imeinu but not to Yitzhak Avinu? This was h working behind the stage of world history. As it says, history is not a random succession of events. Its His story. H’s story. H’s take on world history. This is the reality of what we are living in today.

Esav’s value system is winning is not the main thing, it is the only thing. If it feels good, it is good. Lead, follow, or get out of my way. These are the values that Esav gave to the world. The pleasure principle – if it feels good it is good. Be it cocaine, promiscuity, corruption. Everything that uproots the sheva mitzvos bnei noach. Courts need not apply justice. They can be a law unto themselves without any concern for the eternal laws of the 7 mitzvos bnei noach. Yitzhak said to Esav, the blessing shall remain Yaakov’s. He understood the Divine wish. Esav cried out, bless me too. He was not asking for the true birthright, but for the material blessing. He was not interested in the world to come. He wanted the here and now. This was his deal with Yaakov Avinu. Yitzhak knew that this could not have happened to him, a prophet, unless H had wanted it. Esav said, ‘it was because his name was Yaakov that he outwitted me these two times”. This is a tremendous confession. Esav admitted that he had sold the birthright, but was crying over the new brocho that he thought he had lost, the material brocho. The three corwns Esav was craving for, Gaiva, Taiva and Kavod were this world. The three crowns that Yaakov Avinu was craving for, the Kehuna, the crown of Malchius and the Crown of Torah were his total mission in this world. He was the one that H revealed to Rivka would be the bechor, and he is the one that at the end of time will inherit Eretz Yisrael, Toras Yisrael and Am Yisrael, all coming to a oneness, with the Yerusha, and this Yerushal would be Shalem in Yerushalayim. When we are at one with H, H will be at one with us. The nations of the world will say, what a great and awesome nation this is, truly it is the nation that carries H’s name. On that day yiyhe H ehad ushmo ehad.

May it be soon in our days, may we be zoche to see Moshiach Tzidkeinu, the Geula Shleima, the Tehias Hameisim, when Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen once again rise up to Har Hamoriah, and serve H in the Beis Hamikdash HaShlishi, and may we all celebrate the Shabbat Shalom BeOlam Hazeh Kemo Olam Haba. Shabbat Shalom to Kol Am Yisrael. So may we all be zoche, all the righteous gentiles of the world, and Am Yisrael biShleimus, of H’s Eternal blessings, of perfection be Olam Hazeh Ubeolam Haba.