On this weekend
before Thanksgiving Day, when some of the best American family drama occurs, we
read the Torah portion Toldot (Gen.25:19-28:9) which might just win the Oscar
for Torah portion with the most family drama.
The twin sons of
Isaac and Rebecca vie for the birthright.
Isaac favors Esau, who is the older of the two, and Rebecca recognizes
that Jacob, although younger, is better suited to carry on the spiritual legacy
of his grandfather Abraham. Isaac loses
his sight in his old age, and thinks he is dying. He asks Esau to go out and hunt and prepare
him a meal, after which he will bestow his blessing upon his firstborn
son. Rebecca thwarts him by sending
Jacob in, wearing a goatskin to hide his hairless arms, and fools his father
into giving him the blessing of the birthright. . Jacob, in Esau’s stead, receives a blessing of
abundant wealth, sovereignty, the thrall of his brother, and the same blessing
God gave to Abraham – that those who curse him will be cursed and those who
bless him be blessed. As soon as Jacob
leaves, Esau enters. Isaac tells Esau
that he has already blessed Jacob, and Esau bursts into tears, saying, “Do you
onlyl have one blessing? Bless me! Me, too, Father!” And Isaac finds a blessing for Esau as well.
There are lessons
to be learned from both of Isaac’s sons.
Jacob’s life journey will not be an easy one. He will not be able to return home until he
is a grown man with a large family. He
will never see his beloved mother again.
As he tricked his brother, he will be tricked by his uncle Laban. Esau, too, has a lesson to teach us. We cannot always live out our parents dream,
but we still deserve their blessings and prayers.
There is so much
dramatic action in this Torah portion that we often forget how powerful are the
prayers and blessings contained in it.
At this time of Thanksgiving, may those of us who will be with family
find harmony, and not acrimony. May the
memory of those who are no longer with us cause us to recall the blessings they
brought to our lives. And may we learn
from the example of our Jacob and Esau that winning isn’t everything, and that
everyone deserves a blessing.
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