* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
1) This week we read Parashat Toldot, the sixth parasha in the book of Bereisheet. This parasha describes the progeny of our patriarch Yitzhak.
2) For twenty years Yitzhak and Rivka pray for a child until, at last, their twins—Yaakov and Esav— are born. Our patriarchs and matriarchs taught us how to cope with challenges and pain in life, and that sometimes we need to wait for our prayers to be answered.
3) Esav, who was the firstborn son, sells his birthright to Yaakov for a bowl of lentil soup. The birthright represents responsibility, continuity, and eternal values… but Esav was tired and hungry. Our commentators point out the we face similar challenges in our lives: deciding what is important vs. falling for that which is alluring. Yaakov and Esav are not just twin brothers with conflicting values— they represent the two impulses that constantly battle inside us, even today. We too are required to choose between seeking immediate gratification and dedicating ourselves to working diligently to achieve goals that will last for eternity.
4) As the parasha unfolds, Rivka instructs Yaakov to dress up like his brother Esav in order to receive the firstborn blessings from his father. When Esav discovers the ruse, he is furious and Yaakov decides that he must escape. Yitzchak instructs Yaakov to go to his relatives in Haran to find a wife unlike the two Canaanite wives of Esav. Thus, Yaakov does not only run away but is assigned a mission and task: to continue the family chain and to establish the nation of Israel.
5) Tonight (Thursday night) and tomorrow (Friday) we will observe Rosh Chodesh Kislev. In Kislev we celebrate Chanukah. It is a month of light, miracles, and Jewish pride.
Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom.
