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“And Yitzchak trembled a very great trembling.” (27:33)

That Yitzchak “trembled a very great trembling” is a powerful statement. The phrase implies an exceptional incident taking place which serves as a foreshadowing of the future. Pesikta D’Rav Kahana states that Yitzchak suddenly became aware of Eisav’s deception. The presence of Gehinnom — which Yitzchak felt when Eisav entered the room — caused Yitzchak to realize that he had erred terribly all these years.  Had Rivkah not manipulated the course of events, maneuvering Yaakov to enter before Eisav, who knows what the disastrous outcome might have been? Indeed, the entire history of Klal Yisrael would have been severely altered….

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“And he (Eisav) let out a most loud and bitter cry, ‘Bless me too, Father,’ he pleaded.” (27:34)

In the Midrash, Chazal teach us that the bitter tears which Eisav shed merited him the blessings for which he yearned. Horav Shmelke M’Nikolsburg, z.l., made an interesting observation based upon this Midrash. It is a wonder that the few tears shed by Eisav serve as his source for blessing.  We have a halachic rule that if an impermissible food falls into a permissible food, the resultant mixture does not become forbidden if there is sixty times as much permitted food as forbidden food. This is referred to as the rule of “batel b’shishim.” Now, Bnei Yisrael have cried oceans…

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“And Yitzchak prayed opposite/for his wife for she was barren.” (25:21)

The cause and effect seem to be presented in the reverse sequence in this pasuk.  The Torah should have mentioned Rivkah’s inability to conceive prior to citing Yitzchak’s prayer on her behalf.  In response to this analysis, the Torah Temimah suggests that Rivkah actually was an akarah, childless, because Hashem desired to hear the tefillos of Yitzchak and Rivkah. The cause was the need for supplication, while the effect was Rivkah’s barren state. What really is a tefillah, prayer? Tefillah is an expression of extreme devotion in which man negates his entire being in deference to Hashem. His individual essence…

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“And Yitzchak loved Eisav because (of) the venison (which he put) in his mouth.” (25:28)

Essentially, the central theme of this parsha is the quest of Yaakov and Eisav for their father’s blessing.  A superficial reading of the parsha suggests that Yitzchak and Rivkah each had personal reasons for favoring one twin over the other and that there was a communication problem in their home. After studying the various commentaries, one learns that this was clearly not the case. In response to the obvious question, why was Yitzchak so insistent on blessing Eisav, the Radak explains that Yitzchak was acutely aware of Eisav’s character traits. His evil behavior and rebellious, antagonistic attitude had not escaped…

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“And Rivkah took the garments of Eisav, her older son, the choicest which were with her in the house.” (27:15)

Chazal explain that these precious clothes had previously belonged to Nimrod before Eisav slew him. These clothes had the remarkable power to attract animals which Eisav immediately killed. It was specifically these extraordinary garments that Eisav would don before he served his father. Indeed, Chazal emphasize Eisav’s special devotion to the mitzvah of kibud av, honoring his father. He dressed up as if it was a holiday when he came to greet his father! A perusal of the various Midrashim indicates that Eisav was either an enigma or the archetype of hypocrisy. On the one hand, he served his father…

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And the children struggled together within her. And she said if (it be) so why am I like this . And Hashem said to her two nations are in your womb. (25:22,23)

Rivkah, struggling through unusual pains of pregnancy, became so distraught that she went to seek guidance at the Bais Ha’Midrash of Shem and Ever. She was told that she was carrying twins who were disparate in belief and temperament. They would eventually go their own separate ways, one to do good and the other inclined to the path of evil. This seems puzzling. How was Rivkah comforted by the knowledge that two nations existed within her womb?  Did the news of the imminent birth of an evil son make her pregnancy any easier? Indeed, the grim news that awaited Rivkah,…

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Two nations are in your womb, and two people shall be separated from your bowels. (25:23)

Rashi states, “Already from the very bowels of Rivkah, they are separated, one to his wickedness and the other to his righteousness.” Rabbi Moshe Swift z.t.l. makes a poignant observation. The child is molded in the mother’s womb. In the home, the child is reared. The Jewish ideology which a child receives from within his home makes a major impact upon his perspective of life. Even the influence of an extremely adverse external influence is limited if the individual has been properly molded “from the womb.” We often hear parents place the blame for their own incompetence and lack of…

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And they (Esov’s wives) were a source of bitterness of spirit to Yitzchak and Rivkah. (26:35)

Esov married Canaanite girls, the very women who Avraham had admonished Eliezer not to take for Yitzchak. The reality that these women were idol worshippers was a source of anguish to Yitzchak and Rivkah. In stating this fact, the Torah mentions Yitzchak’s name before Rivkah’s. The Midrash gives an insightful explanation for this. Yitzchak, having been reared in an environment of holiness and purity, was more intensely provoked by idol worship than Rivkah. Although Rivkah was a devout believer in Hashem, the abomination of idol worship seemed to lose its odium because of her prior exposure to it. Her tolerance…

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And he said, is he not rightly named Yaakov, for he has supplanted me these two times. (27:36)

The various commentators seem to have one theme in their understanding of hbceghu. Targum Onkelos interprets it as “he has outsmarted me.” Ibn Ezra relates this term to ceg, as in ckv ceg (crooked heart), thereby meaning “to take a crooked and cunning route.” Rashi explains it as “setting a trap.” They all seem to be consistent in explaining ceg as including the idea of devious undertaking with malice aforethought to reach one’s goal.  Indeed, this analysis is confirmed by the fact that Yaakov was compelled to “trick” his brother on two occasions. As Rabbi E. Munk z.t.l. notes, this…

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“And the boys grew up, and it came to pass that Eisav was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, and Yaakov a single minded man dwelling in tents. (25:27)

Eisav was not a simple person who wantonly lusted after his heart’s passions. He was an intelligent human being who had developed his own philosophy of life. Eisav’s ability to “fool” Yitzchak, a feat which even the Satan could not successfully accomplish, provides evidence of this. In distinguishing Yaakov from Eisav, the Torah characterizes their chosen vocations as the manifestation of their divergence. The Torah describes Eisav as “one who understood hunting, a man of the fields,” while, in contrast, it characterizes Yaakov as “a single minded man dwelling in tents.” Yaakov is not presented as the tzaddik, while Eisav…

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