Toldos – Peninim on the Torah

“Eisav harbored hatred toward Yaakov because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him.” (27:41)

The Ozrover Rebbe, z.l., notes the deep-seated hatred that Eisav manifests for Yaakov. The Torah writes that Eisav hated Yaakov because of the blessing that his father had given him. It had nothing to do with Yaakov’s taking the blessing away from Eisav. The mere fact that Yaakov was blessed was enough to ignite this inexplicable hatred within Eisav. We now understand Chazal’s axiom, “Halachah, it is a halachic maxim that Eisav hates Yaakov.” This means that Eisav’s hatred has no rationale. A halachah is a rule or statement, which at times defies rationale. It is an absolute which transcends human…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5762

“And may G-d give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fatness of the earth.” (27:28)

Rashi notes that at the outset of the text of the blessings the pasuk begins with the conjunction vav, which means “and,” a word which is not consistent with the commencement of blessings. He cites the Midrash which states that this implies a continuous repetitive action, as if to say, “May G-d grant you the following blessing over and over again.” The question is obvious and well-known. When the Torah says, V’yiten lecha, “and may G-d give you,” it already implies constant giving. If so, why do we need Rashi’s comment of yachzor v’yiten, “He will then return and give again”?…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5762

“When Eisav was forty years old, he took a wife…and they were a source of spiritual rebellion to Yitzchak and Rivkah.” (26:34-35)

Eisav followed in his father’s ways by marrying at the age of forty. That is all that he did like his father. The women he married were from a nation whose evil nature and low moral standard equaled that of Eisav. Indeed, with these marriages, Eisav forever broke his ties with Avraham Avinu’s mission. The Torah states that these women were a source of spiritual rebellion to Yitzchak and Rivkah. “Why does Yitzchak’s name precede Rivkah’s?”, queries the Midrash. The response is that Yitzchak was much more affected by the spiritual filth of idol worship that Eisav’s wives brought into their…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5762

“The children agitated within her.” (25:22)

Rashi relates the source of Rivkah’s “agitation.” When she walked by a bais ha’medrash, Yaakov would push to come out; and when she walked by a house of idol worship, Eisav would fight to leave. She was concerned: What kind of a child am I bearing? If one moment he attempts to go to the bais ha’medrash and the next moment he is gravitating to the idols, he must be a confused child. When she was told that she was carrying twins, each with his own unique proclivities – one to Torah and the other to idol worship – she was…

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“Eisav harbored hatred toward Yaakov because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him.” (27:41)

“And may G-d give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fatness of the earth.” (27:28)

“When Eisav was forty years old, he took a wife…and they were a source of spiritual rebellion to Yitzchak and Rivkah.” (26:34-35)

“The children agitated within her.” (25:22)

YEARS

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