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Beit Midrash
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Avraham was promised two main things. Hashem promised him that he would be the father of a multitude of nations and kings (ibid. 17:4-6). He was also promised that his offspring would receive the land in which he lived, C’na’an (ibid. 8). While many nations are traced to Avraham, only one was given the Land promised to him as its own.
The fact that Yaakov bought the status of firstborn from the red Eisav for the red lentil soup ensured that Eisav became Edom and that Eretz C’na’an/Yisrael would go only to Yaakov’s family. Eisav would painfully be separated from the legacy of the family of Yitzchak the son of Avraham. In that way, he was like Yishmael (see similarities in Bereishit 21:20 and ibid. 25:27) upon whom it was decreed that he would not inherit along with his brother Yitzchak. It was a bigger chiddush in regard to Eisav, because unlike Yishmael, Eisav came from the same mother, in addition to father, that Yaakov came from. It also was not originally clear which brother would be separated, as Yitzchak preferred Eisav, while Rivka preferred Yaakov.
Another part of the Yitzchak story in the parasha relates that Yitzchak stayed in C’na’an even during a famine, when he would have been expected to go to the more stable Egypt. Hashem told him that staying in the Land made him worthy of the promise of the Land made to Avraham for his offspring (ibid. 26:1-3). Similarly, among Yitzchak’s sons, the one who was chosen to continue the special legacy of Avraham and inherit the Land was Yaakov, the one who stayed in C’na’an, whereas Eisav moved to Edom. However, at the end of this parasha, we see that matters became very complex, as it is Yaakov who left C’na’an first. (We will discuss that more next time.)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
