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Beit Midrash
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The disagreement between Rivka and Yitzchak as to who was the "chosen son" was not put to rest in Parashat Toldot with the berachot. Rather, a compromise was reached. On the one hand, Yitzchak, after mistakenly blessing Yaakov, now blessed him again. The blessing foresaw Yaakov as becoming a nation and receiving the "blessing of Avraham" for generations, "to inherit the Land that Hashem had given Avraham" (Bereishit 28:4). This means that Yaakov was chosen to be the son who inherited Avraham’s legacy.
On the other hand, Rivka and Yitzchak agreed that, presently, Yaakov would have to leave that Land and spend time with the family of his other grandfather, Betuel. That was not necessarily a bad sign, as he had important "business" there, to marry one of his cousins, instead of a girl from C’na’an (ibid. 2 & 6), a similar step as was done for Yitzchak.
If we are "keeping score," while Yaakov left the Land and married a more appropriate wife for family legacy, Eisav took, as a third wife, a granddaughter of Avraham (ibid. 9). However, the final decision on who had the upper hand occurred at Yaakov’s famous dream in the beginning of our parasha (ibid. 13-15). As Hashem set the rules and expectations of Yaakov’s return to the Land, his leaving the Land is framed as temporary and is not a sign of losing his hold on the inheritance of it. It is interesting that Hashem’s words of reassurance are similar to the promise He made to Avraham (compare Bereishit 12:2-3 with ibid. 28:13-15).
Hashem’s promise meant that even if he had to live in exile for decades, raise his family there, and deal with a deceitful father-in-law, Hashem eventually told him to return to the Land of C’na’an (see ibid. 31:13). After Hashem revealed Himself to Yaakov, Yaakov consulted with his wives and prepared to return. He was excited to tell Yitzchak that Hashem had, in Yaakov’s prophetic vision, confirmed Yitzchak’s blessings. (We point out that throughout history, in exile, Jews always followed Yaakov’s lead and awaited the time they would return to the Land, as we have in the last generations.)
The Torah does not discuss explicitly how Eisav acted in Yaakov’s absence. Did he take the opportunity to strengthen his claim to Eretz C’na’an? Did he try to fit into the role of a descendant of Avraham to earn that beracha? We do know that before Yaakov returned, Eisav already could be found in Se’ir, in the region of Edom, where his descendants would rule – outside of the Holy Land. So, to finish off what we started last week, the request of the red soup, which got him the name Edom, turned into Eisav’s agreement to settle outside the Land and not continue the legacy of Avraham, which is connected to the Land.
We pray that the realization that our nation and our Land are tightly interconnected will be fully recognized, as this is a basic premise of Tanach, the book whose kedusha a large part of the world accepts. Our connection is also a simple historical truth, and any blatant falsehoods that deny it should be utterly rejected.
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
