Last week's Parashat
Cha’yey Sarah ended with the chronicles of Yishma'el's descendants. This week’s
portion opens up with the chronicles of his brother, Yitzchak. But while “toldot” means "begetting"
(root y.l.d - “to give birth”), here “toldot” starts out with the barrenness of
Yitzchak’s wife. Rivka’s condition, however, is inserted in an almost
parenthetical manner and is couched between Yitzchak's intercession on her behalf
and YHVH's response to the plea.
In 25:21 it says that Yitzchak
“entreated” - “vaya'a'tor” (a.t.r. - ayin, tav, resh) – YHVH, and
"YHVH was entreated “(vaye'ater) of him" (italics
added). The very form of the verbs (“entreat” – “entreated”) - both in the
original Hebrew and in the English translation - points to the closeness of the
“entreatee” to the “entreater,” and the latter’s deep empathy for the former.
When the request is granted
it takes the form of not one, but two sons, the first of whom comes out red all
over (ref. 25: 25). The word for “red” is “adom”, and as we saw
in Parashat B’resheet (Genesis 1-4), “adom” is connected to “dam” (“blood”), “adama”
(“earth”), and thence to Adam, "the first man" who is
"earthy" (ref.1 Cor. 15:47). Esav, the firstborn, illustrates
therefore the principle that the natural precedes the spiritual (ref 1 Cor.
15:46), despite the fact that his twin turns out to be, for a considerable time
period, almost as 'earthy' as the ‘Hairy Red.’
This second boy, who emerged
out of Rivka's womb while holding on to the “heel” – “ah'kev” -
of his brother was hence named “Ya'acov” (ref. 25:26). Coming in the
footsteps of his sibling, his name, which also means "to follow",
perfectly matches the order of the births. In Scripture, the image of
‘heel-holding’ or ‘heel-grabbing’ often refers to hindering or trapping
someone, as we see in the following examples:
“Dan shall be a serpent...
that bites the horse's heels” (Gen. 49:17); “The trap shall take him by the
heel” (Job 18:9); “They mark my steps” (literally “heels” in Ps. 56:6). The
following words in T’hilim (Psalms) 41:9 hint at Messiah’s destiny: “My own
familiar friend, which did eat of my bread, has lifted his heel against me”. This type of friend and follower typically
steals quietly behind the one whom he follows, with a “crafty” intent (as
indeed was the case with Messiah’s “familiar friend”). Thus, from the same root
of “heel” and “to follow”, (a.k.v. - ayin, kof, vet) stem words like “crafty,
cunning and deceptive”, as is illustrated by the alliteration in Yirmiyahu
(Jeremiah) 9:4: “surely every brother deals
craftily (ah'kov ya'akov)” (italics added).
In the first scene that
brings the two siblings together, Ya'acov is busy cooking lentil broth, while
his brother happens to be returning, famished and exhausted, from the field.
Esav is sorely tempted when his glance strikes what he calls “ha'adom, ha'adom
ha'zeh” - "this red,
red stuff… therefore his name was called Edom" (25:30) - again from the
root “adom” – “red”. The area of Edom
Ya’acov does not waste any
time. He proposes right away an exchange: broth for birthright (ref. v. 31).
And while in English these words form an alliteration, in Hebrew the verb "sell”
(in the imperative form) – “michra,” and "birthright"
– “b'chora”, sound alike. (Perhaps this linguistic association is what
gave Ya'acov the idea in the first place…). Ya'acov, however, does not provide
the goods until he makes his brother swear to him that he will not renege on
his “sh'vu'ah” (“oath”, connected, as we have learned in previous Parashot, to being
“full and satisfied”). After the deal is struck the two depart, and until
further notice both seem to be content.
Later on, when the time
comes for Esav to claim his birthright (that is the right hand blessing of the
father before death), startled by his brother’s cunning, he “cried out with an
exceedingly great and bitter cry: ... ‘Is not he rightly named, Ya'acov? For he
has supplanted (akav) me...?’” (Gen. 27:34, 36). The prophet Hoshe'ah (Hosea), many centuries
later, traces the waywardness of the nation of Yisrael (who in this prophecy is
called “Ya'acov”) to their progenitor:
“In the womb he took his brother by the heel- akav” (Hos. 12:3).
“In the wake of”, or “as a result of”,
or in short “because”, is the Biblical word “ekev “(again deriving
from the root a.k.v). In 26:4-5 of our
Parasha, YHVH says to Yitzchak: “I will multiply your descendants as the stars
of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your
descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because
[“ekev”] Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and
My laws” (italics added). Following Avraham’s implicit obedience he was told: “And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because
– ekev - you have obeyed My voice” (Gen. 22:18). “Ekev” is found in Dvarim (Deuteronomy 8:20):
“So you shall perish because you would not listen”. It is also in David’s
self-implicating reply to the prophet Nah'tan (Nathan), who challenged him with
a parable following his sin with Bat’sheva (Bathsheba): “He must make
restitution for the lamb, because he did this thing and had no
compassion (2nd Sam.12:6, italics added). Thus, this little “ekev” (rooted
in heel) - “because” – becomes the fulcrum on which the balance of justice
hangs.
Ya'acov, too, because of
(“ekev”) his actions (particularly that of deceiving his father), had to endure
the consequences. By the end of the Parasha he becomes a fugitive, running for
his life from his brother, and later (in the next Parasha), to be deceived by
his father-in-law, Lah'van (Laban). The “heart” of Ya'acov is well described by
Yirmiyahu, who says that it is “more deceitful (akov) than all else”.
In a few weeks time, in
Parashat Vayishlach, we shall see how Ya'acov, while on the road back from
Padan Aram to Cna’an (Canaan), will plan once again to use some cunning by
walking behind – which also suggests ‘following’ - his entourage, that was to
go ahead of him to greet Esav. At this point he will be met face to face, as he
himself testifies in B’resheet (Genesis) 32:30, by YHVH Elohim. Yisrael, according
to the name that will be given to him after this encounter at Penniel, will be
made to turn around on his heels as it were (and become lame in the process),
never to be the same again. Thus when the “crooked” (“akov”) places become
“mishor” – that is “straight” (ref. Is. 40:4b) - Ya'acov will become “Yeshurun”
(“yashar” - straight”), true to his
name “Yisra’el”, which can also be read “yashar-el” (“El is upright”). As such,
the nation is addressed by their Elohim: “But now listen, O Ya'acov, My
servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen; thus says YHVH who made you, and
formed you from the womb [as ‘crooked’ Ya'acov], and Who will help you: do not
fear, O Ya'acov My servant; and you Yeshurun [who was ‘straightened’ by Elohim]
whom I have chosen” (Is. 44:1, 2). Lastly, Ya'acov was to become one of the
forefathers of Messiah, of whom it was prophesied that His heel would be “bruised”
by the serpent. However, as we know, the “Seed of the woman” was destined to
triumph by crushing and trampling down the serpent’s head with His heel
(ref. Gen. 3:15; cf. Luke 10:19; Rom. 16:20; Heb.1:13b).
Back
to our narrative: Following closely on
the heels of the oath that Esav took by his brother’s instigation (25:31-33),
YHVH reminds Yitzchak of His oath to Avraham, and at the same time
cautions him not to go down to Egypt, in spite of the famine in the land (ref.
26:1-5), saying: “Do not go down into Egypt. Dwell
in the land which I shall tell you” (v. 2). The imperative “dwell,” “sh’chan”
(sh.ch.n, shin, chaf, noon), is also “settle and abide” and it is
from this root that “mishkan”, the “tabernacle” in the wilderness, derives its
title. On this very issue, David makes an emphatic statement: “Trust in YHVH,
and do good; you shall dwell in the land, and you shall be fed on truth”
(Ps. 37:3 italics added). Continuing to address Yitzchak, in the next verse (25:3),
YHVH says to him: “Dwell in this land…” (italics added), but this time the verb used is “gur”, from
which is obtained the term “ger” – sojourner (and “fear”). Notice that
above, YHVH exhorts Yitzchak to live in “the land”, whereas the second
reference is to “this land”. If Yitzchak abides in the land, “which I
[YHVH] shall tell you”, he will have a secure and sure dwelling, but living in this
land (‘this world’) he will only be a sojourner (cf. Heb. 11:9). If in fact a
distinction is made here between “the land” and “this land”, even
though dealing with the same piece of real-estate, perhaps it is Yitzchak’s choice
of attitudes which is being addressed.
At this point in time Yitzchak and Rivka happen
to settle in Grar (notice the alliteration of “gur” and “Grar”, 26:1, which is
probably intended), and when tested, by being asked about his wife, the
Patriarch does not resort to truth. Like his father before him, fear for his
life causes him to present his wife as his sister, and thus he fulfills the
“living/sojourning as a fearful stranger in this land”, rather than the former option
of “abiding… where YHVH shows him”. What finds Yitzchak out is his act of
(literally) "laughing with his wife" (26:8), translated in
English "caressing" (or some other equivalent expression). If nothing
else, in this episode Yitzchak remains… at least… true to his name…
It is in this
year of drought that Yitzchak, against all odds, is sowing seed. “Seed” is
“zerah” (of the root z.r.a, zayin, resh, ayin, which is also shared by
“arm” – “z’ro’ah”), with the yield being "one hundredfold" (26:12). Earlier
(in 26:4) YHVH spoke to Yitzchak about his progeny (“zerah”), mentioning its future
increase. Is the great harvest that Yitzchak reaps here (during the famine) symbolic
of the future fulfillment of YHVH's word, under all and any conditions?
Yitzchak's
wealth increases tremendously and his neighbors, the Philistines, are jealous
of him (26:14) and thus Avimelech their king demands, "Go away from us,
for you are much mightier than we" (v. 16). “You are much mightier”
is “atzam’ta,” from the root a.tz.m (ayin, tazdi, mem). The usage and
meaning of this term will prove to be very significant during the Egyptian
exile (in Sh’mot – Exodus – chapter 1 it is found in verses 7,9 and 20), and
will motivate the Par’oh (Pharaoh) to try to annihilate Yisrael.
In our case, Yitzchak’s
jealous neighbors take recourse in filling up all the wells that have been dug
by Avraham's servants (ref. 26:15, 18b). In doing this they are
"withholding benefits from both themselves and their cattle! But in
addition to stopping up the wells, they fill them with earth so as to
obliterate their existence altogether and make sure that no water would ever
flow out of them again. Why did they wish the land to be desolate?[1]” The explanation that follows, quoted from
Haketav Vehakabala, points out that Yitzchak gave the wells the same names that
his father had given them (as we see in v. 18). “These names, such as, YHVH
Will See, YHVH is My Sign, The Well of Him that Lives and Sees Me, mark the kindness
of the Lord."[2]
This was done in order "to spread abroad the knowledge of the Lord and
show the people that idols were valueless. Avraham thought out a wonderful
device to help to bring those who were misled, under the wings of the Divine
Presence. He called the well by a name that would drive home the lesson of the
existence of the One True God. By this, he would arouse in them an awareness of
the truth by saying, ‘Let us go and draw water from the well of the eternal
God!’ The wells were a public necessity, and in this manner, the people were
initiated into the knowledge of the true God. Whilst he was alive his fear was
upon them [i.e. the locals], as they left the wells intact with their names,
but after his death they reverted to idolatry. In order to erase from their
memory the names of these wells, which recalled the very opposite of their
false opinions, they stopped them up. With the disappearance of the wells, the
names also disappeared…. Isaac followed in his father's footsteps and endeavored
to dig out these same wells and resurrect their names in order to restore the
crown of the true faith to its former glory."[3]
The wording in 26:19, where
Yitzchak's servants dig "a well of living water" (translated “running
water”), confirms what we have just read regarding the wells of the Patriarchs.
The locals fill up the wells, and now they are being re-named, as pointed out,
in order to erase the testimony of the Elohim of Yisrael. The name of the first
well is “Esek,” “contention” (v. 20). The name of the next, is “Sitna”,
“hostility; accusation” (v. 21). It is from the same root, s.t.n
(sin, tet, noon), that we get the word “Satan” - the “accuser”. A closely connected word to
“sitna” is “sin'ah” (s.n.a, sin, noon, alef) - “hatre”. This verb
is used in Yitzchak’s query in 26:27: “Why do you hate me?” A similar word,
both in sound and meaning appears toward the end of our Parasha. In 27:41 it
says of Esav that he "bore a grudge against Ya'acov", which is
“sotem” (s.t.m. sin/shin, tet, mem). The progressive rate of hostility
is seen very clearly by this string of sounds: “soten”, to accuse, “sotem”, to
bear a grudge, and “soneh”, to hate”, thus demonstrating accurately how each of
these conditions, if left unchecked, will lead to the next one.
When a third well is dug
up, some distance away, “they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rechovot,
for he said, 'at last YHVH has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the
land’” (26:22). “Rechovot” is of the root r.ch.v (resh, chet, vet),
meaning, "broad, wide, or making room". Thus,
enlarging and broadening the subsistence space brings relief, as we see in
T’hilim (Psalms) 4:1, where David cries out: "Answer me when I call, O Elohim
of my righteousness, You gave room [“hirchav’ta”] to me in trouble
– literally in a place of narrowness” (italics added), words with which,
in his present situation, Yitzchak would certainly have concurred.
[1] Studies in Bereshit,
Toldot 1, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman. Eliner Library, Department for Torah Education
and Culture in the Diaspora. Hemed Books Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y
2 ibid
3 ibid
Hebrew Tools for Everyday
Use
Here some of the words we
will be incorporating into our study of everyday Hebrew: The root “r.ch.v for
“broad” is shared by “rechov” – street. The Biblical “ger” – sojourner, and the
root g.u.r (“fear”) lend themselves to “residing” in Modern Hebrew.
From “Miskan” and “shochen”
– dwelling – we obtain “shachen” – “neighbor”, while “selling” is still
“mocher” and “seed” or “seeds” are “zerah” and “z’ra’eem” respectively. And of course we can’t leave out the
“laughter” which has been accompanying us since last week. Yeshurun as Yaacov’s
name to be is a reminder of honesty and uprightness. We will view how that is
being used nowadays.
Yisrael
lives on a broad street
Yisrael
gar bir’chov ra’chav (lit. in a street wide)
The
honest neighbor sells seeds
Hashachen
ha’ya’shar mocher z’ra’eem (lit. the neighbor honest…)
The
honest neighbor sold seeds
Hashachen
ha’ya’shar machar z’ra’eem (lit. the neighbor honest…)
Yitzchak
laughed
Yitzchak
tza’chak
Rivka
laughed
Rivka
tza’chaka
