TOLDOS 1984

In the Torah portion Toldos we learn about the struggle between Yaacov and Jacob.  We
learn how Rivka had a hard time getting pregnant, and how after she got pregnant she
suffered from great pains.  She then went to inquire of G-d why she was having these
pains.  She was told, "Two nations are in your womb and two nations from your womb will
separate and the Rav will serve the Tzaeer."  This is usually interpreted to mean that
the older will serve the younger, but actually "Rav" in Hebrew can mean "the master,
a person who is a master of a certain body of knowledge." That's why a rabbi is called
a Rav, because he is the master of a certain body of knowledge.  This phrase can be
interpreted to mean then that the master of a certain body of knowledge will serve the
one who can endure pain.  We all learn how Isaac becomes blind and he wants to bless
his children.  He calls for Esau to come and bring him some venison, and he will bless
him.  Rivka finds out about this and realizes that Isaac has made a mistake.  She convinces
Jacob to employ a ruse and to pretend he is Esau and to receive the blessing.  Why should
it have been that Yitzchak thought that Esau was worthy of the blessing, and Rivka thought
that Jacob was worthy of the blessing, and why was it that Rivka was really right?
If we look carefully at the text we can see that Esau was described as an "Eesh Yodea
Tzaeed." He was a "Yodea" "a man of intelligence, of knowledge."  In fact, the word
"Eesh" for "man" means he was distinguished.  He was a good provider.  That's what the
word "Tzaeed" means.  He was a leader.  He was an Eesh, recognized as distinguished.
He was also good looking, a person who was fun to be with, an extrovert, a gregarious
person.  On the other hand, Jacob was described as a simple man, "Eesh Tom" who just
sat in tents.  It would seem looking at them that you would normally think that Esau
should receive the blessing.  He was a good provider, he was good looking, he was knowledgeable,
he was fun to be with, yet the Torah also describes him as a "Tzayer."  Tzayer can mean
"hairy" but it also can mean "bristling with horror, swept away in a storm." Esau had
all the outward characteristics of a great leader of the Jewish people except he lacked
one important quality and that was the quality of inner strength.  Certain problems
he just could not face.  There are certain people who just cannot face death or sickness.
They just cannot go visit the sick in the hospital.  It makes them sick.  They feel

depressed.  They cannot go to a funeral because it upsets them too much.  Esau lacked this inner strength.  He bristled with horror.  He was swept away by the storm.  We learn how it says that Jacob was making lentils.  When Esau came from the field he said, "Let me swallow some of this red, red stuff." He did not even use the term "eat" like for a human being, but "swallow" or "devour." Jacob agrees to give him the red stuff in exchange for the birthright, and Esau says, "I am going to die anyway.  Why do I
need this birthright?" The rabbis say, what is going on here? What are we talking
about in this whole episode?  This was the day that Abraham had died.  Jacob was making
lentils because it was a Jewish custom, and still is in certain Jewish communities, to
serve lentils as the first meal after a funeral, just as in our community today we serve
eggs as the first meal after a funeral.  Eggs are round and it symbolizes death which
rolls to everyone's door, and just like eggs or lentils do not have a mouth, so in the
presence of death we do not have anything to say.  We do not understand it, and we do
not know why G-d created it.  Esau could not understand this.  Esau fell apart.  He
said, "Why do I need this birthright?  I am going to die.  What good is all this religion?
What good is living a righteous life?  I am going to die." He could not handle death.
The rabbis say that on that very day he went and killed somebody.  Because of his frustration
at his grandfather's death, he vented his anger at others, as those today in ghettos
vent their anger at each other and kill each other and maim each other.  He wanted to
dissipate the horror he felt.  He could not handle life and its setbacks.  Life is filled
with setbacks.  Not everybody enjoys good health.  Not everybody has success in business.
We all sooner or later face death.  Life is hard and difficult, and Esau did not have
the inner strength to cope with life.  Jacob, on the other hand, is described as sitting
in tents "Yoshaiv Oheleem."  The word "Ohel" in Hebrew also means "to shadow."  Jacob
knew that life had a lot of shadows and before them he was a "Tom," a simple man.  He
had no answers, but he had the strength to continue.  He could overcome his problems
because he was strong inside.  Yitzchak could not see that his son Esau was weak.  After
all, he was a good provider.  He had knowledge.  He was distinguished among people.

Yitzchak never had great inner turmoil.  He was the son of a Tzadik.  The rabbis say
that at the time of his binding for sacrifice the angels' tears fell on him.  He was
otherworldly.  He was the son of a Tzadik, lived in the house of a Tzadik, and inner
things went well for him.  Rivka, on the other hand, was the daughter of an idolator,
Btuel, and the sister of a crook, a Mafioso, Laban.  She had to struggle to maintain
her integrity and beliefs.  She knew how much strength it took to win the inner battles,
and she knew that Esau, for all his outer glitter, did not have it while Jacob, for
all his outward simplicity, did have the strength to overcome life's problems.  Many
times it happens that people who have a lot of knowledge and ability and talent cannot
handle their problems.  They just do not have the inner strength.  It is important to
develop a person's inner strength because we all are called upon sooner or later to
face life's problems.  Fun and games and knowledge and important, but what is most important
is inner strength.  Today we bench Rosh Chodes for Kisleve.  In Kislev the holiday of
Chanukah comes.  In Jewish life we have no holiday for the dedication of the Temple.
We know exactly on what day King Solomon dedicated the Temple.  We have a holiday for
rededicating the Temple.  Anybody can build, but it takes a person with inner strength
to rebuild.  In life we are constantly called upon to rebuild.  I am reminded of the
story of a football coach who went into the math teacher's office and said, "You just
have to give my star player a passing grade.  We need him for the championship game."
The math teacher said, "Okay, I'll ask him one question, and if he can answer it I will
give him a passing grade."  The coach got the student.  The teacher said, "How much
is 2+2?" The student said, "Four," at which point the coach butted in saying, "Give
him another chance, give him another chance."  In life two plus two does not always
equal four, and if we are to get a second chance we must have inner strength.