Podcasts about parashat toldot

Parashat Vayeseh begins: "Yaakob left from Be'er Sheba, and he went to Haran." Many commentators addressed the question of why the Torah needs to tell us here that Yaakob left from Be'er Sheba, his hometown. The ensuing verses tell of his experiences along the road as he journeyed to Haran, and upon arriving in Haran. The important point here is where Yaakob was going, not where he was leaving from. Moreover, this entire verse seems unnecessary, as we are already told at the end of the previous Parasha, Parashat Toldot (28:7), that Yaakob, obeying his parents' instructions, left home and made his way to Haran to live with his uncle. Why, then, did the Torah need to repeat now that he left his hometown and headed to Haran? An especially fascinating answer to this question is offered by Rav Azariah Figo (Italy, d. 1647), in his Bina Le'ittim, where he closely analyzes the events that unfolded after Yaakob's departure. As Yaakob traveled to Haran, he slept along the roadside, and beheld his famous vision of a ladder that extended to the heavens. During this vision, G-d spoke to Yaakob, and promised to care for him and to bring him safely back to Eretz Yisrael. Yet, when Yaakob arose, he made a pledge, promising to give one-tenth of his possessions to G-d if G-d would protect him, care for him, and bring him back to his homeland. Surprisingly, Yaakob was uncertain whether Hashem would care for him and return him safely home – despite having just received an explicit promise to this effect. Why? Furthermore, we read in next week's Parasha, Parashat Vayishlah, that when Yaakob was making his way back to Eretz Yisrael, he received a report that Esav was approaching with an army, and he was overcome by fear (32:8). Once again, we must wonder why Yaakob did not trust the explicit guarantee Hashem gave him that he would be protected and would return safely to his homeland. Rav Figo answers all these questions by positing that Yaakob questioned whether the dream he dreamt truly constituted a prophecy. For several reasons, he had reason to suspect that this was simply a dream, and not a prophetic message from the Almighty. For one thing, the Rambam writes that one of the prerequisites for prophecy is a joyful spirit, and Yaakob's current condition – fleeing penniless from his brother who wanted to kill him – did not lend itself to the necessary feelings of joy. Secondly, when a prophet receives prophecy, Hashem normally brings sleep upon him, and he then awakens immediately after the vision. Yaakob, however, did not wake up immediately after his dream. Rav Figo explains on this basis why the Torah tells that in the morning, Yaakob arose "Mi'shenato" – "from his sleep" (28:16). At first glance, this seems unnecessary; when somebody wakes up, he obviously wakes up "from his sleep." Rav Figo writes that the Torah here is telling us that Yaakob did not wake up immediately after beholding his vision, but rather continued sleeping until he woke up in the morning – and this led to his uncertainty as to whether what he saw was just a dream, or in fact a prophetic vision. Rav Figo applies this same approach to explain the first verse of the Parasha. Normally, with rare exceptions, prophecy is given only in Eretz Yisrael, and not outside the land. As Yaakob had left his home in Be'er Sheba, and was heading outside the land, to Haran, he was, in a sense, considered to have already left the Holy Land. This, too, contributed to his doubts regarding the nocturnal vision that he beheld. The Torah told us that Yaakob was making his way to Haran, leaving the Land of Israel, as an introduction to the story of Yaakob's dream, explaining why Yaakob was unsure whether this was a prophecy or an ordinary dream. In the end, of course, it became clear that Yaakob's dream was, in fact, a full-fledged prophecy, and Hashem fulfilled all the promises He had made during that prophetic vision. This understanding of the verses shows how Yaakob serves for us as an inspiring example of humility. Although he beheld a clear vision, during which G-d promised to protect him, and named him as heir to the covenant with Abraham and Yishak, Yaakob remained uncertain about his standing. He did not jump to conclusions, or rush to assume that he had earned G-d's blessings. We have much to learn from Yaakob Abinu's example about avoiding overconfidence. While we must of course take pride in our accomplishments and in all the good that we do, we must also ensure not to take this pride too far, to remain ever cognizant of our deficiencies. We should never feel too spiritually confident, certain that we do everything correctly, that we know better, that we always get it right. We are to live with the humility to acknowledge our imperfections, so that we are always working to correct them and continuing to grow and improve.

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Lesson on the topic of "Parashat Toldot"

Lesson on the topic of "Parashat Toldot"

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La Gueulá en la Parasha de la semana Parashat Toldot

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پاراشا تولدوت، سدوت و گمتریا Parashat Toldot. Sodot and Gematrioat by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

“Y se pelearon los hijos en su interior”

Are we defined by our names or by the stories we tell? We explore Parashat Toldot, diving into the intricate relationships between the Philistines and ancient Israelites "up until today." Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz in a conversation that highlights the melting pot of cultures in ancient Israel. We reveal that the Philistines, like the Hittites and Hebrews, were newcomers to the land and for the most part contributed culturally and integrated well. When friction arose, they willingly separated and made agreements that showcased mutual recognition and trust. In a week that the 2024 cease fire between Israel and Lebanon is consummated and we in the US celebrate Thanksgiving we wonder what lessens from the past we can take to guide us in these challenging times. Check out the Sefaria Source sheet here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/606744  Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2024/11/28/the-philistinians-and-the-israelites/  Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cbPen_DRgmo 

Parashat Toldot tells the story of the blessings that Yishak Abinu decided to give to Esav, but ended up conferring upon Yaakob, who, at his mother's behest, disguised as Esav and came before Yishak to receive the blessing. The Torah relates that when Esav came, and Yishak then told him that his brother had deceived him and received the blessings in his place, Esav cried bitterly ("Va'yiz'ak Ze'aka Gedola U'mara Ad Me'od" – 27:34). The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni 115) comments that Esav actually shed only three tears. One fell from his right eye, another from his left eye, and a third remained stuck inside his eye. This third tear, the Midrash concludes, is what has caused the Jewish Nation to shed rivers of tears throughout the ages. Rav Solomon Breuer (Germany, 1850-1926), son-in-law of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), offered a meaningful explanation of the Midrash's description. The two tears that fell from Esav's eyes correspond to the two "wrongs" that Yaakob committed against him. The first was Yaakob's purchasing the birthright from Esav in exchange for food when Esav came into the home weary and famished. And the second, of course, was Yaakob's seizing the blessings which Yishak had intended to grant to Esav. These two tears, Rav Breuer explained, were what we would call today "crocodile tears." Esav was not really upset over losing the birthright and Yishak's blessings. The birthright entailed performing the special service in the Bet Ha'mikdash, which Esav surely had no desire at all to participate in. And as for the blessings, the Midrash elsewhere (Bereshit Rabba 66:3) comments that in these blessings there are allusions to all the different areas of Torah – the Tanach, Mishna, Gemara, etc. These blessings of success, prosperity and dominance were not given "for free"; they were promised only on condition, in exchange for serious commitment to Torah learning and observance. This is certainly not something that Esav had any interest in. Esav's only real tear, Rav Breuer explained, was the tear that remained in his eye, and could not be seen. Meaning, what really troubled Esav, what really pained him, was not the birthright or the blessings, but rather the knowledge that Yaakob was the worthier brother, that he truly earned the right to bear the legacy of Abraham and Yishak, to be a patriarch of Hashem's special nation. And it is this hidden pain that has caused Am Yisrael so much pain and so many tears throughout the ages. The enemies of the Jewish Nation outwardly shed different kinds of fake "tears," they give different reasons for why their hostility toward us is justified, why they feel they have the right to cause us harm and to seek our destruction. But the real reason is the hidden "tear," the resentment over Am Yisrael's status as G-d's special nation. When Yaakob first came before Yishak disguised as Esav, Yishak heard what sounded like Yaakob's voice, but when he felt Yaakob's arms, they felt hairy, like Esav, because Ribka had wrapped goatskins around his arms. Yishak then proclaimed, "Ha'kol Kol Ya'akob, Ve'ha'yadayim Yedeh Esav" – "The voice is the voice of Yaakob, but the hands are the hands of Esav" (27:22). The Midrash uncovers for us the deeper message of Yishak's pronouncement, explaining that he was saying, "When the voice of Yaakov is heard in the synagogues, the hands are not the hands of Esav; otherwise, the hands are the hands of Esav." The way we protect ourselves against the threat of Esav, from the hostility and animosity of the enemy nations, is through heartfelt prayer. And so in our times, when there are so many who are trying to inflict harm upon Am Yisrael, both in Israel and around the world, let us commit ourselves to increasing the "voice of Yaakob," to pray and beseech G-d for His protection and assistance. We must raise our voices and pour our hearts before Hashem, and ask that He shield us from those who seek our destruction, and grant our nation the peace and serenity that we long for.

Toldot | "Do You Have Only One Blessing, Father?" by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The central story of Parashat Toldot is Yaakov's successful deception of his father, Yitzchak, to "steal" the blessing intended for Esav. When Esav learns of the ruse, his plaint to his father is "do you have but one blessing, my father"? Indeed, why does Yitzchak have only one blessing for his sons? And why is a blessing, given under false pretenses, valid and irrevocable? A careful read of the text reveals what may be a surprising answer. This shiur was given, at the UCLA Hillel, in memory of "Jabo" Ehrlich, an amazing teacher and friend, lover of Tanakh and Eretz Yisrael, who fell defending our country last week. יהי זכרו ברוך. Source sheet >>