Synthesizing
The Physical And The Spiritual
Rather than
dividing the spiritual and physical blessings between Yaakov and Eisav, Rivkah
saw the need for Yaakov to receive both.
By Nathan J. Diament
The following article is reprinted with permission from
the Orthodox Union.
ParshatToldot introduces our Patriarch Yaakov as
well as his brother Eisav, and, from the outset, tips us off to the coming
conflict between them. The Torah tells of their "struggle" within
their mother's womb, and, as young adults, describes them very differently.
Eisav is "a hunter, a man of the field," while
Yaakov is "ish tam," (a simple/whole man) who sits in tents.
These textual descriptions, Rashi and Ibn Ezra point out, indicate that Eisav
is a "trickster," a man not to be trusted, while Yaakov is a
"simple" or "naive" shepherd, who spends his days studying
Torah.
Yet, the comments of these rishonim (medieval sages),
which echo those of Chazal (rabbinic sages) seem to be at odds with the
simple understanding of the narrative.
Consider, as events of the parshah unfold, who is the
trickster and who is the victim. Even as they were being born, Yaakov grasped
Eisav's ankle, trying to force his way out of the womb first.
Later, as young adults, Eisav returns from a day of hunting
famished and exhausted, begging his brother for food. Yaakov demands Eisav's
birthright in exchange for some soup. Then, when Rivkah proposes that Yaakov
disguise himself as Eisav in order to "steal" his berachah
(blessing) from Yitzchak, Yaakov protests--not because of the deception involved,
but because he fears getting caught and consequently cursed by his father.
Nevertheless, despite these indications of Yaakov's trickery
and Eisav's victimhood, Chazal find indications of Eisav's evil. They point to
his readiness to sell the bechorah (birthright) as well as to the wives
he took, who aggravated his mother, Rivkah. Thus it seems all the more amazing
in light of Chazal's insights that Yitzchak seemed oblivious to Eisav's evil
and Yaakov's good such that he sought to confer his blessing upon Eisav.
How are we to understand Yaakov's early actions, Yitzchak's
plan to bless Eisav, Yaakov's theft of the berachah, and the subsequent
confrontations that he faced--all in a manner that gives us insight into this
Patriarch and leaves us, his children, with a message?
As noted by the Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah
Berlin, 19th century commentator), Yitzchak proposed to bless Eisav
with birkas haaretz (the blessing of the land)--physical plenitude and
mastery over the physical world. Reserved for Yaakov, and conferred upon him by
Yitzchak before he fled to Lavan's house, was birkas Avraham (the
blessing of Abraham)--the blessing that Avraham received ensuring that his
descendants would be Hashem's chosen nation.
Yitzchak had no reason to think that one of his sons would
be rejected; he believed they would both lead this chosen nation as partners,
with Eisav as General, mastering the physical world and Yaakov as High Priest,
carrying on the spiritual legacy.
However, Rivkah, the mother of these two brothers and,
importantly, reared as the sister of Lavan, (as emphasized in the second verse
of the parshah), knew that such a partnership was impossible. She understood
that Yaakov needed both blessings--to combine spiritual strength with mastery
over the physical world--in order to be the father of the Jewish nation.
Accordingly, she orchestrated the "theft" of the
physical berachah in a context wherein Yaakov would be introduced to his
destiny--to be a person with kol Yaakov (the voice of Jacob) but also
with yedei Eisav (the hands of Esau).
She thus wanted Yaakov to undergo an apprenticeship with her
brother, Lavan, the master trickster, so that he would know how to combine
these traits. He achieved mastery over the physical world, the Keli Yakar
(17th century commentator), points out (Genesis: 31:1) when he
surpasses Lavan's ability to beguile his adversaries.
After this "education," the fully developed Yaakov
is commanded by Hashem to return to Canaan, whereupon he wrestles with Eisav's angel
and is given a new name: Yisrael. This new name demonstrates his completed
evolution, a name by which we, his descendants, are called: Benei Yisrael
(the Children of Israel).
We too must struggle to achieve this synthesis, to master
the physical world while remaining true to the spiritual legacy of our
Patriarchs--to combine the kol Yaakov with the yedei Eisav.
Nathan J. Diament is Director of the Institute For Public
Affairs of the Orthodox Union.
