Stop Pushing!

Toldot: "Stop Pushing" - Genesis 25:19-28

19. This is the legacy of Isaac the son of Abraham; Abraham fathered Isaac.		יט. וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק:
20. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to himself for a wife.		כ. וַיְהִי יִצְחָק בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּקַחְתּוֹ אֶת רִבְקָה בַּת בְּתוּאֵל הָאֲרַמִּי מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם אֲחוֹת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה:
21. And Isaac prayed to the Eternal facing his wife because she was barren, and the Eternal accepted his prayer, and Rebecca his wife conceived.		כא. וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַיהֹוָה לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְהֹוָה וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ:
22. And the children struggled within her, and she said, "If [it be] so, why am I [like] this?" And she went to inquire of the Eternal.		כב. וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרשׁ אֶת יְהֹוָה:
23. And the Eternal said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two kingdoms will separate from your inside, and one kingdom will become mightier than the other kingdom, and the elder will serve the younger.		כג. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה לָהּ שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר:
24. And her days to give birth were completed, and there were twins in her womb!		כד. וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ לָלֶדֶת וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם בְּבִטְנָהּ:
25. And the first one emerged ruddy; he was completely like a coat of hair, and they named him Esau.		כה. וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר וַיִּקְרְאוּ שְׁמוֹ עֵשָׂו:
26. And afterwards, his brother emerged, and his hand was grasping Esau's heel, and he named him Jacob. Now Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.		כו. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב וְיִצְחָק בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה בְּלֶדֶת אֹתָם:
27. And the youths grew up, and Esau was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, but Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents.		כז. וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם ישֵׁב אֹהָלִים:
28. And Isaac loved Esau because [his] hunting was in his mouth, but Rebecca loved Jacob.		כח. וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב:

Guide Questions:

1. According to the midrash in the Stone Chumash (p. 125, or see Rashi on "opposite his wife"), how did Isaac and Rebecca stand when they prayed for a child? What do you think this symbolizes about how married people should face difficulties?

2. According to the midrash in the Stone Chumash (p. 125), what does it mean that the children "struggled" or were "agitated" within her? What did Jacob want to "run" to, even from the womb? What did Esau? Do you think people are born with natural urges or desires to do certain things, good or bad?

3. According to the midrash in the Stone Chumash (p. 126), what did Esau having red hair symbolize? How was this different from King David? What is the lesson this midrash is trying to teach?

4. According to Rashi on verse 27, what does it mean that "Esau was a man who understood hunting"? What does it mean that Jacob was a "simple" or "innocent" man?

5. Read "The Most Serious Thing That Ever Happened to Me," by Esau Isaacson in Text Messages (p. 24, Rabbi Mordecai Finley). What emotions did Esau experience? What was the most serious thing that happened to him?

6. According to The Women's Torah Commentary (p. 136), under "Adonai said to her," how does God reply to Rebecca? What two other mothers are mentioned in the Tanach that pray about their children? What does this imply about God talking to men and/or women?

7. In Rabbi Nachman's Torah commentary (p. 206), on "two nations are in your womb," what does he mean that "a person cannot have it both ways"? Do you agree?

Love at First Sight

Love at First Sight: Chayei Sarah, Genesis 24:61-67

61. Rebecca and her maidens arose and rode on the camels, and they followed the man; and the servant took Rebecca and left.		סא. וַתָּקָם רִבְקָה וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ וַתִּרְכַּבְנָה עַל הַגְּמַלִּים וַתֵּלַכְנָה אַחֲרֵי הָאִישׁ וַיִּקַּח הָעֶבֶד אֶת רִבְקָה וַיֵּלַךְ:
62. Now Isaac was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i, and he dwelt in the land of the south.		סב. וְיִצְחָק בָּא מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב:
63. And Isaac was walking in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and camels were approaching!		סג. וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה גְמַלִּים בָּאִים:
64. And Rebecca lifted her eyes and saw Isaac, and she fell from the camel.		סד. וַתִּשָּׂא רִבְקָה אֶת עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא אֶת יִצְחָק וַתִּפֹּל מֵעַל הַגָּמָל:
65. She said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself.		סה. וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל הָעֶבֶד מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶה הַהֹלֵךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִקְרָאתֵנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הָעֶבֶד הוּא אֲדֹנִי וַתִּקַּח הַצָּעִיף וַתִּתְכָּס:
66. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.		סו. וַיְסַפֵּר הָעֶבֶד לְיִצְחָק אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה:
67. Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother.		סז. וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת רִבְקָה וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַיֶּאֱהָבֶהָ וַיִּנָּחֵם יִצְחָק אַחֲרֵי אִמּוֹ:

Guide Questions

1. According to the Etz Hayim commentary, what is the meaning of the verb לָשׂוּחַ? (See verse 63. Be sure to look at both commentaries on p. 138.) What does this have to do with Judaism today? 

2. According to the Plaut Modern Commentary, what is the meaning of Rebecca's veil, and what does this have to do with Judaism today? (p. 166) 

3. Read the poem in the Women's Torah Commentary on p. 131 by Amy Blank. How is Rebecca feeling, according to this poem? Rebecca was most likely about 13 years old as most girls were married at that age at that time. How do you feel about that?

4. In the Stone Edition Chumash, What is the meaning of "she fell off her camel"? (verse 64, p. 120.) 

5. What does Rashi teach us about Rebecca living in Sarah's tent? What miracles did Sarah have that Rebecca brought back?

6. According to Rabbi Elie Kaunfer in Text Messages (pp. 20-21), how is Isaac feeling and what is Isaac praying for? 

7. According to Sparks Beneath the Surface (p. 26), who is the other woman besides Rebecca who wears a veil? One woman's set of twins is at war, and another woman's set of twins is at peace. What is the mystical meaning of the veil?

Get Out of Town! Genesis 12:1-4

1. The Eternal said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.		א. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ:
2. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and be a blessing.		ב. וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה:
3. And I will bless those who bless you, and curse those that curse you, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you."		ג. וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרֲכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה:
4. And Abram went, as the Eternal had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy five years old when he left Haran.		ד. וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו יְהֹוָה וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט וְאַבְרָם בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן:

Guide Questions:

1. According to Rashi, why does the Hebrew say "לְךָ" in "לֶךְ לְךָ"? The word לֶךְ means "Go forth"? What does לְךָ mean?

2. According to the midrash (see Plaut's Modern Commentary pp. 94 or The Torah Anthology Yalkut Me'am Loez Genesis II pp.4-5), why does Abram have to specifically leave "his father's house"? What are the things you would like to do the same as your parent(s)? What would you like to do differently?

3. What does it mean that "all the families of the earth hall be blessed in you" or more literally, "they shall bless themselves by you"? (See Plaut's Modern Commentary p. 91 or Rashi.)

4. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov understands לֶךְ לְךָ to mean "Go to yourself." What does he mean by that? (Rebbe Nachman's Torah Genesis, p. 153)

5. According to a poem by Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss in the Women's Torah commentary (p. 82), what are the three meanings of לֶךְ לְךָ? Explain each.

6. According to the commentary in the Stone Chumash,  (p. 54), why did Abraham have to leave his land?

7. According to Rabbi Rami Shapiro in Text Messages (pp. 14-15), how does the commandment to Abram relate to each one of us?