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?