Besides
for our Parasha sounding literally like some spiritual soap opera with the
intense emotions and cries being thrown back and forth between our Forefathers
and the people they had to deal with in their lives, our Parasha also stands as
a connecting Parasha. This Parasha, Parashat Toldot, is all about continuing
the Jewish life, Halachot, existence with Hashem from Yitzhak’s generation to
Yaakov’s generation.
A
major event happens for the Jewish people for all eternity in our week’s
Parasha: The Blessing of Yitzhak Avinu. Yaakov Avinu received the beracha of
power, material strength, financial success and with it came the blood seeking
revenge of Esav. But before this all happens, we see in the story of the famous
lentil soup and Esav’s exchange of the bechora (first-born inheritance) for the
soup something clear about their personalities.
Yaakov
was cooking a meal and then the entire dialogue is given to us in the Torah of
what happens. Esav accepts the exchange and then the Torah tells us that Yaakov
feeds Esav the soup and the Torah continues with the story of Yitzhak and his
hardships. There is something that is distinguishable in the Parasha that is
key in the personality of a Jew compared to everyone else.
When
Yaakov was making the soup the Torah does not teach us that it was soup or chicken
or cooked rice, it just says Yaakov was cooking a cooked dish (Bereshit 25:29).
However, after Esav walked into the tent and saw what was going on the Torah
explains to us that it was lentil soup and he had the soup with bread (Bereshit
25:34). We learn from this a key concept of how one should approach food.
When
we are trying to perfect our Jewish service in this world, we are trying to get
closer to Hashem and focus more on spiritual activities than physical ones. When
Yaakov, our Father and model of what a servant of Hashem should be, is cooking,
the Torah just says he is cooking something. Why? Because Hashem wants to teach
us: Yes, you do need to eat, but eat to get strong and build your body so you
can run to do Mitzvot, help others, go to the Bet Midrash to learn, go
accomplish yur financial needs to bring food to the table, etc. However, when
Esav comes into the picture, the opposite of what it means to be Jewish is seen,
the existence of “feed me or I will die, I cannot live without food!” The Torah
must give detail on what he ate because that is all that was important to him:
if its delicious and satisfies my bodily desires then its acceptable, but basic
food is not good enough. I need to be better then everyone.
Be’ezrat
Hashem we should not go starve because we are “so righteous and all we want is
to feed our neshama (soul) with spirituality,” however; we should always focus
on a balance of modesty and satisfying our basic needs.
It’s all about what I
need not what I want.
Shabbat Shalom!
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