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Shabbat Shalom, This week’s parasha is Tol’Dot, “Generations” and covers Genesis 25:19-28:9. Our passage starts out noting the generations of Isaac. Isaac took Rebekah to be his wife when he was 40, and she was barren. He prayed to the Lord that she would be able to have children. The Lord granted his prayer, but the pregnancy was hard. When Rebekah prayed about her difficulties, the Lord replied. “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
The first was very hairy and they called him Esau. The second came out holding the heel of Esau. They called him Jacob. Issac was 60 years old when Rebekah gave birth. That means it took 20 years for that prayer to be answered! We learn that Esau was a great hunter and Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac’s favorite was Esau and Rebekah’s, Jacob.
Later when Jacob was making stew and Esau came in from the field feeling exhausted, Esau wanted the stew, but Jacob wouldn’t feed him until Esau sold his birthright to him. Esau, not seeing the significance of the birthright, sold it to Jacob. The chapter ends with Esau despising his birthright. The promise that was given to Esau of being the first born was thrown into the wind. How often do we take a promise that God has given us, and throw it away? Have you been like Esau and despised what God has given you?
Chapter 26 begins with a famine in the land. Due to the famine, Isaac goes to Gerar, to Abimelech, king of the Philistines. The Lord appears to Isaac, saying, “do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and will bless you. Isaac listens to the Lord and settles in Gerar. When the men of that place see Isaac’s wife Rebekah and ask about her, Isaac says “She is my sister” thinking they will kill him because of her beauty.
Then one day, after Isaac has been there awhile, the king sees Isaac laughing with Rebekah. From this the king knows Rebekah is Isaac’s wife and says “What is this you have done?” for he did not want to bring a curse on his people. So the king puts a warning to all the people that whoever touches Isaac or Rebekah will be put to death. Isaac gains so much wealth that the Philistines envy him. He is so wealthy that the king says to him, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” Isaac departs and settles in the Valley of Gerar. As Isaac’s life continues, we find that there is an episode where his herdsmen quarrel with others due to water supply. Isaac resolves this by digging more wells. Later, Abimelech visits Isaac since he sees that the Lord is with Isaac and he wants to agree to a peace treaty with him. The chapter ends with Esau getting married and making life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
We see at the beginning of Chapter 27 that Isaac is an old man and is blind. He calls to Esau and states that he knows his death is near. He tells Esau to go out and hunt some food, make him a meal and then he will bless him. Rebekah catches wind of the blessing that is about to be given to Esau, so she tells Jacob to find some young goats and she will prepare the meal. Jacob is not adverse to this scheme, but is concerned that Isaac will know him by touch. So Rebekah grabs Esau’s garments and covers his hands and neck with young goat skin. Then when the lie is perfect, Jacob goes to Isaac with the food. He then introduces himself and Isaac does not know which son is speaking.
When Isaac touches Jacob, it seems to him that verbally, this is Jacob, but his hands are hairy, the smell is of the field, and the food is what Esau would make. The smell is what convinces Isaac that Jacob was Esau. Then Isaac blesses Jacob with the abundance of the earth, power over other men and dominion within his own family. As soon as Jacob leaves the tent, Esau comes in and brings Isaac food asking for the blessing. Isaac trembles violently and asks who already brought him the food and has taken the blessing.
But it is too late. There is a finality in it, that what has been done cannot be undone. Esau cries out asking his father to bless him. Esau in verse 36 states that Jacob has cheated him twice, first the birthright and now the blessing. Esau does not see that his birthright and the blessing go hand-in-hand. Isaac tells Esau the opposite of Jacob, no fatness of the earth, by the sword he is to live, and is to serve Jacob.
Esau’s anger is so great that he plans to kill Jacob after his father dies. Jacob’s mother tells him to go to her brother’s place until Esau’s anger is gone. The chapter ends with Jacob being sent away to find a wife and Isaac gives him another blessing to be fruitful and multiply.
How often have we looked at the promises and blessings of God and turned away from them? In the beginning of our parasha we find that it took 20 years for God to fulfill His promise to Isaac that he will have offspring and makes Rebekah able to have children. I know I have looked at God as not answering my prayers when it doesn’t happen within a day, a week, a month. How easily it is for us to give up on God and what he has given us? We should never despise the blessings from the Lord.
Hebrews 12:15-17 paints a light that I think we should not be afraid to see. “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”
God has given us one life and has given each one of us blessings to point us and others to Himself. Yet, like Esau we have the choice to obtain those blessings or throw them away. If the God of the universe gives us something, we better think twice before turning it down. For we can only see what is in front of us, but he sees the path that we are on.