Toldot in a Nutshell

Esau is described as being born reddish and hairy; does it say anywhere what Yaakov looked like? Reply

Esau again did something that troubled his mother and father. Thirdly, his marriage shows Esau's true character. Reply

A Soul knows G-d's heart and therefore life on the physical world is somewhat predestined.

Jacob was indeed very clever and knew his priorities from the start.
He always knew what he wanted: from getting the First Blessings from his father, Isaac, to marrying the woman that owns his heart. In the end, he became the Father of a Great Nation named after himself. It was his soul's birthright to glorify G-d and to give birth to a nation that would follow sanctify His Holiness.

It is heartbreaking that Esau never reconciled with Jacob - they were twins after all.

It seemed Esau's vengeful feelings toward his younger brother, Jacob, still echoes in the sands of time. Reply

It seems like a doomsday scenario for Esau. He's been bad before he was born. Does this mean that there was nothing more his parents, Isaac and Rebeccah, could do for him through religious education to set him on the right path? Where is the free will in this story if Esau was evil before he was born? Reply

How is Jacob deceiving his father , honoring his father? Reply

Esav sold his birthright willingly and legally. Yaakov could have told Yitzchak the truth, but chose to deceive his father, in order to protect his twin brother from the pain and disappointment a father would feel upon knowing that his favored son carelessly sold something very valuable: blessings given from his heart. Yaakov was also protecting his father from experiencing that pain and disappointment, while he was on his deathbed. In two very considerate ways, Yaakov was protecting the feelings of two people he loved, and benefiting from the birthright that legally belonged to him. His behavior is an example to us in how to avoid causing people pain and disappointment. Also, Yaakov had no idea he would have to run away from Esav, when he received a legally obtained inheritance; Esav overreacted to a situation that he caused by his careless use of free-will. Unfortunately careless use of free-will, and sense of entitlement, have become epidemics in the world, as history repeats. Reply

An unstated issue in the comments i did read is that a alluding issue is left out and that is was this not the week of shiva for Avraham and where was Esau.He was out in the fields hunting and thus he showed he already had little concern for his birthright as a descendant of Abraham. He came back to the houshold and demanded food, even referring insultingly to the food as "red broth". The consequence of his thought speech and actions was to forego his birthright. Much later at the burial of Jacob, Esau has his head cut off while trying to prevent the burial of jacob in machpalah. He forever lies at the feet of Jacob. Reply

Jacob and Esau I am not Jewish. I have been raised as a Christian, but wholeheartedly am seeking to learn more about Judism. I do observe the Sabbath and am eager to learn more. I remember the story of Jacob and Esau well in that I knew they were brothers. It seems that Issac at first loved Esau because he was a great hunter and Rebecca loved Jacob more because he was more gently and caring. But Jacob was a deceiver and his own mother aided him in this endeavor. I know that Esau wasn't looking at the big picture obviously he just wanted something to eat. I guess my question or statement is that even though Jacob deceived his father to get his brother's birthright, he later regretted lying to his father and stealing from his brother. God changed his name from Jacob to Israel. Reply

Know this story by heart, still love it! Reply

Predestined Rebecca loved both Essau and Jacob as any good mother does. Rebecca never forgot that G-D let her know the younger would rule over the elder. It was G-D which chose Jacob because He knew his heart. Essau indeed was strong and a great hunter. He was a man of the world and therefore chose the way of the world. Jacob naturally chose the way of the Word and obedience. In obedience he gained the blessing from Issac, found favor with G-D, became Israel and created the Nation. Reply

response to What Makes the Torah Great I just want to "correct" the rabbi in his comment that "...led to the choosing of Israel as recipients of the Torah, etc." I learned that G-d "offered" the Torah to many other nations who "said" they didn't want it. But, when G-d offered the Torah to Israel, they "answered," "We will do, and we will listen." "Na'aseh, v'nishma," is the Hebrew. As Jews, we're supposed to first do what G-d wants us to do. It's compared to a parent telling a child to do something. The child asks, "Why?" and the parent
answers, "Because I told you to." A child is too young to fully understand the parent's explanation, but the child listens because he/she knows the parent is in charge. So, too, as Jews, we are unable to understand G-d's reasoning. Isn't it true that even when we think we do understand the reasons, we don't always do what we know G-d wants us to do? We know we are imperfect and often helpless. We've been compared to sheep. Our strength is in our willingness to obey.
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Mother Knows Best The narratives in the Old Testament tell us about people much like ourselves. This story shows us that Nature, G-d, or Mother Earth favors the tent-dwelling agricultural way of life for us rather than the hunter/hunted way of life. Esau, impatient with hunger, was quick to relinquish his birthright for a bowl of food, giving it up to Jacob. Who among us hasn't said something we didn't mean for immediate gratification? When we are strong and robust, do we really think beyond our immediate needs? This story is about setting down roots. It's a story of a mother, Rebecca, (perhaps, Mother Earth, herself), who instigated it because she wanted her sons to inherit a peaceful civilized existence, not to hunt each other and kill for a living. Please learn more Torah. Find a good teacher and learn to look for the lessons of peace in each narrative. Let the anti-Semites worry about themselves. Reply

Deceptions in the Hebrew bible I'm going to play devil's argument here and probably take some wrath.
The deception of Jacob and Rebecca against Essau and others in our bible are explained away and justified and have become part of our heritage. Could this be the origin of anti-Semitism as others read this and view us as untrustworthy and devious people? Reply

A New Slant Perhaps Jacob was somehow developmentally or physically disabled, and, thus, unable to leave the tent, and fend for himself in the world as his brother could. Or, perhaps, Jacob took the subordinate "domestic" role because his brother already took the dominant "hunter" role. I've often seen in life that the end of life care of an elder parent falls on the youngest child, as it did in my life. When there are no daughters, care of the elder parent often falls on the son who still lives with or is supported financially by that parent because he is not as "independent" as the other sibling. In my own experience as the youngest in my family, I can say that although I was praised for my intelligence and talents I was not encouraged by my parents to leave them. Parents can subconsciously "weaken" or "hold back" the independence of a child for fear of being left alone in their old age. And, the Ten Commandments commands us to honor our parents, a Jewish value. Reply

Jacob and Esau Twins will often be opposites. A mirror image . One good and one bad. The bad one will often display all the aspects of ADHD, a genetically inherited dysfunction. Hasty impulsive ,reckless,with a well developed visio-spacial right brain. The other will be conservative, considerate, logical and caring with a well developed left brain. Adam and Eve had the same problem with their twin boys. Reply

These events seem to direct the course of early biblical history and the fate of the Jewish people. It is interesting that Rebecca ultimately made Jacob the choice and ensured that he receive the blessing, women play a very powerful role in the continuity of Jewish biblical prophecy. Also, the fate of Essau and how he married a daughter of Ishmael is very interesting as these bloodlines are crossed. Jacob indeed became a biblical HERO for the Jewish people and we can still learn about the virtues of righteousness and the blessings that have been graciously endowed to our people. Reply

Human paradox It has been a year since I've read this, and now I think I get it. It is about how our choices define who we are and who we will be. Maybe the meaning of this story is that even though Esau was born first and was outwardly "destined" to receive Isaac's blessing, due to his poor choices (as we all are given "free will" by our creator), based on his human apatite and desire, he forfeited his inheritance. He was born into a holy home, and he himself was born holy, but he gave way to the temptations of our world -- much like Adam and Eve. The story is telling us that he could have been our father, but he chose the easier way, the worldly way, as most of us do. Reply

blessing Anyone who sells his birthright loses his blessing. Righteous men they bless only at the time of death, never before that. That is why before a parent`s death children are gathered round them. Some families this is the custom that even if they are far away. They will leave everything to come home. Reply

The lure and temptation of "worldly" way are very powerful, and those who it promises tranquility to those who obey it. Esau was perfectly at peace and at home with its power. He created distress to Issac and Rebecca when he married two idol worshipers as his wife (and why not, King Solomon did exactly the same thing, right?) and he considered it as a convenient and practical way going around the life's business. His practical solution to his parents' displeasure is that he married Ishmael's daughter who followed Abraham's way.
Esau was a practical man, and I guess many of us are like that. In truth, I am often like that. How many of us can truly say that he or she is a true descendant of Jacob? Are we truly equipped to live like that? I don't know, honestly. Reply

Esau is a paradox. He was raised by holy parents, in holiest environment, well aware of the Divine power. Isaac loved him, and Esau loved him. So, what went wrong with Esau? So did Esau lacked Divine spark inside of him? Issac refused to see Esau's fault because of his paternal love? It is a good question still, and even now, I still don't have a satisfactory answer. His inner calling was physical, and it was under the control of Issac and Rebecca's love and their holy presence, and after that, he did as he was destined and what his true expression wished him to do. Esau is actually like many of us. I remember how a certain grandson of Mennonite told me how he wrestled against two angels who wanted to bring him back to religious Mennonite way, and he won the battle (Reverse Jacob!) and kept his worldly way!!! The lure of the world is strong, and even though many of us we can live differently, we are hopeless out power by the world. But, not all of us can become righteous. Reply