Among the important - and, very often, the most controversial - issues that arise when studying the stories of our avot and imahot (patriarchs and matriarchs) is the possibility of criticizing their conduct based on a careful reading of the verses. Is a scholar entitled to point to a moral or religious flaw in one of our avot or imahot based on his careful and thorough analysis of the text, or must we limit our critique of these saintly people to that which appears explicitly in the text and Midrashim?

Parashat Toledot tells the famous story of Yaakov's deceptive seizure of his father's blessing intended for Esav. As Esav left at his father's behest to hunt game and prepare meat for him, Rivka dresses Yaakov in Esav's clothing to help him trick his blind father into giving him the blessing. Interestingly, the verse describes the clothing as "bigdei Esav… ha-chamudot" - "the beautiful clothing of Esav" (27:15). Rashi brings two possible interpretations as to what this might mean.

Undoubtedly, the most troubling feature of Parashat Toledot is Yitzchak's decision to afford Esav a special blessing. How could he have selected Esav over Yaakov? Needless to say, several different approaches have been offered by commentators throughout the centuries. Yesterday we looked at the Abarbanel's theory, that Yitzchak's judgment was clouded by his love and affection for Esav. Others, however, refuse to accept the fact that Yitzchak was misled into making such a grave error. They have therefore come up with other explanations as to what Yitzchak had in mind.

The Torah introduces the chapter of Yitzchak's blessings to his children by recording Yitzchak's loss of vision: "When Yitzchak was old and his eyes were too dim to see, he called his older son Esav… " (27:1). On one level, this information is necessary for us to understand how Yaakov managed to trick his father and disguise himself as Esav. However, the Abarbanel interprets this verse as the basis for not only Yitzchak's inability to identify the recipient of his blessing, but also his preference of Esav over Yaakov.

"יֶתֶר הַגָּזָם אָכַל הָאַרְבֶּה וְיֶתֶר הָאַרְבֶּה אָכַל הַיָּלֶק וְיֶתֶר הַיֶּלֶק אָכַל הֶחָסִיל" (יואל א', ד)

... כי גם שהתורה העידה שכאשר כמוהו לא נהייתה וכו', כי פה היו ארבעה מינים, כי "יתר הגזם אכל הארבה ויתר הארבה אכל הילק ויתר הילק אכל החסיל", כלומר, מה שאין כן אשר היתה בימי אבותיכם שלא היתה כי אם מין אחד בלבד. 

לפניכם קטע מתוך דף הלימוד של "מתן על הפרק" בו תמצאו שאלות מנחות והרחבות לעיון והעמקה בפרק:

לפניכם קטע מתוך דף הלימוד של "מתן על הפרק" בו תמצאו שאלות מנחות והרחבות לעיון והעמקה בפרק: