Tol’dot (Generations) B’resheet (Genesis) 25:19-28:9
Torah Portion: Tol’dot (Generations) B’resheet (Genesis) 25:19-28:9
Haftorah Reading: Malachi 1:1-2:7
Tonight we read a section of scripture that covers a large part of the history of Isaac, Rebekah and their son’s lives. We read about a family where decisions made caused heartaches and damage that had a long term effect on each life involved.
I would like to start our quest tonight by looking at the nature of the two sons to give us a background to help understand what happens later in their lives. Esau was the first born. He was a hairy man, a man of the field, a man’s man. He was the favorite of his father. Jacob was the second son born, scripture tells us he was “tam” meaning pure. He was a home body. He dwelt in tents.
Tol’dot (Generations) B’resheet (Genesis) 25-28
Torah Portion: Tol’dot (Generations) B’resheet (Genesis) 25-28
Haftorah Reading: Malachi 1:1-2:7
Our Torah portion is devoted entirely to Isaac and his family. In fact this is the only portion that gives us much information about the second of the Patriarchs. In our portion we read of many similarities between Isaac and Abraham. Each had to face decades of childlessness, famine, hostile tyrants and rebellious sons. However, they were both very different. Abraham was constantly on the move. Isaac never left the land of Israel. Abraham spent his whole life as a shepherd. Isaac was a shepherd too but he also was a farmer. Abraham spent his life interacting with people, spreading his faith in God. We see very little of this in Isaac’s life. Isaac was a digger of wells. We read of his digging of wells here in this portion.