Toledot
Parshat Toledot In this portion we are introduced to the third patriarch, Jacob, and his twin brother, Esau. The portion describes their endless conflicts that climax with Esau’s threat to kill Jacob. As a result, at the end of the portion, Jacob is forced to escape.
First Aliyah Genesis chapter 25:19-26:5 pp. 146-150
Rebecca, like Sarah, is barren. She prays to God for a child and God causes Rebecca to conceive. She gives birth to Esau and Jacob. As a sign for the future, they fight in the womb. We are told that Isaac loves Esau because he is a hunter and Rebecca loves Jacob because he is a homebody.
Second Aliyah 26:6-12 p. 150
Isaac and Rebecca move to the land of the Philistines because of a famine. Isaac tells Rebecca to say that she is his sister.
Third Aliyah 26:13-22 pp. 150-151
Isaac becomes wealthy there and is asked to leave. He does and wherever he camps he digs a well. Twice there are disagreements over ownership of the wells and twice Isaac relinquishes all rights to them. The third time there is no struggle.
Fourth Aliyah - 26:23-29 p. 152
Isaac has a vision that God will be with him - - not to fear. Isaac signs a peace treaty with the Philistines.
Fifth Aliyah - 26:30-27:27 pp. 153-157
Isaac is old and blind and calls Esau into his tent. He tells Esau to go out hunting, bring back the catch, and then he will receive a blessing. Rebecca overhears and decides to play a trick. She tells Jacob to dress like Esau and go in to Isaac to receive his blessing. Jacob does and Isaac senses that something is amiss. But he gives Jacob the blessing anyway.
Sixth Aliyah -27:28-28:4 pp. 157-160
Esau returns from the hunt, goes into his father’s tent, and immediately finds that Jacob beat him to it. Isaac is upset and Esau is determined to kill his brother. Rebecca tells Jacob to run away to her family in Haran.
Seventh Aliyah - 28:5-9 pp. 160-161
Jacob leaves. Esau understands that it is against his father’s wishes that he marry a woman from the heathen societies. In spite, Esau marries an Arab woman.
Maftir - 28:7-9 p. 161
Haftorah - Malachi 1:1-2:7 pp. 163-165
The Torah portion leaves us with the impression that Jacob is favored in the eyes of God and Esau is not. Malachi extends that theme by reassuring Israel that God will always love the descendants of Jacob and will protect them from the descendants of Esau.
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