Shabbat Parashat Toldot - 5782

Shabbat Parashat Toldot - 5782

Rabbi Hal Miller Yaakov said, "sell as this day your birthright to me". [Bereishit 25:31] What was Yaakov trying to do here? Eisav came in from the field, tired and hungry, and Yaakov used the opportunity to obtain the birthright. Why? A person born second cannot suddenly switch to first, nor vice versa, unless God steps in to change nature. In those days the firstborn was accorded extra honor and benefits, including the Torah mandated double portion in inheritance. The eldest was designated to carry on the religious practice and was (after the father while he lived) head of the household. But Yaakov doesn't seem to be the type to pursue any of these benefits for himself. A number of commentators say that Yaakov bought the birthright with a purchase that is not documented for us, and we are merely seeing the meal shared to commemorate and seal the deal. While this does not address our question, it does take out of the discussion anything about comparing values of lentils and the heritage of Avraham and Yitzchak. Abarbanel follows this track and says that the deal left the double inheritance portion in Eisav. Yaakov's only concern was about the spiritual promise that God had made, which Eisav had repudiated. The Ran explains this by noting that this day Avraham had died, but while Yaakov was eating lentils and otherwise mourning, Eisav went out hunting. Malbim writes that Yaakov's intent was to gain the holy land, for which he needed the blessing of Yitzchak. Rav Hirsch lays Yaakov's intent on the understanding that Eisav was not worthy of bringing offerings to God. All of those are commendations for Yaakov. Radak, though, says that Yaakov was punished for performing this acquisition. Despite Yaakov paying Eisav in real terms, the norms of society were that this kind of deal required both parties to put up something real, not in potential, such as the expectation of an eventual double inheritance portion. The lesson for us would be that, although we must always follow Torah law, we must not blatantly ignore social rules where we can observe them.