Shabbat Table Talk | Bat Kol Institute

Ma. Marilou Seña Ibita, K.U.Leuven, Belgium/ Institute of Formation and Religious Studies, Philippines; Bat Kol alumna 2007 Week of 23 to 29 November Parashat ToldotTorah portion: Gen. 25:19-28:9
Haftarah: Mal. 1:1-2:7
Sunday Readings for 30 November: Isa. 63:16-17.19; 64:2-7; I Cor. 1:3-9; Mk. 13:33-37

Twins in this Sabbath's Toldot? Yes! There are only two sets of twins in the Bible and we have the first, and more famous, set of twins of Esau and Jacob here. The other pair of Perez and Zerah is in Parashat Vayeshev (Gen 38:27). In fact, this relationship (Heb. to'am, Gk. LXX, didymus, ‘twin') is so uncommon that it is not discussed in many of the biblical and exegetical dictionaries. While the second set of twins is also frequently mentioned in the rest of the Bible, including Jesus' genealogy, the convoluted and dramatic episodes in the life of Esau and Jacob outshine them.

The motif of the younger brother being preferred over the elder is a thorny issue in the Bible (e.g., Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37-50, or the brothers in Luke 15:11-32; see also Plaut, p. 183). But the story of sibling rivalry is made more poignant in the Esau-Jacob episodes because they are not just brothers; they are twins, conceived together in their mother's womb. I invite you to list the words used to describe these "conflict moments" as we read through the parashah and discuss them in havrutah, with a partner.

How are the twins described in their mother's womb? The Hebrew root rtztz in Genesis 25:22 is translated "pressed against each other" (Plaut, p. 173) and "almost crushed one another" (Fox, p.115). How does the Lord speak about their future (Gen. 25:23)?
What event surrounds the naming of the newborn twins which hints at what the younger will be capable of doing to his brother (Gen. 25:25-26)?
How are the personalities of the boys contrasted as they grow up (Gen. 25:27)? What do you think of the way in which each of the boys' parents clearly favor one over the other (Gen. 25:28)? In chapter 27, can you count who says "beni" to whom? (translated as ‘my son'...note that even if only the word ‘son' is translated in the English, it is most probably "beni" in Hebrew). Have you found how many times Rebekah speaks to Esau as "beni"?
What points(s) in the story in Genesis 25:29-34 are examples of how the twins behave towards each other when their parents are not around?
Genesis 27, of all the stories of in this book, is very aptly described as "perhaps the most brilliantly staged. Nowhere is the narrative so vivid as here, and nowhere, even including chapter 22, is the tension so masterfully drawn out" [Fox, p. 122]. What "conflict moments" here describe the interrelationship among Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob-and most especially between the twins?
After a close reading of these episodes, what do you now say about Esau and Jacob and their relationship?

The midrashic tradition, as in Genesis Rabbah, paints Esau darkly but it depicts Jacob in a good light. "The word ‘twins' here is written defectively while in the case of Tamar it is fully spelled out. The reason is that Perez and Zerah [whom Tamar produced] were both righteous, while here we have a case in which Jacob was righteous and Esau was wicked" (see Neusner, p. 253-266). The selection of comments from Esdras, Rashi, and Samuel extols Jacob and puts down Esau ("Gleanings" in Plaut, p.187). The prophetic literature mostly describes Esau/Edom and the Edomites negatively, such as in the haftarah today. Malachi 1:2-3 contrasts the Lord's 'hb (love) for Jacob and his relationship with Esau as sn' which is usually translated "hate" (but is better rendered as "less loved"). Malachi speaks in an anti-Edomite way from the perspective of a defined historical reality because after the destruction of the first Temple, Edom rejoiced at the downfall of Israel and joined in its pillage (Plaut, p. 191).

But the Torah does not allow us to forget another picture of Esau and Jacob, of twin brothers maturing in their relationship with each other. It is important here to reconsider Esau. R. Jonathan Sacks reminds us of a counter-tradition that shows a better picture of the elder twin. First, Esau was also blessed by Isaac and his blessing came true long before Jacob's did, as Genesis 36:31 says: "These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites." Another reason is that God says to the people, in Deuteronomy 2:4-5: "You are about to pass through the territory of your kindred, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so be very careful not to engage in battle with them, for I will not give you even so much as a foot's length of their land, since I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession." In Deuteronomy 23:8[7] Moses commands the Israelites: "You shall not abhor any of the Edomites, for they are your kin." There is a need to respect what God has given as territory for Esau and his descendant. Lastly, R. Sacks quotes the Sages who admired Esau's intense love and devotion to his father. "Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: ‘No man ever honoured his father as I honoured mine, but I found that Esau honoured his father more than I honoured mine.' The Zohar states that ‘No one in the world honoured his father as Esau honoured his' (Sacks; see also Devarim Rabbah quoted in Leibowitz, 285).

These three reasons produce a "significantly more nuanced portrait of Esau, the son Isaac loved" (Sacks). The first two points depict Esau's descendant more positively. The third point redeems Esau's long-negatively-prejudiced reputation. Moreover, the Torah also provides us with more information on how Esau and Jacob have matured. While they were separated because of deceit over Isaac's blessings in Genesis 27, in the episode of the twins' meeting and reconciliation in chapter 33, especially vv.8-11 when Esau tells Jacob that he has abundance and Jacob offers a gift of blessing to him. When Isaac died, we are told: "And Isaac breathed his last; he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him" (Gen. 35:29). A midrash on this passage says: "because he [Esau] showed more respect to him [Isaac] than duty demanded he was mentioned first at the burial of his father" [Plaut, p. 235].

In a nutshell, while the usual toldot gives us only a list of the fathers and the sons they have begotten (with some genealogies including the mother and/or daughter once in a while), what we find in today's parashah are stories behind the beginning of those in the toldot, a more elaborate and deeply engaging narrative of family relationships, particularly the uncommon struggle of the famous twins, Esau and Jacob, with each other. While the younger twin has in large part enjoyed the positive portrayal, because he is Jacob/Israel, our reflection also guided us to take a second look at Esau, the elder twin. We had a chance to re-read and reflect on the difficult moments of conflicts in the lives of this pair of a patriarch and how they have grown and matured, reconciled and both blessed in the end.

For Reflection and Discussion: [1] This Advent, how does the story of the twin brothers reflect our relationship with each other as "siblings" in the Christian community? [2] In what way do we seek to renew this "sibling" relationship for a better future this coming year? [3] Advent is a season of surprises and new beginnings. In what manner can we overcome our biases and reconsider people or members of the same community in a better light?

Bibliography: Fox, The Five Books of Moses (New York, 1995); Leibowitz, New Studies in Bereshit (Genesis) (Israel); Neusner, Genesis Rabbah: The Judaic Commentary to the Book of Genesis. A New American Translation. Vol. II. Parashiyyot Thirty-Four through Sixty-Seven on Genesis 8:15 to 28:9, Brown Judaic Studies 105 (Atlanta, GA, 1985); Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary (New York, 1981); Sacks, "Toldot: The Other Face of Esau" available from http://www.chiefrabbi.org/ra-index.html (accessed 12 August 2008).