This week’s reading from Parashat Toldot (Bereshit / Genesis 25:19-28:9) can be summarized as (i) the struggle between Yaakov and Esav within Rebecca’s womb (25:21-23), (ii) Esav became a skilled hunter and Yaakov dwelled in tents (25:27-28) Yitzchak loved Esav and Rebecca loved Yaakov, (iii) Esav sold his birthright for a bowl of soup (25:29-34), Yitzchak and Avimelech king of the Philistines interact, Yitzchak tells Avimelech that his wife is his sister (26:1-11), (iv) Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phicol make a covenant with Yitzchak (26:26-31), (v) Yaakov steals Esav’s blessing (27:1-41), (vi) Yaakov flees to Haran (27:42-28:6), and (vii) Esav takes a wife from the daughters of Canaan (28:7-9). Before Yaakov and Esav were born they struggled together כב וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אִם-כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרשׁ אֶת-יְהוָֹה: כג וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה לָהּ שְׁנֵי גֹייִם [גוֹיִם] בְּבִטְנֵךְ וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר: 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is so, why then am I this way? So she went to inquire of the Lord. 25:23 The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.’ (NASB) The struggle between these two brothers, as the scripture says is between two nations (שְׁנֵי גֹייִם), as we study this week’s Parashah, it becomes apparent that this struggle is related to the one that walks by faith and the other that despises God’s ways. We learn that the one who despises God and His the promise of Avraham is Esav in his willingness to sell his birthright and marry from the daughters of Canaan Bereshit / Genesis 25:32 (וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָֹו הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת וְלָמָּה-זֶּה לִי בְּכֹרָה) 25:32 Esau said, ‘Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?’ Yaakov on the other hand loved the promises of God and did everything he could to inherit what God had promised to his fathers. Ask yourself this question “Have I done everything that I can in my relationship with the Lord?” Read More here.
