"A simple man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27) Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5783/November 25, 2022 Yitzchak, the son of Avraham and father of Yaakov and Esau, had two close calls in his life. The first, of course, was the akeida
- when his father brought him to Mount Moriah at G-d's behest to offer
him up to HaShem, only to witness with his own eyes gazing heavenward,
HaShem rescind the order at the last possible moment. Yitzchak's second close call forms the dramatic climax of this week's Torah reading, Toldot. This is where he very nearly bequeaths Esau
with the blessing of the first-born, only to be saved by such an
ill-fated move by a last minute deception literally "cooked up" by Rivka and played out perfectly by Yaakov, who walked out of Yitzchak's chamber with the much coveted blessing of the first-born. But why was Yaakov the right son to receive Yitzchak's blessing? After all, Esau did exit Rivka's womb moments before Yaakov, making him the rightful recipient of the blessing of the first born. Moreover, we are told right out that "Yitzchak loved Esau because his game was in his mouth." (Genesis 25:28) Esau
was a hunter, a go getter, a hustler. If he spied something he wanted,
he got it. He was constantly on the move, restless, an acquirer. Today
he would be the CEO of a major corporation, constantly moving forward,
expanding operations, flying to the moon, perhaps. He succeeded in life.
Little wonder that Yitzchak, himself a rather introverted, passive personality, so admired Esau and believed he would faithfully and successfully forward the legacy Yitzchak had inherited from his father Avraham. Yaakov, to the contrary, "was a simple man, dwelling in tents." (ibid 25:27) Yaakov was a homebody, a sweet boy, but not perceived by the famously blind Yitzchak, as having what it takes to assume the yoke of the path of Avraham. Yet there were distinct characteristics possessed by both the boys that Yitzchak did not see. The true nature of the two twins becomes apparent in the incident in which "Esau
came from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Yaakov, 'Pour
into me some of this red, red pottage, for I am faint'... And Yaakov
said, 'Sell me as of this day your birthright.' Esau replied, "Behold, I
am going to die; so why do I need this birthright?'" (ibid 25:29:32) Quiet as he was, Yaakov was already looking to the future. The very concept of the importance of the birthright did not escape him, and he wanted it. Esau, on the other hand, the man of action, the man who sees and conquers, sees no value in tomorrow. After all, he is "going to die" and with his death the world ends. Of what possible value to Esau is the birthright? He can't use it to catch his prey. He can't use it to make a quick buck. The instant gratification of Yaakov's lentil stew is all that Esau desires. The very name Esau is from the Hebrew asiya - meaning action. Esau was indeed a man of action, but the particular form of the of word asiya that the name Esau expresses means “done - an action completed.” Esau
emerged from the womb fully accomplished, a natural, able to easily
navigate his way through life. He had all he needed so he never yearned
for more. Immediate gratification - the hunt - was his entire take on
life. Esau never grew, he never matured. In fact, the infantile nature
of Esau's being becomes evident, when, in response to Yaakov's later snatching of Yitzchak's blessing, Esau, bawling like a baby, "cried out a great and bitter cry, and he said to his father, 'Bless me too, O my father!'" (ibid 27:34) Esau wanted his father’s blessing so he could hang it on his wall, a trophy, but not a guiding light, not a way of life. Yaakov, unbeknownst to his father Yitzchak, was not simply sitting at home making daisy chains. Yaakov was learning the way of life that his grandfather Avraham set out for him. He wasn't simply staying close to home physically, he was keeping close to his heart the teachings of Avraham and Yitzchak. When the time would come, he, and not Esau, would be fully equipped to carry on the family legacy and be a partner to G-d. Yaakov was born a simple man, unsophisticated, naive, perhaps, but unlike Esau, Yaakov
didn't rest on his laurels. He worked hard to develop his relationship
with HaShem, and when the time came, he proved his mettle in the world
of Esau, not only deceiving his father Yitzchak, (which Esau had been doing quite successfully since birth), but beating out Esau to the kill, as it were, managing to disguise himself as Esau and bring sustenance to his father ever before Esau, the accomplished man of the hunt, could do the same. Yaakov beat Esau at his own game, but unlike Esau, he did so for the right reasons. Yaakov believed in the future. He was already thinking of his own unborn children and his children's children. Rivka, much more wary of Esau's self-centered nature, and much more cognizant of Yaakov's searching nature, rescued Yitzchak from a fatal error, just as the angel of HaShem had rescued Yitzchak from his own father's outstretched arm. Yitzchak was truly blessed, twice a beneficiary of G-d's great love for him, making his own blessing to Yaakov, all the more pregnant with meaning for the future. |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk
as Yitzchak Reuven presents the Red Heifer Special, interviews the man
behind the red heifers, who tells a story stretching from the heart of
Texas to the Land of Israel! It
all began on the Temple Mount, with a thought that led to a question
that led to a conversation. A seed was planted, and soon after a
remarkable "coincidence" sparked a three-year global search for a
perfectly red, unblemished red heifer. The man behind the red heifer
tells the story of the search for the red heifer that he personally led,
the people he met, the heifers he inspected, and how, with unceasing
efforts and limitless energy, he ultimately brought five red heifers
from Texas to Israel, all five being eligible candidates to be the one
to bring the highest level of biblical purity back to the world. Don't
miss this fascinating, full-length interview! |
Help To Build The Holy Temple In Our Time! Donate Generously To Help The Sacred Work Of The Temple Institute! Every contribution helps to rebuild the Holy Temple in our Time! |
Making
mistakes is easy. Owning up to our mistakes can be a bit more
difficult. Overshadowed by both his father and his son in many ways,
owning up to a mistake may have been Yitzchak's greatest achievement. Toldot (Genesis 25:19 - 28:9)
Parashat Toldot is read on Shabbat:
Kislev 2, 5783/November 26, 2022 |
Haftarah For Shabbat Parashat Toldot Malachi Chapter 1:1 - 2:7: "The
burden of the word of HaShem to Israel in the hand of Malachi. I loved
you, said HaShem, and you said, 'How have You loved us?' Was not Esau a
brother to Yaakov? says HaShem. And I loved Yaakov. And I hated Esau,
and I made his mountains desolate and his heritage into a habitat for
the jackals of the desert...'" |
A Temple Mount Moment: A Sign of the Times A prominent sign in Arabic on the Temple Mount reveals the Truth about the Holy Temple! A
Temple Mount Moment is the joint project of the Temple Institute and
High on the Har. Temple Mount experts and co founders of High on the
Har, Dr. Melissa Jane Kronfeld and Rabbi Yehuda Levi present each week
fascinating facts and insights about the Temple Mount and the Holy
Temple, its past, present and future! |
Rosh Chodesh Kislev: 2nd Day "Our
G-d and G-d of our fathers, renew for us this month for goodness and
for blessing, for delight and for rejoicing, for deliverance and for
consolation, for maintenance and for sustenance, for life and for
peace..." |
We Mourn The Passing Of Gershon Salomon, Temple Visionary
The Temple Institute mourns that passing of Gershon Salomon. Gershon
was among the earliest to advocate for the rebuilding of the Holy
Temple, following Israel's liberation of the Temple Mount in the 1967
Six Day War. |
Chodesh Tov - Rosh Chodesh Kislev! Today, the 30th of Cheshvan, is the first day of a two-day Rosh Chodesh Kislev celebration. Kislev is alternatively, the third month of the Hebrew year, (when beginning with Tishrei as the first month), or the tenth month of the year, (when citing Nisan as the first month). |
Palestinians, Jordan Join Forces To Thwart Any Change Of Status Quo On Temple Mount
The Palestinian Authority and Jordan will increase their joint efforts
in the coming weeks to foil any attempt by the upcoming right-wing
government in Israel to change the status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque
compound/Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a Palestinian official said on
Sunday. |
Melkam Sigd Bahal - Happy Sigd! - In The Shadow Of Terror Today, the 29th of Cheshvan,
in light of the deadly terror attacks which took place in Jerusalem
this morning, injuring twenty and taking the life of 16-year-old Yeshiva
student, Aryeh Schupak, (may HaShem avenge his blood), the central
celebration of the holiday of Sigd at the Sherover Promenade in Armon HaNatziv, overlooking the Temple Mount, has been cancelled. |
"Solomon's Stables" Beneath The Temple Mount
This video was recently posted on the internet. It shows a walk through
what is now known as the Marwan mosque. The Marwan mosque was
established illegally in 1996 by the Muslim Waqf, but the arches and
chambers you see in the video are part of the original substructure of
the southern flank of the Temple Mount built by King Herod over 2,000
years ago. |
Shabbat Chayei Sara Celebrated In Hevron! This past Shabbat was Shabbat Chayei Sara (the Life of Sara), the Shabbat in which we read about the death of our matriarch Sara and Avraham's purchase of the Machpelah
field and cave in the city of Hevron, as a burial site. In what has
become an annual tradition over the past thirty years, tens of thousands
of Shabbat observing Jews spend Shabbat in Hevron, next to the Machpelah cave, where Sara and Avraham, Rivka and Yitzchak and Yaakov and Leah, six of our seven matriarchs and patriarchs are buried. |
New Coalition Can Give Temple Mount Back To Jewish People
By Michael Freund. This past Monday, a young Israeli woman named Ofir
Dayan visited the Temple Mount. Moved by the experience of setting foot
on the site where Jews had longed to return for 19 centuries, she burst
into song, proudly offering up a rendition of “Hatikvah,” Israel’s
national anthem. |
Mikdash Monday: The Base of the Menorah “…the base, branches, bowls and flowers will be made of gold…”
(Shemot 25:31) The base will hold up the whole Menorah and is made of
one complete piece. The base is of gold like the Menorah... |
Shavua Tov From The Temple Mount! "One
thing I ask of HaShem, that I seek - that I may dwell in the house of
HaShem all the days of my life, to see the pleasantness of HaShem and to
visit His Temple every morning." (Psalms 27:4) Shavua tov - have a wonderful week! |
Red Heifers Arrive In Israel!
On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red
heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at
the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the
new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible
people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this
historic/prophetic day become a reality. |
5 Red Heifers Enjoying Life in Israel
The 5 red heifers that were flown to Israel one month ago from Texas,
via Kennedy Airport, are currently enjoying their lives in Israel. After
spending 10 days in quarantine they are now living peacefully on a farm
in Israel's Galilee region. | Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem!
Yitzchak Reuven
The Temple Institute | |
Comments
Post a Comment