We never really stop studying the Torah, even though this Shabbat we read Toldot, and at Mincha we started the next Parsha Vayetzi, I am still pondering Toldot.
Why is it that everyone is so concerned about Yitzchak Avinu giving a blessing? In the modern world, we say blessings every day. We say the same blessings every day in fact. Jewish prayer is all about repeating the same bracha over and over again!
Why can't have Yitzchak Avinu say the same blessing and have it count for both of his sons? Hashem doesn't have enough resources to provide for both Yakoov Avinu and Esav?
And Yitzchak knows that he made a mistake. Even when he said " The voice is of Yakov but it is the feeling of Esav He goes with his feeling. and he makes the mistake. He should have listened. Yes, the voice and the intonation and style was Yakov all the way. People can disguise themselves, but their essence remains the same. Yitzchak blesses. And what a blessing! The dew of the earth, those who bless you will be bless and those who curse you will be cursed. Your brother will serve you.
Then Esav comes in with the food that he has hunted, and cooked. He bruskly demands the blessing and then Yitzchak knows who he has blessed. Yakov will be the one who has the Heavenly approval. He shall remain blessed. But what is Exav to do? He cries, "Isn't there a blessing for me? In spite of his base character, he also has a streak of wanting to be close to HaShem. He wants to feel Divine favor. But his blessing as he finally gets it from Yitzchak is not the same. and in that sense it is inferior. He vows revenge upon his brother. It looks like it will end like the first set of brothers, Kayin and Hevel.
Rivka sees this and ushers Yakov out before Esav can do anything, for Rivka still cares for both her children.
Yitzchak was not stupid however, before Yakov left, he gave him the Blessing of Avraham. This was the blessing of continuation of the Jewish People, the spiritual world. This was the blessing that was really the important one, and the first blessings were meant to speak about the material world, and Avraham's blessing was for the spiritual world.
What does this mean the two different blessings? Humans are the only creatures on this Earth who can speak. Chimpanzees can be taught the use of words, a vocabulary, but they don't use language as Humans do in their natural habitat. Dolphins can be taught to do tricks and respond to human speech just as dogs. But we humans use speech to convey meaning and we have the power in our speech to heal or to hurt. When we speak we have a God-like power that no other has. We have to use it to help.
Esav used his power to cause injury and hunt, he had a glib mouth and could squeeze information out of anyone.
Yakov used his power of speech to learn Torah and to raise a fully God-fearing family All of Yakov sons followed the way of peace and were faithful to HaShem.
May we all use our power of speech to gather HaShem's light and further his purpose in this world.
Shavua Tov,
Rachael Alice
http://lifecoachjerusalem.weebly.com/
lifecoachjerusalem@gmail.com
Why is it that everyone is so concerned about Yitzchak Avinu giving a blessing? In the modern world, we say blessings every day. We say the same blessings every day in fact. Jewish prayer is all about repeating the same bracha over and over again!
Why can't have Yitzchak Avinu say the same blessing and have it count for both of his sons? Hashem doesn't have enough resources to provide for both Yakoov Avinu and Esav?
And Yitzchak knows that he made a mistake. Even when he said " The voice is of Yakov but it is the feeling of Esav He goes with his feeling. and he makes the mistake. He should have listened. Yes, the voice and the intonation and style was Yakov all the way. People can disguise themselves, but their essence remains the same. Yitzchak blesses. And what a blessing! The dew of the earth, those who bless you will be bless and those who curse you will be cursed. Your brother will serve you.
Then Esav comes in with the food that he has hunted, and cooked. He bruskly demands the blessing and then Yitzchak knows who he has blessed. Yakov will be the one who has the Heavenly approval. He shall remain blessed. But what is Exav to do? He cries, "Isn't there a blessing for me? In spite of his base character, he also has a streak of wanting to be close to HaShem. He wants to feel Divine favor. But his blessing as he finally gets it from Yitzchak is not the same. and in that sense it is inferior. He vows revenge upon his brother. It looks like it will end like the first set of brothers, Kayin and Hevel.
Rivka sees this and ushers Yakov out before Esav can do anything, for Rivka still cares for both her children.
Yitzchak was not stupid however, before Yakov left, he gave him the Blessing of Avraham. This was the blessing of continuation of the Jewish People, the spiritual world. This was the blessing that was really the important one, and the first blessings were meant to speak about the material world, and Avraham's blessing was for the spiritual world.
What does this mean the two different blessings? Humans are the only creatures on this Earth who can speak. Chimpanzees can be taught the use of words, a vocabulary, but they don't use language as Humans do in their natural habitat. Dolphins can be taught to do tricks and respond to human speech just as dogs. But we humans use speech to convey meaning and we have the power in our speech to heal or to hurt. When we speak we have a God-like power that no other has. We have to use it to help.
Esav used his power to cause injury and hunt, he had a glib mouth and could squeeze information out of anyone.
Yakov used his power of speech to learn Torah and to raise a fully God-fearing family All of Yakov sons followed the way of peace and were faithful to HaShem.
May we all use our power of speech to gather HaShem's light and further his purpose in this world.
Shavua Tov,
Rachael Alice
http://lifecoachjerusalem.weebly.com/
lifecoachjerusalem@gmail.com
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