A Thought On Parshas Toldos
A Thought On Parshas Toldos
"...va'yarach es rei'ach begadav..."
"...and he smelled the fragrance of his garments...." (27:27)
The Torah makes a point of depicting how Yitzchak inhaled the fragrance of Yakov's garments. Our sages have taught that the dual meaning of the word beged (garment) is boged, one who betrays. What is the "scent of the traitors"? For that matter, who are the ones who betray whom?
The Rambam (Igeres HaShmad) writes that this verse refers to those who are persecuted and who give in to the threats and terror of genocide. They do not intend to rebel against HaShem nor to seek pleasure or benefit by submitting to forced conversion. Rather, they succumb to what the navi Yishayahu foretells (21:15) - they falter at the threat of drawn weapons and oppressive pogroms.
The Rambam knew of such people who, in his era, were persecuted by Islam to the degree that some became "anusim." He writes that they too will be embraced again as they make their ways back to Torah, as Dovid HaMelech promises (Tehillim 22:5), "for He will not reject nor shun the downtrodden." The Rambam encourages those who went into hiding and masked their faith: HaShem will not forsake them nor neglect them! This is symbolized in Yaakov donning the cloak of Esav in a deceptive charade. Yitzchak was able to sense the soul within, and the essence beneath, that acquired trapping of the hidden Jew. When the time of redemption comes, those who may have appeared to betray the covenant will again give forth their true fragrance.
* * * * *
"...v'rav ya'avod tza'ir..."
"...and the greater will serve the smaller..." (25:23)
The vision shared with Rivka is that her internal upheaval portends the enduring struggle of the two nations whom she will bear, those of Yakov and Esav. She is told, in our verse, that the "greater one" will serve the "smaller one." We would assume that this forecasts those times in history when the other nations will look up to the Jewish people, and we, the smaller and lesser ones, will be served by them.
The word rav takes on a number of meanings in Hebrew. It can mean great, much, many. We derived the above interpretation from its assumed meaning of "great." Esav was the greater one and Israel the smaller.
The Rosh sees it differently. He writes that in context here, the word rav means much. The verse forecasts that there will come much time in the future when the smaller one, the tza' ir which is the Jewish people, will be forced to serve others.
He translates the verse as long will the smaller one be enslaved. "Because of our wayward acts," the Rosh adds, "this has already happened among us. It will continue until our Merciful Father takes pity upon us."
The Rosh endured the persecution of European Christianity, and knew some of the early casualties of those who in centuries to come would be known as the anusim of Ashkenazic Jewry. Both the Rosh and the Rambam see within the saga of Parshas Toldos the events which have befallen us as we wrestle with galus and its oppression. The Rosh introduces an interpretation of our verse which is ominous. Long will our people be subjected to exile. The Rosh promises that this will end when HaShem shows us Divine mercy.
The Rambam introduces an interpretation of Yakov's camouflaging himself as Esav. While this too is ominous as it foretells the horror of the crypto-Jewish experience in exile, he sees an end to this as well. With geula will come a revelation of those who were forced to live a hidden life. Long ago, Yitzchak savored the sweet fragrance of those yearning to shed the cloak of despair and to revive the voice of Yakov.
May those times come speedily in our days. They may already have begun.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...va'yarach es rei'ach begadav..."
"...and he smelled the fragrance of his garments...." (27:27)
The Torah makes a point of depicting how Yitzchak inhaled the fragrance of Yakov's garments. Our sages have taught that the dual meaning of the word beged (garment) is boged, one who betrays. What is the "scent of the traitors"? For that matter, who are the ones who betray whom?
The Rambam (Igeres HaShmad) writes that this verse refers to those who are persecuted and who give in to the threats and terror of genocide. They do not intend to rebel against HaShem nor to seek pleasure or benefit by submitting to forced conversion. Rather, they succumb to what the navi Yishayahu foretells (21:15) - they falter at the threat of drawn weapons and oppressive pogroms.
The Rambam knew of such people who, in his era, were persecuted by Islam to the degree that some became "anusim." He writes that they too will be embraced again as they make their ways back to Torah, as Dovid HaMelech promises (Tehillim 22:5), "for He will not reject nor shun the downtrodden." The Rambam encourages those who went into hiding and masked their faith: HaShem will not forsake them nor neglect them! This is symbolized in Yaakov donning the cloak of Esav in a deceptive charade. Yitzchak was able to sense the soul within, and the essence beneath, that acquired trapping of the hidden Jew. When the time of redemption comes, those who may have appeared to betray the covenant will again give forth their true fragrance.
* * * * *
"...v'rav ya'avod tza'ir..."
"...and the greater will serve the smaller..." (25:23)
The vision shared with Rivka is that her internal upheaval portends the enduring struggle of the two nations whom she will bear, those of Yakov and Esav. She is told, in our verse, that the "greater one" will serve the "smaller one." We would assume that this forecasts those times in history when the other nations will look up to the Jewish people, and we, the smaller and lesser ones, will be served by them.
The word rav takes on a number of meanings in Hebrew. It can mean great, much, many. We derived the above interpretation from its assumed meaning of "great." Esav was the greater one and Israel the smaller.
The Rosh sees it differently. He writes that in context here, the word rav means much. The verse forecasts that there will come much time in the future when the smaller one, the tza' ir which is the Jewish people, will be forced to serve others.
He translates the verse as long will the smaller one be enslaved. "Because of our wayward acts," the Rosh adds, "this has already happened among us. It will continue until our Merciful Father takes pity upon us."
The Rosh endured the persecution of European Christianity, and knew some of the early casualties of those who in centuries to come would be known as the anusim of Ashkenazic Jewry. Both the Rosh and the Rambam see within the saga of Parshas Toldos the events which have befallen us as we wrestle with galus and its oppression. The Rosh introduces an interpretation of our verse which is ominous. Long will our people be subjected to exile. The Rosh promises that this will end when HaShem shows us Divine mercy.
The Rambam introduces an interpretation of Yakov's camouflaging himself as Esav. While this too is ominous as it foretells the horror of the crypto-Jewish experience in exile, he sees an end to this as well. With geula will come a revelation of those who were forced to live a hidden life. Long ago, Yitzchak savored the sweet fragrance of those yearning to shed the cloak of despair and to revive the voice of Yakov.
May those times come speedily in our days. They may already have begun.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 6:06 PM
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