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Drash for Shabbat Toldot By Andy Heller - November 24, 2006 So Abraham’s son, Isaac, is all grown up and married to a lady named Rebekkah. Rebekkah couldn't have children but Isaac had learned from his dad that if he prayed to God, He might answer his prayer. Sure enough, God answered Isaac's prayer and his wife became pregnant, and not just with one baby but with twins! When the twins were born the first and oldest boy to be born was named Esau. He is easy to remember because he was red and hairy all over. Right behind him came his younger brother Jacob. As the boys got older they liked doing different things. Esau was good at hunting and loved doing things outside and Jacob liked to stick around home and did things on his own. Because Jacob stayed at home a lot he learned to cook with his mom. One day he had made some of his delicious stew that everyone liked. Esau had been out early in the morning hunting and he was very hungry. So hungry that he could smell the stew from a far way off. As soon as Esau got home he asked Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of your stew, I'm starving!" Jacob replied, "First give me your birthright." Wait a minute! You're probably wondering what a birthright is? Jacob and Esau's family believed that the oldest child should receive double of all the things they would leave behind after they died (this was the birthright). Things like money and the farm with all the animals. So when Jacob asked Esau for his birthright, Esau should've said, "No way! That's something special for me and I need to use it because every gift I receive is a gift from God." Instead Esau could only think of how hungry he was and he said, "Yes already, you can have my birthright just give me some food before I starve to death." By choosing food over his birthright Esau did a bad thing. He made a decision he couldn't change and he disappointed God by not seeing the importance of his special gift he would get later on and choosing a silly thing like a bowl of soup instead. The story isn't over yet. Well, actually, it is because I have maxed out my ‘word count’. Since none of you were probably counting, here’s a quick postcap: Isaac got old and couldn’t see anymore. He wanted to give his oldest and favorite son Esau his blessing before he died. Rebekkah found this out and told Jacob. Jacob then disguised himself as Esau tricked his father into giving him the blessing. Esau got there too late because his father was all out of ‘blessings’. Jacob then ran away and ended up getting tricked and marrying the wrong woman. What a story! Both brothers did things that they shouldn't have, and made bad choices that they couldn't change. Be careful with the choices that you make, you never know how they will change your life later on. So, 46 years ago, plus 2 days but who’s counting, I popped out of my mother’s stomach and right behind me was my sister, Linda. I can relate to Esau somehow. I wonder why? Shabbat Shalom. |
