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Thursday, November 4, 2010

toldos

ויתרצצו הבנים בקרבה
And the children clashed inside of her. 
The Medrash Rabba says that when Rivka would walk by a yeshiva Yaakov would try to get out. 
The Bais Halaivi asks why would Yaakov want to leave when we know that a Malach teaches babies the whole Torah when they are in the mother's womb? Isn't it better to learn from a malach then go to yeshiva?
R' Maimon Elbaz asks why did Yaakov have to trick Eisav into selling him the Bechora? Why couldn't 'ה just make yaakov come out first?
Similarly, you could ask why couldn't Yitzchok have seen Eisav for what he was, & give the brochos to Yaakov outright?
The posuk says Eisav says to Yaakov,
הלעיטני נא מן האדם האדם הזה
Please pour into me that very red stuff. 
But later on in the Parsha when he brings his father food he just says father, get up, unlike Yaakov who said to his father please get up. Wouldn't it have made more sense for Eisav to say please to his father than to his brother??
Also, why was he asking for red stuff? The stuff was lentils & after they're cooked they're no longer red.
So the Chavas Yaer says that the way you translate נא over here is not please but raw. So what Eisuv was saying was give me that raw red stuff! He couldn't even wait for it to cook before he ate it. We see from here that Eisav's motto was instant gratification - no waiting. He wants it now & with no effort; just pour it down my throat. 
This is the opposite of Yaakov. For this reason R' Elbaz says Yaakov had to buy the Bechora. 'ה wanted to see if Yaakov really wanted it & was willing to sacrifice for it!
This really answers the Bais Halevi's question. The reason Yaakov wanted out even though he was learning with a Malach was because he wanted to do it on his own. He didn't want to be spoon fed by the Malach. 
Same with the Brachos; since he got them by risking his life for them they have much more meaning than just getting them for nothing. He's teaching us that to maximize our lives we have to work hard & not take the easy way out!

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