Torah Reading for Toldot

29Nations shall serve you and kingdoms shall bow down to you; you shall be a master over your brothers, and your mother's sons shall bow down to you. Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed."

כטיַֽעַבְד֣וּךָ עַמִּ֗ים וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֤וּ (כתיב וישתחו) לְךָ֙ לְאֻמִּ֔ים הֱוֵ֤ה גְבִיר֙ לְאַחֶ֔יךָ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֥וּ לְ֖ךָ בְּנֵ֣י אִמֶּ֑ךָ אֹֽרֲרֶ֣יךָ אָר֔וּר וּמְבָֽרֲכֶ֖יךָ בָּרֽוּךְ:

your mother’s sons.

But Jacob said to Judah, “your father’s sons” because he [Jacob] had sons from many mothers, but here, since he [Isaac] had married only one wife, he said, “your mother’s sons” (Gen. Rabbah 66:4).

בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ.

וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר לִיהוּדָה בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים מִכַּמָּה אִמָּהוֹת, וְכָאן, שֶׁלֹּא נָשָׂא אֶלָּא אִשָּׁה אַחַת, אוֹמֵר בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ (בראשית רבה):

Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed.

But concerning Balaam, Scripture says (Num. 24:9): “Those who bless you shall be blessed, and those who curse you shall be cursed” (Gen. Rabbah ibid.). [The reason for this is that, for] the righteous-their beginning is suffering and their end is tranquillity; and thus, those who curse them and cause them pain precede those who bless them. Isaac therefore mentioned the curse of those who curse before the blessing of those who bless. As for the wicked, however, their beginning is tranquillity, and their end is suffering; Balaam, therefore, mentioned the blessing before the curse. [From Gen. Rabbah 66:4]

אֹֽרֲרֶיךָ אָרוּר וּמְבָֽרֲכֶיךָ בָּרֽוּךְ.

וּבְבִלְעָם הוּא אוֹמֵר מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר? הַצַּדִּיקִים תְּחִלָּתָם יִסּוּרִים וְסוֹפָן שַׁלְוָה וְאוֹרְרֵיהֶם וּמְצָעֲרֵיהֶם קוֹדְמִים לִמְבָרְכֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ יִצְחָק הִקְדִּים קִלְלַת אוֹרְרִים לְבִרְכַת מְבָרְכִים; הָרְשָׁעִים תְּחִלָּתָן שַׁלְוָה וְסוֹפָן יִסּוּרִין, לְפִיכָךְ בִּלְעָם הִקְדִּים בְּרָכָה לִקְלָלָה (בראשית רבה):

33And Isaac shuddered a great shudder, and he said, "Who then is the one who hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate of everything while you had not yet come, and I blessed him? He, too, shall be blessed."

לגוַיֶּֽחֱרַ֨ד יִצְחָ֣ק חֲרָדָה֘ גְּדֹלָ֣ה עַד־מְאֹד֒ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר מִֽי־אֵפ֡וֹא ה֣וּא הַצָּֽד־צַ֩יִד֩ וַיָּ֨בֵא לִ֜י וָֽאֹכַ֥ל מִכֹּ֛ל בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא וָֽאֲבָֽרֲכֵ֑הוּ גַּם־בָּר֖וּךְ יִֽהְיֶֽה:

And Isaac shuddered.

[וַיֶּחרָד is to be explained] as the Targum, וּתְוָה, an expression of bewilderment. According to the Midrash, however, he [actually shuddered because] he saw Gehinnom open beneath him. [From Tanchuma, Vezoth Haberachah 1]

וַיֶּֽחֱרַד.

כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּתְוַהּ, לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ רָאָה גֵּיהִנֹּם פְּתוּחָה מִתַּחְתָּיו:

Who then.

[the word] אֵפוֹא is an expression by itself, which has many usages. Another explanation: אֵפוֹא is a combination of אַיּה [where] and פֹּה [here], [so that מִי אֵפוֹא means]: Who is he and where is he, who hunted game?

מִֽי־אֵפוֹא.

לָשׁוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ עִם כַּמָּה דְבָרִים; אֵיפֹה – אַיֵּה פֹה, מִי הוּא וְאֵיפֹה הוּא הַצָּד צַיִד?

and I ate of everything.

Any flavors I wished to taste, I tasted in it (Gen. Rabbah 67:2).

וָֽאֹכַל מִכֹּל.

מִכָּל טְעָמִים שֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתִּי לִטְעֹם, טָעַמְתִּי בוֹ (בראשית רבה):

He, too, shall be blessed.

That you should not say that had Jacob not deceived his father, he would not have received the blessings. Therefore, he concurred and blessed him intentionally (Gen. Rabbah 67:2).

גַּם־בָּרוּךְ יִֽהְיֶֽה.

שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁרִמָּה יַעֲקֹב לְאָבִיו לֹא נָטַל אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, לְכָךְ הִסְכִּים וּבֵרְכוֹ מִדַּעְתּוֹ (בראשית רבה):

36And he said, "Is it for this reason that he was named Jacob? For he has deceived me twice; he took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing." And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"

לווַיֹּ֡אמֶר הֲכִי֩ קָרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב וַיַּעְקְבֵ֨נִי֙ זֶ֣ה פַעֲמַ֔יִם אֶת־בְּכֹֽרָתִ֣י לָקָ֔ח וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה לָקַ֣ח בִּרְכָתִ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר הֲלֹֽא־אָצַ֥לְתָּ לִּ֖י בְּרָכָֽה:

And he said,“Is it for this reason that he was named Jacob.

הִכִי is an expression denoting the interrogative, as in (below 29:15): ”Is it because (הִכִי) you are my kinsman…?“ Was he named Jacob (יַעִקֹב) because of the future, because he was destined to deceive me (לְעָקְבֵנִי)? Midrash Tanchuma (Buber, Toledoth 23) [asks]: Why did Isaac shudder? He said, ”Perhaps I am guilty of an iniquity, for I have blessed the younger son before the older one, and thus altered the order of the relationship.“ [Thereupon], Esau started crying, ”He has already deceived me twice!“ His father said to him, ”What did he do to you?“ He replied, ”He took my birthright.“ He [Isaac] said,”That is why I was troubled and shuddered, for [I was afraid that] perhaps I [had] transgressed the line of strict justice, [but] now [that I know that] I actually blessed the firstborn, ‘he too shall be blessed’."

הֲכִי קָרָא שְׁמוֹ.

לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ הוּא, כְּמוֹ הֲכִי אָחִי אַתָּה, שֶׁמָּא לְכָךְ נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב עַל שֵׁם סוֹפוֹ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְעָקְבֵנִי? תַּנְחוּמָא. לָמָּה חָרַד יִצְחָק? אָמַר שֶׁמָּא עָוֹן יֵשׁ בִּי שֶׁבֵּרַכְתִּי קָטָן לִפְנֵי גָּדוֹל וְשִׁנִּיתִי סֵדֶר הַיַּחַס, הִתְחִיל עֵשָׂו מְצָעֵק וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי זֶה פַעֲמַיִם, אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו מֶה עָשָׂה לְךָ? אָמַר לוֹ אֶת בְּכֹרָתִי לָקָח, אָמַר בְּכָךְ הָיִיתִי מֵצֵר וְחָרֵד שֶׁמָּא עָבַרְתִּי עַל שׁוּרַת הַדִּין, עַכְשָׁו לַבְּכוֹר בֵּרַכְתִּי, גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה:

for he has deceived me.

Heb. וַיַעְקְבֵנִי. [To be explained] according to the Targum וּכַמַנִי [meaning]: and he lay in wait for me. [The word] וְאָרַב [(Deut. 19:11): “and he lies in wait,”] is translated by the Targum as וּכְמַן Others read in the Targum [not וּכַמַנִי, but] וְחַכְּמַנִי [meaning]: he outwitted me.

וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי.

כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּכְמַנִי – אֲרָבַנִי; וְאָרַב – וּכְמַן. וְיֵשׁ מְתַרְגְּמִין וְחַכְּמַנִי, נִתְחַכֵּם לִי:

reserved.

[אָצַלְתּ] an expression of separation, as in וַיָּאצֶל (“and he separated”) (Num. 11:25). (Other editions read: וַיַּצֵּל (below 31:9). [From Targum Onkelos]

אָצַלְתָּ.

לְשׁוֹן הַפְרָשָׁה כְּמוֹ וַיָּאצֶל:

9So Esau went to Ishmael, and he took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his other wives as a wife.

טוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶת־מָֽחֲלַ֣ת | בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:

the sister of Nebaioth.

Since it says, “the daughter of Ishmael,” do I not know that she was the sister of Nebaioth? But this teaches us that Ishmael died after he had betrothed her to Esau, before her marriage, and her brother Nebaioth gave her hand in marriage. This also teaches us that Jacob was sixty-three years old at that time, for Ishmael was seventy-four years old when Jacob was born. Ishmael was fourteen years older than Isaac, and Isaac was sixty years old when they were born, hence [Ishmael was] seventy-four. He lived one hundred and thirty seven years, as it is stated (above 25:17): “and these are the years of the life of Ishmael,” etc. Consequently, Jacob was sixty-three at Ishmael’s death. We learn from here that he hid for fourteen years in the house of Eber and afterwards went to Haran. [This can be deduced from the fact that] he stayed in Laban’s house before Joseph’s birth only fourteen years, as it is said (below 31:41): “I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your sheep,” and the payment for the sheep took place after Joseph was born, as it is said (below 30:25): “And it came to pass when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, etc.,” and Joseph was thirty years old when he became ruler, and from then until Jacob descended to Egypt were nine years: seven of plenty and two of famine. And Jacob said to Pharaoh (below 47:9): “The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years.” Go forth and figure 14 years before Joseph was born, plus the 30 years of Joseph’s age, plus the 9 years from the time he became ruler until Jacob came. The total is 53. And when he [Jacob] left his father, he was 63, totaling 116. Yet he said [to Pharaoh, “I am] one hundred and thirty years old.” Hence, there are fourteen years missing. Thus, you learn that after he had received the blessings, he hid in the house of Eber for fourteen years. [From Meg. 17:a.] (However, he was not punished [for these fourteen years] because of the merit [of having studied] Torah, for Joseph was separated from his father only twenty-two years, i.e., from age seventeen until age thirty-nine, corresponding to the twenty-two years that Jacob was separated from his father [when] he did not honor him. These are the twenty years in Laban’s house, plus the two years that he spent traveling [home], as it is written (below 33:17): “And he built himself a house, and for his cattle he made booths.” Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory inferred from this verse that he spent eighteen months on the road, for the house was for the rainy season, and the booths were for the summer. And, according to the calculation of the verses, which we calculated above, from the time he left his father until he went down to Egypt, at the age of one hundred and thirty, we find an additional fourteen years, therefore, it is certain that he hid in the house of Eber to learn Torah while on his way to the house of Laban. And because of the merit of the Torah, he was not punished for them [those fourteen years], and Joseph was separated from him for only twenty-two years-measure for measure. The above is from an old Rashi text).

אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת.

מִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהִיא אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת? אֶלָּא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִשֶּׁיְּעָדָהּ לְעֵשָׂו קֹדֶם נִשּׂוּאֶיהָ וְהִשִּׂיאָהּ נְבָיוֹת אָחִיהָ, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב בְּאוֹתוֹ הַפֶּרֶק בֶּן ס"ג שָׁנִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן ע"ד שָׁנִים הָיָה כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד יַעֲקֹב, י"ד שָׁנָה הָיָה גָדוֹל יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִיִּצְחָק, וְיִצְחָק בֶּן ס' שָׁנָה בְּלֶדֶת אוֹתָם הֲרֵי ע"ד, וּשְׁנוֹתָיו הָיוּ קל"ז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְגוֹ', נִמְצָא יַעֲקֹב כְּשֶׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן ס"ג שָׁנִים הָיָה, וְלָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר י"ד שָׁנָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָלַךְ לְחָרָן, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא שָׁהָה בְּבֵית לָבָן לִפְנֵי לֵדָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף אֶלָּא י"ד שָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲבַדְתִּיךָ אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בִּשְׁתֵּי בְנֹתֶיךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים בְּצֹאנֶךָ, וּשְׂכַר הַצֹּאן מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יוֹסֵף הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ'; וְיוֹסֵף בֶּן ל' שָׁנָה הָיָה כְּשֶׁמָּלַךְ, וּמִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁיָּרַד יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם ט' שָׁנִים, ז' שֶׁל שָׂבָע וּב' שֶׁל רָעָב, וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר לְפַרְעֹה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה – צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב י"ד שֶׁלִּפְנֵי לֵדַת יוֹסֵף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שֶׁל יוֹסֵף וְתֵשַׁע מִשֶּׁמָּלַךְ עַד שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב, הֲרֵי נ"ג, וּכְשֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאָבִיו הָיָה בֶּן ס"ג, הֲרֵי קי"ו, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, הֲרֵי חֲסֵרִים י"ד שָׁנִים, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁקִּבֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר י"ד שָׁנִים, אֲבָל לֹא נֶעֱנַשׁ בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה; שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ יוֹסֵף מֵאָבִיו אֶלָּא כ"ב שָׁנָה, דְּהַיְנוּ מִי"ז עַד ל"ט, כְּנֶגֶד כ"ב שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ יַעֲקֹב מֵאָבִיו וְלֹא כִבְּדוֹ, וְהֵם כ' שָׁנִים בְּבֵית לָבָן וּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים שֶׁשָּׁהָה בַדֶּרֶךְ, כְּדִכְתִיב וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכֹּת, וּפֵר' רבותינו זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה מִזֶּה הַפָּסוּק שֶׁשָּׁהָה י"ח חֳדָשִׁים בַּדֶּרֶךְ – דְּבַיִת הֲוָה בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וְסֻכֹּת הֲווּ בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה – וּלְחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַפְּסוּקִים שֶׁחָשַׁבְנוּ לְעֵיל מִשֶּׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאָבִיו עַד שֶׁיָּרַד לְמִצְרַיִם שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן ק"ל שָׁנִים, שֶׁשָּׁם אָנוּ מוֹצְאִים עוֹד י"ד שָׁנִים – אֶלָּא וַדַּאי נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר בַּהֲלִיכָתוֹ לְבֵית לָבָן לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבִשְׁבִיל זְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה לֹא נֶעֱנַשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ יוֹסֵף מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא כ"ב שָׁנָה – מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה – עַד כָּאן בְּרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן:

to his other wives.

He added wickedness upon his wickedness, for he did not divorce the first ones. [From Gen. Rabbah 67:13]

עַל־נָשָׁיו.

הוֹסִיף רִשְׁעָה עַל רִשְׁעָתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא גֵרֵשׁ אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת:

אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת.

10O that there were even one among you that would close the doors [of the Temple] and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain! I have no desire in you, says the Lord of Hosts. Neither will I accept an offering from your hand.

ימִ֚י גַם־בָּכֶם֙ וְיִסְגֹּ֣ר דְּלָתַ֔יִם וְלֹֽא־תָאִ֥ירוּ מִזְבְּחִ֖י חִנָּ֑ם אֵֽין־לִ֨י חֵ֜פֶץ בָּכֶ֗ם אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּמִנְחָ֖ה לֹֽא־אֶרְצֶ֥ה מִיֶּדְכֶֽם:

O that there were even one among you that would close the doors.

If only a good man would arise among you who would close the doors of My sanctuary so as not to allow this abominable sacrifice there.

מי גם בכם ויסגור דלתים.

הלואי ויקום איש טוב בכם שיסגור דלתי מקדשי לבלתי הביא שם קרבן מתועבה הזאת:

and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain.

with fire offerings with which I am not placated, for I have no desire in you. And our Sages expounded in Torath Kohanim (7:154): If a person says to his friend, “Close this door for me,” he does not demand compensation for it; [or if he says,] “Light this candle for me,” he does not request compensation for it. But you - who is there among you who closed My doors, gratis? Neither did you kindle fire on My altar gratis. Surely, things that are customarily done for compensation you did not do gratis. Therefore, I have no desire in you.

ולא תאירו מזבחי חנם.

באישים שאיני מתרצה בהם שהרי אין לי חפץ בכם ורבותינו דרשו בתורת כהנים אדם אומר לחבירו הגף לי את הדלת הזו אין תובע עליה שכר הדליק לי את הנר הזה אין שואל עליה שכר ואתם מי בכם שסגר דלתי חנם ולא הארתם מזבחי חנם ק"ו שלא עשיתם חנם דברים שדרכן לעשותן בשכר לפיכך אין לי חפץ בכם:

11For, from the rising of the sun until its setting, My Name is great among the nations, and everywhere offerings are burnt and offered up to My Name; yea, a pure oblation, for My Name is great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts.

יאכִּ֣י מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֜מֶשׁ וְעַד־מְבוֹא֗וֹ גָּד֚וֹל שְׁמִי֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וּבְכָל־מָק֗וֹם מֻקְטָ֥ר מֻגָּ֛שׁ לִשְׁמִ֖י וּמִנְחָ֣ה טְהוֹרָ֑ה כִּֽי־גָד֚וֹל שְׁמִי֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת:

My Name is great among the nations.

Our Sages stated (Men. 110a): For they call Him the God of the gods. Even one who has an idol knows that He is the God Who is over all of them - and everywhere they donate in My Name. Our Sages, however, explained: These are the Torah scholars who are engaged in the laws of the Temple service everywhere, and likewise, every prayer of Israel that they pray anywhere is to Me as a pure oblation. And so did Jonathan paraphrase: And every time that you do My will, I accept your prayer, and My great Name is sanctified through you, and your prayer is like a pure offering before Me. This is the explanation of the verse: Now why do you profane My Name? Is it not great among the nations? As for Me, My love and My affection are upon you wherever you pray before Me, and even in exile, [offerings are] burnt and offered up to My Name.

גדול שמי בגוים.

אמרו רבותינו דקרו לי' אלהא דאלהיא אפילו מי שיש לו עכו"ם יודע (שיש אלוה) שהוא על כולם ובכל מקום מתנדבים לשמי אף העכו"ם ורבותינו פירשו אלו תלמידי חכמים העוסקים בהלכות עבודה בכל מקום וכן כל תפלות ישראל שמתפללין בכל מקום הרי הן לי כמנחה טהורה וכן תרגם יונתן וכל עידן דאתון עבדין רעותי אני מקבל צלותכון ושמי רבא מתקדש על ידיכון וצלותכן כקרבן דכי קדמי וכן פירש המקרא ולמה אתם מחללין שמי והלא גדול הוא בגוים ואני אהבתי וחיבתי עליכם שבכל מקום שאתם מתפללין לפני ואף בגולה מוקטר ומוגש הוא לשמי:

yea, a pure oblation.

it is to Me, for through you My Name is feared among the nations. Yet you profane Me and My Name.

ומנחה טהורה.

הוא לי כי על ידכם שמי נורא בגוים ואתם מחללין אותי ואת שמי:

Parshat Toldotתּוֹלְדוֹת

First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 25

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

Sixth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 27

Seventh Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 28

Maftir Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 28

Haftarah

Malachi Chapter 1

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 27

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 28

Malachi Chapter 2