YOUNG ISRAEL OF OAK WOODS
presents
A Sensational Pre-Chanukah Concert
Starring:
A Matriarch's Role
In God's Covenant
NANCY GAD HARF SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
-
W
IN1
SUNDAY, December 13TH 8:00 P.M.
at
Young Israel of Oak Woods
24061 Coolidge Highway, Oak Park
CONCERT TO BENEFIT THE
YOUNG ISRAEL OF OAK WOODS
"NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT"
Admission: CHAI ($18.00) - Afterglow
Tickets available for purchase
at the synagogue office or
call (313) 398-1177
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e often remember
Rebekah only as
the scheming wife
and mother who
helps her younger son, Jacob,
to deceive his father, Isaac,
and steal the blessing of the
firstborn from his older twin,
Esau. This memory does a
disservice to our Matriarch.
This week's Torah portion
Toledot can also give us
another perspective on
Rebekah. It offers us a
wonderful opportunity to ex-
plore the critical role
Rebekah played in preserving
the covenantal relationship
first established between God
and Abraham.
What do we know about
Rebekah? In Chaye Sara, last
week's Torah portion, we
learn that she is beautiful
and that she provides comfort
and, like Sarah, is the
quintessential Jewish wife.
We also learn that she is
strong-willed. She chooses to
leave the home of her family
of origin, without waiting to
mourn the loss of her own
parent, in order to accompany
Abraham's servant to a
foreign land to marry a man
she has never met.
We now learn that Re-
bekah, "a daughter of Beth-
uel the Aramean of Padan-
Aram, sister of Laban the
Aramean," is also a righteous
woman. Again, according to
the Midrash, this verse sug-
gests that, despite being the
daughter and sister of wick-
ed men, raised among a wick-
ed people, Rebekah is
righteous. It is important to
remember that, although
raised in a family of idol wor-
shippers, Rebekah willingly
chooses to leave the home and
to live a righteous life.
Isaac and Rebekah are
faced with infertility until
with God's help, she was able
to conceive. When the chil-
dren she carries "struggled in
her womb," she asked, "If so,
why do I exist?" God's
response is remarkable for
two reasons. First, God
speaks directly to Rebekah —
suggesting that God com-
municated not only with our
heroic male ancestors, but
with our heroines as well. Se-
cond, God explains to
Rebekah His plan for her
children: "Two nations are in
thy womb, and two races shall
Dr. Nancy Gad-Hart is program
coordinator at Temple Israel.
be parted from thy bowels;
and one race shall be firmer
than the other race; and the
elder shall serve the
younger."
The rivalry that began in
the womb continues long
after their birth. As under-
scored by Jacob's coercing
Esau to sell his birthright for
a bowl of stew. The attach-
ment between Isaac and
Esau, however, is strong — so
strong, in fact, that Rebekah
is faced with a serious dilem-
ma. How can she promote
Jacob over his older brother
Esau to become the inheritor
of Abraham's legacy? How
can she facilitate God's
prophecy?
Shabbat Toledot:
Genesis 25:19-28:9
Malachi 1:1-2:7.
Rebekah takes control of
the situation by deceiving
Isaac. "When Isaac was old,
and his eyes were too dim to
see," Isaac . told Esau to
prepare his favorite meal,
after which he would give
Esau the blessing of the first-
born. Overhearing the con-
versation and believing that
Isaac's blessing would have
prophetic power, Rebekah in-
tervenes to ensure that Jacob
would receive the blessing
instead.
Rebekah dresses Jacob's
arms and neck in skins, tell-
ing Jacob to bring the stew to
Isaac in order to convince his
father that he is Esau and
should receive the blessing.
Jacob, however, demurs, fear-
ing that his deception may
bring a curse rather than a
blessing. Rebekah responds,
"upon me thy curse, my son:
only hearken to my voice . . ."
In other words, Rebekah
takes full responsibility for
this ruse. Why? Without her
intervention, Esau would
have been blessed by Isaac
and God's prophecy would not
have come to pass. In fact, she
also eases Isaac's burden by
making it possible for him to
deceive himself and grant the
blessing of the firstborn to his
younger child.
When Esau discovers what
has transpired, he vows to kill
Jacob. Again, Rebekah in-
tervenes. Instructing Jacob to
leave home, she sends him to