41- F0 LIFE!
Even The Outcast
Is Deserving Of Love
MAC (MichigAN JEwish AIDS CoAliTioN)
ANd ThE HERS STUdy,
WAyNE STATE UNIVERSITY
IN SUPPORT of AIDS EdUCATION ANd
Shabbat Toledot: Genesis 25:19-28:9;
Malachi 1:1-2:7.
RESEARCH
RABBI ELIEZER COHEN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T
BENEFIT CONCERT
GREETINqS FROM THE HONORAblE DENNIS ARChER F MAYOR Of DETROIT
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Dubov
MONDAY DECEMBER 2, 1996 • 7:30 p.m,
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Since
..,
-
6700 Highland Rd. (M-59)
1955
t
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his week's Torah portion,
Toledot, contains the well-
known story of Jacob tak-
ing the blessing that his
father, Isaac, had intended for his
older brother, Esau. Besides the
obvious problem of Jacob's deceit
at his mother Rivka's insistence,
we are confronted by a father
who, it seems, is intent on pass-
ing the entire heritage and future
of the Jewish people to the ab-
solutely unsuitable and unwor-
thy son.
What could be in Isaac's mind
to not only bless but actually en-
trust Esau, the crude hunter and
the husband of a Canaanite
woman, the authority and re-
sponsibility to become head of the
household, which is what the
blessing represented.
Actually it seems clear to me
that the blessing was not the spir-
itual blessing to carry on the her-
itage. That blessing, that God
"will give you and your offspring
the blessing of Abraham and to
inherit the land," was reserved
only for Jacob as he left home
(Genesis 27:4) Instead, the bless-
ing that Jacob "stole" was for God
to grant "from the dew of the
heavens and the choicest produce
of the land and the abundance of
grain and wine" and for power
over others (Genesis 27:28-29).
This certainly is a blessing that
the materialistic Esau would ap-
preciate, but clearly the spiritu-
al heritage was to go to Jacob.
Rivka, on the other hand, insist-
ed that Jacob also take the bless-
ing of wealth and power (posSibly
in fulfillment of the prophecy that
"the older serve the younger"
(Genesis 25:34). Rivka knew that
Esau despised the lifestyle, de-
mands and restrictions of the tra-
ditions of the family; she
considered him to be wicked and
thus undeserving of any blessing.
Isaac, I believe, understood
very well what his son Esau was,
and was as heartbroken over
Esau's attitude and marriage as
was Rivka. But, whereas Rivka's
anguish became shame and ha-
tred toward her wicked and in-
corrigible son, Isaac sought to
maintain contact and to demon-
strate his love and hope for his
wayward son.
Esau's one interest and talent,
his hunting, was used by Isaac
as an avenue to praise and show
his appreciation for Esau's en-
(across from Alpine Ski Village)
(810)
889 8989
Hours: Mon. & Thurs. 8:30am-9:00pm
Tues, Wed., Fr. 8:30am-6:00pm
Servce, parts & body shop
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"
CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH JEEP EAGLE
stock vehicles only. Previous sales excluded. All prices include all fac-
Subject
to
lender's
lease
approval.
Lease
tory to dealer incentives. —
payment based on 36 mo. closed end lease. Lessee is responsible for 51650 out of pocket and includes first payment and SO security dep. Add 6% use tax to monthly payment plus
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with 15c per mile excess charge. •All sale prices plus tax, title, doc, dent. & rebates. •Subject to Chryslers College Graduate Program approval. Sale ends 11-23-96
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
Congregation Or Chadash.
deavors. He attempted to chan-
nel Esau's pursuits as an oppor-
tunity for Esau to demonstrate
his love, respect and gratitude to
his father and thus offer Isaac a
reason to bless him. The more it
seemed that Esau would be alien-
ated and drift away, the more
Isaac would pursue every oppor-
tunity to maintain the relation-
ship.
Rabbi Eliezer Cohen
"Isaac loved Esau because of
the provision he provided for his
mouth" (Genesis 25:28) and, C:
therefore, requests that Esau
take up his weapons and bring
provisions "that I love and bring
it to me that I may eat, in order
that I may bless you" (Genesis
27:34). Isaac enables Esau to re-
main close to him, his father, and
showed his appreciation by of-
fering Esau the blessing. And this
love was reciprocated. Not only
did Esau bring the food for his fa-
ther, Esau truly loved and re-
spected Isaac, even if he didn't
conform in other ways.
The verse at the end of the se-
drah is particularly poignant:
"Esau saw that the women of
Canaan (his wives) were bad in
the view of Isaac, his father. And
Esau went to Ishmael to marry
Machlas, the daughter of Ish-
mael, the son of Abraham," (Gen-
esis28:8) Although his mother
Rivka was anguished over his
marriage to Canaanite women,
it is only his father's attitude that
had any meaning for Esau. And
although he kept these wives, he
at least makes an attempt to sat-
isfy his beloved father by taking
the daughter of Ishmael as a wife.
Clearly, being punitive to the
point of alienation with a way-
ward son had no effect upon him—
But to extend oneself, not to con-
done unacceptable behavior, but