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Parshat Toldot: Genesis 25:19-
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Malachi 1:1-2:7.
T
he book of Genesis is compel-
ing Abraham and Jacob.
ling and dramatic. It sets out
But to fully become a patriarch,
to teach us who we are as
Isaac needed his own story, and he
Jews and where we came from. In our
needed to be spoken to by God. So
Torah portion, we read a story full of
the Torah includes two theophanies
manipulation and trickery. Yet, these
(appearances by God), in rapid order.
ancient tales are instruc-
In the first, God appears
tive as we discover that our
to Isaac and blesses him
ancestors were not perfect,
with language similar to
that their behavior was, in
that which God used with
fact, human.
Abraham: "I'll multiply your
We often focus on the
seed like the stars of the
rivalry between Jacob and
skies and give to your seed
Esau when examining this
all these lands, and all the
Torah portion, while their
nations of the earth will be
father, Isaac, is overlooked.
blessed through your seed
kit
Though Isaac is listed
because Abraham listened to
Rabbi A rianna
among our patriarchs, he
my voice and kept my com-
Gord on
is constantly overshadowed
mandments ..."
by his brilliant father,
The second time that God
Abraham, and charismatic son, Jacob.
speaks to Isaac, God says, "Don't be
This week's Torah portion gives Isaac
afraid, because I am with you, and I
his own story and his own role.
will bless you and multiply your seed
From the time of Isaac's conception,
on account of Abraham, my servant"
he was recognized as a miracle child,
In each of these conversations, God
one who was brought by God and who
reassures Isaac that he will be blessed
would be protected. Abraham was 100
and reaffirms the Covenant. God is not
years old and Sarah was 90 and they
asking Isaac to make vast changes in
had despaired of having a child when
his life nor to remarkably change the
God sent messengers to inform them of lives of others. In each exchange, God
Isaac's imminent arrival. Though Isaac's supports Isaac, spiritually re-infusing
birth was momentous, we learn more
him and causing Isaac to remember
about God's relationship with Abraham
why he is so devoted to God.
It is this Torah portion in which
and Sarah through this narrative. The
stories of Isaac's early life are all about
Isaac takes his place, between his
how he impacts Abraham, while those
father, Abraham, and his son, Jacob.
from the later years of his life are
God speaks directly to Isaac, making
their relationship personal. It is from
wrapped around Jacob's adventures.
Both Abraham and Jacob faced
these conversations that we are able to
constant struggles on their paths car-
pray saying, "God of Abraham, God of
rying out God's plan. Abraham was
Isaac and God of Jacob:' ❑
tested and forced to move from his
homeland. Jacob was sent out from his Rabbi Arianna Gordon is the director of
education and lifelong learning at Temple
home and wrestled with God. Isaac,
Israel in West Bloomfield.
on the other hand, lived a fairly quiet,
peaceful life.
The Torah tells us that he was a
Conversations
nomad chieftain, with no great anxiet-
• Why does God feel it neces-
ies and no major problems to solve.
sary to reassure Isaac by citing
His father had established his relation-
Abraham's actions?
ship with God. Isaac was born into this
relationship, and from the time of his
• Did Isaac need his own story
in order for us to feel that he is
birth, he understood that there was
fully a partriarch? Would it have
only one God. He did not need to for-
been enough for him to simply
age for this connection; it was handed
be the link between Abraham
to him. He simply needed to pass it on
and Jacob?
to his sons. He is the bridge connect-
WRONG.
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November 15 • 2012
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