By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel
CHULA VISTA, California — Philo of Alexandria’s insights is among the most original expositions of Parshat Toledot, this week’s Torah portion. According to him, Isaac is well-aware of Esau’s shortcomings, but he wishes to bless his son so that he might realize his hidden spiritual potential. Bu in the end, as we know, Jacob took his brother’s blessings. Philo saw Jacob’s relationship to Esau as a spiritual mentor.
When Esau complains, Isaac relents.
carried off your blessing.”— One might ask a good question on the text: If Jacob acquired the blessing through deceit, surely this would prove that he was not worthy of the blessings. How can he say, “He shall be blessed…”? Truthfully speaking, not every deceit is necessarily blameworthy.
How could a night-watcher overcome and capture robbers without resorting to deceit? How could armies triumph in battle without using trickery on their enemies, through the ruse of ambushes? Athletes make use of stratagems in virtually every kind of sporting event. In fact, the more of a trickster one is, the more he is praised because they use their intelligence to overcome their fellow competitors. We award such athletes with prizes and wreaths for this reason….
27:36. Esau exclaimed, “He is well named Jacob, is he not! He has supplanted me twice! First he took away my right as firstborn, and now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not saved a blessing for me?” — It is ironic that Esau was the one who was supposed to be skilled in hunting, yet he continuously allows himself to be caught and supplanted by his wily brother—Jacob! Esau never knew how to use his natural skills to his advantage. Jacob, in contrast, hunts without having acquired or formally learned any hunting skills. His knowledge of hunting is clearly intuitive, moved by nature. Ultimately, he brings to father and lets him examine whether the meal meets his approval or not.
Can a Person “Possess” a Blessing?
You say, “he took away my birthright and blessing.” But did he really? Since when does any human being have the right to claim that blessings belong to “me” and not God, who alone is entitled to say, “Mine,” for all things truly belong to God. That is why the Scriptures later teach, “My gifts, my offerings, my firstfruits” (Num. 28:2).
27:38. But Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me too, father!” and Esau wept aloud. — Isaac felt dismayed at the awkwardness of his elder son’s situation. Tragically, Esau had a minimal grasp of good and worthy thoughts, but he consistently made the opposite use of them. He appears like a man who desires a blessing from a man who is beloved of God. Such an attitude is the characteristic of the virtuous man. Yet, Isaac felt grieved and wounded at his son’s many indiscretions that led to him losing his parental blessings Furthermore, Esau asserts that there are different blessings for different types of persons, perfect blessings for the perfect and moderate blessings for the imperfect.
27:39. His father Isaac said in response: … — One might think that his father felt moved by his son’s tears. However, such an explanation is incorrect. The wise man feels pity for all who suffer, but he prays only for those deserving of help. Who are the deserving? They are the unfortunate ones, but this principle does not apply to those who sabotage themselves. Isaac blessed Esau because he saw a man weeping and shedding tears because he desired to repent (or so he believed).
Isaac thought that Esau felt ashamed of his former conduct, as he bewailed his unhappy life. Through his tears, he called upon God as his salvation and so Isaac believed that God would make a special allowance for his tears of repentance—that is why he blessed him. God makes allowances and special dispensation because of His benevolence. The Creator acts indulgently toward all who wish to extricate themselves from their sins.
… “See, far from the fertile earth will be your dwelling; far from the dew of the heavens above!” — Isaac begins with the temporal blessings, which is a contrast to the blessings he had given Jacob (Gen. 27:28). Isaac speaks about earthly concerns that appeal to Esau’s down-to-earth character.
Isaac: Accept Your Brother’s Guidance
27:40. By your sword you will live… — A foolish man’s life is riddled with conflict; it is as though he lives in a state of perpetual warfare. Such a person lives without peace and without friendship. However, the just man lives in a state of harmony and peace. He rejoices in justice, security, and a matter of personal integrity. In contrast, the foolish man feels comfortable living in a state of strife and avarice. His passion is for wrongdoing and overreaching; his wretchedness causes him to experience death even while he is alive; he is the victim of his negative philosophy of life.
… and your brother you will serve… — The foolish man should not be free to pursue a self-destructive lifestyle. It is far better to be under custodial care that will help him manage his life. This is analogous to a ship, whose sailors take orders from their skipper in a time of crisis at sea. The same principle also applies to capable political leaders whose skills help manage the country. Parents likewise do not let their children run wild; they exert authority in raising them to become responsible adults.
Esau fancies himself as a wise person. He says with audacity, “First he took away my right as firstborn, and now he has taken away my blessing” (Gen. 27:36). O fool, they are not “your” blessings; in truth, you were meant to accept your brother’s lordship. If you consent to be the subordinate of the wise one, he will help you get rid of your ignorance and boorishness. These qualities are a plague to the soul; learn to accept admonition and correction with humility.
Isaac said in his prayer, “and your brother you shall serve” (Gen. 27:40). This implies that Esau will eventually accept his wise brother’s guidance some future time—but not now. The time is not ready for this kind of relationship to occur. Presently, he will not put up with your restlessness and agitation. But when you have begun to free yourself from the passions that rule over you—then your relationship with Jacob will change for the better. You originally became a slave by yoking yourself to a chariot of passion, of which foolishness was the driver. Now, you are already a slave to the harshest and insufferable masters within you. These passions will never free you from their grip—that is their modus operandi.
Nevertheless, if you can escape and abandon these forces, a new master who respects human dignity, will give you the freedom you crave; you will never have to serve the masters of old. Moses teaches us a most valuable lesson concerning this point, “You shall not hand over to their master any slaves who have taken refuge with you from their master” (Deut. 23:16).
… but when you become restless, you will throw off his yoke from your neck.” — You may think this blessing is an evil portend, but your present circumstance of servitude did not come to you by chance. If you wish to be free, you must first cast away your pride and obsession for glory. When you give up your arrogance, then you will liberate yourself the passions from imprisoning you. You will always feel enslaved to these arrogant masters until you finally wear your soul out. Until you let go of your arrogance, the wise man will want to have anything to do with you. Sadly, how will you ever expect to be free without the wise man’s considerate guidance?
*
Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista and is the author of a series of books on the biblical commentaries of both Philo and Maimonides.