Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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More Births

During the time of wheat harvest*, Reuven went out and found some jasmine ("dudaim" in the text) and brought it to his mother Leah.

*Side note: Rashi comments that in telling us that it was the time of the wheat harvest, this is to show the praiseworthiness of the tribal leaders, that rather than take wheat or barley from other people's fields (i.e. stealing), he instead took jasmine which did not belong to anyone.

Rachel asked Leah to give her some of the jasmine which Reuven had brought.

Leah retorted, "You have already taken my husband. You now also want to take the jasmine of my son?" Rachel bargained with her. That night was meant to be Rachel's night to be intimate with Yaakov. Rachel said that she would trade that night with Leah in exchange for the jasmine. Rashi comments that it was because of her being flippant about being intimate with a righteous man that she did not merit to be buried with him.

That evening, when Yaakov returned from the field, Leah approached him and told him that she had paid Rachel with Reuven's jasmine for the privilege of Leah being with Yaakov that night. So they spent the night together.

G-d saw that Leah wanted to find a way to increase the number of tribes, so from that night's union, Yaakov's fifth son was born. Leah named him Issaschar, alluding to G-d giving her reward ("Schar", related to the name Issaschar) for having given her maidservant to Yaakov.

Leah conceived yet again, giving birth to Yaakov's sixth son whom she named Zevulun. This name was an allusion to G-d giving her a "good portion" (according to Rashi זֶבֶד טוֹב is translated in Aramaic to be "a good portion") in that now Yaakov's primary home will be with her since she gave birth to as many sons as all of the other wives combined.

Leah then gave birth to a daughter who she named Dinah, which is related to the word "judgement". This was because Leah judged herself, saying that if the baby turned out to be another boy, Rachel would not end up having as many sons as even any of the handmaids (as there were only twelve tribes). So she prayed for the baby to be a girl so it turned into one.

G-d recalled how Rachel had given over the signs to her sister on her wedding night and how she worried that Yaakov might divorce her because she didn't have any children and she would be married off to Esav. Esav also got this idea in his head when he heard that she hadn't yet had children.

So in recalling all of this, G-d opened Rachel's womb and she boen a son. Rachel declared that G-d had hidden away (אָסַף) her shame. Rashi cites the Midrash (Breishis Rabbah 73:5) which teaches that before a woman has children, she is the only one to blame for her faults. Once she has a child, she can blame the child, for example if someone asks who "broke this dish" or "ate these figs", people can now accuse her child of having done it.

Rachel named her son Yosef, as a way of pleading with G-d to grant her one more ("Yosef" comes from the root of to add, or more) son. Rachel foresaw that there would be only twelve tribes through Yaakov, so her prayer was that this final tribe should come from her.

Yaakov foresaw that Esav would only fall through Rachel's offspring. Rashi cites a midrash (Breishis Rabbah 73:7) regarding a verse in Ovadiah (1:18): “And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble.”. The midrash explains that fire must have a flame to burn anything that is far away. This flame was Yosef, who now that he was born, Yaakov trusted in G-d and wanted to return to Israel.

So right after Yosef was born, Yaakov told Lavan to send him away so he could go to his place and his land.

He requested that Lavan also give permission to Yaakov's wives and children to travel with him as he didn't want to leave without permission.

Lavan was a fortune teller. He replied that through his divination he recognized that he had received a blessing through Yaakov. Before Yaakov got there, Lavan had no sons, as is evidence by him sending out Rachel his daughter out with the sheep. If he had had older sons, he would have sent them instead. And if he had had younger sons, he would have kept Rachel at home to take care of them since Lavan's wife had died.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yaakov's Four Wives

Yaakov loved Rachel and told her father Lavan that he would work for him for seven years to have Rachel, his youngest daughter. Rashi comments that Yaakov specified "Rachel", "his daughter" and "his youngest daughter" so that Lavan would not try to trick him by saying that he meant another Rachel or his other daughter (Leah, who he might then rename to Rachel (and rename Rachel as Leah).

Lavan conceded that it would be better to give her to Yaakov than to another man, so he told Yaakov to stay with him.

So Yaakov did stay, and worked seven years so he could have Rachel. Out of his love for her, these years felt like a few days to him.

After the seven years were over, Yaakov was eighty four years old and thus rushed to asked Lavan to give him his wife so he could procreate with her and beget the twelve tribes.

Lavan brought everyone together and made a feast. That evening, Lavan summoned Leah and gave her his maidservant, who was named Zilpah to be Leah's maidservant.

In order to avoid embarrassing her sister, Rachel gave Leah the signs that Yaakov had given to Rachel, so that night, Yaakov did not realize he had married the wrong sister.

The next day, however, Yaakov saw what had happened and he demanded Lavan tell him why he had deceived him.

Lavan replied that it was not the custom in their area to marry off the younger daughter before the eldest. He assured Yaakov that after seven days of being married to Leah, Yaakov will work for Lavan for another seven years after which he will be granted Rachel as well.

So it was that seven days after the wedding of Yaakov and Leah, Lavan gave Rachel to him for a wife. Lavan gave his maidservant Bilhah to be a maidservant for Rachel.

Although Lavan was deceitful regarding the first seven years, this did not deter Yaakov from working for the next seven years in a faithful manner.

Yaakov was with Rachel and loved her more than Leah.

G-d saw that Yaakov hated Leah, so he made her get pregnant, while Rachel remained barren.

Leah bore a son whom she named Reuven, so named as G-d "saw" (Re'eh related to the name Reuven) her affliction and now Yaakov will love her.

And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, "Because the Lord has seen my affliction, for now my husband will love me." Meaning to say, she was appealing to others to see the greatness of her son, who unlike Esav did not sell his birthright to Yosef, yet also did not protest when it was given to Yosef, and even tried to rescue him from the pit.

Leah had another son whom she named Shimon. So named because G-d "heard" (ie. Shama, related to the name Shimon) that she was hated and thus gave her this second son.

She bore yet another son and named him Levi, so named because she said that now Yaakov would be "attached" (Yelavei, related to the name Levi) to her. This was so since she, like all of the matriarchs was a prophetess, and thus foresaw that Yaakov was destined to marry four wives from which the twelve tribes would come, and reasoned that in having three sons, she contributed her share.

Rashi cites a Midrash which describes that G-d sent the angel Gavriel who brought Levi before Him and G-d gave Him this name together with the 23 priestly gifts. This was why he was so named, since Gavriel accompanied him (in hebrew (לִוָּהוּ) with gifts).

Leah gave birth to yet another son, and named him Yehuda, alluding to her thanking ("Hoda'ah" related to the name Yehuda) G-d for giving her more sons than her technical share of the tribes. She stopped bearing after this.

Rachel felt jealous of Leah's good deeds, thinking that if only she had been more righteous, she too would have had the merit of having children. She said that just as Yaakov's father prayed for his mother to bear children, she is demanding that Yaakov give her children, declaring that if not, she is "dead" (Rashi comments that this teaches us that anyone who doesn't have children is as if they are dead).

Yaakov got angry at Rachel and exclaimed "Am I taking the place of G-d who has withheld children from you?" He said that he was not like his father who had no sons when he prayed. Yaakov by contrast did have sons, so it was clear that G-d was withholding children from Rachel, not Yaakov.

Avraham had sons through Hagar, yet he prayed passionately for Sarah, So Rachel now gave her maidservant Bilhah to Yaakov, thinking that that might remove any blockage there might be for her (Rachel) having children.

Yaakov was intimate with Bilhah and she conceived and bore a son.

Rachel named this son Dan, saying that G-d had "judged" her (the name Dan means "judge") and listened to her voice.

Bilhah then bore a second son. This one, Rachel named Naftali, alluding to how she was joined to her sister with "divine bonds" (in Hebrew נַפְתּוּלֵי, related to the name Naftali). Rashi cites Menachem ben Saruk who describes this to mean that Rachel now had joined her sister in meriting children with ties to G-d. However, Rashi says that he understands the allusion to be to "stubborn and twisted" (וּפְתַלְתֹּל), meaning that with torturous pleas, she stubbornly prayed to G-d to be equal to Leah. Rashi cites Onkelos, saying that the word Naftali is related to prayer (תְּפִלָּה).

And Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.

And Rachel said, "[With] divine bonds I have been joined to my sister; I have also prevailed"; so she named him Naftali.

When Leah realized that she was no longer bearing children, she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Yaakov.

Ziplah bore Yaakov a son. Zilpah was the youngest of Yaakov's wives, so her pregnancy was not noticeable. This was part of Lavan's deception, as it was customary to give the older maidservant to the older daughter and the younger maidservant to the older daughter, but Lavan reversed it.

Leah named Ziplah's son "Gad", alluding to how good "luck" (related to the name Gad) had come. Rashi cites another explanation that the name is related to the word בָּגָד which means "traitor", implying that Yaakov betrayed Leah by being with her maidservant.

Ziplah bore another son through Yaakov whom Leah named Asher, alluding to the good fortune (related to the word/name "asher") that other women recognized.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yaakov Meets Rachel

Right after Yaakov received assurance from G-d that he would be protected, he became light on his feet in joy and traveled to the land of the people of the East.

On his way, he came across a well in a field that was covered with a huge rock. Next to the well lay three flocks of sheep that would be nourished by the water from the well.

The sheep would gather around the well and roll off the large rock so they could drink and then return it to its place after.

Yaakov asked them where they were from and they replied that they were from Charan.

Yaakov asked them if they knew Lavan the son of Nachor and they replied that they did.

Yaakov asked how he was doing and they told him that things were going well for him and that his daughter Rachel was about to arrive with the sheep.

Since Yaakov saw the sheep lying down, he thought that the shepherds wanted to gather the livestock and return home. He urged them to to stay and water the sheep and go pasture as it was still early in the day. Rashi elaborates that what is meant by this is that if they had been hired for the day, the day's work was not yet over. And that if they worked for themselves (i.e. if the animals were theirs), it is still not time to return home.

The shepherds replied that they could not water their flocks until they all gathered there so as to be able to roll the big stone off of the well.

In the middle of Yaakov's conversation with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep.

Upon seeing Rachel (who scripture points out here is the daughter of Lavan, the brother of Yaakov's mother Rivka), Yaakov demonstrated his great strength, like one removing a stopper from a bottle and approached the well and rolled the rock off of it and watered her sheep.

Yaakov kissed Rachel and cried aloud, because he foresaw that Rachel would not die with him. Or alternatively, he cried because he did have any jewelry to give to her as Eliezer gave to Rivka's family. Rashi cites a Midrash which explains that the reason why Yaakov had nothing with him is because Esav had instructed his son Eliphaz to chase Yaakov to his death. Eliphaz caught Yaakov however since he was raised by Yaakov, he refrained from killing Yaakov, but asked Yaakov what he should do regarding his father's orders. Yaakov told him to take all of his possessions since a poor person is thought of as dead.

Yaakov told Rachel that he was related to her father. The Midrash says that he was hinting here - saying that if Lavan were to deceive him, he could deceive back, being his "brother", yet if Lavan were honest, he too could be honest back, as he is Rivka (Lavan's sister)'s son.

Rachel's mother had passed away, so she ran to tell her father about who she had met.

Upon hearing about Yaakov, Lavan, thinking that Yaakov had a lot of money on him (as Eliezer had had ten camels loaded with riches) ran towards him. When he didn't see any riches, he hugged Yaakov, thinking that perhaps he was keeping golden coins near his chest. When he still found nothing, he kissed him, thinking that maybe Yaakov was keeping pearls in his mouth.

Lavan invited Yaakov in and Yaakov told Lavan about how he was only there because he was compelled to run away from Esav, who's family had robbed him of everything he had.

Lavan relented that although Yaakov did not have anything of value on him, he was indeed family, so he would let him stay for a month's time.

Lavan then asked Yaakov what he charged to work and said that just because he was family, he shouldn't work for free.

Lavan had two daughters: Leah (the eldest) and Rachel (the youngest).

People would say that Lavan's eldest would be married off to Yitzchak's eldest (Esav) and the youngest to the youngest (Yaakov).

So destined to be married off to Esav, Leah would cry which made her eyes sensitive.

Rachel on the other hand, had beautifully shaped face and complexion.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yaakov and the Ladder

Yitzchak did not approve of the daughters of Canaan, so Esav went to Ishmael. Yaakov however, left Be'er Sheva to go to Charan. Rashi points out that scripture makes note of Yaakov leaving Be'er Sheva (and not only where he traveled to) to indicate that when a righteous person resides within a city, he is the beauty, splendor and majesty of the city. When he leaves a city, these attributes depart with him.

Yaakov arrived at Mount Moriah and although it was not it's usual time to, the sun set, so that he would stay there overnight.

During the entire fourteen years that he stayed at the house of Ever, he never once lay down to rest. Here he finally did. Yaakov set up stones in a circle around his head and the stones fought with one another over which of them would have the righteous Yaakov lay his head on. So G-d merged them into one stone in the form of a drainpipe (which is sealed on three sides and open on the fourth - so too Yaakov set up the stones to surround him on three sides (to the left of his head, above his head and to the right of his head) and his body extended out from the open side.

Yaakov dreamt of angels of G-d going up and down a ladder which was on the ground reaching up to heaven. First, there were angels going up the ladder. These were the angels who had escorted Yaakov within Israel, as these angels do not leave the Land of Israel. This was followed by other angels coming down. These were the angels outside of Israel who came down to escort him.

G-d stood over Yaakov to guard him and folded up the entire Land of Israel underneath him. He told him that He is the G-d of Avraham and Yitzchak* and that He would give the land he was lying on to his progeny. In folding up the land underneath him, He was demonstrating how easy it would be for his children to conquer it.

*Side note: Usually scripture only refers to G-d as being the G-d of someone (i.e Avraham, Yitzchak etc) after that person's passing, as while they are still alive, even if they are entirely righteous, they still have an evil inclination. During this time of Yaakov's dream, Yitzchak was still alive, however his eyes had become dim and he didn't leave his house, so the midrash says that he was like a dead person in that he no longer had an evil inclination.

G-d goes on to tell Yaakov that his progeny will be "as the dust of the earth" and that he will increase in strength in all four corners of the earth and that all the families around the world will be blessed through his progeny.

Yaakov was scared of Esav and Lavan, so G-d now promised him that He would guard him wherever he went and that He would bring him back to this Land and will not forsake him until He fulfilled what He promised to Avraham and Yitzchak specifically through him. Thus clarifying to Yaakov that it was to him, and not the other descendants of Avraham and Yitzchak that G-d's promise would be fulfilled.

Yaakov woke up and declared that G-d was in that place and he hadn't known it. Implying that if he had known that the place was so holy, he wouldn't have slept there.

Yaakov was scared and exclaimed that the place was very awesome and that it was none other than the "house of G-d" and the "gate of heaven"(implying that this was a place where prayers reach the heavens since the heavenly Temple is opposite the earthly Temple) .

Rashi cites Rabbi Eleazer who cited Rabbi Yosi ben Zimra that the middle of the incline of the ladder faced the Temple. Rashi explains this as such:

The bottom of the ladder was rooted in Be'er Sheva, which was located in the southern part of the territory of Yehudah. Jerusalem was in the most northern part of Yehudah's territory, right at the border of Binyamin's territory. Beth-El, which was up to where the ladder reached, was in the most northern part of Binyamin's territory, right at the border of the territory of Ephraim and Menashe. Thus the middle of the ladder (not at the midpoint though, but rather closer to the top) faced the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

This explains why it is taught in Chullin 91b that G-d indicated that Yaakov came to the Temple Mount here, in saying that "this righteous man" (i.e. Yaakov) came to G-d's "inn" (i.e the Temple) and should thus spend the night.

Rashi also cites Pesachim 88a where it is taught that this also explains why Yaakov referred to Beth El as Jerusalem though it was actually Luz. This is became Mount Moriah was uprooted from its place at this time and came there for Yaakov's sake. One might then wonder why G-d didn't make him stop when Yaakov passed by Mount Moriah on his way to Charan. This is because at that time, Yaakov didn't have the intention to pray there as the dream he had only came later, so G-d didn't stop his travels. Once he had this dream in Charan, he then wanted to go back and pray at Mount Moriah where his ancestors had prayed and got as far as Beth El when G-d contracted the entire land underneath him.

Yaakov woke up early and took the stone he had placed around his head and set it up as a memorial and poured oil over it. Although the original name of this city was Luz, Yaakov named it Beth El.

Yaakov made a vow that if G-d would keep the promises that He made to him*, then the stone which he had set up as a memorial will be a house of G-d and that He would tithe everything G-d gives him, to Him.

*Side note: The promises being that: G-d would be with him, guard him in his travels and give him food to eat and clothes to wear, so that he will be able to return to his father's home, without having sinned by learning from the ways of Lavan and that G-d's name will be upon him eternally, meaning that none of his progeny will be disqualified from G-d's covenant.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yitzchak Leaves and Esav Gets Married Again

So Yitzchak sent Yaakov away to Lavan, Rivka’s brother, in Padan Aram.

When Esav noticed that Yitzchak had blessed Yaakov and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman and that he had sent him away to find a wife in Padan Aram and that Yaakov did so, Esav also went to Yishmael, to find a wife from Avraham’s family.

Esav married Yishmael’s daughter Mahalath, in addition to the wives he already had. In not divorcing his other wives, he added “wickedness upon wickedness” in the sense that he sinned in marrying them, and now sinned again in marrying Mahalath (a Canaanite woman).

Yishmael died at the age of 137 before they got married, so Mahalath’s brother Nevaiot gave her hand in marriage. Yaakov was 63 years old at this time.

Rashi now goes into a breakdown of Yaakov’s life, and explains how and why Yosef was separated from him for 22 years (between the ages of 17-39), corresponding to 22 years out of Yaakov’s life where he didn’t respect his father (since he was separated from him).

These 22 years which were counted as Yaakov being separated from his father were: The 20 years + 6 months of him living in Lavan’s home, plus the 18 months he spent on the road back to his father.

On his way to Lavan, Yaakov spent 14 years hiding in the house of Ever, however he wasn’t punished for this (i.e these weren’t counted in the years of him being separated from Yitzchak to have corresponding years of being separate from Yosef) in the merit of the Torah study he did at that time.

Here is the full breakdown of the years:

Yitzchak was 60 years old when Yaakov and Esav were born. Yishmael was 14 years older than Yitzchak, making him 74 years old at the time.

As mentioned above, Yaakov left his father’s home at the age of 63 (when Esav married Mahalath).

He then hid for 14 years in the house of Ever and then went to Lavan’s house in Charan.

He stayed in Lavan’s house for 20 years (14 before Yosef was born and then 6 more for the sheep).

Yosef became the ruler of Egypt at the age of 30, and 9 years later (7 years of plenty and 2 years of famine), Yaakov descended to Egypt.

So in total this is: 63+14+14+39 = 130 years, which is the total number of years Yaakov told Pharaoh were his years of sojourning.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yaakov's Blessings

Yitzchak gave the following blessing to Yaakov:

That G-d will give and give to him repeatedly, the "dew of the heavens", "the fatness of the earth" and an abundance of grain and wine.

Nevertheless, G-d will treat him with justice - only giving these things to him if he is deserving but not if he is not. This is in contrast to Esav to whom G-d will give regardless of merit. Rashi explains that this is because Jews essentially have faith and thus will not complain to G-d regarding Divine decrees, while gentiles do not, and thus need to be given things freely so as not to complain to G-d.

Yitzchak goes on to say that nations will serve Yaakov and kingdoms will bow down to him. He will be a master over his brothers and his mother's sons* will bow down to him. Those who curse him will be cursed and those who bless him will be blessed. Rashi cites the Midrash (Breishis Rabbah 66:4) which contrasts this with the blessing given by Bilam (see Bamidbar 24:9) where he states that those who bless them will be blessed and those who curse them shall be cursed. The midrash explains that the order is reversed here since the righteous experience suffering first, and then in the end experience peace, whereas for the wicked, the order is reversed. *Side note: I.e. because Yitzchak only married one wife. This is in contrast to the blessing Yaakov gave to Yehuda regarding his "father's sons". This is because Yaakov had sons from many mothers while Yitzchak only married one wife.

Yitzchak finished blessing Yaakov, and just as Yaakov was leaving, Esav had arrived back from his hunt.

Esav, as Yaakov did, made good tasting foods for his father and brought them to him and said "Let my father arise" in order to eat his game so that Yitzchak's soul would bless him.

Yitzchak asked him who he was, and Esav replied that he was his son, his firstborn, Esav.

Yitzchak shuddered in bewilderment. According to the Midrash (Tanchuma, Vezoth Haberacha 1), he shuddered because he saw Gehinom open beneath him.

Yitzchak asked who it was who had hunted game and brought it to him and where is he? He tells Esav that he already ate and tasted any flavor he wished to taste in that food.

Yitzchak then concedes that he too (i.e Yaakov) should be blessed. Rashi comments that this illustrates that Yaakov would still have received the blessings even if he hadn't deceived Yitzchak.

Upon hearing all of this, Esav cried out to Yitzchak to bless him as well.

Yitzchak replied that Yaakov cleverly took Esav's blessing.

Yitzchak was concerned that perhaps he was guiltly of sin for having altered the order of blessings in blessing the younger son before the older one.

Esav began crying, saying that perhaps this is why Yaakov was so named - for deceiving Esav twice. Yitzchak asked him what Yaakov had done to him, and Esav said that Yaakov took Esav's birthright. This gave solace to Yaakov for now he knew that he had indeed blessed the firstborn.

Esav asked Yitzchak if he did not set aside a blessing for him?

Yitzchak replied that he had made Yaakov a master over him (Esav) and gave him all of his brothers as servants. Although this was the seventh blessing given to Yaakov, Yitzchak lists it first here to communicate to Esav the futility of any blessing he might get, in so far that any property he acquires will belong to Yaakov, as whatever a slave obtains, belongs to his master.

Yitzchak tells him that he also blessed Yaakov that he would be supported with corn and wine. So what can he do for Esav?

Esav raised his voiced and cried, pleading with his father to bless him as well, asking did Yitchak only have one blessing?

So Yitzchak tells Esav that he will live in the "fat places of the earth"* and the dew of the heaven. *Side note: According to the gemara (Megillah 6b), this is a reference to a city in southern Italy which was referred to as "Great Greece" in Roman, as it was mostly taken over by the Greeks during the time of the First Temple and controlled by them for about three centuries thereafter.

Yitzchak also tells him that he will live by his sword and serve his brother and when the Jews transgress the Torah, Esav will grieve over the blessings that Yaakov took.

Esav hated Yaakov because of the blessings he got from Yitzchak. Esav plotted to kill Yaakov, but wanted to wait until Yitzchak passed away so as not cause pain to Yitzchak. So he wished for his father to die soon.

Rivka found out about Esav's plot through Divine Inspiration and sent for Yaakov and told him about Esav's plot. Rivka told Yaakov that Esav is reconsidering his brotherly relationship with Yaakov and wishes to kill him. The wording in scripture here for "reconsider" is מִתְנַחֵם, which is also an expression of consolation. According to the Midrash (Breishis Rabbah 67:9), Rivka told Yaakov that in Esav's eyes Yaakov was already dead and thus Esav had already drunk a cup of consolation (which is typically drunk at a mourner's house) over Yaakov. Or more simply, in killing Yaakov, Esav would feel consoled over losing the blessing.

So Rivka tells Yaakov to run away to her brother Lavan in Charan for a few days, until Esav's anger abated. Once Esav is no longer angry and no longer remembers what Yaakov did to him, Rivka will send for him.

Rivka declares that she does not want to mourn both of them on the same day, in the sense that if Esav tried to kill Yaakov and Yaakov kills Esav, Esav's sons will in turn kill Yaakov. Rashi also points out that this was a prophecy on Rivka's part regarding the fact that she would mourn for them on the same day - see Sotah 13a where it is explained that although they didn't actually die on the same day, Esav died in a fight at Yaakov's burial where he tried to prevent Yaakov from being buired in Ma'arat HaMachpelah with Avraham and Yitzchak. Thus they were buried on the same day.

Rivka told Yitzchak that she was disgusted with her life due to the daughters of Cheth and felt that her life would be useless if Yaakov got married to a girl from Cheth.

Yitzchak called for Yaakov and blessed him. He also commanded him not to marry a woman from Canaan. Rather he should go to Rivka's father (Bethuel)'s house in Padam Aram, and take one of Lavan (Rivka's brother)'s daugheters as a wife.

Yitzchak blessed Yaakov that G-d will make him fruitful and multiplied and that he will become an "assembly of peoples" and that the blessings that were given to Avraham* be fulfilled through him. *Side note: Namely that the nations of the world would bless themselves through his seed and that he inherit the land which G-d gave to Avraham.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yitzchak Leaves and Esav Gets Married Again

So Yitzchak sent Yaakov away to Lavan, Rivka's brother, in Padan Aram.

When Esav noticed that Yitzchak had blessed Yaakov and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman and that he had sent him away to find a wife in Padan Aram and that Yaakov did so, Esav also went to Yishmael, to find a wife from Avraham's family.

Esav married Yishmael's daughter Mahalath, in addition to the wives he already had. In not divorcing his other wives, he added "wickedness upon wickedness" in the sense that he sinned in marrying them, and now sinned again in marrying Mahalath (a Canaanite woman).

Yishmael died at the age of 137 before they got married, so Mahalath's brother Nevaiot gave her hand in marriage. Yaakov was 63 years old at this time.

Rashi now goes into a breakdown of Yaakov's life, and explains how and why Yosef was separated from him for 22 years (between the ages of 17-39), corresponding to 22 years out of Yaakov's life where he didn't respect his father (since he was separated from him).

These 22 years which were counted as Yaakov being separated from his father were: The 20 years + 6 months of him living in Lavan's home, plus the 18 months he spent on the road back to his father.

On his way to Lavan, Yaakov spent 14 years hiding in the house of Ever, however he wasn't punished for this (i.e these weren't counted in the years of him being separated from Yitzchak to have corresponding years of being separate from Yosef) in the merit of the Torah study he did at that time.

Here is the full breakdown of the years:

Yitzchak was 60 years old when Yaakov and Esav were born. Yishmael was 14 years older than Yitzchak, making him 74 years old at the time.

As mentioned above, Yaakov left his father's home at the age of 63 (when Esav married Mahalath).

He then hid for 14 years in the house of Ever and then went to Lavan's house in Charan.

He stayed in Lavan's house for 20 years (14 before Yosef was born and then 6 more for the sheep).

Yosef became the ruler of Egypt at the age of 30, and 9 years later (7 years of plenty and 2 years of famine), Yaakov descended to Egypt.

So in total this is: 63+14+14+39 = 130 years, which is the total number of years Yaakov told Pharaoh were his years of sojourning.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Peace Treaty. Yitzchak's Blessing.

Peace Treaty

So Avimelech made a feast for them and they ate and drank.

They woke up early in the morning and made an oath to one another and Yitzchak escorted them, and they left him in peace.

That day, Yitzchak's servants approached him and told him that they had found water in a well that they had dug.

Yitzchak named this well "Shiva" on account of the oath that he had made (Shevuah means "oath" in Hebrew). To this day, that city is named Be'er Sheva.

Yitzchak's Blessing

Esav was compared to a pig, who pretends to be a kosher animal when it lies down and stretches out it's (split) hooves for all to see. Similarly, Esvav's chiefs pretended to be honorable, all the while robbing. Throughout his life, he kidnapped wives from their husbands and violated them. Finally, at the age of 40, he decided to marry, as that was the age at which his father married.

So at the age of 40, Esav married Yehudit who was the daughter of Be'eri the Chittite as well as Basmath, the daughter of Elon the Chittite.

Esav's wives were idol worshippers, thus causing much anguish and grief to Yizchak and Rivka.

Yitzchak was old, and his eyes were dim to see. Rashi offers two explanations as to why he vision was impaired:

* Esav's wifes would burn incense to their idols, and the resultant smoke irritated Yitzchak's eyes.

* When Avraham was about to slaughter Yitzchak on the altar, the heavens opened and the ministering angels saw and wept and their tears fell onto Yitzchak's eyes.

At that time, Yitzchak called out to Esav, "My son" to which Esav replied, "Here I am."

According to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah, as a person approaches the age at which their parents died, five years before and five years after that age they should become worried.

Sarah, Yitzchak's mother died at the age of 127 and at this time Yitzchak was 123 years old, so he started to become concerned and thus told Esav that he did not know when he would die - would it be at the age his mother died? Or at the age that his father died?

Therefore, Yitzchak told Esav, he is asking him to sharpen his sword and bow and go out hunting for Yitzchak. Yitzchak told him to sharpen his sword so that Esav would slaughter the animal in accordance with Jewish law, and not be fed an neveila (an animal which was killed not in accordance with Jewish law). Yitzchak also specified that the animal Esav hunts must be ownerless and not stolen.

Esav is then to prepare the type of food that Yitzchak likes for him and bring it to him, Yitzchak's soul will then be able to bless Esav before Yitzchak dies.

Rivka overheard all of this, and Esav went out to hunt. If he would be unable to find ownerless game, Esav had in mind that he would bring meat from stolen animals.

Rivka told her son Yaakov what she overheard, about Yitzhak telling Esav to go out hunting and that he will then bless him with G-d's consent. She commands Yaakov to take two choice kids* from the flock and says that she will prepare food from them that Yitzchak likes** and then Yaakov is to bring these to his father Yitzchak to eat so that Yitzchak will bless him before he dies. *Side note: Rashi clarifies that these were not stolen, but rather were considered Rivka's, as Yitzchak had stipulated in the marriage contract he had written for her that she may take two kids each day. Only one of these kids was used for Yitzchak's meal here. The other was sacrificed as a Paschal offering. **Side note: According to Rashi, the taste of kid is like the taste of deer.

Yaakov protests that Esav is hairy, while he, Yaakov is not, and if Yitzchak touches him, he will view him as a deceiver and thus bring upon himself a curse rather than a blessing.

Rivka reassures him that his curse would be on her, and he need only listen to her and get the kids. So he did as his mother told him and brought the kids to Rivka and Rivka made good tasting food the way Yitzchak liked it. Rivka then dressed up Yaakov in Esav's clean* clothing.*Side note: Alternatively, instead of being understood as being "clean" clothing, these were garments that Esav had coveted from Nimrod.

Rashi explains that the reason Rivka had access to Esav's clothing in spite of Esav having many wives, is because Esav was aware of his wive's actions and was suspicious of them.

Rivka put the hides onto Yaakov's hands and neck and gave Yaakov the food she had prepared.

Yaakov approached his father and said "My father!" Yitzchak replied, "Here I am. Who are you my son?"

Yaakov replied "I am Esav your firstborn". Rashi points out that Yaakov technically didn't lie here, in that he was saying "I am the one bringing you your food" and that "Esav (is) your firstborn".

Yaakov continued, saying that he had done what Yitzchak had asked him to do. Rashi comments that Yaakov was alluding here to having done many things that his father had asked him to do.

Yaakov tells his father to please rise and come sit at the table to eat his game so that Yitzchak's soul will bless him.

Yitzchak asks Yaakov how he was able to obtain the game so quickly, and Yaakov replies that G-d, Yaakov's G-d, had prepared it for him.

At the mention of G-d, Yitzchak grew suspicious, as Esav didn't usually mention G-d so frequently. So he tells Yaakov to come closer so that he may feel him and see whether or not he is really his son Esav or not.

So Yaakov gets closer to Yitzchak, and Yitzchak declares that "The voice is the voice of Yaakov*, but the hands are the hands of Esav."*Side note: Alluding to how Yaakov politely asked his father to "please rise", while Esav had a harsher way of speaking, saying things more like "Let my father arise!"

Yitzchak did not recognize Yaakov, since Yaakov's hands were hairy like Esav's and Yitzchak blessed Yaakov.

Yitzchak then asked him, "Are you really my son Esav?" To which Yaakov replied "I am". Rashi points out that Yaakov was careful not to say "I am Esav" but rather just "I am".

Yitzchak asked Yaakov to serve the food to him so that his soul would bless him. So Yaakov served him the food and Yitzchak ate. Yaakov brought Yitzchak wine, and he drank.

Yitzchak asked Yaakov to come closer and kiss him. Yaakov did so, and upon coming closer, Yaakov smelled Yitzchak's clothing and exclaimed that he smelled a field which G-d has blessed. Rashi explains that while washed skin goats (which is what his clothing was made out of) do not smell pleasant, the smell of the Garden of Eden entered into him and G-d made these clothes smell nice. The sages referred to this field which it smelled like as a field of apples.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yitzchak Camps in Beer Sheva

Yitzchak traveled from Rechovot up to Beer Sheva.

That night, G-d appeared to him and told him that He is the G-d of Avraham his father and that he should not fear since He is with him and will bless him and multiply his progeny in the merit of Avraham.

Yitzchak built an altar there and called out to G-d. He pitched his tent and his servants built a well there.

Avimelech, a group of his companions and Avimelech's general Pichol followed Yitzchak from Gerar.

Yitzchak asked them why they had come to see him since they hate him and had told him to leave.

They replied that they saw that G-d was with his father, and they now see that G-d is with him as well so they wanted to establish the same covenant that they had with Avraham with Yitzchak now.

They said that seeing as they did not harm him when they sent him away, they are asking him to return such treatment to them (and not harm them).

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yitzchak's Wealth and the Wells

Yitzchak became great and kept growing greater until he became very great. Rashi cites the Breishis Rabbah which describes how people would say that they would rather have the manure from Yitzchak's mules than the silver and gold of Avimelech.

He had an abundance of sheep and cattle.

The Philistines envied him and filled up all of the wells which Avraham had dug. They did so out of fear of armies invading and being nourished by these wells.

Avimelech told Yitzchak to leave since he had become so much stronger than them.

So Yitzchak left and camped in the valley of Gerar which was far from the city.

He went back and re-dug all of his father's wells which the Philistines had stopped up and renamed them with the names that Avraham had given to them.

In digging in the valley, Yitzchak's servants discovered a well of living waters.

Gerar and Yitzchak's shepherds fought over who's water it was. So Yitzchak called the well Esek, which means "contention".

They dug up another well which was similarly fought over, so Yitzchak named this one Sitnah, which is a word relating to harm, wrong or injury.

Yitzchak moved away and dug another well, which this time no one fought him for. So he named this one Rechovot, which is rooted in the word "wide" or "spacious" alluding to how G-d made space for them and that they are to be fruitful in the Land of Israel.