Bereshith 25:19 – 28:9
This week, we study the perashá “Toledoth,” “generations.”
This portion begins with the genealogy of Yiṣḥaq Abinu. This is important for the reader, since there were two instances in which his origin could have been placed in doubt—first in Egypt and later in Gerar. Otherwise, there would be no way to prove the authenticity of the people of Israel.
Throughout the centuries, the people of Israel have had to suffer because of their choosiness. Anyone could have said that this nation was cursed or that a mistake had been made. Many have attempted to usurp the identity of ‘Am Israel. First, Catholicism sought to do so when its religion was established in the fourth century C.E. Later, Islam denied Israel’s choosiness in the Qur’án, switching the election of Yiṣḥaq for Ishmael. Centuries later, the Protestant Reformation brought with it the idea of a “Spiritual Israel.”
The Sages say that the lives of the Patriarchs are signs for the lives of their children. Taking this thought as a foundation, we could analyze the lives of Abraham, Yiṣḥaq, and Ya’aqob and compare them with the experience of their descendants—‘Am Israel. First, the Creator, exalted be He, gives a promise to Abraham that includes a Promised Land. When he arrives there, a famine occurs. In this perashá, the same happens with Yiṣḥaq, which leads him to travel to Gerar where he almost loses his wife. Finally, Ya’aqob is forced to flee to Padán Aram because of a rivalry. The question is: Why is life in the Promised Land so difficult for these righteous men? From here we learn that a person’s righteousness does not always protect them from calamities. This helps us understand why the search for work, economic stability, and/or success sometimes slips through our fingers, no matter how faithful we may be to the Eternal.