10 Nov Toldot; Bread as Nourishment
Toldot- Yaakov and Esau
Bread as Nourishment
Inspired by the teachings of HaRav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
In any relationship, it is important to know what physical and spiritual nourishment is necessary
to bring someone to a closer and more elevated state of being with himself, G-d and others. It is further necessary for a person to elevate another so as ‘to be a Light’.
The following versus are from Parshas Toldot where Esau sells his birthright to his brother Yaakov;
Verse 28: Yitzchok loved Eisov because he ate of his trappings, but Rivkah loved Yaakov.
Verse 29: Yaakov was simmering a pottage when Eisov came in from the field, exhausted.
Verse 30: Eisov said to Yaakov, “Please give me a swallow of this red [pottage], for I am exhausted.” He was therefore named Edom [Red].
Verse 31: Yaakov said, “As of this day, sell your birthright to me.”
Verse 32: Eisov said, “Here I am about to die, what [good] is this birthright to me.”
Verse 33: Yaakov said, “Swear to me as of this day.” He swore to him, and sold his birthright to Yaakov.
Verse 34: Yaakov then gave Eisov bread and a pottage of lentils. He [Eisov] ate and drank, got up and left. [Thus] Eisov scorned the birthright.
Embracing the opposing force –
There is a concept that at The End of Days – come The Final Redemption and Mashiach, the forces of Yaakov and Esau will become interincluded as one. This will be as a result of the tremendous power of ‘the Transformation of Esau’ i.e. the tshuva of Esau (as he exists as a spiritual entity), and the ability of Yaakov to elevate the fallen sparks of the Holiness contained within Esau (Edom). The power of the transformation of the Might of Esau will be interincluded and elevated with Yaakov; Yisroel (the individual and as the Nation of Yisroel).
Beyond the pshat (the superficial reading) of the ‘deal for the birthright’ between the brothers, is the issue that Esau only asked for ‘red stuff’, but received from Yaakov the red stuff (stew), plus bread (and wine). Esau received more than he asked for. We will focus on the issue of bread, as it is mentioned specifically in the Torah (wine is mentioned in commentary).
We say that a child cannot have knowledge (daat) until he has eaten bread (wheat).
Bread as wheat, is associated with the Tree of Knowledge (of Good and Evil) of Gan Eden.
The first chet causing Adam and Chava to be cast out from Gan Eden commentaries teach us was done with one of four fruits of the Garden. The 4 fruits the commentaries mention are grapes/wine, wheat, fig, etrog (all 4 may be found referred to as fruits of the Tree of Knowledge). The most common Tikun on the first chet is done with bruchas on grape-wine as Kiddush, and bread from wheat as Moitze, both used as a focus of prayer to repair , elevate and restore Creation to the pristine state of Gan Eden and beyond.
Wheat represents chochma/wisdom, and the leavened bread represents ego/desire. We need both in proper measure to succeed in our mission of repairing the world (tikun olam) and bringing Mashiach. Bread represents physical and spiritual nourishment of all creation (and also represents all 10 sefirot, the building blocks of the Universe).
It is interesting to note that there are 10 malachas (types of Shabbos /Yom Tov prohibitive work) in making challah that are related to the powers of the 10 sefirot. When we make motzei, we place all 10 fingers as conduits of the 10 emanations of the sefirot on the bread for Moitze. In Torah, ’10’ represents completion.
When we look to the future of the blessings that Yaakov allegedly ‘took’ (from Esau), we can see that there is a connection of the brothers culminating as a resolve come The Final Redemption. The birthrights (blessings) passed down by Yitzchak to Yaakov and Esau, then becomes a mutually beneficial and unifying experience of Yaakov and Esau. It is as if the birthright and the taking of the blessing from Yitzchak are ‘held in abeyance’ and become incrementally rectified over a period of time, until the Final Redemption when both brothers attributes are rectified and interincluded as not just two sides of a coin, but become a single unified entity ( even though throughout much of history acting as opposites). The relationship of Yaakov and Esau is one of paradox, continually undergoing stages of evolution and transformation to one day be elevated, rectified and resolved.
Although it has been a long time since Esau and Yaakov were present in body, ‘the spiritual opposing energies’ remain with us as the fuel to ignite the power of resolve as a driving force for the Final Redemption.
When Isaac gives the blessing to Esau, it includes the directive that until Esau ‘feels regret’ (of selling the birthright to Yaakov) he will be unable to be released of the yoke of his brother Yaakov. This process of feeling regret is integral to the process of tshuva for Esau (or any person) who is entrenched in the mundane world. As the Torah says, ‘the older (Esau) shall serve the younger ( Yaakov)’ … This can be understood as Esau as physical and then spiritual vessel to ‘store’ (hold in abeyance) the powerful unrectified sparks of holiness to be rectified, ignited and holy by Yaakov-Yisroel.
The wisdom (chochma) from the wheat of the bread Esau receives from Yaakov helps awaken the regret and thus process of tshuvah for Esau…
The process of transformation begins with the sustenance of wisdom in this understanding the bread, which gives a person the appropriate nourishment in order to have the experience to feel and deal with the regret of his action(s). Esau having received the bread from Yaakov as a ‘bonus’ to the payment of the (only asked for) ‘red stuff’ enabled Esau by way of the influence of wisdom from the bread, to feel regret over selling his birthright. Esau’s awakened regret then marks beginning his very long and ultimately powerful process of ‘the tshuva of Esau ‘.
From Esau comes the Kingdom (force) of Edom (common today known as the Western World).
The spiritual power of ‘Esau’ is a necessary ‘opposing force’ in bringing about the Final Redemption’
The success and rectification of Israel and Her Children as one, for the founding and building of a rectified State of Israel has required Might. Might alone will not bring about the necessary rectification of Israel and Her Children. It will be as a result of the interinclusion and the power of the tshuva of the Might of Esau interincluded with the power Loving Kindness that will bring Yaacov to then fully embody the emanation of Tiferet (beauty, harmony). We should also recognize that ‘Yisroel’ is Yaakov’s other name as given to him by the archangel of Esau during their fight, as Yaakov as Yisroel becomes a rectified Yisroel; Her Land and Her People as a rectified Torah State, where He can dwell and Mashiach can come.
Accordingly, Yaakov is not just feeding Esau lentil stew and bread, but providing nourishment ultimately for ‘Yisroel’, to bring about the interinclusion of the powers of Yaakov and Esau as one…the Final Redemption.
We need both powers of Jacob and Esau… and Jacob as he ( the force of Jacob) nurtures this relationship.
It is said that ‘Esau exists in every Jew’ in the process of bringing the Final Redemption, and waiting to be rectified. King David was an example of this rectification as he was ‘reddish’ like Esau with ‘beautiful’ eyes… he (his inner ‘Jacob and Esau’) was as a rectified as a King. His redness was a rectified redness.
In the End of Days, The Final Redemption, Messianic times depend on the interinclusion of Jacob and Esau as one unified soul as the unification of Klol Yisroel… the Jewish People and the Land of Israel as One.. We can then see how the bread that Yaakov gave Esau affected the events of our history.
When we interact with another person either casually, in business, or with a person who may be in distress; such as addiction, physical or emotional distress or illness, we need to know how we can nourish that person in an appropriate way, and give them the ‘bread’ they need in each unique circumstance, so they may do their Tshuvah… Tikun, to bring about a complete recovery.
Our tachlis (purpose) of being a Light unto Nations and a Light to one another,
is to come to Know what nurturing is needed, that is to say;
…‘to know the ‘bread of nourishment’ that is needed to bring Tikun Olam, The Final Redemption and Mashiach Now.
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling (Hnrs)
www.lawrencelax.com
lawrencejlax@gmail.com