Parashat 6 Portion 25 – Beresheet/Genesis 27:1-29

Blessing for the Torah:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,

v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,

you have selected us from among all the peoples,

and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

1Co 1:25  For the foolishness of Elohim is wiser than men, and the weakness of Elohim is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26  For look at your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.

1Co 1:27  But Elohim has chosen the foolish matters of the world to put to shame the wise, and Elohim has chosen the weak of the world to put to shame the strong.

1Co 1:28  And Elohim has chosen the low-born of the world and the despised, and the ones that are not, that He might bring to naught the ones that are,

1Co 1:29  so that no flesh should boast in His presence.

Yitzchak was convinced that Esav was YHVH’s choice, he was the popular charismatic leader and the pride and joy of his father. Esav however was not YHVH’s choice.

In fact YHVH hated Esav and loved Yakov.

Rom 9:13  as it has been written, “Ya’aqoḇ I have loved, but Ěsaw I have hated.”

One of the most frightening realities for believers is that we can be completely deceived and not know it.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 17:9  “The heart is crooked above all, and desperately sick – who shall know it?

Matters are complicated when one is confronted with a statement such as:

Yochanan/John 14:6  יהושע (Yahshua) said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

If Esav were alive today, he could well have been a born again believer and leader in the church.

Yoch/Joh 6:44  “No one is able to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. And I shall raise him up in the last day.

Rom 9:15  For He says to Mosheh, “I shall favour whomever I favour, and I shall have compassion on whomever I have compassion.”

Rom 9:16  So, then, it is not of him who is wishing, nor of him who is running, but of Elohim who shows favour.

Our cry should be one of mercy and healing.

Yir/Jer 17:14  Heal me, O יהוה, so that I am healed. Save me, so that I am saved, for You are my praise.

And so our Torah portion begins with Yitzchak who was not discerning matters very well.

Beresheet/Gen 27:1  And it came to be, when Yitsḥaq was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called Ěsaw his elder son and said to him, “My son.” And he answered him, “Here I am.”

Gen 27:2  And he said, “See now, I am old, I do not know the day of my death.

The sages tell us that Yitzchak was around 123 years old at this time. Yitzchak only died when he was 180 years old (Ber/Gen 35:28)

Note his eyes were dim, he had difficulty in seeing. Perhaps we can deduct from this that Yitzchag lacked spiritual vision. He must have known that YHVH had chosen Yakov to receive the blessing of the firstborn but was clearly not willing or able to believe it.

Gen 25:21  And Yitsḥaq prayed to יהוה for his wife, because she was barren. And יהוה answered his prayer, and Riḇqah his wife conceived.

Gen 25:23  And יהוה said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your body. And one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older serve the younger.”

Gen 25:28  And Yitsḥaq loved Ěsaw because he ate of his wild game, but Riḇqah loved Ya’aqoḇ.

In the Torah vs 25 the word for nation “goyim” is misspelled. Instead of “gimmel,vav, yud, mem sufiet” it s spelled “gimmel, yud, yud, mem sufiet” Perhaps the emphasis is that it would be very difficult to distinguish between the two nations which came from Rivkah’s womb. In some ways they may look and act alike but they are completely different.

Back to our Torah portion:

There is much discussion and debate over this issue as to who was guilty and who was not guilty and whether or not Yakov lied or just bent the truth a little to secure the blessing.

The question we need to ask ourselves is was YHVH powerless to intervene -  the answer is of course “He was not” but then how do we understand such actions and interventions by man and the will of YHVH?

I don’t believe anyone can fully explain this dilemma.

However we must at least consider that Yitzchak should have known better. He lacked the spiritual insight and fortitude to carry out YHVH’s will concerning the election of Yakov the one who would receive the blessing.

Now if Yitzhak could miss it big time, how about you and me?

That is why when Yahshua was asked what the most important commandment was – He answered and said. “you must hear…”

Mar 12:28  And one of the scribes coming near, hearing them reasoning together, knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first command of all?”

Mar 12:29  And יהושע answered him, “The first of all the commands is, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ĕl, יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one.

IF WE DON’T HEAR YHVH WE WILL NOT OBEY HIM.

Mar 12:30  ‘And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first command.

Mar 12:31  “And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other command greater than these.”

Mar 12:32  And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one Elohim, and there is no other besides Him.

Mar 12:33  “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the being, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is more than all the burnt offerings and offerings.”

Mar 12:34  And when יהושע saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the reign of Elohim.” And after that no one was bold enough to question Him.

If we don’t hear that He alone is YHVH everything else we hear and see will not be as clear as it should be.

Gen 27:3  “Now then, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt wild game for me.

Gen 27:4  “And make me a tasty dish, such as I love, and bring it to me to eat, in order that my being does bless you before I die.”

Maybe Yitzchak is trying to convince himself that Esav is the right choice for the blessing, after all Esav is the golden boy everyone knows him, he has a following. Yakov is unkown, he studies Torah and looks after sheep, in the eyes of the world he is a nobody; surely YHVH made a mistake, Esav seems the better choice. Esav pleased his father more than Yakov did.

We need to remember that having a meal in ancient times was a covenant symbol and expressed the idea of desiring to be in covenant with one with whom you had a meal. Yitzchak wanted to have a covenant meal with Esav and pass on the covenantal blessing of Avraham to him and not to Yakov.

We are warned to be careful with whom we eat.

1Co 5:11  But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone called ‘a brother,’ if he is one who whores, or greedy of gain, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler – not even to eat with such a one.

Esav grieved his parents because of his lifestyle (26:25). Maybe Yitzchak should have been having a meal with Yakov.

Gen 27:5  And Riḇqah heard when Yitsḥaq spoke to Ěsaw his son. And Ěsaw went to the field to hunt wild game and to bring it.

Gen 27:6  And Riḇqah spoke to Ya’aqoḇ her son, saying, “See, I heard your father speak to Ěsaw your brother, saying,

Gen 27:7  ‘Bring me wild game and make me a tasty dish to eat, and bless you in the presence of יהוה before my death.’

Gen 27:8  “And now my son, listen to my voice according to what I command you.

Gen 27:9  “Please go to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, and I make a tasty dish from them for your father, such as he loves.

Gen 27:10  “And you shall take it to your father, and he shall eat it, so that he might bless you before his death.”

Gen 27:11  And Ya’aqoḇ said to Riḇqah his mother, “See, Ěsaw my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man.

Gen 27:12  “What if my father touches me? Then I shall be like a deceiver in his eyes, and shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

Gen 27:13  But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

Gen 27:14  And he went and fetched them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made a tasty dish, such as his father loved.

Gen 27:15  And Riḇqah took the best garments of her elder son Ěsaw, which were with her in the house, and put them on Ya’aqoḇ her younger son.

Gen 27:16  And she put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.

Gen 27:17  Then she gave the tasty dish and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Ya’aqoḇ.

Gen 27:18  And he went to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

Gen 27:19  And Ya’aqoḇ said to his father, “I am Ěsaw your first-born, I have done as you said to me. Please rise, sit and eat of my wild game, so that your being might bless me.”

Gen 27:20  But Yitsḥaq said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because יהוה your Elohim brought it to me.”

Gen 27:21  Then Yitsḥaq said to Ya’aqoḇ, “Please come near, so that I feel you, my son, whether you truly are my son Ěsaw or not.”

Gen 27:22  And Ya’aqoḇ went near to Yitsḥaq his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Ya’aqoḇ, but the hands are the hands of Ěsaw.”

Gen 27:23  And he did not recognise him, for his hands were hairy like his brother Ěsaw’s hands, and he blessed him.

Gen 27:24  And he said, “Are you truly my son Ěsaw?” And he said, “I am.”

Gen 27:25  And he said, “Bring it near to me, and let me eat of my son’s wild game, so that my being might bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate. And he brought him wine, and he drank.

Gen 27:26  And his father Yitsḥaq said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.”

Gen 27:27  And he came near and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which יהוה has blessed.

Gen 27:28  And Elohim give you of the dew of the heavens, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.

Gen 27:29  Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those cursing you, and blessed be those blessing you!”

This blessing was final and could not be revoked as it contained the essence of the Avrahamic covenant which YHVH had made to Avraham and his seed.

Yakov and his mother have clearly deceived Yitzchak.

So what then are the lessons we can learn from this portion?

1. Sometimes the best thing we can do is nothing.

The Message Version:  –  Rom 12:1 “.. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him”.

Psa 127:1  If יהוה does not build the house, Its builders have laboured in vain. If יהוה does not guard the city, The watchman has stayed awake in vain.

Psa 127:2  In vain do you rise up early, To sit up late, to eat the bread of toil; So He gives His beloved sleep.

2. We can comfort ourselves that all things will eventually work out for the good.

Rom 8:26  And in the same way the Spirit does help in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray, but the Spirit Himself pleads our case for us with groanings unutterable.

Rom 8:27  And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the set-apart ones according to Elohim.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all matters work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Rom 8:29  Because those whom He knew beforehand, He also ordained beforehand to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, for Him to be the first-born among many brothers.

3. We will learn obedience through the things which we suffer.

Heb 5:8  though being a Son, He learned obedience by what He suffered.

4. Our steps are ordered by YHVH.

Tehillim/Psa 37:23  The steps of a man are ordered by יהוה, And He delights in his way.

Psa 37:24  Though he falls, he is not cast down, For יהוה is supporting his hand.

Psa 37:25  I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Or his seed begging bread.

Yeshayahu/Isa 46:3  “Listen to Me, O house of Ya’aqoḇ, and all the remnant of the house of Yisra’ĕl, who are borne from the belly, who are carried from the womb:

Isa 46:4  even to your old age, I am He, and even to grey hairs I carry! I have made and I bear, and I carry and rescue.

Isa 46:5  “To whom do you liken Me, and compare Me and make Me similar, that we should be alike?

5. The reality taught to us in this portion may be the only hope we have of surviving the last days.

Mat 24:22  “And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the sake of the chosen ones those days shall be shortened.

The spirit of Esav has and will still bring great deception upon the earth. We will have to learn to wait upon YHVH and allow Him to bring judgment upon this spirit.

Mat 13:24  Another parable He put before them, saying, “The reign of the heavens has become like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

Mat 13:25  but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went away.

Mat 13:26  “And when the blade sprouted and bore fruit, then the darnel also appeared.

Mat 13:27  “And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? From where then does it have the darnel?’

Mat 13:28  “And he said to them, ‘A man, an enemy did this.’ And the servants said to him, ‘Do you wish then, that we go and gather them up?’

Mat 13:29  “But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the darnel you also uproot the wheat with them.

Mat 13:30  ‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I shall say to the reapers, “First gather the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary.” ’ ”

Remember when tares and wheat have just germinated they are hard to distinguish.

6. We must understand that we have a limited understanding.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THIS PERFECTLY RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

The message of most religions including Christianity is that we can reach our goal and destiny in this life – but can we and do we?

We will make several errors in our lives and if we are wise we will learn from them and end our lives as Yakov did – Limping.

Remember don’t trust anyone who doesn’t walk with a limp.

Yochanan/Joh 12:23  And יהושע answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Aḏam to be esteemed.

Joh 12:24  “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Joh 12:25  “He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life.

“Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, Yahweh giver of the Torah – Ameyn

Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject.