Midrash: -
the birth right:
The Hebrew word for “birth right” is “bechorah” the
Hebrew word for blessing is “bracha” the gematria for the root stems of each of
these words 222 - two speaks of connecting in righteous relationships – self others and YHVH.
Extract from
the book of Yasher:
26: 17 And the boys grew up to their fifteenth
year, and they came amongst the society of men. Esau was a designing and
deceitful man, and an expert hunter in the field, and Jacob was a man perfect
and wise, dwelling in tents, feeding flocks and learning the instructions of YHVH
and the commands of his father and mother.18 And Isaac and the children of his household dwelt with his father Abraham in the land of Canaan, as YHVH had commanded them.
Note Yasher speaks of the boys coming of
age (barmitzvah) they were considered as adults in the community. We also know
that the first born of the family had the priestly responsibility in the
family, in this case we know that Esav was not interested in the
responsibilities of the birth right – all he wanted was the blessings of the
birth right.
16 And the days that Nimrod reigned upon the people of the land were one hundred and eighty-five years; and Nimrod died by the sword of Esau in shame and contempt, and the seed of Abraham caused his death as he had seen in his dream. End quote.
This is very interesting information (remember that Yasher is quoted twice in our scriptures – Josh 10:13 and 2 Sam 1:18) Here in Yasher we are told that Esav had just come back from killing Nimrod. History tells us that these were two fierce enemies of each other and when Esav eventually killed him, he took his garments because they were priestly garments. This priesthood represented a priesthood that despised the Torah, the covenants and the people of YHVH.
When Esav approached Yakov after this battle, Yakov was busy preparing a “se'udat havra'ah” or a meal of consolation. This remains a custom to this day in the Hebrew community. When someone dies they have a “shiva” that is seven days of mourning (being symbolic of the seven days of creation)
Immediately upon returning from the burial, the mourners partake in a meal called the “se'udat havra'ah”. Meal of consolation. We understand from the sages that this was the death of Avraham. This “shiva” was however not seven days but one year because Avraham was such a revered and honoured man.
The message concerning Esav and his birthright is that Esav was not prepared to identify with the Hebraic way of entering into covenants and studying Torah. Esav’s name comes from the Hebrew word “ashah” which means to complete or be done. In other words Esav did not believe in submitting to a process of character development. He was born with hair all over his body, the sages add that he even had teeth. His motto was “I have it all and I have it now” - end quote.
Our Torah Portion for this week:
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.
Last week we extolled the virtues of the Patriarchs
– they dug wells, built altars and pitched their tents. They opened for us the
wells and ways of the faith.
This week we see that even these great men
displayed a short-sightedness, a lack of discernment …. “ was old and his eyes
were too dim to see” may reveal a lack of spiritual insight.
The Word of YHVH was clear, it was Yakov and not
Esav that was to receive the birth right blessing.
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.”
To add to our accusation of a lack of discernment,
Yitzchak thought he may die before giving the blessing to his first born son.
Yitzchak died several years later. We hear of his death ten chapters later in
the book of Beresheet.
Gen 35:28 And the days of Yitsḥaq were one hundred
and eighty years.
So was Yitzchak really
deceived or he did he really want to give the blessing of the first born to
both brothers ?
The writer to the book of Hebrews seems to have
another perspective on this issue.
Heb 11:20 By belief, Yitsḥaq blessed Yaʽaqoḇ and Ěsaw concerning
that which was to come.
If
you study the history of the descendants of both brothers you will see both
blessing and curses came from their descendants – midrash about Christianity
and Judaism and some of the major leaders that came from these two groups. Both
good and evil has characterized the descendants of both brothers.
Midrashically
we could say that aspects of both these brother appear even in our own lives.
It is important to
note that YHVH hates Esav and loves Yakov.
Rom 9:13 as it has been written, “Yaʽaqoḇ I have loved, but
Ěsaw I have hated.”
We should also note the spirit of Esav will be
completely destroyed in the last days.
Oba 1:18 “And the house of Yaʽaqoḇ shall be a fire, and
the house of Yosĕph a flame, but the house of Ěsaw for stubble. And they shall
burn among them and they shall consume them, so that no survivor is left of the
house of Ěsaw.” For יהוה has spoken.
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.”
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 Yaʽaqoḇ 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 Yaʽaqoḇ 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 Yaʽaqoḇ 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 Yaʽaqoḇ.
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 Yaʽaqoḇ 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 Yaʽaqoḇ,
“Please come near, so that I feel you, my son, whether you truly are my son
Ěsaw or not.”
Gen 27:22 And Yaʽaqoḇ went
near to Yitsḥaq his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the
voice of Yaʽaqoḇ, 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!”
Midrash:
This blessing comprises 26 words (gematria of YHVH) FOR BOTH BROTHERS
– SEE VS 39-40.
The masoretic text makes
a change in the text. (abbreviation “K” is the Aramaic word for “ketiv” this
means “what is written” and “Q” is the Aramaic word for “qere” spelled “kuph
resh yud” as seen in the chumash, this means “what is said”
In the margin of the chumash
you will find the word “qure” for vs 29, for the first time the word “bow” is
used.
The original text would
read “and he shall bow down himself” (veyishtachu) they add another vav to make
the word “veyashtechu u” which means “they shall bow down themselves”
This is a serious
oversight on the sight of the copiers of the Torah, because if left in the
original it conveys the idea that Yakov was someone who willingly prostrated
himself before others, a thought the Jewish translators did not like and
therefore translated it “nations will bow down before you”
We should
come to the conclusion that the kind of blessings YHVH wants to bestow upon us,
will bring the greatest possible humility imaginable.
Isa 46:3 “Listen to Me, O house of Yaʽaqoḇ, 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?
Isa 46:6
“They pour gold out of the bag, and weigh silver on the scale. They hire
a goldsmith, and he makes it a mighty one. They fall down, they also bow
themselves.
Isa 46:7
“They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it and set it in its place,
and it stands – from its place it does not move. Though one cries out to it, it
does not answer, nor save him from his distress.
Isa 46:8
“Remember this, and show yourselves men; turn it back, you
transgressors.
Isa 46:9
“Remember the former events of old, for I am Ěl, and there is no
one else – Elohim, and there is no one like Me,
Isa 46:10
declaring the end from the beginning, and from of old that which has not
yet been done, saying, ‘My counsel does stand, and all My delight I do,’
Isa 46:11
calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from
a distant land. Indeed I have spoken it, I also bring it to pass. I have
planned it, I also do it.
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges of the last
days will be to know for certain who comes from Esav and who comes from Yakov.
Many of us feel certain we may descend or have been grafted into Yakov. The
goal of Christian and Jewish and Moslem leaders is to convince their followers
that they have the true blessing of the birth right. Maybe no one will be fully
certain until the Messiah appears in the clouds when he returns to rule and
reign on earth – Watch the movie “Remember”