WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

In Parshat Toldot the question is often asked as to whether Esau actually fooled his father Isaac into thinking he was worthy of the blessings or was there something deeper at play?

Rashi says that Esau pretended to be religious in asking his father about tithing things that went beyond the requirement. And then there was his legendary "honoring of his father" that the Talmud says went beyond anything achievable by even the greatest of Torah luminaries.

But then there is the approach that Isaac's eyes were wide open and that he had a plan. The blessings he would bestow on Esau were for his mastery of the physical world for the purpose of partnering with his brother Jacob's spiritual role. Alas, his mother knew her own son better and recognized this plan was not realistic so she scuttled his plan.

The truth is, however, that this partnership was enshrined within the "children of Israel" in the form of the Issachar-Zevulun relationship, where the former tribe was the spiritual partner and the latter tribe was the physical provider. 

So we must ask of ourselves: which partner are we? 

Tonight and tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh Kislev and it is one day. 

Sunday morning begins Eastern Daylight Saving Time and we bring back the weekday evening service at 5:30pm Monday through Thursday.

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