A Story of Betrayal

The prophecy of the word of the L-rd to Israel through Malachi: “I have loved you”, says the L-rd. Yet you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Yaakov's brother? says the L-rd. “Yet, I loved Yaakov.” “And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the serpents of the wilderness.” Whereas Edom says, “We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places.” Thus says the L-rd of hosts, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, ‘the border of wickedness’, and, ‘the people against whom the L-rd has indignation forever.’” And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, “The L-rd will be magnified from the border of Israel.” (Sefer Malachi 1:1-5)

1. The salvation of Bnai Yisrael and the punishment of Edom

The passages above open the haftarah reading for Parshat Toldot. The haftarah is a reading from the prophets that in most instances corresponds with the week’s Torah reading. The haftarah reading for Parshat Toldot is from the navi Malachi. Not much is known about Malachi who may have been the last of the prophets. However, it is evident from his prophecies that he lived during the beginning of the second temple period. He addressed himself to a generation who returned to the Land of Israel after seventy years of exile. They were faced with the challenge of rebuilding a devastated land and reestablishing a vibrant Jewish life in the land of their fathers and ancestors. They faced many challenges and opposition. It is apparent from Malachi’s message that they wondered whether the suffering Jewish people are really favored by Hashem. Malachi’s first recorded prophecy addresses this issue.

Before considering the content of the above passages, it is helpful to take note of the literary style employed by the prophet Malachi. Malachi styled most of his prophecies as a dialogue.   In the above passages the primary participants in this dialogue are the people of Israel and Hashem. Hashem opens the dialogue with an assurance of His love for the Jewish people. The people respond by asking for the evidence of this professed love. Hashem responds. He reminds the people that Yaakov and Esav were brothers. Both were the progeny of Yitzchak. Yet, Hashem chose Yaakov and formed a special relationship with him. Esav was rejected by Hashem.

Hashem explains that Esav’s ancestral home – the Land of Edom is in ruins. Hashem assures Bnai Yisrael that He will never allow Esav’s descendants – the nation of Edom – to rebuild their land. Their efforts will be thwarted and fruitless. In contrast, the Land of Israel will respond to the labors of the returning exiles. It will flourish and be recognized by all nations as a blessed land.

2. The basis of Hashem’s punishment of Edom

Malachi’s prophecy raises many questions. Hashem provides two proofs of His abiding love for the Jewish people. First, He selected Yaakov over Esav. Second, Edom will never rebuild its devastated land. In contrast, the Jewish people will succeed, beyond their imaginations, in rebuilding the Land of Israel. Are these two proofs related? In other words, both Esav’s and Yaakov’s descendants will labor to rebuild their lands. The Jewish people will succeed; Edom –will fail. Are these very different outcomes related to Hashem’s selection of Yaakov over Esav?

RaDaK suggests that these two proofs are closely related. Hashem chose the Jewish people. Because of His selection of the Jewish people He gave them the Land of Israel. It is also because of this bond, that He will not allow the land to remain desolate. Edom – the nation descendant from Esav – does not enjoy this relationship with Hashem. Therefore, its land will be destroyed in response to the nation’s wickedness and it will not be rebuilt.[1] In other words, the relationship between Bnai Yisrael and Hashem assures that the Land of Israel will not remain barren. In contrast, Edom’s land will be destroyed in response to the nation’s wickedness. Because Esav was rejected by Hashem his descendants will never rebuild their land.

Malachi’s prophecy raises a second question. What terrible sin of Edom provoked this terrible punishment? RaDaK explains that Edom betrayed Bnai Yisrael. At the time of the destruction of the first temple and the exile of the Jewish people from the Land of Israel, Edom offered no succor to its brothers. Instead, Esav’s descendants plundered the Land of Israel and enrichced themselves.[2]

And Esav hated Yaakov because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esav said in his heart: Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand; then will I slay my brother Yaakov. (Sefer Bereshiet 27:41)

3. Edom’s betrayal of Bnai Yisrael

RaDak’s comments are interesting. He asserts that Edom’s treatment of Bnai Yisrael was a betrayal.   Betrayal means that a relationship has been violated. In this context, the term betrayal implies that a fraternal relationship exists between Edom and Bnai Yisrael. Edom violated this fraternal relationship in its treatment of Bnai Yisrael

This idea requires closer consideration. Parshat Toldot describes the development of the relationship between Esav and Yaakov. In the closing portion of the parasha, Yaakov disguises himself as Esav. Through this subterfuge, he succeeds in securing the blessing that his father intended for Esav. When Esav discovers that Yaakov has received the blessings that Yitzchak intended for him he is furious. He promises to avenge himself with Yaakov’s life. From Esav’s perspective, Yaakov had sacrificed any claim he had to fraternal loyalty.

Given the hostile relationship between these two estranged brothers, RaDaK’s contention that Edom should have acted compassionately toward Yaakov’s descendants deserves examination.  Apparently, Esav’s anger at Yaakov was improper. Despite all that had occurred between them, their fraternal relationship should have endured.

And these are the generations of Yitzchak, Avraham's son: Avraham begot Yitzchak. And Yitzchak was forty years old when he took Rivkah, the daughter of Betuel the Aramean, of Paddan-aram, the sister of Lavan the Aramean, to be his wife. And Yitzchak entreated Hashem for his wife, because she was barren; and Hashem let Himself be entreated of him, and Rivkah his wife conceived. (Sefer Beresheit 25:19-21)

4. Parshat Toldot’s long opening section

In ordered to understand RaDaK’s position, the opening section of Parshat Toldot must be considered. The opening of the parasha describes the birth of Esav and Yaakov. Esav was the firstborn and his twin Yaakov was born second. After describing the birth of Yitzchak’s and Rivkah’s sons, the Torah explains that these two twins developed into very different individuals. Yaakov lived in the tents. The Sages understand this to mean that he was a scholar. He devoted his time to study in the tent. Esav was a man of the fields. According to the Sages, he enjoyed the thrill of hunting and the confrontation with danger.

The section ends by relating an important interaction between the brothers. Esav returns from the field. He is famished and weak. Yaakov has just prepared a meal. Esav asks Yaakov to share with him the porridge he has prepared. Yaakov responds that he will provide Esav with food in exchange for his firstborn birthright. Esav immediately declares that the birthright is of no value to him and agrees to the bargain. Yaakov is not satisfied with Esav’s verbal agreement and demands that he swear to their agreement. Esav provides Yaakov with the oath he desires and Yaakov gives Esav the porridge for which he bartered and also bread and drink.

It is important to note that the Torah combines all of this material into a single section. The birth of the twin brothers, their development, and the sale of the birthright are all combined into this single section. It is odd that the selling of the birthright is not treated separately and relegated to its own section. What is the Torah communicating by placing all of these events into a single section?

The apparent message is that this material represents a single progression of events. In other words, the birth of Yaakov and Esav set in motion a series of events that were completed with the sale of the birthright by Esav to Yaakov. Another way of expressing this is that although Esav was the first born, the firstborn birthright was intended for Yaakov. Therefore, the story of their birth is only completed with the transfer of the birthright from Esav to Yaakov.

And the children struggled together within her; and she said: If it be so, wherefore do I live? And she went to inquire of Hashem. And Hashem said unto her: Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your midst; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. (Sefer Beresheit 25:22-23)

5. The significance of the prophetic message given to Rivkah

This connection is suggested by an incident briefly described in the above passages from the beginning of the parasha. Rivkah experiences terrible pain during her pregnancy. She seeks an explanation from a prophet. She is told that she carries two sons. The sons are striving with one another within her. They both will emerge as progenitors of great nations. Their nations will compete with one another for superiority. But the elder son’s descendants are destined to serve those of the younger son.

The prophet told Rivkah that both sons would be fathers of great nations. But they would not be equals. One nation would be the senior member of their partnership and the other would answer to his direction. He also revealed that the nation that would develop from the younger son would be the leader in the partnership.

The incident that closes the section – the sale of the firstborn birthright – is the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophet’s message. The younger son acquires the place of the firstborn. Because it completes the prophecy, the sale of the birthright is included in the same section as the birth of the sons.

And Yaakov gave Esav bread and porridge of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. So Esav despised his birthright. (Sefer Bresheit 34)

6. Esav has no remorse for selling his birthright

However, a question remains. Why did Hahsem not just cause Yaakov to be firstborn? In order to answer this question we must consider the above passage. It is the final passage of the initial section of the parasha. It explains that Yaakov gave Esav the porridge for which he had exchanged his birthright. Yaakov also gave Esav bread. Esav ate and drank. The passage ends by stating that Esav arose, departed, and that he disdained the birthright he had sold to his brother.

What is the message of this final phrase? What is the Torah revealing to us by describing Esav’s disdain for the birthright? Rabbaynu Ovadia Sforno comments that the phrase should be understood as describing a series of events. Esav arose and departed; and even after these events he disdained the birthright. According to Sforno, this final phrase communicates an insight into Esav’s attitudes. Sometimes, a person makes a decision and takes action under duress. Later, when the person reconsiders his decision and actions, he regrets his hastily chosen course of action. The Torah is telling us the Esav did not have remorse. He did not value the birthright. He disdained it. Even after his hunger was satisfied and he had the opportunity to reconsider his actions, he felt that he had acted properly. The birthtight did not have value to him and for it he had secured a meal from his brother.[3]^,[4]

7. The selection of destinies

Sforno’s comments provide a response to our question. Why did Hashem not cause Yaakov to be the firstborn son? Why did He cause Esav to be the firstborn? As explained above, Hashem’s plan was for both Esav and Yaakov to be the fathers of great nations. These nations were to be partners. The nation that would descend from Yaakov would be the leader in this partnership.   However, Hashem did not choose to impose this relationship upon the brothers. He did not cause Yaakov to be the firstborn and for Esav to be assigned a secondary role in history merely by virtue of birth order. Instead, He caused Esav to be born first. The relationship between these brothers and their descendants was then determined by the decisions that the brothers made. Yaakov decided that he wished to attain the spiritual legacy that would be entrusted to Yitzchak’s firstborn. Esav decided that this legacy was meaningless and he willingly abandoned it.

In short, this section describes the process through which the basic relationship between the brothers and their descendants was established. The section begins with their birth. However, it ends with the brothers, through their own decisions and actions, deciding the nature of their relationship.

Now, Malachi’s comments are understood. Hashem’s design is for the descendants of Yaakov and the descendants of Esav to have roles in a partnership. Bnai Yisrael are assigned a leadership role but Edom and Bnai Yisrael are to work together for the benefit of humanity. Edom betrayed Bnai Yisrael. Rather than responding to the bond established from birth between their forefather and Yaakov, they reveled in Bnai Yisrael’s destruction and enriched themselves with the plunder of the Land of Israel.

[1] Rabbaynu David Kimchi (Radak), Commentary on Sefer Malachi 1:2.

[2] Rabbaynu David Kimchi (Radak), Commentary on Sefer Malachi 1:4.

[3] Rabbaynu Ovadia Sforno, Commentary on Sefer Beresheit, 25:34.

[4] Much later, when Yitzchak gave to Yaakov the blessings that Esav had expected, he did express remorse. There are a number of explanations for what seems to be a substantial change in Esav’s attitude. These various explanations deserve thorough discussion beyond the scope of this analysis. However, the simplest explanation is that Esav understood the birthright as a claim to Yitzchak’s spiritual legacy. This he did not desire. However, the blessings that Yitzchak gave to Yaakov were related to material success. These were meaningful to Esav and he coveted them.