Toledot

Toledot, Toldot, or Tol'doth (תּוֹלְדֹת — Hebrew for “line” or “story,” the second word and the first distinctive word in the parshah) is the sixth weekly Torah portion ("parshah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0125.htm#19 25:19–28:9.] Jews in the Diaspora read it the sixth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in November or early December.

ummary

Esau and Jacob

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, and when she proved barren, Isaac pleaded with God on her behalf, and God allowed Rebekah to conceive. () Isaac was 60 years old when they were born. () Once when Jacob was cooking, Esau returned to the camp famished and demanded some of Jacob’s red stew. () God told Isaac not to go down to Egypt, but to stay in the land that God would show him, for God would remain with him, bless him, and assign the land to him and his numerous heirs, as God had sworn to Abraham, who had obeyed God and kept God’s commandments. () Isaac explained that he had done so to save his life. () The Philistines stopped up all the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug, and Abimelech sent Isaac away, for his household had become too big. () Isaac moved on and dug a third well, and they did not quarrel over it, so he named it Rehoboth. () And Isaac pitched his tent there and his servants began digging a well. () Isaac threw a feast for the Philistines, and the next morning, they exchanged oaths and the Philistines departed from him in peace. ()

Isaac’s blessing

When Isaac was old and his sight had dimmed, he called Esau and asked him to hunt some game and prepare a dish, so that Isaac might give him his innermost blessing before he died. () But Rebekah called the curse upon herself, insisting that Jacob do as she directed. () Isaac asked him how he had succeeded so quickly, and he said that God had granted him good fortune. () Isaac questioned if it was really Esau, and when Jacob assured him, Isaac asked for the game and Jacob served him the kids and wine. ()Just as Jacob left, Esau returned from the hunt, prepared a dish for Isaac, and asked Isaac for his blessing. () Esau burst into sobbing, and asked Isaac to bless him too, but Isaac answered that Jacob had taken Esau’s blessing with guile. () Esau wept and pressed Isaac to bless him, too, so Isaac blessed him to enjoy the fat of the earth and the dew of heaven, to live by his sword and to serve his brother, but also to break his yoke. () Rebekah told Isaac her disgust with the idea that Jacob might marry a Hittite woman, so Isaac sent for Jacob, blessed him, and instructed him not to take a Canaanite wife, but to go to Padan-aram and the house of Bethuel to take a wife from among Laban’s daughters. ()

In classical rabbinic interpretation

Genesis chapter 25

A Tanna taught in a Baraita that the day recounted in and in connection with the betrothed maiden in that Esau committed a murder. Rabbi Johanan deduced from the similar use of the word “this” in that Esau denied the resurrection of the dead. And for Esau’s fifth sin, Rabbi Johanan cited the report of that Abraham kept the entire Torah even before it was revealed. (Mishnah Kiddushin 4:14; Tosefta Kiddushin 5:21; Babylonian Talmud Kiddushin 82a.)

The Tosefta deduced from the contrast between the plenty indicated in ), for after Abraham died the wells no longer gushed forth water, and the Philistines filled them so that they would not pose a hazard to travelers. But when Isaac came along, the wells gushed water again (as indicated in ), Isaac interpreted that one earns a blessing only through one’s actions, and he arose and sowed, as reported in that Jews need not respond to those who curse or bless them, for the Torah has already decreed the response. (Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 85b.)

Commandments

According to Maimonides and Sefer ha-Chinuch, there are no commandments in the parshah. (Maimonides. "Mishneh Torah". Cairo, Egypt, 1170–1180. Reprinted in Maimonides. "The Commandments: Sefer Ha-Mitzvoth of Maimonides". Translated by Charles B. Chavel, 2 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1967. ISBN 0-900689-71-4. "Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education". Translated by Charles Wengrov, 1:87. 1991. ISBN 0-87306-179-9.)

In the liturgy

The doubling of the Hebrew word "nikhsof" to express intense longing in also appears in the 16th Century Safed Rabbi Eliezer Azikri’s kabbalistic poem "Yedid Nefesh" (“Soul’s Beloved”), which many congregations chant just before the Kabbalat Shabbat prayer service. (Reuven Hammer. "Or Hadash: A Commentary on Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals", 14. New York: The Rabbinical Assembly, 2003. ISBN 0916219208.)

Haftarah

The haftarah for the parshah is:
*for Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardi Jews: Malachi [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2401.htm 1:1–2:7]
*for Karaite Jews: Isaiah [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1065.htm#23 65:23–66:18]

The Weekly Maqam

In the Weekly Maqam, Sephardic Jews each week base the songs of the services on the content of that week's parasha. For Parasha Toledot, Sephardic Jews apply Maqam Mahour, the maqam that portrays emotional instability and anger. This maqam is similar to Maqam Rast in tone. It is appropriate, because in this parasha, Esau portrays these character traits as he lost out on the major blessings.

Further reading

The parshah has parallels or is discussed in these sources:

Biblical

* (numerous as stars); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0122.htm#17 22:17] (numerous as stars).
*Deuteronomy [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0501.htm#10 1:10] (numerous as stars); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0517.htm#16 17:16] (not to go to Egypt).
*Joshua [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0624.htm#4 24:4.]
*Jeremiah [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1142.htm#13 42:13-22] (not to go to Egypt).
*Malachi [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2401.htm 1:2–3.]

Early nonrabbinic

*Josephus. "Antiquities of the Jews" [http://www.interhack.net/projects/library/antiquities-jews/b1c18.html 1:18:1–2, 4–8,] [http://www.interhack.net/projects/library/antiquities-jews/b1c19.html 19:1;] [http://www.interhack.net/projects/library/antiquities-jews/b2c1.html 2:1:1.]
*Romans [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209:6-13%20;&version=31; 9:6–13.]
*Hebrews [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=65&chapter=11&verse=20&version=31&context=verse 11:20;] [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012:16-17;&version=31; 12:16–17.]

Classical rabbinic

*Mishnah Kiddushin 4:14. Land of Israel, circa 200 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "The Mishnah: A New Translation". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 499. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. ISBN 0-300-05022-4.
*Tosefta: Berakhot 6:8; Sotah 10:5–6; Kiddushin 5:21. Land of Israel, circa 300 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "The Tosefta: Translated from the Hebrew, with a New Introduction". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 1:39, 876, 947. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 2002. ISBN 1-56563-642-2.
*Sifre to Deuteronomy 2:3. Land of Israel, circa 250–350 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "Sifre to Deuteronomy: An Analytical Translation". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 1:26. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987. ISBN 1-55540-145-7.
*Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 55b, 85b. Land of Israel, circa 400 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "Talmud Yerushalmi". Edited by Chaim Malinowitz, Yisroel Simcha Schorr, and Mordechai Marcus, vol. 2. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006.
*Genesis Rabbah 63:1–67:13. Land of Israel, 5th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Genesis". Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Babylonian Talmud: Berakhot 5b, 56b, 57b; Eruvin 104b; Pesachim 5a, 42b; Yoma 28b; Sukkah 5b, 14a; Taanit 29b; Megillah 6a, 28a; Moed Katan 2a; Yevamot 64a; Ketubot 112a; Nedarim 32a; Sotah 11a, 12b, 13a, 41b; Gittin 57b; Bava Kamma 92b–93a; Bava Batra 15a,16b, 123a; Sanhedrin 12a, 37a, 69a, 92a, 105a; Makkot 10a, 24a; Avodah Zarah 2b, 11a. Babylonia, 6th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Talmud Bavli". Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr, Chaim Malinowitz, and Mordechai Marcus, 72 vols. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006.

Medieval

*Rashi. "Commentary". [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=8220&showrashi=true Genesis 25–28.] Troyes, France, late 11th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Rashi. "The Torah: With Rashi’s Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated". Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, 1:271–307. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-89906-026-9.
*Judah Halevi. "Kuzari". Toledo, Spain, 1130–1140. Reprinted in, e.g., Jehuda Halevi. "Kuzari: An Argument for the Faith of Israel." Intro. by Henry Slonimsky, 128. New York: Schocken, 1964. ISBN 0-8052-0075-4.
*Zohar [http://www.kabbalah.com/k/index.php/p=zohar/zohar&vol=8 1:134a–46b.] Spain, late 13th Century. Reprinted in, e.g, "The Zohar". Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon. 5 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1934.

Modern

*Thomas Hobbes. "Leviathan", England, 1651. Reprint edited by C. B. Macpherson, 460. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Classics, 1982. ISBN 0140431950.
*Irving Fineman. "Jacob, An Autobiograhical Novel", 11–13, 16–18. New York: Random House, 1941.
*Thomas Mann. "Joseph and His Brothers". Translated by John E. Woods, 37, 91, 97–100, 103–08, 113–14, 116–17, 134, 150, 153–73, 192–94, 242, 257, 298-99, 335, 340–41, 404, 414, 417, 428–30, 449, 524, 538, 669–70, 693, 806, 809. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. ISBN 1-4000-4001-9. Originally published as "Joseph und seine Brüder". Stockholm: Bermann-Fischer Verlag, 1943.
*Katherine Paterson. "Jacob Have I Loved". New York: HarperCollins, 1980. ISBN 0-690-04078-4.

External links

Texts

* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0125.htm#19 Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation]
* [http://bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp?action=displaypage&book=1&chapter=25&verse=19&portion=6 Hear the parshah chanted]

Commentaries

* [http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/archives/index.shtml#gen Commentaries] from the Jewish Theological Seminary
* [http://judaism.uj.edu/Content/InfoUnits.asp?CID=900 Commentaries] from the University of Judaism
* [http://www.uscj.org/Toldot_57677103.html Torah Sparks] from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
* [http://www.ou.org/torah/archive1.htm Commentaries] from the Orthodox Union
* [http://ajrsem.org/index.php?id=199 Commentaries] from the Academy for Jewish Religion
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=9172 Commentaries] from Chabad.org
* [http://urj.org/torah/genesis/index.cfm? Commentaries] and [http://urj.org/shabbat/genesis/ Family Shabbat Table Talk] from the Union for Reform Judaism
* [http://www2.jrf.org/recon-dt/index.php Commentaries] from Reconstructionist Judaism
* [http://www.torah.org/learning/parsha/parsha.html?id1=6 Commentaries] from [http://www.torah.org/ Torah.org]
* [http://www.aish.com/torahportion/pArchive.asp?eventType=6&eventName=Toldot Commentaries] from [http://www.aish.com/ Aish.com]
* [http://www.shiur.com/index.php?id=C0_238_6&spar=238&s_id=238 Commentaries] from [http://www.shiur.com/ Shiur.com]
* [http://www.tfdixie.com/parshat/toldot/ Commentaries] from [http://www.tfdixie.com/ Torah from Dixie]
* [http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/2403 Commentary] from [http://ohr.edu/index.php Ohr Sameach]
* [http://www.teach613.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=48 Commentary] from [http://www.teach613.org/index.php Teach613.org, Torah Education at Cherry Hill]
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Weekly_Torah_Commentary/toldot_index.htm Commentaries] from [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/index.htm MyJewishLearning.com]
* [http://www.judaic.org/addtl_files/toldot.htm Commentaries] and [http://www.judaic.org/tabletalk/toledot5762.htm Shabbat Table Talk] from [http://www.judaic.org/ The Sephardic Institute]
* [http://www.parshaparts.com/archive/5767/toldos.php Commentaries] from [http://www.parshaparts.com/index.php Parshah Parts]
* [http://www.anshe.org/parsha/toldos.htm Commentary] from [http://www.anshe.org/ Anshe Emes Synagogue, Los Angeles]
* [http://www.rabbishmuel.com/browse.cgi?type=torah_sermons Torah Sermons] and [http://www.rabbishmuel.com/files/torah_tidbits66.intro-toledot.doc Torah Tidbits] from [http://www.ostt.org/ Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah]