1. Yitzchak’s Blessing of Yaakov and Esav
Parshat Toldot:
Yitzchak’s Blessing of Yaakov and Esav
Shiur by Menachem Leibtag
Presentation by Ronni Libson

2. Sefer Breishit – Bechira:
Hashem promises Avraham numerous times that his offspring ("zera") would become a great nation in a special land ("aretz"):
וירא ידוד אל אברם ויאמר לזרעך אתן את הארץ הזאת ויבן שם מזבח לידוד הנראה אליו: (בראשית יב:ז)
כי את כל הארץ אשר אתה ראה לך אתננה ולזרעך עד עולם: (בראשית פרק יג:טו)
ביום ההוא כרת ידוד את אברם ברית לאמר לזרעך נתתי את הארץ הזאת מנהר מצרים עד הנהר הגדל נהר פרת: (בראשית טו:יח)
ונתתי לך ולזרעך אחריך את ארץ מגריך את כל ארץ כנען לאחזת עולם והייתי להם לאלהים: (בראשית פרק יז:ח)
Theme of Bechira – zera and aretz
At first these divine blessings suggest that this nation is to emerge from all of Avraham's offspring, but then God informed Avraham that only Yitzchak, his lone son from Sarah, has been chosen to fulfill this destiny:
Nation is to emerge only from Yitzchak:
ויאמר אלהים אל אברהם אל ירע בעיניך על הנער ועל אמתך כל אשר תאמר אליך שרה שמע בקלה כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע: (בראשית פרק כא:יב)

3. Yishmael and Bnei Keturah Avraham
Hashem makes this promise to Yitzchak:
גור בארץ הזאת ואהיה עמך ואברכך כי לך ולזרעך אתן את כל הארצת האל והקמתי את השבעה אשר נשבעתי לאברהם אביך: (בראשית פרק כו:ג)
2 Possibilities:
Yishmael and Bnei Keturah
Avraham
Yitchak
Chosen
Rejected
Yishmael and Bnei Keturah
Avraham
Yitchak
Chosen
Rejected
What will happen when Yitzchak has children? Will only one of his children be chosen, as was true in the case of Avraham, or will all of his offspring be chosen?
Considering that the reason for God's "bechira" (selection) of Avraham was in order that his offspring become a nation (see 12:1-2), this 'filtering' process of choosing only one son over others could not continue forever. Should only one 'favorite son' be chosen in each generation, a nation could obviously never develop. Sooner or later, this 'filtering process' must end, and an entire family must be chosen.
Thanks to our 20/20 hindsight, we know that this process ends after three generations (Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov). However, to the Avot themselves, this specific point concerning when this "bechira" process ends may have been unclear.
Esav
Yaakov
Tribes
Esav
Yaakov
Tribes

4. God’s choice, not Yitzchak’s
No apparent reason for Yitzchak to assume that only one son is to be chosen and the other rejected:
Yitzchak & Yishmael:
Different mothers
Yaakov & Esav:
Same mother
Twins!
If one son is chosen:
God’s choice, not Yitzchak’s
If there is some divine reason to choose only one son, it should be God's choice and not Yitzchak's! After all, up until this point, God alone had been involved in this bechira process. He had chosen Avraham, and He alone had chosen Yitzchak over Avraham's other offspring. Without a specific divine command, why would Yitzchak even consider making such a bold decision?
If both sons are chosen, why does Yitzchak intend to bless only one of them?

5. Yishmael and Bnei Keturah
Two types of blessings:
Bechira
Bracha
Hashem’s blessing of “zera v’aretz” to the Avot
Chosen to become forefathers of Hashem’s special nation
One son is chosen, all other children rejected
Blessing of personal destiny given by a father to his sons
Examples:
Noach blesses (or curses) each son based on his potential.
Yaakov Avinu, prior to his death, blesses each of his twelve sons
Yishmael and Bnei Keturah
Avraham
Yitchak
Chosen
Rejected
Q: Ask students what type of brachot they’ve seen so far in Breishit
Bechira:
Where is it found? What characterizes it?
Bracha:
Where is it found? What characterizes it?
For example, Noach bestows a bracha on each of his three sons (9:24-27).
STRESS: He does not choose one son to become a special nation. Rather, he blesses (or curses) each son based on his potential.
Parshat Vaychi when Yaakov Avinu, prior to his death, blesses each of his twelve sons.
STRESS: In those blessings, Yaakov is not choosing which of his children will become God's special nation. Rather, he bestows a blessing of personal destiny on each son, according to his understanding of each son's character and potential (see 49:28).
Q: Each of the two types – who bestows them?
When will this process end?
Bestowed by Hashem
Bestowed by the father

6. Bracha Yitzchak’s blessing for Esav: Bracha or Bechira?
No reason for Yitzchak to choose only one son
Promises prosperity and leadership:
ויתן לך האלהים מטל השמים ומשמני הארץ ורב דגן ותירש: יעבדוך עמים וישתחוו לך לאמים הוה גביר לאחיך וישתחוו לך בני אמך ארריך ארור ומברכיך ברוך: (בראשית כז:כח-כט)
No mention of “zera v’aretz”
This blessing is a classic example of bracha, for it promises prosperity and leadership. It cannot be bechira, for it does not contain the phrase of "zera v'aretz." [In fact, this blessing is rather similar to the blessings of prosperity and leadership which Yaakov himself later bestows upon Yehuda (see 49:8) and Yosef (see 49:25-26).]
Bracha

7. Yitzchak’s assumption: Both children will become God’s nation
Need for political leadership
Yitzchak must appoint one of his sons to be the family leader
Esav – Most suitable candidate:
“Ish sadeh” [a man of the world]
Yaakov & Esav are over sixty years old, Esav is married with children, has a job, and can take of himself and others; while Yaakov is still single, and 'living at home.'
Undoubtedly, Yitzchak has a blessing in store for Yaakov as well - most probably a blessing of spiritual leadership. Yaakov - the "ish tam yoshev ohalim," a man of the book (see 25:27) - can provide the family with spiritual guidance. [This 'theoretical blessing' for Yaakov is quite similar to the ultimate duty of shevet Levi (see Devarim 33:10).] However, without first setting up a nation (via Esav), there would be no one around for Yaakov to guide.
[The fact that Yitzchak had called upon Esav, his eldest, to receive his blessing first, does not rule out the possibility that he may have intended to bless Yaakov afterward. Note in Parshat Va'ychi how Yaakov first blesses Yosef, and only afterward blesses his twelve children.]
Yaakov – Spiritual leadership

8. Rivka knows something that Yitzchak does not:
ויתרצצו הבנים בקרבה ותאמר אם כן למה זה אנכי ותלך לדרש את ידוד: ויאמר ידוד לה שני גיים גוים בבטנך ושני לאמים ממעיך יפרדו ולאם מלאם יאמץ ורב יעבד צעיר: (בראשית כה:כב-כג)
Whether the blessing Yitzchak is going to give is bechira or bracha, the results would be disastrous
Why does Rivka intervene? – She knows there will be two nations, and thus only one will be chosen – the younger one
See chizkuni (lah v’lo lo)
Why does Rivka never tell? Ramban 27:4 – “derech musar u’tzniyut” since she went “lidrosh et hashem” without permission from Yitzchak, or assumes that he knows (since he is a navi greater than the navi who told her (Shem))
Rivka has limited time to act, yet feels responsible to the prophecy which she had received, and hence obligated to rectify the situation. In her eyes, this may have been the original reason why God had originally granted her this knowledge. Unfortunately, however, Rivka must resort to trickery to make sure that Yaakov will receive the blessing instead.
Rivka must act on this prophecy

9. Yaakov gets bracha of leadership intended for Esav
The Aftermath
Yaakov gets bracha of leadership intended for Esav
Esav comes and wants a bracha
But leadership can only be granted to one son!
There is no other bracha for Esav, since he is not suited for the bracha of spirituality intended for Yaakov
Gives Esav the bracha of prosperity - something that can be shared by both brothers.
The blessing of political leadership (“hevei gvir l’achich”) can only be given to one son thus Yitzchak tells Esav that he will be able to obtain this blessing only should Yaakov fall

10. Bechira After the entire episode, Yitzchak finds out the truth.
Blessing to Yaakov before he leaves to Padan Aram in search of a wife:
ויתן לך את ברכת אברהם לך ולזרעך אתך לרשתך את ארץ מגריך אשר נתן אלהים לאברהם: (בראשית כח:ד)
Note once again the key phrase - "zera v'aretz" - of the bechira blessing! This blessing is quite different from the original blessing which Yitzchak first intended to give Esav (27:28-29). In contrast to a bracha of prosperity and power, we now find the familiar concept of God's special nation inheriting a special land. [If you have been following the shiur, you should now ask, "How can Yitzchak grant a blessing of bechira - is that not God's decision?" The answer, however, is quite simple. Read 28:3 carefully - "v'kel sha-kai y'varech otcha...." Yitzchak is not granting Yaakov the bechira. He is blessing Yaakov that God should grant him the bechira - and that's exactly what takes place a few psukim later at the beginning of Parshat Va'yetze!]
Conclusion:
Ma'ase Avot, Siman La'banim Despite our 'technical' explanation for Yitzchak and Rivka's behavior in this week's Parsha, a more fundamental question remains: Why must the bechira process be so complex? In other words, why is it that at the very inception of our national history, trickery must be employed for us to arrive at our divine destiny?
Although this is a very difficult question to answer, one could suggest that this entire episode may carry an important message concerning how to relate to the nature of our physical world and leadership.
Indeed, to become a nation, there are times that the 'aggressive' qualities of an "ish sadeh" are needed. However, there is a popular notion that these physical responsibilities should be delegated to the "ish sadeh" and to one who is only an "ish sadeh", leaving the spiritual realm alone to the delicate "ish tam". Yitzchak's original intention to bless Esav may reflect this notion. After all, Yaakov, the "ish tam" was not yet fit to receive the blessing of prosperity and leadership.
Therefore, to secure that blessing, it was necessary for Yaakov to first don the 'hands of Esav.' To establish God's special nation, there are times when it is necessary for the "ish tam" to take on the responsibilities of the "ish sadeh". Separating these responsibilities between two sons reflects the notion that spirituality cannot be found in the physical world of establishing a nation.
At the time of these "brachot", Yaakov himself is not yet ready to become an "ish sadeh". But sooner or later he will need to be able to blend these qualities. Later in his life, before he returns to Eretz Yisrael, Yaakov must finally confront the 'angel of Esav,' this time without trickery, to prove that he is indeed worthy of that leadership task. Nonetheless, it is significant that the primal character of Am Yisrael is that of Yaakov, the "ish tam."
Even though many situations in our history will arise when we must don the 'hands of Esav' - when we must act as an "ish sadeh" - our dominant trait must always remain that of an "ish tam." For when Am Yisrael enjoys prosperity and political leadership, it is only for them to provide mankind with spiritual guidance.
Throughout our history, even though we must periodically 'don the hands of Esav,' our voice must always remain 'the voice of Yaakov!' [see 27:22]
Bechira