Scarcity and Blessings

This week’s Torah portion is Toldot, which means generations. It tells of the birth of the twins, Esau and Jacob to their parents, Rebecca and Isaac. Jacob persuades Esau to sell him his birthright, the right of inheritance of the firstborn. There is also a section about Isaac’s servants re-digging the wells of his father, Abraham, and of making peace with the local chieftain; and then there is the well-known story of how Rebecca and Jacob trick Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing of the firstborn, after which Jacob has to leave home to escape his brother’s anger.

It is interesting that there is so much conflict in this portion, and that it seems to revolve around food; and interesting coincidence that we read this portion before Thanksgiving. To obtain food when he is hungry and exhausted, Esau sells his birthright of the firstborn. Later, Isaac asks Esau to make him a meal of the game he will catch, after which Isaac will give Esau a blessing. Love and food seem to get all mixed up in this portion. In some families, like Jacob and Esau’s family, there is seemingly not enough love to go around. Esau’s heart rending cry, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?...Is there only one blessing? Bless me too, Father!” (Gen. 27:36, 38) touches us deeply.

The orientation of scarcity in life is something that, spiritually speaking, is really not true. The more we love, the more we mint the spiritual currency of the world, and the more love there is. This is true for most physical things as well. Even money flows according to our deeds and to Divine law. A scarcity of love, of blessing in Isaac & Rebecca’s family, comes because of favoritism, judging and controlling, which we also engage in concerning family members. The family is where we are known at our best and at our worst, and where we think we know each other. But are we really good judges of each other; and are we here to judge?

Our task on earth is really not to judge or control, but to accept and help each other. This is the essence of what a family is all about. When we can accept each other with all our faults and strengths, and actually love each other, scarcity disappears. Lovers happily share even a small bed. And the Torah teaches us in the book of Numbers, at the end of Chukat, that when we cooperate, there is more for everyone.

In the Middle East, the center of religion, sadly, none of the leaders seems to have read this in the Holy Books. At the end of this portion, both Jacob and Esau receive a blessing. The Chassidic master, the Vorker Rebbe taught, “No matter what one’s station, one can obtain a blessing.” (Soul of the Torah, P. 43) At this holiday time, may we accept, help, and not judge each other. May we express our love and thereby, receive many, many blessings.