Difference between revisions of "Sale of the Birthright – A Fair Deal/2/en"
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<p>Yaakov acquired the rights to the Blessing and Covenant of Avraham. This included the privileges of inheriting the land of Israel and becoming the father of the chosen nation.</p> | <p>Yaakov acquired the rights to the Blessing and Covenant of Avraham. This included the privileges of inheriting the land of Israel and becoming the father of the chosen nation.</p> | ||
<mekorot> | <mekorot> | ||
− | <multilink><a href="LekachTovBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Lekach Tov (#3)</a><a href="LekachTovBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:31-33</a><a href="R. Toviah b. Eliezer (Lekach Tov)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Toviah b. Eliezer</a></multilink>, | + | <multilink><a href="LekachTovBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Lekach Tov (#3)</a><a href="LekachTovBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:31-33</a><a href="R. Toviah b. Eliezer (Lekach Tov)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Toviah b. Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniBereshit25-32" data-aht="source">Chizkuni (#1)</a><a href="ChizkuniBereshit25-32" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:32</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="Akeidat43" data-aht="source">Akeidat Yitzchak</a><a href="Akeidat43" data-aht="source">Bereshit #43</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Arama (Akeidat Yitzchak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Arama</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="AbarbanelBereshit25" data-aht="source">Abarbanel (#1)</a><a href="AbarbanelBereshit25" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:31</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. S.D. Luzzatto</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:31</a><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:34</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. D"Z Hoffmann</a></multilink> |
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</mekorot> | </mekorot> | ||
<point><b>Birthright as blessing and covenant</b> – This position views the birthright as Yitzchak's unique bequeathing of Avraham's legacy, with its accompanying promise of land and progeny, to a chosen son. Whoever obtained the birthright would become the father of the chosen nation.<fn>Cf. "בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (Shemot 4:22) and Akeidat Yitzchak below. According to this approach, the birthright in our story had a unique historical significance which is not shared by the common birthright.</fn></point> | <point><b>Birthright as blessing and covenant</b> – This position views the birthright as Yitzchak's unique bequeathing of Avraham's legacy, with its accompanying promise of land and progeny, to a chosen son. Whoever obtained the birthright would become the father of the chosen nation.<fn>Cf. "בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (Shemot 4:22) and Akeidat Yitzchak below. According to this approach, the birthright in our story had a unique historical significance which is not shared by the common birthright.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>Yaakov's payment</b> – According to the Lekach Tov, the lentil stew served as payment.<fn>The other commentators do not take a clear position on this question. Abarbanel points out that even if the payment was in money, the moral question is not avoided, as the circumstances of the deal suggest exploitation of a starving Esav. R. D"Z Hoffmann raises both options, but makes no determination.</fn></point> | <point><b>Yaakov's payment</b> – According to the Lekach Tov, the lentil stew served as payment.<fn>The other commentators do not take a clear position on this question. Abarbanel points out that even if the payment was in money, the moral question is not avoided, as the circumstances of the deal suggest exploitation of a starving Esav. R. D"Z Hoffmann raises both options, but makes no determination.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת"</b><ul> | <point><b>"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת"</b><ul> | ||
− | + | <li>Chizkuni, Abarbanel, and Shadal suggest that Esav is declaring that he is likely to die before obtaining the inheritance. Abarbanel and Shadal<fn>See Rashbam, Ibn Ezra and others above.</fn> think that Esav is referring to the perils inherent in his hunting profession. Chizkuni, in contrast, proposes that Esav was thinking that the inheritance of the land of Israel was still centuries away,<fn>According to this interpretation, Esav is privy to the promise given in the Covenant between the Pieces (Bereshit 15:13-14) that Avraham's descendants will only inherit the Land after 400 years.</fn> by which point he would be long dead and incapable of benefiting.<fn>According to both reads, Esav is willing to buy the birthright since he has no interest in a gift that he will not (or at least is likely not to) enjoy.</fn></li> | |
− | + | <li>R. D"Z Hoffmann maintains that Esav feels as if he is literally on the verge of death due to his insatiable desire for the stew,<fn>As opposed to R"Y Bekhor Shor above, R. Hoffmann suggests that Esav was not really about to starve to death; he just felt like he would die if he did not get what he wanted. Thus, the event highlights Esav's insatiable physical desires and need to indulge in the moment, even at the price of the loss of a higher spiritual ideal.</fn> and it is this craving that makes him agree to the deal.<fn>In contrast to both these positions, Lekach Tov (following Bavli Bava Batra and other Midrashic sources) asserts that Esav, in these words, is rejecting the existence of an afterlife.</fn></li> | |
− | + | </ul></point> | |
<point><b>Esav's character</b><ul> | <point><b>Esav's character</b><ul> | ||
− | + | <li><b>Agnostic</b> – Lekach Tov and Abarbanel paint an Esav unworthy of fulfilling the legacy of Avraham. Esav was evil and lacking in faith. He did not even believe that Hashem was going to fulfill His promise and give the Land of Israel to Avraham.<fn>On Abarbanel's view of Esav, see <a href="A Portrait of Esav" data-aht="page">A Portrait of Esav</a>.</fn></li> | |
− | + | <li><b>Slave to his desires</b> – Chizkuni and R. D"Z Hoffmann portray not an evil Esav, but one who lives in the moment, a slave to his physical desires.<fn>For more, see <a href="A Portrait of Esav" data-aht="page">A Portrait of Esav</a>.</fn> Esav was willing to sell the birthright so as indulge in his immediate craving, neither thinking of the future nor appreciating the value of spiritual blessings.<fn>Shadal is less critical of Esav's character, instead portraying him as so preoccupied with his hunt that he neglected any responsibility on the home front, the designated domain of the recipient of the birthright.</fn></li> | |
− | + | </ul></point> | |
<point><b>Evaluation of Yaakov's actions</b> – This position maintains that Yaakov pursued the birthright, not for material gain, but for a lofty, spiritual, ideal. As Esav's character and/or beliefs proved him an unworthy successor to Avraham, Yaakov viewed himself as proactively ensuring that the blessing went to the proper individual.<fn>Abarbanel even proposes that since Esav was undeserving, Yaakov feared that perhaps the blessing would switch to the line of Yishmael, and neither brother would receive it.</fn> In addition, since Esav was not literally about to die and did not value the birthright, the sale was neither unfair nor exploitative.</point> | <point><b>Evaluation of Yaakov's actions</b> – This position maintains that Yaakov pursued the birthright, not for material gain, but for a lofty, spiritual, ideal. As Esav's character and/or beliefs proved him an unworthy successor to Avraham, Yaakov viewed himself as proactively ensuring that the blessing went to the proper individual.<fn>Abarbanel even proposes that since Esav was undeserving, Yaakov feared that perhaps the blessing would switch to the line of Yishmael, and neither brother would receive it.</fn> In addition, since Esav was not literally about to die and did not value the birthright, the sale was neither unfair nor exploitative.</point> | ||
<point><b>Does Yaakov receive the birthright?</b> All agree that Yaakov's descendants, rather than Esav's, became the chosen nation, and the inheritors of Avraham's legacy.<fn>Akeidat Yitzchak proves that Yaakov's orchestrations to purchase the birthright were ultimately vindicated from the fact that Yitzchak did give the blessing of Avraham to Yaakov (Bereshit 28:4) and from Hashem's usage of the phrase "בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (Shemot 4:22). Both Yitzchak and God, thus, confirmed Yaakov and his descendants as the true inheritors of the Covenant.</fn> R. D"Z Hoffmann, though, suggests that this inheritance had nothing to do with the sale,<fn>He points out that Yaakov never gets any special privileges as a direct result of the sale, nor does his father ever point to it to validate his rights to Avraham's blessing.</fn> which was more like child's play with no legal standing. Lekach Tov and Shadal, in contrast, point out how Esav acted upon the oath taken during the sale, and, after his father's death, moved to Seir, staking no claim on the Land of Israel.</point> | <point><b>Does Yaakov receive the birthright?</b> All agree that Yaakov's descendants, rather than Esav's, became the chosen nation, and the inheritors of Avraham's legacy.<fn>Akeidat Yitzchak proves that Yaakov's orchestrations to purchase the birthright were ultimately vindicated from the fact that Yitzchak did give the blessing of Avraham to Yaakov (Bereshit 28:4) and from Hashem's usage of the phrase "בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (Shemot 4:22). Both Yitzchak and God, thus, confirmed Yaakov and his descendants as the true inheritors of the Covenant.</fn> R. D"Z Hoffmann, though, suggests that this inheritance had nothing to do with the sale,<fn>He points out that Yaakov never gets any special privileges as a direct result of the sale, nor does his father ever point to it to validate his rights to Avraham's blessing.</fn> which was more like child's play with no legal standing. Lekach Tov and Shadal, in contrast, point out how Esav acted upon the oath taken during the sale, and, after his father's death, moved to Seir, staking no claim on the Land of Israel.</point> |
Version as of 01:33, 7 November 2018
Sale of the Birthright – A Fair Deal?
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
In attempting to understand Yaakov's and Esav's actions, commentators present a spectrum of opinions as to the essence of the birthright, drawing upon both Biblical parallels and the customs of their own times. Many medieval commentators view the birthright as a material inheritance which bestowed upon its recipient either a double portion of or exclusive rights to the father's entire estate. According to them, Yaakov was justified in its acquisition because he paid its full worth or because he had the right to look out for himself. On the other hand, various Midrashim and Rashi understand the birthright to be the religious responsibility of serving God, and they explain that Esav was simply unworthy of this task. Finally, other exegetes chart a middle course, suggesting that the birthright was really the status of the chosen nation which combines both rewards and responsibilities in the physical and spiritual realms. They view Esav as being unworthy of or disinterested in these challenges.
Monetary Inheritance and Honor
Yaakov purchased the rights to the wealth and honor bestowed upon the firstborn. This approach subdivides regarding the extent of these benefits and the justification for Yaakov's actions:
Paid Fair Value
The birthright constituted a double portion of inheritance, and Yaakov paid its full price.
Worthless to Esav
The birthright was either a double estate portion or merely honored status,8 but either way, was not worth much to Esav.
- Ibn Ezra explains that Esav belittled the birthright because it really was almost worthless due to Yitzchak's poverty.12 He thus does not view the verse as passing moral judgment on Esav.13
- Ramban maintains that Esav's attitude stemmed from his impetuousness and need for immediate gratification. According to Ramban, Esav, like all fools, lived in the moment and never thought about the future.14 Ramban clearly portrays Esav in a negative light.15
Yaakov's Self Interest
The birthright included Yitzchak's full inheritance, and only one son was to receive the entire estate.
Religious Status
The birthright was a priestly status, and Yaakov secured the patriarch's responsibilities to serve God.
- Esav vilified – Most of the commentators who take this position vilify Esav,37 portraying him as an evil person who cared nothing for the service of Hashem.38 Esav did not feel cheated, but happily sold the birthright both because it had no value to him and because he thought that it might lead to his premature death. Moreover, according to Midrash Aggadah (Buber), it was Esav who was the trickster, gloating among fellow villains that he outsmarted his brother who paid for a commodity that he could not legitimately acquire.
- Esav unsuited – Seforno's portrait of Esav is much more neutral, portraying a figure who really was on the verge of death and who was simply not cut out for the demands of the priestly position.39 This combination of factors led to his willingness to sell the birthright.
Avraham's Legacy
Yaakov acquired the rights to the Blessing and Covenant of Avraham. This included the privileges of inheriting the land of Israel and becoming the father of the chosen nation.
- Chizkuni, Abarbanel, and Shadal suggest that Esav is declaring that he is likely to die before obtaining the inheritance. Abarbanel and Shadal46 think that Esav is referring to the perils inherent in his hunting profession. Chizkuni, in contrast, proposes that Esav was thinking that the inheritance of the land of Israel was still centuries away,47 by which point he would be long dead and incapable of benefiting.48
- R. D"Z Hoffmann maintains that Esav feels as if he is literally on the verge of death due to his insatiable desire for the stew,49 and it is this craving that makes him agree to the deal.50
- Agnostic – Lekach Tov and Abarbanel paint an Esav unworthy of fulfilling the legacy of Avraham. Esav was evil and lacking in faith. He did not even believe that Hashem was going to fulfill His promise and give the Land of Israel to Avraham.51
- Slave to his desires – Chizkuni and R. D"Z Hoffmann portray not an evil Esav, but one who lives in the moment, a slave to his physical desires.52 Esav was willing to sell the birthright so as indulge in his immediate craving, neither thinking of the future nor appreciating the value of spiritual blessings.53