Difference between revisions of "Sale of the Birthright – A Fair Deal/2/he"
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<multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">רשב"ם</a><a href="RashbamBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Rashbam Bereshit 25:31-34</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">רבי יוסף קימחי,</a><a href="RadakBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">cited by Radak Bereshit 25:34</a><a href="R. Yosef Kimchi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Kimchi</a></multilink> <multilink><a href="YosefHaMekannei16" data-aht="source">ספר יוסף המקנא</a><a href="YosefHaMekannei16" data-aht="source">16</a></multilink> | <multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">רשב"ם</a><a href="RashbamBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Rashbam Bereshit 25:31-34</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">רבי יוסף קימחי,</a><a href="RadakBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">cited by Radak Bereshit 25:34</a><a href="R. Yosef Kimchi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Kimchi</a></multilink> <multilink><a href="YosefHaMekannei16" data-aht="source">ספר יוסף המקנא</a><a href="YosefHaMekannei16" data-aht="source">16</a></multilink> | ||
</mekorot> | </mekorot> | ||
− | <point><b>יעקב שילם במזומן</b> – לפי פרשנים אלו, יעקב שילם על הבכורה לא בנזיד עדשים, אלא בכסף שמשקף את ערכה בשוק.<fn>לפי ספר יוסף המקנא, יעקב שילם "בדמים חשובים". כלומר, יתכן כי הוחלף סכום משמעותי בקניית הבכורה. הוא מציע שהתורה לא אומרת "וימכר בכורתו ליעקב בלחם ונזיד עדשים", אלא " | + | <point><b>יעקב שילם במזומן</b> – לפי פרשנים אלו, יעקב שילם על הבכורה לא בנזיד עדשים, אלא בכסף שמשקף את ערכה בשוק.<fn>לפי ספר יוסף המקנא, יעקב שילם "בדמים חשובים". כלומר, יתכן כי הוחלף סכום משמעותי בקניית הבכורה. הוא מציע שהתורה לא אומרת "וימכר בכורתו ליעקב בלחם ונזיד עדשים", אלא "וְיַעֲקֹב נָתַן לְעֵשָׂו לֶחֶם וּנְזִיד עֲדָשִׁים", דבר הרומז על כך שיעקב נתן לעשו את האוכל בנוסף לתשלום כספי.</fn> <br/>הלחם והעדשים משמשים לתפקיד אחר, ומהווים עדות מוחשית לחתימת העסקה.<fn>יוסף המקנא מצביע על כך שאפילו בימיו, סוחרים סגרו עסקה על ארוחה, וראו גם <multilink><a href="RYBSBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">רבי יוסף בכור שור</a><a href="RYBSBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:34</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink> למטה. דבר זה נכון גם בזמנים מודרניים. המקור הקדום ביותר לגישה זו עשוי להיות <multilink><a href="AggadahBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">מדרש אגדה (בובר)</a><a href="AggadahBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:31-34</a><a href="Midrash Aggadah (Buber)" data-aht="parshan">About Midrash Aggadah (Buber)</a></multilink> הנידון למטה.<br/>השוו ל<multilink><a href="HaKetavBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">הכתב והקבלה</a><a href="HaKetavBereshit25-34" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:34</a><a href="R. Yaakov Mecklenburg (HaKetav VeHaKabbalah)" data-aht="parshan">About R"Y Mecklenburg</a></multilink> הטוען באופן דומה שהעדשים לא היוו את התשלום עבור הבכורה, אלא מבינים את הפועל בעבר "וְיַעֲקֹב נָתַן", בכך שהאוכל סופק לפני המכירה.<br/><b>. See <a href="GRA$">Past Perfect</a>, אולם, צורה זו לעיתים רק באה להצביע על ניגוד נושאים עם הגרסא הקודמת. (ראיתי שהקישור בגרסא באנגלית לא עובד, לכן לא כ"כ הבנתי את המשפט)</b><br/><br/></fn></point> |
− | < | + | <point><b>מקבילות תנ"כיות</b> – רשב"ם רואה את התפקיד שגולם בנזיר כאן, כמזכיר את ארוחת הברית שנחלקה בין יעקב ללבן כאשר הם סיכמו את בריתם.<br/>Rashbam sees the role played by the stew here as akin to the covenantal meal shared by Yaakov and Lavan when they concluded their pact.<fn>See Bereshit 31:44-54. For other Biblical examples and further analysis of the role played by food when making a treaty, see <a href="ANE:Treaties in Tanakh and the Ancient Near East" data-aht="page">Treaties in Tanakh and the Ancient Near East</a>.</fn> However, Rashbam does not account for the fact that in our case the lentil stew is presented as coming (at least primarily) to satiate Esav's hunger and not as a shared meal.<fn>Rashbam might distinguish between the lentils which were to satiate Esav's hunger and the additional bread which might have served a ceremonial function as part of the deal.</fn></point> |
− | <point><b> | ||
<point><b>"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת"</b> – Rashbam cites his father, R. Meir, as explaining that Esav's declaration should not be understood as the words of a starving man on the brink of death, but rather as a statement reflecting the precarious life of a hunter who constantly faces the dangers of dying in the wild. Esav realized that there was a great likelihood that he would predecease his father, and thus the birthright was of little value to him.</point> | <point><b>"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת"</b> – Rashbam cites his father, R. Meir, as explaining that Esav's declaration should not be understood as the words of a starving man on the brink of death, but rather as a statement reflecting the precarious life of a hunter who constantly faces the dangers of dying in the wild. Esav realized that there was a great likelihood that he would predecease his father, and thus the birthright was of little value to him.</point> | ||
<point><b>"וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכֹרָה" and Esav's character</b> – Rashbam notes the fickleness of Esav who saw no value in the birthright when indulging in his meal, but later came to regret his decision to sell it.<fn>See Bereshit 27:36.</fn> However, he does not point to any moral failings of Esav, but rather presents him as a neutral figure.<fn>This is consistent with how <multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Rashbam Bereshit 25:22,27-28</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, in contrast to Bereshit Rabbah and <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:22,27-29</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, develops the character of Esav in the earlier portion of the chapter. For more, see <a href="A Portrait of Esav" data-aht="page">A Portrait of Esav</a>.</fn></point> | <point><b>"וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכֹרָה" and Esav's character</b> – Rashbam notes the fickleness of Esav who saw no value in the birthright when indulging in his meal, but later came to regret his decision to sell it.<fn>See Bereshit 27:36.</fn> However, he does not point to any moral failings of Esav, but rather presents him as a neutral figure.<fn>This is consistent with how <multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Rashbam Bereshit 25:22,27-28</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, in contrast to Bereshit Rabbah and <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit25-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:22,27-29</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, develops the character of Esav in the earlier portion of the chapter. For more, see <a href="A Portrait of Esav" data-aht="page">A Portrait of Esav</a>.</fn></point> |
Version as of 08:10, 10 May 2019
מכירת הבכורה – עסקה הוגנת?
גישות פרשניות
סקירה
פרשנים משתדלים להצדיק את מעשיו של יעקב בדרכים מגוונות, ומציגים טווח רחב של דעות בנוגע למהות הבכורה ואיך יש להעריך את מעשיהם של עשו ויעקב. רשב"ם ואבן עזרא מציגים את הבכורה כירושה חומרית ומגינים על רכישת יעקב בכך שהוא שילם את שוויה המלא של הבכורה. לפיהם, עשו ויעקב מהווים דמויות נטרליות. מצד שני, מדרשים שונים ופרשנים מאוחרים יותר מבינים את הבכורה כמושג רוחני, כאחריות דתית לשירות האל או כסמל לאומה הנבחרת, ומסבירים כי עשו לא היה ראוי למשימות אלה. לבסוף, רבי יוסף בכור שור מניח כי הבכורה מעניקה לבן המבוגר את הזכויות על נכסי אביו, וטוען כי תחת נסיבות אלה ליעקב הייתה את הזכות לשים את האינטרסים שלו לפני אלו שלא אחיו. הוא משווה בין רצונותיהם של עשו ויעקב לדאוג לעצמם ורואה בכך תכונה הכרחית במאבקם להישרדות.
נתן ערך הוגן
יעקב לא רימה את עשו כיוון שהוא שילם לו את הערך המלא של הכורה.
עמדה זו נוגעת למחלוקת האם יעקב שילם על הבכורה יותר משמניחים בדרך כלל, או שמא הבכורה שווה פחות משחושבים לרוב.
שילם מחיר מלא
הבכורה מקנה חלק כפול בירושה, ויעקב שילם בתמורה לה את החלק המדובר.
הלחם והעדשים משמשים לתפקיד אחר, ומהווים עדות מוחשית לחתימת העסקה.2
Rashbam sees the role played by the stew here as akin to the covenantal meal shared by Yaakov and Lavan when they concluded their pact.3 However, Rashbam does not account for the fact that in our case the lentil stew is presented as coming (at least primarily) to satiate Esav's hunger and not as a shared meal.4
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
Esav Unworthy
The birthright was a spiritual (rather than financial) commodity which Esav was both unworthy of and uninterested in receiving. This position divides regarding what rights and obligations this religious position granted:
Priestly 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,22 portraying him as an evil person who cared nothing for the service of Hashem.23 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.24 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 Shadal31 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,32 by which point he would be long dead and incapable of benefiting.33
- 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,34 and it is this craving that makes him agree to the deal.35
- 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.36
- 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.37 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.38
Yaakov's Self Interest
The birthright included Yitzchak's full inheritance, and only one son was to receive the entire estate. Yaakov's purchase was justified since, under such circumstances, he had the right to look out for his own self interest.