Sale of the Birthright – A Fair Deal/2/he
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Version as of 09:58, 12 May 2019 by Yovel.Levy (talk | contribs)
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.
יעקב שילם במזומן – לפי פרשנים אלו, יעקב שילם על הבכורה לא בנזיד עדשים, אלא בכסף שמשקף את ערכה בשוק.1
הלחם והעדשים משמשים לתפקיד אחר, ומהווים עדות מוחשית לחתימת העסקה.2
הלחם והעדשים משמשים לתפקיד אחר, ומהווים עדות מוחשית לחתימת העסקה.2
מקבילות תנ"כיות – רשב"ם רואה את תפקיד הנזיד כאן, כדומה לתפקיד ארוחת הברית שנחלקה בין יעקב ללבן כאשר הם סיכמו את בריתם.3 אולם, רשב"ם אינו מחשיב את העובדה שבמקרה שלנו נזיד העדשים מוצג כבא (לפחות בעיקר) כדי להשביע את רעבונו של עשו, ולא כארוחה משותפת.4
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" – רשב"ם מצטט את אביו, רבי מאיר, המסביר שלא צריך להבין את הכרזתו של עשו כמילותיו האחרונות של אדם גווע מרעב, אלא כהצהרה המשקפת את חייו הלא בטוחים של צייד המסכן את חייו בשדה. עשו הבין שישנה סבירות גבוהה שימות לפני אביו, ולכן לבכורה היה ערך מועט בעיניו.
"וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכֹרָה" ודמותו של עשו – רשב"ם מצביע על הפכפכותו של עשו אשר לא ראה שום ערך בבכורה כאשר התענג על ארוחתו, אך מאוחר יותר התחרט על החלטתו למכור אותה .5
עם זאת, הוא לא מצביע על כישלונות מוסריים של עשו, אלא מציג אותו כדמות ניטרלית.6
עם זאת, הוא לא מצביע על כישלונות מוסריים של עשו, אלא מציג אותו כדמות ניטרלית.6
הערכת מעשיו של יעקב – לפי עמדה זו, יעקב הציע שווי הוגן עבור הבכורה ולא רימה את אחיו. מעבר לכך, עשו לא עמד למות, כך שיעקב לא ניצל את צורכו הנואש של אחיו.
האם יעקב קיבל אי פעם את הבכורה? – בתורה לא קיימת ראיה מפורשת לכך שיעקב קיבל חלק נוסף בנכסי יצחק, או אפילו לכך שיעקב העשיר בזכות אביו בדרך כלשהי.7
חסרת ערך עבור עשו
בין אם הבכורה מייצגת חלק כפול בנכסי האב או רק מעמד של כבוד,8 הבכורה לא הייתה שווה הרבה לעשו.
התשלום נפרע בנזיד – אבן עזרא ורמב"ן סבורים שניהם שהבכורה נמכרה עבור נזיד העדשים, ולא תמורת כסף.9 שניהם מסכימים על כך שהבכורה לא הייתה שווה לעשו, כיוון שסבר שימות לפני אביו ולא יזכה להינות מהירושה. אבן עזרא מציין שמאחר ויצחק היה עני 10 הבכורה היתה באופן יחסי חסרת ערך .
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" – Ibn Ezra and Ramban maintain11 that Esav is speaking not of imminent death due to hunger, but of his low life expectancy and the likelihood of his dying before his father due to the dangers of his hunting profession.
"וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכֹרָה" and Esav's character
- 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
Evaluation of Yaakov's actions – This position maintains that Yaakov did not take advantage of his brother's hunger, as Esav was not in danger of imminent death. Neither did Yaakov swindle Esav, as the price reflected Esav's valuation of the birthright.
Does Yaakov ever receive the birthright? The Torah does not specify that Yaakov ever received a double portion of Yitzchak's inheritance.16
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.
מקורות: Bereshit Rabbah, Midrash Aggadah (Buber), R. Saadia Gaon, Rashi, R. Avraham b. HaRambam, Seforno
Birthright as priestly status – The motivation to connect the birthright and priestly status stems from the consecration of firstborns to the service of Hashem17 in the aftermath of their salvation from the Plague of Firstborns in Shemot 12-13. This position suggests that such service was the privilege of the firstborns even before the Exodus.18
Yaakov's payment – The commentators who take this approach subdivide on this point. R. Saadia Gaon posits that Yaakov bought the birthright for a pot of lentil stew, while the Midrash Aggadah and Seforno suggest that he paid full price.19 All agree that Yaakov was motivated by a desire to ensure that the spiritual birthright did not fall into the hands of one who was unworthy.
Biblical parallels – R. Avraham b. HaRambam points to Reuven losing his firstborn status to Yosef and the firstborns of Israel losing their positions to the Levites, as parallel cases of the transfer of the birthright from an unworthy son/group to a more meritorious one.
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" – While Seforno reads this as a declaration of Esav's exhaustion and desperate hunger which led him to agree to the sale, the other commentators connect the statement to the spiritual nature of the birthright. Midrash Aggadah (Buber) and Rashi suggest that Esav was willing to forego the birthright as he recognized the potentially fatal perils20 that the priestly position held for one who was not righteous.21
Esav's character and calculations
- 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.
Evaluation of Yaakov's actions – According to this position, Yaakov's desire for the birthright stemmed from ideological concerns, rather than materialistic desires.25 The sale is considered fair, since the birthright had little value to Esav.26 In addition, as death was not imminent,27 Yaakov was not taking advantage of his brother's weakness.28
Does Yaakov receive the birthright? In the continuation of Sefer Bereshit, Yaakov does function as a priest, offering sacrifices and libations to Hashem.
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.
Birthright as blessing and covenant – 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.29
Yaakov's payment – According to the Lekach Tov, the lentil stew served as payment.30
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת"
- 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
Esav's character
- 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
Evaluation of Yaakov's actions – 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.39 In addition, since Esav was not literally about to die and did not value the birthright, the sale was neither unfair nor exploitative.
Does Yaakov receive the birthright? All agree that Yaakov's descendants, rather than Esav's, became the chosen nation, and the inheritors of Avraham's legacy.40 R. D"Z Hoffmann, though, suggests that this inheritance had nothing to do with the sale,41 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.
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.
Primogeniture – The Melekhet Machshevet posits that in Biblical times, like feudal France in his own era, the father's entire estate and patriarchal status were inherited by his eldest son,42 with younger sons either serving the older one, enlisting in the royal army,43 or venturing out on their own.44
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" – R"Y Bekhor Shor interprets these words in their most literal sense; Esav is exhausted from an extended hunting expedition and is veritably on the verge of dying of hunger.45 R"Y Bekhor Shor assumes that the incident took place far from their city and parents' home,46 and thus Esav really did not have any alternative sources of food.47
It was a steal – R"Y Bekhor Shor maintains that Yaakov paid for the birthright with a bowl of lentil stew, rather than money.48 According to him, Yaakov was able to make a great deal for himself by taking full advantage of the leverage he had due to Esav's dire circumstances.49
"וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכֹרָה" and Esav's character – R"Y Bekhor Shor is sympathetic to Esav's willingness to sell the birthright, viewing it as natural human instinct to put one's life before one's money. Esav's decision was thus a very rational one, rather than impulsive.50 R"Y Bekhor Shor adds that Esav trusted that his father's love would ensure that despite the sale he would still be able to inherit all.51 See also his interpretations in Chapter 27 that Yitzchak, in fact, tried to help Esav evade the consequences of the sale by using the method of a "living will".52
Evaluation of Yaakov's actions – This position views the inheritance as a winner takes all, with the loser receiving nothing. As such, it is understandable that Yaakov places his own interests ahead of his brother's and looks out only for his own welfare. The birthright was a zero sum game, and without his bold act, Yaakov would have been left empty handed upon his father's death and forced to find a different land of his own.53 Yaakov's actions cut a portrait of a hard-nosed businessman engaged in cut-throat competition, but they are not deceptive.54 Alternatively, a more critical view of Yaakov's conduct is taken by Radak.55
Does Yaakov ever receive the birthright? The Melekhet Machshevet and Hoil Moshe note that Yaakov indeed inherited all of Yitzchak's land holdings, and Esav was forced to emigrate from the land of Israel and carve out his own territory.56
