Difference between revisions of "Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Toledot/0/he"

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<h1>נושאים לשולחן שבת – פרשת תולדת</h1>
 
<h1>נושאים לשולחן שבת – פרשת תולדת</h1>
 
<category>מכירת הבכורה
 
<category>מכירת הבכורה
<p>How should each of Yaakov and Esav be evaluated for their role in the sale of the birthright?</p>
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<p>כיצד יש להעריך את יעקב ואת עשו על מעשיהם בסיפור מכירת הבכורה?</p>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li>Was Yaakov taking advantage of his brother's hunger for his own gain?&#160; Was the sale not an example of extortion? Or, is there more going on in the story than a cursory read suggests?</li>
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<li>האם יעקב ניצל את רעב אחיו למטרת רווח אישי? האין מכירת הבכורה דוגמא לסחיטה? מצד שני, אולי ישנם עומקים לסיפור זה שאינם נגלים מקריאה ראשונית?</li>
<li>Was Esav's willingness to sell the birthright a sign of his impetuous nature, indicative of his living only in the moment, or was it a logical decision given the circumstances?&#160;</li>
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<li>האם נכונותו של עשו למכור את הבכורה מעידה על אופיו הפזיז, ועל נטייתו לחיות ברגע ולא לתכנן לעתיד, או שאולי זו הייתה&#160;החלטה הגיונית תחת הנסיבות?&#160;</li>
<li>The way one answers the above is partially dependent on how one understands the birthright.&#160; Was Yaakov purchasing a monetary inheritance (<multilink><a href="IbnEzraBereshitFirstCommentary25-31" data-aht="source">אבן עזרא</a><a href="IbnEzraBereshitFirstCommentary25-31" data-aht="source">בראשית פירוש ראשון כ״ה:ל״א</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' אברהם אבן עזרא</a></multilink>), a religious status (<multilink><a href="RashiBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">רש״י</a><a href="RashiBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">בראשית כ״ה:ל״א</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' שלמה יצחקי</a></multilink>), or Avraham's legacy (<multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">ר׳ דוד צבי הופמן</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">בראשית כ״ה:ל״א</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' דוד צבי הופמן</a></multilink>)?&#160; Which position is best supported by the text?&#160; How does each affect your understanding of the story as a whole? &#160; ראו להרחבה, <a href="Sale of the Birthright – A Fair Deal" data-aht="page">מכירת הבכורה – עסקה הוגנת?</a></li>
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<li>התשובה לשאלה לעיל תלוייה באופן בו אנו מבינים את הבכורה עצמה. האם יעקב קנה מעשו ירושה כלכלית&#160;(<multilink><a href="IbnEzraBereshitFirstCommentary25-31" data-aht="source">אבן עזרא</a><a href="IbnEzraBereshitFirstCommentary25-31" data-aht="source">בראשית פירוש ראשון כ״ה:ל״א</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' אברהם אבן עזרא</a></multilink>), מעמד דתי&#160;(<multilink><a href="RashiBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">רש״י</a><a href="RashiBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">בראשית כ״ה:ל״א</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' שלמה יצחקי</a></multilink>), או את מורשתו של אברהם&#160;(<multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">ר׳ דוד צבי הופמן</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit25-31" data-aht="source">בראשית כ״ה:ל״א</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' דוד צבי הופמן</a></multilink>)? באיזו עמדה תומכים הפסוקים? כיצד כל אחת מן הגישות משפיעה על הבנתכם את הסיפור בכללותו?&#160;ראו להרחבה, <a href="Sale of the Birthright – A Fair Deal" data-aht="page">מכירת הבכורה – עסקה הוגנת?</a>&#160;</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</category>
 
</category>
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</category>
 
</category>
 
<category>עשו ורומא
 
<category>עשו ורומא
<p>In the post-Biblical period, Esav has been associated with both Rome and Christianity, and has often been presented as the archetype of Israel's sworn enemy.&#160; Where does this association come from? How has it impacted on the exegesis of Bereshit?</p>
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<p>In the post-Biblical period, Esav has been associated with both Rome and Christianity, and has often been presented as the archetype of Israel's sworn enemy.&#160; Where does this association come from? How has it impacted on the exegesis of Bereshit?</p><ul>
<ul>
 
 
<li>Interestingly, the identification might have influenced different commentators in opposing ways.&#160; Midrashic literature, viewing Esav as the progenitor of their contemporary enemy, Rome, often reads Esav in a harsh light, presenting him as wicked as his modern counterpart.&#160; Josephus, in contrast, a Roman lackey, was loathe to denigrate his superiors, and thus paints a far more neutral portrait of Esav.</li>
 
<li>Interestingly, the identification might have influenced different commentators in opposing ways.&#160; Midrashic literature, viewing Esav as the progenitor of their contemporary enemy, Rome, often reads Esav in a harsh light, presenting him as wicked as his modern counterpart.&#160; Josephus, in contrast, a Roman lackey, was loathe to denigrate his superiors, and thus paints a far more neutral portrait of Esav.</li>
 
<li>Which view of Esav emerges from a simple reading of the text, (when not encumbered by knowledge of future history)?&#160; See <a href="A Portrait of Esav" data-aht="page">דמותו של עשו</a>.</li>
 
<li>Which view of Esav emerges from a simple reading of the text, (when not encumbered by knowledge of future history)?&#160; See <a href="A Portrait of Esav" data-aht="page">דמותו של עשו</a>.</li>

Version as of 00:34, 25 July 2019

נושאים לשולחן שבת – פרשת תולדת

מכירת הבכורה

כיצד יש להעריך את יעקב ואת עשו על מעשיהם בסיפור מכירת הבכורה?

את מי לברך?

Given that Hashem ultimately wanted Yaakov to get the blessing, as evidenced by His confirmation thereof,  how are we to understand Yitzchak's original plan to bestow it on Esav? ראו למה רצה יצחק לברך את עשו?

  • Several commentators assume that Yitzchak had actually planned on blessing both his sons, thinking that Yaakov and Esav would share in the leadership of the future nation, with Yaakov taking on a spiritual role and Esav caring for the physical. Rivka disagreed, assuming that such dividing of the material from the spiritual would be catastrophic. Do you agree?
  • Others assume that Yitzchak, being aware that Esav was less righteous than his brother, hoped that giving him a blessing would motivate him to improve his ways. Is it fair to reward negative behavior in such a manner? Is this an example of "positive reinforcement" or more like a "bribe"?  

עשו ורומא

In the post-Biblical period, Esav has been associated with both Rome and Christianity, and has often been presented as the archetype of Israel's sworn enemy.  Where does this association come from? How has it impacted on the exegesis of Bereshit?

  • Interestingly, the identification might have influenced different commentators in opposing ways.  Midrashic literature, viewing Esav as the progenitor of their contemporary enemy, Rome, often reads Esav in a harsh light, presenting him as wicked as his modern counterpart.  Josephus, in contrast, a Roman lackey, was loathe to denigrate his superiors, and thus paints a far more neutral portrait of Esav.
  • Which view of Esav emerges from a simple reading of the text, (when not encumbered by knowledge of future history)?  See דמותו של עשו.
  • Can you think of other examples where an exegete's evaluation of a character or reading of a story is influenced by their personal life experiences and time period? For one example, see commentators' evaluations of Achashverosh in תדהמת אחשורוש וכעסו .

עוד...

לעוד נושאים בפרשה, ראו: רשימת נושאים – פרשת תולדת.