Summary

Summary- Jacob and Esav – the argument

Toldot means “offspring,” and in this story we learn about Isaac (Yitzchak) and Rebecca’s (Rivka’s) children or offspring.

Isaac and Rebecca are very happy but are getting older and have no children. So they pray to God. After many years, God answers their prayers and Rebecca becomes pregnant with twins!

She is concerned because there is so much tumult in her belly. After praying again, God tells her that she will have twin boys. Both will become leaders but the younger will rule the older. God will bless them both.

After a while the babies are born. The first son  is born with lots of red hair (Esav/Esau) and the second (Ya’akov/Jacob) is born with smooth skin and is holding the heel of the first baby.

Although they are twins, they are very different. Esav is a man of the field likes to hunt and Ya’akov likes to cook and learn. After hunting one day, Esav is so hungry that he offers to sell his birthright to Ya’akov for a bowl of lentil stew.  This seems like a good deal!

Now, because God told Rivka that the younger would rule the older, Rivka and Ya’akov trick Yitzchak into giving the first born son’s blessing to Ya’akov instead of Esav.

Yitzchak is old and blind, so they put goat skins on Ya’akov so he feels like

Esav and Yitzchak blesses Ya’akov.

When Esav returns from hunting in the fields and discovers that Ya’akov has already received the blessing- it is too late! Esav is so angry.

Ya’akov must leave town right away so he will not be hurt by the angry Esav.