Taking a Closer Look

Chayei Sarah 5769 Volume XVI Number 8 Toras Aish Thoughts From Across the Torah Spectrum the edition). After explaining how G-d had given over RABBI DOV KRAMER the ability to give blessings to Avraham, the Midrash Taking a Closer Look tells us that he (Avraham) wanted to bless Yitzchok, but nd it was after the death of Avraham [that] “saw that Aisav and Yaakov would come from him so G-d blessed his son Yitzchok” (Beraishis did not bless him. Avraham said, ‘let the owner of the “A25:11). If the point is that G-d blessed world come and bless whomever He wants.” A parable Yitzchok, then the fact that this blessing was given after is then given of someone hired to care for the king’s his father’s death seems superfluous. Rashi brings two orchard. In this orchard is a life-giving tree that is approaches to explain why the Torah mentions that this intertwined with a poisonous tree, presenting a dilemma blessing took place after Avraham had died: The first, for this employee; if he waters the life-giving tree, he based on Soteh 14a, is that it wasn’t a blessing for will automatically be watering the poisonous one. So he success, but the blessing given upon comforting a decides to leave it be and wait for the orchard’s owner mourner. Mentioning that it was “after the death of to come and decide what he wants to do. “Similarly, Avraham” clues us in that it was this blessing (nichum Avraham said that he can’t bless Yitzchok since Aisav availim) that G-d made. will come from him. Rather, [he said,] ‘I will leave it for The second approach Rashi brings raises the blessing’s owner (i.e. G-d) to do what He wants.’ numerous questions. “Even though G-d gave over the After Avraham and Yitzchok were gone, G-d blessed ability to bless others to Avraham, he (Avraham) was Yaakov directly, as it says (35:9), ‘and G-d appeared to afraid to bless Yitzchok, for he saw that Aisav will come Yaakov again as he was coming from Padan Aram, and from him. He said ‘let the owner of all blessings (i.e. He blessed him.” G-d) come and bless the one whom He deems Besides adding Yaakov’s name to the list of appropriate [to be blessed],’ and G-d came and blessed Yitzchok’s children (even though only Aisav caused the him (i.e. Yitzchok).” For one thing, did Avraham really reluctance to bless), the resolution according to the have any doubt that Yitzchok was the one who would Midrash Tanchuma was not that G-d waited until continue his mission? Who else could it have been? Avraham died and then blessed Yitzchok, but that He Did he have to wait to see whom G-d chose to bless to waited until both Avraham and Yitzchok died and then know that Yitzchok was the one worthy of the blessing, blessed Yaakov (thus avoiding Aisav completely). even if the wicked Aisav would come from him? Obviously this Midrash is not addressing G-d’s blessing Besides, Avraham himself had already indicated that of Yitzchok in our verse, which is why Rashi couldn’t Yitzchok was the one, as he gave him “everything he quote it completely. There are other Midrashim that use had” (25:5), including (as Rashi himself quotes) the a similar approach to Avraham’s reluctance (e.g. legacy of the blessings! If he knew that Yitzchok was Tanchuma Vezos Haberacha 9, where the parable is a the one to get the ability to give blessings, how could vineyard rather than an orchard, and the fear of causing he not have been the one to be blessed himself? Not a blessing for Aisav is explained as being a problem only that, but after almost sacrificing Yitzchok, Avraham because it will minimize the amount of blessing coming is told that “with blessings I (G-d) will bless you” to Yaakov; and Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 1:12, where the (22:17), with (as Rashi points out) the double- parable is also a vineyard, and includes Avraham expression of “blessing” meaning that both the father referencing his limited lifespan, after which the (Avraham) and the son (Yitzchok) will be blessed. So blessings will automatically go back to G-d to decide Avraham had already been told that G-d would bless whom to bless), but if the reason for his reluctance is Yitzchok. Why then was he afraid to bless him himself? Aisav, then the resolution is always giving the blessing Another issue stemming from Rashi’s second directly to Yaakov, thereby avoiding Aisav (by approach is his possible source for it. There are bypassing Yitzchok). Since Rashi is using Avraham’s numerous Midrashim that are very similar, but none reluctance to explain G-d’s blessing to Yitzchok, these that put it exactly the way Rashi does, and the Midrashim would seem to not be Rashi’s source. differences are not insignificant. There are other Midrashim (Beraishis Rabbah The source closest to Rashi’s wording is the 61:6, Bamidbar Rabbah 11:2, Tanchuma Naso 9 or 17 Midrash Tanchuma (Lech Lecha 4 or 5, depending on and Midrash Tehillim 1:5) that do use G-d blessing 2 Toras Aish continue his legacy. When G-d told him that He would TORAS AISH IS A WEEKLY PARSHA bless Yitzchok, did He mean by blessing Yaakov, or by NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTED VIA EMAIL AND THE blessing Yitzchok directly? Surely the “owner of all WORLD WIDE WEB AT HTTP://AISHDAS.ORG. blessings” could find a way to bless Yitzchok without FOR MORE INFO EMAIL [email protected] The material presented in this publication was collected from having to bless Aisav too. A mere mortal, though, even publicly available electronic mail, computer archives and the one as wise and righteous as Avraham, would have a UseNet. It is being presented with the permission of the respective hard time doing that. It would be as impossible as authors. Toras Aish is an independent publication, and does not watering a life-giving tree in a way that wouldn’t nourish necessarily reflect the views of any given synagogue. the poisonous tree that was attached to it. So what TO DEDICATE THIS NEWSLETTER PLEASE CALL 973-472-0180 OR EMAIL [email protected] should he do? Bless Yitzchok despite the risk of automatically blessing Aisav, or deprive Yitzchok of his Yitzchok as the resolution to Avraham’s reluctance to deserved blessing by having it go directly to Yaakov? do so himself. However, in all of these Midrashim Avraham was unsure, so left it up to G-d to decide. Avraham’s reluctance is not because of Aisav, but When Rashi explains the possible meanings of because of Yishmael. Avraham says he can’t bless G-d blessing Yitzchok after Avraham died, he doesn’t Yitzchok without blessing Yishmael (and Keturah’s want to (unnecessarily) limit it to the reluctance to snub other children as well), so leaves it up to G-d, who, after Yishmael. Avraham’s fear of blessing Aisav was also a Avraham’s passing, blesses (only) Yitzchok. factor, and although it didn’t affect his knowing that These Midrashim would be a valid source to Yitzchok was worthy of the blessing, it did impact his explain why G-d had to bless Yitzchok even though willingness to risk the possible adverse affects of Avraham could have done it himself, but they blessing him. His dilemma was not whether to bless apparently are not Rashi’s source; Rashi doesn’t Yitzchok or Yishmael, but whether to bless Yitzchok or mention Yishmael as the reason for Avraham’s Yaakov, with Rashi explaining why he chose to bless reluctance, only Aisav. So in addition to our earlier neither. “He said ‘let the owner of all blessings come questions, we have one additional puzzle; why Rashi and bless the one whom He deems appropriate [to be combined the ideas from very different Midrashim to blessed],” i.e. either Yitzchok or Yaakov. “And G-d explain our verse. came and blessed [Yitzchok].” © 2007 Rabbi D. Kramer Targum Yonasan and the Midrash Hagadol add RABBI KALMAN PACKOUZ that Avraham’s reluctance to bless Yitzchok without also blessing Yishmael was based on his fear that it Shabbat Shalom Weekly would cause the latter to be jealous of, and start he Torah portion begins: “And the life of Sarah was despising, the former. Apparently, had Avraham made one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven it clear that his mission was going to be continued Tyears. These were the years of the life of Sarah.” through Yitzchok’s descendants, Yishmael would have Why does the Torah, which does not waste words, add thought that his descendants were unjustly overlooked. the seemingly repetitive verse, “These were the years They would have considered Avraham’s choice a of the life of Sarah”? poorly made one, and resented Yitzchok’s children Rashi, the quintessential commentator, informs because of it. On the other hand, Avraham must have us that the message from the repetitive phrase is that felt that if G-d Himself blessed Yitzchok, then they all of the years of Sarah’s life were equally good. How would more easily accept the decision, as G-d could is it possible to say this about Sarah’s life? For many not be mistaken. (Otherwise, how would delaying the years she was childless; she experienced famine and “blessing” until G-d makes it have avoided the ill will exile; she was taken captive by the Pharaoh of Egypt that Avraham was afraid of.) and later by Avimelech.

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