I have gained a deeper understanding of these lessons which has helped to answer some questions I've had. These Parsha Experiments are great for adults and children. Thank you.
Outstanding analysis of the Torah. Taking the meaning of Jacob/Israel’s name one and two levels deeper than what most teachers do reveals such incredible design by God in their lives
You guys might want to rethink that story.. As Jacob did not deceive his father. He made clear that he did not approve what his mother told him to do. But as per one of the 10 commandments, he honoured his mother and so did. He did not even lie when his father asked him (twice) if he was Esauw. (See Rashi's comments.)
This showdown between esau vs yakov blessing is a God-level problem. IF Rivka didn't try to take things into her own hand, God will intercede just like the ishak binding.
Beautiful! Though it raises a few questions, some obvious and some far fetched. In Hebrew יעקב comes from the root word עקב- to follow. I noticed in the Parsha that Rivka has to convince him three times that the reception will work, and he eventually follows her instructions. Perhaps Yaakov was not originally meant to be the leader? Remember in the pasuk before they were born? Rivka noticed that there were תומים in her belly. The pasuk does not say תאומים but rather uses the word תום which means innocent to describe both babies. Maybe Yitzhak knew that Eisav was supposed to lead? That in his core, he was not evil? Maybe by stealing the blessing, Yaakov also prevented Eisav from doing teshuva? With the responsibility of leading a nation, it could be the path Eisav would have chosen, it would be his name that would have been changed. With anger and rage in his heart it was less likely for Eisav to do teshuva. It's obvious that Yitzhak knew something that the rest of us did not. Also, why are we so surprised about Dina? Avraham lied about Sara, Yitzhak lied about Rivka... Seems to be a trend in this family, mess up, do yeshiva, be a great leader... Makes you think even more about Eisav... If he wasn't so busy being (rightfully?) angry, he could have very well made yeshiva, after all he had a lot of passion. It was just misdirected. I would love to hear your opinion on these crazy thoughts of mine.
I love your videos, unique insights and presentations! B-u-t, I have an issue/concern with THIS video lesson/presentation. Your message and final insight(s) are still valid AND COULD have been made, BUT NOT the way you derived them! Maybe there’s support for your insight of Yakov’s feelings toward Essav(him deserving blessing, jealousy, etc.) B-U-T its plain and simply spelled out, IN THE TORAH (which frankly is basis of “The Parsha Experiment”), that it was Yaakov's actions to ‘steal’ the bracha was at his mothers (Rifka’s) request! In fact Yaakov was uncomfortable, and the whole “steal the bracha” caper, and details, were done at his mother’s request! (You can also have dvar torah, upon the honoring parents, and its effect, even if ……). I would be interested in hearing your why, in this case, you detoured from the source, & “Parsha Experiment’s” focus/objective.
This series is about the themes and continuity between different parshas. But Aleph Beta also looks at the story from Rivka's perspective here: www.alephbeta.org/playlist/deceit-of-isaac
Hi. I think your videos are really good and very insightful. However, I think I've found a mistake. The blessing was never Esau's. It was Jacob's from the beginning. First, God gave a prophecy saying that Esau will serve Jacob which is part of the blessing. Second of all, Esau sold the blessing for food, even though it wasn't actually his, though he didn't know it. One way or another, Jacob would have had to deceive his dad because of Isaac's favouritism. Isaac was set on giving Esau the blessing so if Jacob had told his dad that he should have the blessing, Isaac would have thought that Jacob was jealous. He wouldn't have listened and the blessing was Jacob's. God used Rebecca to make sure the prophecy came true... Just a thought.
Hi Francia, I just read your comment and I hope its ok to add a thought to what you shared. Considering that if we need to help God to bring about the fulfillment of a prophesy, then don't we risk committing the same mistake that our Father Abraham made when he and Sarah decided that Abe would father a son through Hagar and that would cause the fulfillment of God's prophesy? After all... God did first give the prophesy long before he brought it to pass and it didn't seem there was any way for it to come to pass - unless God caused a miracle to happen... and time did seem to be running out for that to be fulfilled, but that is the point right? Are we willing to wait for the prophesy to be fulfilled God's way in God's time ...even if it requires a miracle, even if it requires waiting a long time? Or do we feel we need to force God's prophesies to come true as if without us intervening to make it happen... it couldn't or would not otherwise happen? How many other times in the scripture do we read where even Kings got in trouble for being impatient and taking matters into their own hands to "make something happen" on their time line? Just food for thought...
you made a great point. Also they made a mistake on saying that Isaac didn't have to go through favoritism that's not true because he was the favored one and Ishmael was not the favored one. The Akeida makes it very clear.
@@magnoliajo696 However, yes, in Abrahams case his efforts did not bare fruit ,God did not bless hisher plans with Sarah to have Ishmael become the firstborn and get the blessing, but with Rivkas plan God did bless the plan. You would have to conclude tha God authored it. God was pleased with the plan for the blessing to go to Jacob. I think that the results speak for themselves , how then can one find fault with the way God brought His plan about. Force is not bad as long is it has Gods blessing. One thing for sure that we learn in both cases is that the blessing for the firstborn did not go to the physical firstborn but to the one chosen by God (His firstborn) That is a miracle.. I also dont see Jacob as being jealous of Esau.
Hi first I love your videos second while it is interesting its glaringly obvious that something is wrong here. We know Jacob and Esav had an exchange over a bowl of soup clearly giving possession to Jacob. The question why not have a heart to heart? Lashon Hara? Disgracing his brother to his beloved father who hopes for his best? Here in the Lavan story Lavan clearly was completely in the fault. How can you even make the comparison? I like your videos but am confused as how you can propose such an explanation. The Torah clearly shows the understanding of Yaakov as the heir by Yitzchak himself at the meeting with the blessings. Furthemore Rebbeca orders Yaakov to do this. Please comment with an answer
Hi Ari, If its ok, I would like to add a thought to this discussion. Yes, God did make a declaration or prophesy about Jacob and his roll to come...and when it doesn't look like it would come to pass... Mom and Jacob take matters into their own hands to make sure they "helped God" to fulfill his word... but was that right or wise to do? Consider once King Saul disobeyed God in a matter that "seemed right in his own eyes" and he was severely rebuked by the prophet for having directly disobeyed God's commands. Samuel was then sent to anoint the next King of Israel - King David...but David was not instantly King... in fact he had to wait a long time and endure persecution, death threats, war, being a fugitive and even the temptation to "make things happen on his own timeline" - which he had every opportunity to do ...particularly in one instance in the cave where David could have killed Saul out right and then taken the kingdom by force, because after all, didn't God give it to him via prophesy already? Wasn't even he already anointed? But because David feared God, and knew God's timing was best...he wisely chose instead to wait for God to bring the fulfillment in his own timing. Who knows, had Esau actually been given the birthright by his Father... is it not possible that God would have caused him to surrender it to his brother Jacob willingly at a future time? Maybe he may have "come to his senses" afterwards...by means of God's convicting him to willingly give it up - or by even scaring him via visions or an angelic visit or ??? Maybe God would have taken it by force in his own way without involving Jacob? who knows. God works in strange and mysterious ways... its best to wait for him to act on our behalf - and not to take matters into our own hands to force prophesies to happen by our own hand, our own way. As a reminder to us all, God's ways are not our ways, they are higher and he will always act beyond what we can even think up or imagine - in such an amazing way to gain the glory for himself when he brings impossible things to pass. Baruch Ha Shem!
one big problem in this teaching. Isaac did go through a favored and unfavored son. Ishmael was not the favored one so Isaac did have to deal with this problem but you said he didn't.
@@faketrailermaker64 you might be right just for the fact that it doesn't say it explicitly however if you're the first born son and the covenant goes not through you but through the brother that would be an example of favoring one over the other.
@@cesarioserrato5306 Certainly Yishmael may have felt that way but ultimately that's what God decided and not Avraham. Perhaps Yitzchak was favored by God over Yishmael, but Avraham loved them both. In the situation of Yaacov and Esav, we're talking about explicit textual proof that says that Yitzchak loved Esav and Rivka loved Yaacov meaning literally that the parents loved their respective child more than the other child... and we see it in Yaacov's behavior. He's named after the fact that he was at Esav's heel when they were born. Alternatively, we see only one interaction between Yitzchak and Yishmael and it's them gathering to bury Avraham. We can infer that there is a form of favoritism in the story of Yishmael, but comparing it to Yaacov and Esav requires nuance. What's more in common in the two cases is that the patriarch shows great love for his son who is not chosen to carry on the covenant because just because you're not chosen, it doesn't mean you're not loved.
@@faketrailermaker64 I very much appreciate your response. So then we are in agreement I never said one wasn't loved over the other but one definitely was favored over the other. So my issue isn't one being loved or not but that favoritism was definitely showed and felt by one of the brothers over the other in this case Yitzchak over Yishmael.
I normally really enjoy your videos. However this one is based on a lot of assumptions - assuming Ya'cov felt unloved by his dad, assuming he took matters into his own hands -while actually acting on his mother's instruction, assuming that he was deceived by Lavan as poetic justice for him being such a "deceiver", assuming that he approved of his own so called "deception" but then had a problem with being deceived by Lavan, to the extent that you portray. Scripture does not portray Ya'acov a a deceiver - Esav does! I am sure you had fun in making this video but frankly most of what you say is not supported in Scripture. I think you kind of missed the mark on this one.
I have gained a deeper understanding of these lessons which has helped to answer some questions I've had. These Parsha Experiments are great for adults and children. Thank you.
I'm So glad I find u, I love/ enjoy watching your parashats, so we'll put together..todah rabah for ur great work. Yevarejeja ODONI VEISMEREJA...
Todah Rabah 🥺❤️
I really appreciate all the work and intention you put into your Parashot. We love watching them
You guys are doing a great job with these! Thank you!
I love your work and understanding about the word of GOD. CONGRATULATIONS. God really bless you.
Hello 👋🏻 love this beautiful video thank you for sharing 💖
Outstanding analysis of the Torah. Taking the meaning of Jacob/Israel’s name one and two levels deeper than what most teachers do reveals such incredible design by God in their lives
You guys might want to rethink that story.. As Jacob did not deceive his father. He made clear that he did not approve what his mother told him to do. But as per one of the 10 commandments, he honoured his mother and so did. He did not even lie when his father asked him (twice) if he was Esauw. (See Rashi's comments.)
Baruch HaShem
Indeed!
Beautiful
This showdown between esau vs yakov blessing is a God-level problem. IF Rivka didn't try to take things into her own hand, God will intercede just like the ishak binding.
where are the links with further information on Jacob?
Hi! I REALLY LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! But I like to say that Yaakov's root name is Ekev, from the word Heel.
The noun root is heel but the adjective (akov) is curved (or crooked). Check it out here: www.pealim.com/dict/5829-akev/
THANK YOU
Thank you!
I just met you at RTA I wanted to ask you all a question do you take what other people say and connect it or do you come up with it on your own???
Beautiful! Though it raises a few questions, some obvious and some far fetched. In Hebrew יעקב comes from the root word עקב- to follow. I noticed in the Parsha that Rivka has to convince him three times that the reception will work, and he eventually follows her instructions. Perhaps Yaakov was not originally meant to be the leader? Remember in the pasuk before they were born? Rivka noticed that there were תומים in her belly. The pasuk does not say תאומים but rather uses the word תום which means innocent to describe both babies. Maybe Yitzhak knew that Eisav was supposed to lead? That in his core, he was not evil? Maybe by stealing the blessing, Yaakov also prevented Eisav from doing teshuva? With the responsibility of leading a nation, it could be the path Eisav would have chosen, it would be his name that would have been changed. With anger and rage in his heart it was less likely for Eisav to do teshuva. It's obvious that Yitzhak knew something that the rest of us did not. Also, why are we so surprised about Dina? Avraham lied about Sara, Yitzhak lied about Rivka... Seems to be a trend in this family, mess up, do yeshiva, be a great leader... Makes you think even more about Eisav... If he wasn't so busy being (rightfully?) angry, he could have very well made yeshiva, after all he had a lot of passion. It was just misdirected. I would love to hear your opinion on these crazy thoughts of mine.
Jacob bought the first born position fair and square from Esau. Jacob never violate Torah, Esau did.
I love your videos, unique insights and presentations!
B-u-t, I have an issue/concern with THIS video lesson/presentation. Your message and final insight(s) are still valid AND COULD have been made, BUT NOT the way you derived them!
Maybe there’s support for your insight of Yakov’s feelings toward Essav(him deserving blessing, jealousy, etc.) B-U-T its plain and simply spelled out, IN THE TORAH (which frankly is basis of “The Parsha Experiment”), that it was Yaakov's actions to ‘steal’ the bracha was at his mothers (Rifka’s) request! In fact Yaakov was uncomfortable, and the whole “steal the bracha” caper, and details, were done at his mother’s request! (You can also have dvar torah, upon the honoring parents, and its effect, even if ……).
I would be interested in hearing your why, in this case, you detoured from the source, & “Parsha Experiment’s” focus/objective.
This series is about the themes and continuity between different parshas. But Aleph Beta also looks at the story from Rivka's perspective here: www.alephbeta.org/playlist/deceit-of-isaac
Hi. I think your videos are really good and very insightful. However, I think I've found a mistake. The blessing was never Esau's. It was Jacob's from the beginning. First, God gave a prophecy saying that Esau will serve Jacob which is part of the blessing. Second of all, Esau sold the blessing for food, even though it wasn't actually his, though he didn't know it. One way or another, Jacob would have had to deceive his dad because of Isaac's favouritism. Isaac was set on giving Esau the blessing so if Jacob had told his dad that he should have the blessing, Isaac would have thought that Jacob was jealous. He wouldn't have listened and the blessing was Jacob's. God used Rebecca to make sure the prophecy came true...
Just a thought.
Hi Francia, I just read your comment and I hope its ok to add a thought to what you shared. Considering that if we need to help God to bring about the fulfillment of a prophesy, then don't we risk committing the same mistake that our Father Abraham made when he and Sarah decided that Abe would father a son through Hagar and that would cause the fulfillment of God's prophesy? After all... God did first give the prophesy long before he brought it to pass and it didn't seem there was any way for it to come to pass - unless God caused a miracle to happen... and time did seem to be running out for that to be fulfilled, but that is the point right? Are we willing to wait for the prophesy to be fulfilled God's way in God's time ...even if it requires a miracle, even if it requires waiting a long time? Or do we feel we need to force God's prophesies to come true as if without us intervening to make it happen... it couldn't or would not otherwise happen? How many other times in the scripture do we read where even Kings got in trouble for being impatient and taking matters into their own hands to "make something happen" on their time line? Just food for thought...
you made a great point. Also they made a mistake on saying that Isaac didn't have to go through favoritism that's not true because he was the favored one and Ishmael was not the favored one. The Akeida makes it very clear.
@@magnoliajo696 However, yes, in Abrahams case his efforts did not bare fruit ,God did not bless hisher plans with Sarah to have Ishmael become the firstborn and get the blessing, but with Rivkas plan God did bless the plan. You would have to conclude tha God authored it. God was pleased with the plan for the blessing to go to Jacob. I think that the results speak for themselves , how then can one find fault with the way God brought His plan about. Force is not bad as long is it has Gods blessing. One thing for sure that we learn in both cases is that the blessing for the firstborn did not go to the physical firstborn but to the one chosen by God (His firstborn) That is a miracle..
I also dont see Jacob as being jealous of Esau.
To add more controversy: some say that Yakov as actually the first to be conceived: first in, last out...
Agree
Wow! You missed the main point of Ribqah revelation.Start with Rivacres revelation and proceed from there.
Love it!
Great
Hi first I love your videos second while it is interesting its glaringly obvious that something is wrong here. We know Jacob and Esav had an exchange over a bowl of soup clearly giving possession to Jacob. The question why not have a heart to heart? Lashon Hara? Disgracing his brother to his beloved father who hopes for his best? Here in the Lavan story Lavan clearly was completely in the fault. How can you even make the comparison? I like your videos but am confused as how you can propose such an explanation. The Torah clearly shows the understanding of Yaakov as the heir by Yitzchak himself at the meeting with the blessings. Furthemore Rebbeca orders Yaakov to do this. Please comment with an answer
Hi Ari, If its ok, I would like to add a thought to this discussion. Yes, God did make a declaration or prophesy about Jacob and his roll to come...and when it doesn't look like it would come to pass... Mom and Jacob take matters into their own hands to make sure they "helped God" to fulfill his word... but was that right or wise to do? Consider once King Saul disobeyed God in a matter that "seemed right in his own eyes" and he was severely rebuked by the prophet for having directly disobeyed God's commands. Samuel was then sent to anoint the next King of Israel - King David...but David was not instantly King... in fact he had to wait a long time and endure persecution, death threats, war, being a fugitive and even the temptation to "make things happen on his own timeline" - which he had every opportunity to do ...particularly in one instance in the cave where David could have killed Saul out right and then taken the kingdom by force, because after all, didn't God give it to him via prophesy already? Wasn't even he already anointed? But because David feared God, and knew God's timing was best...he wisely chose instead to wait for God to bring the fulfillment in his own timing. Who knows, had Esau actually been given the birthright by his Father... is it not possible that God would have caused him to surrender it to his brother Jacob willingly at a future time? Maybe he may have "come to his senses" afterwards...by means of God's convicting him to willingly give it up - or by even scaring him via visions or an angelic visit or ??? Maybe God would have taken it by force in his own way without involving Jacob? who knows. God works in strange and mysterious ways... its best to wait for him to act on our behalf - and not to take matters into our own hands to force prophesies to happen by our own hand, our own way. As a reminder to us all, God's ways are not our ways, they are higher and he will always act beyond what we can even think up or imagine - in such an amazing way to gain the glory for himself when he brings impossible things to pass. Baruch Ha Shem!
I so agree.
one big problem in this teaching. Isaac did go through a favored and unfavored son. Ishmael was not the favored one so Isaac did have to deal with this problem but you said he didn't.
Yishmael and Hagar were not favored by Sarah but it does not say that Avraham favored Yitzchak over Yishmael.
@@faketrailermaker64 you might be right just for the fact that it doesn't say it explicitly however if you're the first born son and the covenant goes not through you but through the brother that would be an example of favoring one over the other.
@@cesarioserrato5306 Certainly Yishmael may have felt that way but ultimately that's what God decided and not Avraham. Perhaps Yitzchak was favored by God over Yishmael, but Avraham loved them both. In the situation of Yaacov and Esav, we're talking about explicit textual proof that says that Yitzchak loved Esav and Rivka loved Yaacov meaning literally that the parents loved their respective child more than the other child... and we see it in Yaacov's behavior. He's named after the fact that he was at Esav's heel when they were born. Alternatively, we see only one interaction between Yitzchak and Yishmael and it's them gathering to bury Avraham. We can infer that there is a form of favoritism in the story of Yishmael, but comparing it to Yaacov and Esav requires nuance. What's more in common in the two cases is that the patriarch shows great love for his son who is not chosen to carry on the covenant because just because you're not chosen, it doesn't mean you're not loved.
@@faketrailermaker64 I very much appreciate your response. So then we are in agreement I never said one wasn't loved over the other but one definitely was favored over the other. So my issue isn't one being loved or not but that favoritism was definitely showed and felt by one of the brothers over the other in this case Yitzchak over Yishmael.
You sure are leaving out a lot of vital information
Wow
I normally really enjoy your videos. However this one is based on a lot of assumptions - assuming Ya'cov felt unloved by his dad, assuming he took matters into his own hands -while actually acting on his mother's instruction, assuming that he was deceived by Lavan as poetic justice for him being such a "deceiver", assuming that he approved of his own so called "deception" but then had a problem with being deceived by Lavan, to the extent that you portray. Scripture does not portray Ya'acov a a deceiver - Esav does! I am sure you had fun in making this video but frankly most of what you say is not supported in Scripture. I think you kind of missed the mark on this one.
Your stories really are great except for one thing you're using logic of people 3000 years ago with logic of today apples and oranges