[Par-lite] for Parshat Toldot - shiur #2

[Menachem Leibtag]

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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          PARSHAT  TOLDOT - shiur #2

       "MA'ASE AVOT-  'SIMAN' LA'BANIM"

     In Parshat Toldot, we find a very lengthy story
about the
wells that Yitzchak dug (see chapter 26).  As this is
one of
the few stories where we find details about his life, we
should expect that story to be thematically important.
To
find its significance, we begin our shiur with a short
explanation of the difference between a "bor" (pit or
cistern)
and "be'er" (well), which will help us understand the
story of
Yitzchak and the Plishtim.

INTRODUCTION
     In ancient times, there were two basic methods of
water
storage - the "bor" and the "be'er":
I. THE "BOR"
  The simplest manner to store rain water was to dig a
pit or
'cistern' into the bedrock.  In Hebrew, this cistern is
known
as a "bor".  To increase its efficiency, the "bor" must
be
covered with "sid" [plaster] to stop the water from
seeping
out.

II. THE "BE"ER:
     A "be'er" (a well) is quite different, for instead
of
collecting rainwater (from the heavens), it taps the
underground water table  [better known as an aquifer].
The
aquifer receives its water from accumulative rainfall,
which
seeps through the ground until it reaches a non-porous
rock
level.  To reach the aquifer, one must dig a hole into
the
ground. Once opened, the well will supply water as long
as
water remains in the aquifer.
     So what does any of this have to do with Torah?

AN ANCIENT 'WATER FIGHT'
     This background explains the quarrel between
Yitzchak and
the Plishtim over the "be'erot" (see 26:17-26). Since
time
immemorial there have always been disputes concerning
the
rights to the underground water table, similar to the
one that
takes place in this week's Parsha.
  During his life time, Avraham dug many wells, thus
staking
his claim to their water supply. After his death, the
Plishtim
plugged those wells, but then dug different wells to
gain
access to the very same aquifer (see 26:18), thus
staking
their claim to that water supply.
  Years later, Yitzchak wants to re-open the same wells
that
his father had dug, thus claiming his water back. Upon
doing
so, the Plishtim protest, claiming that the water
belongs to
them (see 26:20-21). [See also Ramban on 26:17-18!]
     Instead of fighting, Yitzchak tries again and again
to re-
open his father's wells, until he finally opens a well
that no
one else claims - and hence naming it "Rechovot" (see
26:22).
     So why does the Torah discuss such mundane issues?

PEACE & THE MIKDASH
     Ramban on 26:20-22 asks this very same question! He
claims that if we follow only the "pshat" of these
stories,
they appear to carry very little significance. Instead,
Ramban
claims that this story foreshadows future events ["maase
Avot
siman la'banim"] that will take place in Jewish History
-
relating to the first, second, and third Temples.
     In that commentary, Ramban suggests that the first
two
wells (that concluded with strife) reflect the First and
Second Temples as they were ultimately destroyed, while
the
third well (that concluded in peace) reflects our
aspirations
for the Third Temple (that will never be destroyed).
     To support Rabman's interpretation that these wells
are
'Temple related, we examine the events that take place
in
chapter 26 in light of our thematic study thus far of
Sefer
Breishit.
  Review 26:23-24, noting how immediately after these
three
'well incidents', Yitzchak ascends to Be'er Sheva.
There, God
appears unto him, confirming his "bechira" (the blessing
of
Avraham), but reminds him once again that it is for the
'sake
of Avraham'. In response to this "hitgalut"
[revelation],
Yitzchak builds a MIZBAYACH and CALLS OUT in God's Name.
  The fact that Yitzchak 'calls out in God's Name' at
this
time should not surprise us, as once again he is
following in
his father's footsteps.  Recall how Avraham had done
precisely
the same thing three times - twice at Bet-el (see 12:8 &
13:4)
and once at  Be'er Sheva (see 21:33). But why does he
'call
out in God's Name specifically at this time? [And why
didn't
he do so earlier?]
  As Ramban himself explained in Parshat Lech L'cha (see
12:8), by 'calling out in God's Name', Avraham preached
the
existence of God to the neighboring people - thus
'making a
Name for God'.  This in itself also foreshadowed Jewish
History, for the very purpose of God's choice of Avraham
Avinu
- was to bring His Name to all mankind.
     So what took Yitzchak so long to act in a manner
similar
to Avraham?  Seforno suggests that Yitzchak was actually
punished for not doing so earlier!  In his commentary to
Breishit 26:5, he explains that Yitzchak's troubles with
the
Plishtim were caused because he was not actively
'calling out
in God's Name'.  It was only after he did so in Beer
Sheva
that he became successful.  In fact, immediately after
Yitzchak builds his mizbayach, another well is dug
without a
quarrel (see 26:25 and Seforno), and afterward Avimelech
himself offers to enter a covenant with Yitzchak, thus
ending
all future quarrels.
     There remains however a small problem with
Seforno's
interpretation, for Yitzchak had already achieved peace
after
digging the third well - at Rechovot - which took place
BEFORE
he calls out in God's Name in Beer Sheva.  According to
Seforno, it is not clear why he achieved this success
'prematurely'.

WHAT COMES FIRST?
     One could suggest a slightly different reason for
why
Yitzchak did not 'call out in God's Name' until after
digging
his third well.  Recall that even before these incidents
with
the wells the Plishtim and Yitzchak did not get along so
well.
[See 26:6-14, especially 26:14.]  It seems that they had
always been quite jealous of Yitzchak and his wealth.
     The backdrop, together with the serious disputes of
the
first two wells can provide us with a different reason
for why
Yitzchak had not 'called out in God's Name'.  The reason
why
is simple - for there was no one would listen!  If your
neighbors don't like you, they won't be interested in
your
opinions.
  It is only after peace is achieved - i.e. after
digging the
third well, that Yitzchak feels the time is finally ripe
to
ascend to Be'er Sheva to build a mizbayach and follow
his
father's legacy of 'calling out in God's Name'.
  In other words, Yitzchak's troubles were not caused by
the
fact that he didn't call out in God's Name, rather - it
was
because he encountered so many troubles - he was unable
to do
so!
  
  If our understanding is correct, then we can infer
from
these events that before Am Yisrael can fulfill its
ultimate
goal of building a Mikdash open for all mankind, it must
first
attain a certain level of stability and normalized
relations
with its neighbors. This 'prerequisite' can be inferred
as
well from the Torah's commandment concerning when to
build the
Bet Ha'mikdash as described in Sefer Devarim:
  "... and you shall cross the Jordan and settle the
land...
  and He will grant you safety from your enemies and you
will
  live in security, THEN you shall bring everything I
command
  you to HA'MAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM - the place that
God
  will choose to establish His NAME [i.e. the Bet
ha'Mikdash]"
  (See Devarim 12:8-11)

     This prerequisite is actually quite logical, for if
a
primary purpose of the Mikdash is to provide a vehicle
by
which all nations can find God (see I Melachim
8:41-43!), then
it should only be built once we achieve the status of a
nation
that other nations look up to. [See also Devarim 4:5-8!]
  [Of course, Bnei Yisrael need to have a MISHKAN - for
their
  own connection with God - immediately after Matan
Torah.
  However, the transition from a Mishkan to a Mikdash
only
  takes place once Am Yisrael is ready to fulfill that
role.]

     In the history of Bayit Rishon [the first Temple],
this
is exactly the sequence of events. From the time of
Yehoshua
until King David, there is only a Mishkan, for during
this
time period, Am Yisrael never achieved peace with their
enemies, nor did they establish a prosperous state that
other
nations could look up to. Only in the time of David did
Am
Yisrael reach this level of prosperity, peace, and
security -
and this is exactly when David ha'melech asks to build
the
Mikdash (see II Shmuel 7:1-3 and note the phrase
"acharei
asher haniyach Hashem m'kol oyveyhem m'saviv".).
  Despite that request, God agrees with David that there
has
indeed been a tremendous improvement,  but nevertheless
Am
Yisrael must wait one more generation until an even
higher
level of peace and stability is reached before the
Mikdash can
be built - i.e. only after Shlomo becomes king and both
internal and external peace is achieved. [Read carefully
II
Shmuel 7:1-15.]
  [The popular reason given for why David could not
build the
  Temple - because he had 'blood on his hands'- is not
found
  in Sefer Shmuel, rather in Divrei Ha'yamim in David's
  conversation with Shlomo - but this is a topic for a
future
  shiur. See I Divrei Ha'yamim 17:1-20, & 22:2-15!]

     In this sense, this sequence of events between
Yitzchak
and the neighboring Plishtim may not only 'foreshadow'
what
will happen in the future, but more significantly, it
can
serve as guide to help us understand how we should
prioritize
our goals and aspirations.

                              shabbat shalom,
                              menachem


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